Her breakfast waited on the table when she left the bathroom. Her hair styled in a low ponytail, casual yet classy. Her makeup done, she decided to dress before eating and entered the closet. Stepping into the sea of material Claire wondered if every outfit would be so difficult to choose, and if every action a test? Decision made, she put on dark jeans and a sweater. Entering her suite, ready for coffee, she suddenly dropped her shoes and let out a startled muffled scream.
Lost in her own thoughts, his presence caught her off guard. She hadn’t heard him enter. Damn. Could he learn to knock? The look of surprise and shock on Claire’s face accompanied by the dropping of her shoes made him smile. He startled her. She knew that made him happy. “Good morning, Claire.”
“Good morning, Anthony, I didn’t hear you come in.” She picked up her shoes and regained some composure.
“Are you ready for your tour?” He looked at her uneaten breakfast. “Did you plan to eat first? I have a web conference in forty-five minutes.”
“What’s a web conference?” Suddenly, she thought she shouldn’t have asked, or should she? She just didn’t know what to do or say. She knew it was just nice to have someone to talk to, even him.
“It is like a conference call between many different people, but instead of being on the phone it is over the Internet.”
She couldn’t believe how casual and friendly he spoke. He even looked more relaxed, wearing slacks and a shirt but no tie or jacket. It reminded her of the Anthony she met in Atlanta. “It is okay. I’m really not hungry. I’m more excited to get the tour.” She put on her shoes and sipped a little coffee.
He began by explaining the shape of the house, a main section which housed the dining room, formal living room, sitting room, kitchen, and the grand foyer. The foyer contained the main stairway. Two large wings projected off from the main section. Stairways were also found at the end of each of those wings. The staff had access to an elevator for transporting carts and larger items to the second and lower level.
He continued to explain Claire’s suite was located on the second floor of the southeast wing as they stepped out of the suite. Claire looked slowly down the great expanse of the hallway at many other doors. She hadn’t heard anyone or anything her entire stay. Anthony moved five steps ahead before she remembered to walk. The sensation of stepping out of the suite was frightening, like leaving the security of a nest.
She quickly caught him and did her best to walk at his fast pace. At times he wouldn’t say a word, just walk. Other times he spoke at great length about this piece of art or that antique.
Along the tour he showed her a library adorned with beautiful cherry woodwork and book-lined shelves. It occupied two stories and contained a back wall with a sliding ladder like you see in movies. She could get lost in there for days. She looked around for a computer. Didn’t all libraries have computers? “Is there a computer in here, some way to find books?”
“I think it would be best for you to not have access to computers, the Internet, or telephones.” Anthony’s statement wasn’t an answer to Claire’s question, it was a proclamation.
The tour of his magnificent house held so many treasures that Claire momentarily forgot why she was there. His declaration brought the reason rushing back. She knew all forms of communication were absent from her suite, but assumed that outside the door there would be Wi-Fi. Even though she hadn’t seen her Blackberry for over two weeks, she hoped she would once again be connected to the real world. He looked at her with his dark eyes as he spoke. She did her best to maintain his gaze, swallowed, and nodded in response.
Next he took her to an exercise room in the lower level, complete with all kinds of weight equipment, as well as a treadmill, elliptical, and stepper. Attached to the workout room was an indoor pool. Though not full sized, it was big enough to swim laps in. When she saw the pool, the stunning mosaic tiles that covered the walls and floor, the windows that allowed sunlight to penetrate, and smelled the familiar chlorine, she let out a gasp. “Do you like to swim?” he asked.
“Oh yes. This is amazing.” Claire’s eyes glowed.
“You shall have bathing suits tomorrow.” His words surprised her; she hadn’t asked. However, he was offering, and she did like to swim.
“Thank you.”