In The Eye of the Beholder Read online

  I smiled and gently touched his face as I teasingly replied, “I do now.”

  Adam returned to work the following Monday, as did I, and I wondered if he would come and get me at noon for our customary lunch in the cafeteria. I was on pins and needles all morning as the clock slowly dragged its hands around to twelve, and I was crestfallen when twelve o’clock came and went with no sign of Adam. I figured he was busy in the ER, which calmed my frazzled nerves somewhat, but the rest of the afternoon dragged by just as agonizingly slow as the morning had. Since I hadn’t gone to lunch I was extremely hungry by the time five o’clock rolled around, and I was in a foul mood as I quickly strode to my car and slid into its hot, suffocating interior. I turned the air conditioner on and sighed in relief as the cold air blew over my damp face, and I jumped in surprise at the unexpected tap on my window. I opened my eyes and peered up at Adam’s handsome face, and as I put the window down he smiled and said, “Hi.”

  “Hi. How was your day?”

  “Busy.”

  I simply nodded and increased the flow of cold air pouring out of the vents as I wondered what Adam wanted, and he wasted no time in telling me. He cleared his throat and inquired, “Could you give me a ride home? Alex is doing emergency jaw surgery, and since I didn’t drive, I--”

  It suddenly dawned on me that I didn’t have the heart to deny him anything, and I smiled as I said, “Get in.”

  He quickly walked around to the passenger side and got in, and as he stretched his long legs in front of him he said, “What a day.”

  “Busy, huh?”

  “Extremely. I think I dealt with a little of everything today. Must’ve been my welcome back present.”

  I simply nodded and kept my attention focused on the road as Adam switched the radio on, and moments later he glanced at me and said, “You’re awfully quiet. Bad day?”

  “Something like that, yeah.”

  “Wanna talk about it?”

  “Not really.”

  He shrugged and settled back in the seat as he said, “I understand.”

  Do you? I was tempted to ask as I cast a sideways glance in his direction. He was so handsome, and so kind and funny and caring and gentle, and such a skilled lover, that the thought of losing him to someone else, someone better than me, some pretty girl who had more to offer than I did, caused such a wrenching pain in my gut that I had to bite my lip to stifle an agonized gasp. I knew all the tell tale signs--the sudden, distant coldness, the lack of contact, the awkward silences, the feeling that something was wrong, you just couldn’t pinpoint what--and I wondered if Adam was simply tired or beginning the painful process of distancing himself from me. I bit my lip again and blinked so he wouldn’t notice the bright sheen of tears in my eyes, and I fought the urge to curse when I tasted blood. I’d bitten my lip so hard that it was bleeding, and Adam’s concern was evident as he said, “Sophie, honey, your lip is bleeding.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “Are you alright?”

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “If you’re bleeding, you aren’t alright.” He frowned and retrieved a clean tissue from the glove compartment, then gently pressed it against my lip and said, “Something’s up with you. You just aren’t acting like yourself today.”

  I shrugged and tried to sound nonchalant as I replied, “Just a tough day at work, I guess.”

  “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

  “Yes, Adam, I’m sure.”

  “Well, you know I’m here if you feel like talking about it.”

  I nodded and replied, “Yes, I know. Thank you.”

  I swallowed hard and stiffened when he suddenly stroked the side of my neck and murmured, “I think you need a nice, long, relaxing swim.”

  “Too hot to swim,” I breathed as he continued to gently stroke the sensitive skin of my neck. He laughed softly and leaned over to kiss my neck, and I shivered in pleasure when he drew my earlobe into his mouth and flicked his tongue across the soft, fleshy part. My skin instantly prickled with goose bumps as he gently traced the outline of my ear with his tongue, and I tightened my grip on the steering wheel as his warm breath tickled my ear and the side of my neck. I swallowed hard as instant desire swept through me, and my voice was breathless as I said, “Adam…”

  “Hmm?” he said as he continued to lick the outer edge of my ear. By now I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles were white, and my voice was definitely strained as I said, “If you don’t stop, I’ll probably end up having an accident…”

  “I’m a doctor, sweetheart…I’ll take care of you…”

  “Adam!”

  He laughed softly and straightened, and I gave my head a brief shake to clear the fog of pleasure that was clouding my judgment. He sat back with a mischievous smile on his handsome face, and I was secretly relieved when I finally parked in his driveway. He smiled and inquired, “Aren’t you going to come in?”

  “I guess I could come in for a few minutes.”

