Trivial Pursuits Ch. 05

As they were gathering their things to leave the office, Denny was swinging on his jacket when Alessa commented on his habit of wearing suspenders. "What's with the suspenders?"

"What? You don't like them?" he asked chuckling, looking down at himself, assessing them.

"They're just...unusual, you know, for someone your age and with your...physique," she finished quietly.

Denny continued smiling, but said nothing about her inadvertent compliment to his body. "What can I say? They look sharp. I'm not really too flashy in the way of fashion, but I think it' good to have something signature about me."

Alessa smiled unconvinced. "Looks are important to you?"

"Aesthetics are important," he corrected, "whether clothing, cars, buildings," he indicated nodding to the art on his walls. "We all like something pretty to look at. Nothing wrong with that," he stated ushering her out of his office and toward her desk so she could grab her things.

"But when beauty is all a person thinks about..." she semi-argued, grabbing her bag.

"Did you know you can die from drinking too much water?" he commented obtusely.

She frowned, not seeing the connection. "Yes."

"But you need water. You would die without it, so it would be safe to call it a good thing. So like water, beauty, or rather the focus on it, is the important factor, not beauty itself. So, a little appreciation is hardly a vice."

"Point taken," she conceded, punching the down button. When they stepped on the elevator in silence, Alessa suddenly became very aware of how close he was, his cologne at the forefront of all her senses. She closed her eyes as the elevator started down.

"You okay?" Denny asked, his warm voice slipping around and inside her.

She nodded and opened her eyes, only to find him exceptionally close, looking down at her. Denny's eyes dropped to her mouth when her lips parted and her breathing increased. His gaze was heated and undisguised. She felt scorched.

Alessa stood more erect and looked forward. She cleared her throat and tugged her raincoat more securely around her.

"Alessa, maybe we should discuss this," he suggested, his rough voice adding to her frustrating attraction.

"Discuss what?" she asked, hoping ignorance would discourage him.

"We almost kissed the other day," he reminded her. "I want to kiss you now," his voice dropped gently.

The elevator stopped. She shook her head dismissively. "You're imaging things. Besides, it would be a mistake," and then quickly stepped off as soon as she could squeeze through the slow-opening doors.

Staying on the elevator to go down to underground parking, Denny watched her flee through the lobby, uncertain about his next move, regretting not simply grabbing her and kissing her as he had wanted. Damn her refusal.

The following days kept both busy as they went about their other various tasks. Alessa was thankful she had successfully avoided him, but on Thursday, she had news she knew he needed to know.

"The lot's empty," she informed him, standing before his desk. Clare hadn't been at her post, so Alessa simply knocked on the door, hoping what had been there would have been settled and forgotten. Of course, the moment he looked up and saw her, Alessa could feel the residual tension and knew nothing would be forgotten so easily. But, stiffening her spine, she walked to him to share with him what she had discovered.

"I was looking over some of those properties last night, and I realized that one was quite close to where I live, so I stopped by this morning on my way in. Denny, the lot is vacant. Whatever was there previously has been completely removed. There's no historic building there at all. The only thing on it was a real estate sign."

"So it's for sale," he mused. "Do you know what was supposed to be there?"

"According to the file, a house. Renovations to return it to a one family home. Specs on it valued the home around two-and-a-half million."

"Price of the lot on the sign?"

She slowly smiled and shook her head. "No, but the number of the agent was. So I just called her. She wouldn't give me the name of the seller, but said the lot's asking price was one-point-five million."

Denny whistled. "That's a little pricy for just the land. In a good location?"

"It's not bad. Residential. So, what do we do now?"

Denny was silent a moment as he stared at his desk. "Well, I'm still waiting to hear back on the ownership of those three companies. I'm kind of under the gun right now for this other case, but what if tomorrow we clear our schedules and go do a little investigating?"

She raised an eyebrow at him and cocked her head. "Doesn't the firm hire investigators for that sort of footwork?"

He gave a half smile. "Not afraid of a little hard work, are you? Besides, sometimes it's just nice to have an excuse to get out of the office," he confessed.

Her expression was contained for a moment, but a twinkling in her eyes gave her away before her answer did. Alessa smiled. "I did always want to be Perry Mason," she relented.

"MacGyver," Denny admitted with a shrug.

Alessa laughed at that and then the amusement faded, the unresolved emotions of their almost kiss surfacing again. Denny sat waiting for her to speak, those intense eyes making her stomach burn, but Alessa was unwilling to face it. "Okay. Well, then why don't we get a lot cleared in the morning, and we can go after lunch tomorrow."

Denny nodded in agreement.

"Alright, then. Sounds good," she nodded also, and after standing before him for a few awkward seconds turned and left.

****

"And do you know what the strangest thing was that should have been a big, red flag?"

Alessa shook her head and took another bite of her salad. Lou was sitting at her desk munching her salsa-flavored chips and sharing stories of her past boyfriends. "He said he wanted to go camping," she said incredulously.

"Why should that have been a warning?" Alessa asked.

