She was so full of life, and so young and so pretty. She had been everything he wanted in a woman. But she wanted more from him than he could give her, or any woman. She had wanted too much.
She stood up then and kissed his cheek, and he closed his eyes as he smelled her perfume. For an instant, it was painfully familiar, just as the feel of his skin was to her and the way he held her. There were a lot of things, maybe too many things, that they both remembered. The memories were under their skin and in their hearts and their bones.
"
"“Let's have lunch again,” he said as he took her downstairs to put her in the car. He was sending her back uptown with his driver.
“I'd like that,” she said softly.
He closed the door of the limousine for her, and she waved as they drove away. He stood watching his car for a long moment, and then went back upstairs and sat down at his desk, and frantically began drawing airplanes.
It was a week later, on a hot night, when she sat in the air conditioning, watching television.
The baby was asleep when the phone rang. It was Joe, and she was surprised to hear him. She had been relieved by how well their lunch went, and she was proud of herself about it. It had been bittersweet, and kind of fun, but not agonizing. And afterward, she had been happy to get home to her baby and a letter from Andy. Joe was entirely a thing of the past now.
“What are you up to?” he asked, sounding relaxed. He was at home, doing nothing, and he'd been thinking about her.
“I'm watching TV,” she said, still surprised to hear him.
“Do you want to go out for a hamburger? I'm bored,” he confessed and she laughed.
“I'd love to, but I don't have a sitter.”
“Bring the baby.”
She laughed at the suggestion. “I can't, Joe. He's sleeping. And if I wake him up, he'll cry for hours. Believe me, you wouldn't enjoy it.”
“You're right. I wouldn't. Have you eaten?”
“More or less. I ate some ice cream this afternoon. I'm not really hungry. It's too hot.”
“What if I bring a hamburger over to you?” he suggested as an option.
“Here?”
“Well, yes. Where else would I take it?”
It was an odd suggestion. It seemed strange to have him come to the apartment she shared with her husband, but on the other hand, they were both alone with nothing to do, and they were friends now. She could do this. She had proven it the week before.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” she asked him.
“Why not? We both have to eat.” It sounded reasonable, and finally she agreed.