  He laughed, knowing that once I was inside, chances were I wouldn’t leave until well after the sun went down, if I left at all. His invitation calmed some of my fears, and I was smiling as I followed him inside because I definitely knew what he had up his sleeve. However, I was completely unprepared for what happened next. My first hint was the subtle scent of a woman’s perfume, and subconsciously I knew that something wasn’t quite right as we walked through the foyer and into the living room. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw her. She was sitting on Adam’s sofa, her long, shapely legs demurely crossed, and there was a long, slender cigarette in her hand. Her nails were perfectly manicured and polished, and she had a mane of long, rich chestnut-colored hair that set off her deep tan. She was impeccably dressed in a sleeveless white linen dress with a matching jacket, and there was no mistaking the flash of the expensive diamond ring and wedding band she was sporting on her right ring finger. She stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray Maggie had undoubtedly provided, then got to her feet and smiled at Adam. “Hello, Adam.”

  Adam waved his hand to clear the smoke from the air and said, “Hello, Danielle. To what do I owe the pleasure of this unannounced visit?”

  Danielle laughed then, a rich, throaty laugh that no doubt sent ripples of pleasure down the spine of any man who was lucky enough to hear it. Her laugh showed off her perfectly straight, white teeth, but Adam seemed unmoved as he continued to stand beside me, his hand still firmly locked with mine. Danielle took a step closer and said, “If you bothered to check your messages, you’d see that you could hardly call my visit unannounced.”

  “What do you want?”

  I could tell that Adam was struggling to maintain a semblance of civility towards this woman, and my curiosity was higher than ever as Danielle took another step closer and murmured, “I want what I’ve always wanted. You.”

  Her words confirmed my worst fears-- that Adam had once been involved with this woman, and I felt a painful wrenching sensation in my gut as my overwhelmed mind finally realized that if this woman was my competition, then the battle had already been lost. There was no way I could compete with her, and I was oblivious to Adam’s rigid stance and barely civil tone as he spoke to her. All I could think of was how the two of them must have been together, he so handsome and she so pretty, supermodel pretty, and she exuded an aura of wealth and importance about her that made me feel like the ugliest, stupidest outcast in the entire world. But there was also an innate, icy nastiness about her that actually sent slivers of fear up my spine as I studied her. I got the distinct impression that this woman would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, and at the moment that included Adam. My fear and self-consciousness suddenly turned into anger as my mind swirled with unanswered questions. Who was this woman? Who was she to Adam? What did she want from him? What gave her the right to make herself at home in his cozy living room like she belonged there? And more importantly, why hadn’t Adam mentioned her to me before now? I didn’t know who to be an
grier with, Adam, myself, or this woman who called herself Danielle as we all continued to stand in a semi-circle in the middle of the living room. By then she was standing right next to Adam and gently rubbing his arm, but the look of unmistakable loathing was still etched on his face as she softly whispered, “You didn’t tell me you’d regained your sight.”

  “Seems like I didn’t need to tell you, since you already know.”

  Danielle laughed again, and her voice was less than amused as she replied, “Ah, Adam, I see you still have that same sarcastic sense of humor.”

  “Danielle--”

  “Yes, Adam?”

  “We ended this five years ago, and as you can see, I’m involved with someone else. Now please get out of my house.”

  Danielle looked at me with a smug, icy, hateful look on her otherwise beautiful face, and her voice was less than friendly as she said, “Oh, Adam, you can do much better than this.”

  Adam stiffened at her cold words and replied, “Her name is Sophie, and we are very involved. Now get out of my house.”

  Danielle laughed again and came to stand in front of me, and I could feel my cheeks burning with anger as she gave me a thorough, visual once-over before she snorted and said, “Adam, Adam, Adam. How many times have I told you not to bring strays home?”

  Adam clenched his hands into a fist, probably to keep from hitting her, and through clenched teeth he replied, “This is no longer your home, and Sophie isn’t a stray, as you so eloquently put it. She has more kindness and class in her than you could ever dream of having. Now for the last time, get out of my house.”

  Danielle laughed again and said, “You aren’t getting rid of me that easily. I’ll go, but I promise you, I’ll be back.”

  “Don’t bother, Danielle. It’s over. And if I recall correctly, you’re the one who ended it.”

  Danielle simply smiled and shook her head as she walked out of the living room, and moments later Adam and I both relaxed when we heard the front door open and close. Adam turned to me then, and his anger was replaced with a look of deep concern as he studied my flushed face. There were so many things I wanted to ask him, but I couldn’t seem to form the words as I stood there and waited for him to offer an explanation. He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, then gently inquired, “Are you alright?”

  I nodded and sat down on the sofa, then swallowed hard as I recalled Danielle’s reference to me as a stray. Her nasty attitude had confirmed my worst fears, that Adam and I were ultimately incompatible, that our relationship wouldn’t last, and that he was used to being involved with women like her. I wondered how long he intended to keep up the charade of our unequal relationship, and my throat suddenly ached with unshed tears as I continued to stare up into his handsome, concerned face. Now that he’d regained his sight, he was probably considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the entire hospital, if not the entire town, and once again I wondered what I had to offer him that some other woman couldn’t offer him ten times over. My self-esteem was definitely taking a beating as I sat there and continued to silently berate myself, and before I could stop myself I suddenly got to my feet and said, “I need to go.”