"I told you. He was into the whole Goth scene. He wore more make-up than me, wore so much metal he could set off a metal-detector a mile away, and he was frightened of spiders. Anyway, his camping was just a cover story. He was boffing some trashy girl in a punk band."

"Spiders?" Alessa chuckled. "I thought you said he was a Goth."

"Yeah, well, he might have said he liked the whole dark side, but in reality he was a wimp. Screamed like a six-year-old girl," she laughed.

"What did you see in him to start with?" Alessa asked, stabbing the last of her veggies with her fork.

"You know, there was just something about him. Of course, when I found out what he was doing, I realized he was just a creepy, cruddy boy. Nothing special."

"I'm sorry," Alessa offered.

"Don't be. I am definitely better off without him."

"Definitely," Alessa agreed with a nod.

Lou crumpled up her chip bag and took a drink of her soda. "So, what are you wearing to the auction?"

"The what?"

"You know, the fundraiser? One of our more prestigious clients is Omniliance."

"The charity?"

"Right. Every year, Wiles, Mayer, and Schecter holds a fundraiser for them, partly to cover our expenses in representing them, but primarily as a public relations event, for both the firm and them. We invite a gaggle of our best clients and most of our staff is highly encouraged to attend. The fundraiser is an auction of the best things the rich can buy. And at the end of it, several of the firm's elite are asked to participate."

"How do you mean 'participate'?"

"It's a date auction. Our staff, usually I think they choose about ten, five men, five women, go up on stage one at a time, the attendees bid on them, and whoever wins gets a date that evening with the staff person."

"That's a little barbarous and tacky, isn't it?" Alessa said, her face a picture of mild disgust.

"Not at all. You are such a prude," Lou admonished. "It's just fun. It's not as if it is illegal, no dirty or scandalous expectations. It's just a way of raising money and finding avenues for everyone to network, basically. Nothing has ever happened," Lou informed her. "So, I therefore assume you haven't picked out a dress."

Alessa shook her head. "When is it?"

"Not for another three weeks. But you'd better get on it. Especially if you're going to have your hair done." Then Lou's face brightened and her excitement grew exponentially. "Oh! Please let me do your hair! You have such gorgeous hair! Oh, and I could do your make-up!" she squealed and wiggled excitedly in her chair as she clapped quickly. "Yes, yes, please say you'll let me. It will be such fun!"

Alessa was momentarily stunned, but she couldn't think of a reason why Lou shouldn't and so gave an acquiescing shrug, which produced yet another high-pitched squeal.

There was talk of Lou videoing the session and putting it up on her blog. Alessa was slightly concerned, and said she would think about it.

"Who are you going to take?"

"Take?" Alessa asked confused.

"You know, as in a date. For the party."

"Oh," Alessa was stuck on an answer. "No one, probably. Go stag."

"What?" Lou asked aghast, as though such an idea were impossible. Then her expression turned to one of mischief. "Why not ask Denny?" she suggested with innuendo.

"What?" Alessa asked in a hush voice of surprise. "Why would I do that?" she whispered and looked around quickly.

"Because you have a thing for him," Lou answered, whispering, too.

Alessa was stunned, words failing her. "That's ridiculous! I most certainly do not. And I don't date. Especially colleagues. I think he's a good lawyer, and sure he's attractive and smart with incredibly intense eyes..." she realized she was rambling away all the reasons she had been fighting against. "I don't like him. And that's that," she ended firmly.

"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much," Lou quipped. "If you don't like him, then why are you blushing? Admit it! You think Denton-sexy-pants-Ashbury is dreamy."

"Oh, good grief," Alessa groaned, slouching back in her chair and lifting her eyes to the ceiling in great exasperation.

"And what secret are you two sharing?" Denny asked, stopping in front of Alessa's desk.

She gave a surprised yip. Lou was barely containing her laughter, but she refused to answer Denny. He watched as Alessa's already pink cheeks turned positively red. She wouldn't even make eye contact with him. He could only smile at her strange behavior. "Well, I'm sorry to interrupt whatever it is, but Alessa, I have a video conference with the Mingo team in Seoul. I may need a translator. Would you mind sitting in with me? It's set for four this afternoon."

Alessa's mouth was a tight line and she still wasn't looking up at him, but she managed to vigorously nod her head, hoping the sooner she agreed, the sooner he would leave. He smiled, still baffled by her embarrassed behavior, and thanked her and left.

"I could slug you," she glowered at Lou who finally let out a loud laugh. She sat giggling hysterically in her chair, leaning back and holding her stomach.

"I wouldn't have thought it possible, but you got even redder!"

"This isn't funny!" Alessa hissed, whispering again. "Keep your voice down. We're not in sixth grade."

When Lou's laughter finally tapered off, she answered. "Maybe not. But males and females never change, no matter how old you get. Attraction slays all lies. You can't hide it." The smile on Lou's face was bittersweet. Though Alessa shared very little about herself, she revealed so much without ever knowing it. Lou understood Alessa's hidden feelings, and wondered if Alessa knew Denny felt the same way. "Good luck tomorrow, if I don't see you before then," she offered before leaving, taking her empty bag of chips and astute, uncomfortable observations with her.