  “Sophie--”

  I shook my head and backed away from Adam, then turned and all but ran out of the house as my tears finally began to fall. Some part of me was screaming to stay, but another part of me, the one whose main concern was self-preservation and sanity, was screaming at me to leave, to go back home to my safe little apartment and forget all about Adam Hampton. I had every intention of doing just that, no matter what he said.

  Who was she? What did she want with Adam? How did she know Adam? Why hadn’t he mentioned her to me before now? I sniffled pathetically as I helped myself to another spoonful of Heavenly Hash ice cream, then clicked the TV on and tried to become engrossed in the latest episode of CSI. It had been three hours since I’d left Adam’s, and so far he hadn’t called. I tormented myself with images of the two of them making love in Adam’s big, comfortable king-sized bed, as well as in the pool, with him saying and doing the same things to her that he’d said and done to me. Such thoughts only increased my misery and made me cry even harder as I dug in for another spoonful of ice cream, and since I couldn’t see the TV through my tears I switched it off and simply stared at the wall as fresh tears slid down my cheeks. So much for my relationship with him, I miserably thought as I finished off the ice cream and wearily got off the sofa to throw the empty container into the trash. I couldn’t deal with beautiful, mysterious women showing up on his sofa, especially since he’d made no previous mention of the beautiful, mysterious woman. I sighed as I returned to the sofa and hugged an overstuffed pillow close to my chest, then wondered why I allowed myself to continue getting hurt by men who wanted nothing but a good time. I wanted more than that--I wanted the commitment, the ceremony, the house with the picket fence and the standard two point five kids, the minivan and the family dog that looked an awful lot like Lassie. I wanted to know that there was indeed someone out there just for me, who would fall as crazily in love with me as I had with him, someone who had eyes only for me, who would forsake all others to be by my side until death did we part. It was obvious that I was expecting too much from the opposite sex, because it seemed like all they were capable of delivering were pretty words, empty promises, and explosive orgasms that left my knees weak and my head spinning…I sighed again and cradled my head in my hands as more tears spilled down my cheeks, and that’s when the phone rang. I slowly raised my head and glared at the irritating thing sitting there on my end table, knowing that I had no choice but to answer it. I slowly lifted the receiver to my ear and said, “Hello?”

  “Sophie?”

  “Yes.”

  “Sophie, honey, it’s Adam. Please, sweetheart, let me explain…”

  “You don’t owe me any explanations, Adam.”

  “Yes, I do.” Adam sighed then, and I imagined him shoving his fingers through his hair in frustration as he attempted to explain the mystery woman to me. He sighed again and said, “Danielle is my ex wife.”

  I cleared my throat and nodded before I replied, “I see.”

  “We weren’t married for very long. She couldn’t handle it when I went blind, and the rest is history.”

  “I see.”

  “Believe me; I was just as surprised as you were to see her sitting there this afternoon.”

  “I see.”

  “Sophie, honey, are you alright? You don’t sound like yourself.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No, you aren’t.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Sophie, honey, please don’t be angry with me. I had no idea she was going to show up. As a matter of fact, that’s the last thing I expected from her.”

  “I see.”

  “Would you like to come over?”

  “No.”

  “But--”

  “I’m already dressed for bed, Adam.”

  “It’s only eight o’clock, sweetheart.”

  “I know what time it is.”

  “I really wanted to spend some time with you this evening. I’m sorry she had to show up and ruin everything.”

  “Mmm,” was all I said as I toyed with the phone cord and tried to accept his explanation. She sounded like a heartless bitch who had deserted Adam when he’d needed her the most, but I guess her mistake had led to my good fortune. I sighed and unwrapped the cord from around my finger as Adam gently inquired, “Have you eaten?”

  “Yes.”

  “I want you to come over here anyway.”

  “I’m really tired, Adam.”

  “Then I’ll rejuvenate you.”

  I finally laughed, which prompted Adam to say, “So you’ll come over, then?”

  “I guess so.”

  “Great! I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  I hung up the phone and hurried into my bedroom, where I threw my work clothes and toiletries into my duffle bag before heading out the door
. For some reason I just couldn’t wipe the silly grin off my face.

  Adam met me at the front door at eight-thirty, and I didn’t have time to speak as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me hungrily. When he finally raised his head he gently framed my face with his hands and frowned as he studied my pale, tear-streaked face. My eyes were bloodshot and swollen from crying, and there was a pained expression on his face as murmured, “Oh, Sophie, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I should have told you about her before now. But you have nothing to worry about as far as she’s concerned. She’s not welcome in my home, and I have no intention of seeing her again.”