Tap Dance (Dance Series)

chapter Twenty Two



I glanced at my cell phone to check the time. The Claims person was supposed to be here at 9:00 a.m. It was now 9:08 a.m.

I had taken the whole day off from work, not ever having gone through something like this.

Then there was the scary reaction I'd had the first time I saw my place. I didn't want to have to go back to the office as a blithering mess, if it came to that.

Cell phone now says 9:10 a.m.

I was sitting on the stairs inside the hallway to do my waiting. And it wasn't a calm waiting. It was the excess energy kind of waiting.

I tried thinking of other things.

Which would lead me back to Ram, which was not a good thing to be thinking about when you have a lot of excess energy. Especially not the big Kahuna bad-ass, my boyfriend, Chief Ram Patel. Who can do slow and sensuous sex or street fighting sex.

Day-yum.

Cell phone now says 9:13 a.m.

I thought about who I could text to take up some time.

Leila's first day back at school is today. Wonder how she's doing because over Spring break she had gotten contacts, had her hair cut and styled (and it rocked!) and changed her wardrobe. She was very excited about her new look, and she should be.

But Crys, our darling baby-girl, sent Leila a cautionary text on Sunday night. Said something to the effect to be aware that you can change, but other people may not like the changes you make. But when they make comments that are out of line, shake it off. That your Posse has your back.

I liked that. I liked that a lot.

I heard the buzzer for the front door echo from my apartment, so I jumped up to let them in.

I was in luck, it was the Agent not an Adjuster, and Francine Morgan explained the difference between the two.

A very lengthy and involved kind of explanation.

As Leila says, 'yada, yada, yada'.

Francine stopped in the doorway of my apartment and turned back to me with a grimace. "You shouldn't have touched any of the property that was to be included on your claim."

Wait…what?

"I can assure you Ms. Morgan that no one has touched the apartment, with the exception of the Detectives that are actively working the case."

"You mean it was like this when you got home?"

Christ on a cracker.

"I believe that is mentioned in the Police Report. Along with pictures that were taken by Detectives that are, as I said, still actively working the case."

Ms. Morgan, the Agent, pulled out the file and began reading and reviewing whatever was in there.

I work with people all day long that have made an appointment to see me.

I schedule, or actually Caitlin or Krista schedules, the clients with fifteen minutes between each so that I can document what needs to be done and/or review the documentation for the next client.

Before they actually walk in the door.

And, I never keep my clients waiting.

So I stood there and watched as Ms. Morgan reviewed the file, casting her gaze around the destruction of my front room and compared it to the 'crime scene' photos that were taken.

At long last, she took out a writing pad and began going through the apartment notating, going back to her briefcase for a measuring tape, one of the big kind they use in construction.

She measured the frame of the couch and the size of the bed.

She measured the chairs, the barstools and all the rest.

I had offered to give her the receipts for each of the major purchases that give you the size, etc.

But she waved me away.

That’s right.

Waved me away.

So I backed up a couple of paces and let her do her…uhm…job.

"Well, I think I've got it all. I'll have to go back to the office and write up my report. You do understand that due to age and depreciation you will not receive a reimbursement for the full purchase price."

She sniffed.

Ms. Morgan actually did the Barney Fife sniff.

The officious sniff that sets people like her from people like me.

Cool.

I'll take anything that will make me less like her.

"What, then, is the next step in the process?" I asked.

"As I explained earlier, I'm simply the Agent. My report will have to go to two more levels before any sort of reimbursement may or may not be granted."

"What does that mean?"

"Ms…ah…Gibson. This is not a matter that can be reviewed and resolved in a matter of hours. Oh, dear, no. We take our stewardship very seriously yada-yada-yada.

I tuned out.

I gave her a chance by asking a question regarding the next step in the process and got nowhere.

"So, where am I supposed to be staying Ms. Morgan? As you can see, my apartment is uninhabitable. According to what I read in my policy, there is to be some sort of compensation immediately available in the event the residence cannot be lived in."

I kept going, flipping through my copy of the renter's insurance explanation of benefits and showing her the highlighted portion as it applies to my case.

You want to dazzle me with policy and procedures ?

Bring it.

I read and understand tax codes for a freaking living.

Go ahead, talk about your policy and procedure crap.

Needless to say, we were not BFF's by the time Ms. Morgan was leaving.

And, of course, I couldn't let it lie.

I asked for her card.

And asked for the name and phone number of her immediate superior.

I let her get herself out the heavy front door while I turned away to lock up my apartment.

I heard Crys in my head again.

'And the horse you rode in on.'

*.*.*.*.*

I was in line at Buxby's when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Hey, Paul. How are you?"

"Good, good. You're dressed kind of casual for a work day," Paul said. He always seemed to notice my clothes which, in the past, was flattering.

"Took the day off so I could get some stuff done."

"I'd like to see you again. Saturday night okay for you?" He said with a smile. That killer smile.

Shit.

I needed to tell him. But I wanted to tell him without an audience and without telling him it was Ram that I was dating exclusively.

"Paul? I'm, uhm, seeing someone else. We've, ah, agreed not to date other people."

I watched as he blinked a couple of times.

Then he moved his unfocused eyes around the coffee shop before they made it back to me.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mari."

"I know, Paul."

"I thought we had…" he stopped. "I'm glad for you."

That's not what his face said.

"Thanks, Paul," I said softly.

"But if this doesn't work out, you'll call me, right?"

I tried to smile but all I could do was grin. I hated to tell him that I didn't see him 'that' way.

"I appreciate that," was the best I could do.

He pulled me in for a one-arm hug and I let him.

"Still friends?" I asked softly.

"Always," I heard him murmur as he released me.

His phone rang at the same time I heard my name being called.

"Gotta take this, Mari."

"See you, Paul."

"Marianne! How nice to see you," the very handsome Niko said.

Aw, geez.

When it rains, it freaking pours.

Niko glanced over his shoulder at Paul who had stepped away to take his call.

"Hello, Niko. How are you?"

I glanced at Paul who was shooting eye-arrows at Niko's back.

Niko took my hand and raised it to his lips as he stared deeply into my eyes.

Oh, this kid is good! An eye stare, with those light blue eyes framed with the thick eyelashes, as he kisses your hand?

Wow.

Just, wow.

When he raised his head, I got the one-dimple, killer smile that slowly moved across his face.

A smile that should be against the law.

"How nice we have run into each other." Even his voice was killer.

I just smiled, afraid how my voice would sound if I spoke.

"I am busy this week, Marianne, but I would like to see you on Saturday night."

What was it about Saturday night? I already had plans with Ram yet I get offers from two other men, gorgeous men, in the space of five minutes.

"I'm sorry, Niko. I have plans."

He pressed the hand he was still holding against his chest. For the record? I could feel muscles, hard muscles, underneath his shirt.

"I am disappointed," he said, his voice low as he took a half-step toward me.

Oh, shit.

This kid is very, very good.

"I've told you before that I'm seeing someone."

"And I've told you that I'm very persistent."

His low voice combined with the hot eye stare could definitely be construed as foreplay.

Luckily, Paul chose exactly that moment to say goodbye which helped break the spell that Niko had woven. Or should I say, was weaving?

Okay, my brain was fried if I was standing there thinking about word choices with two hot guys in front of me.

"Niko, this is Detective Paul Adler. Paul, Niko."

"We know each other," Niko said his smile slipping from his face.

"Yeah, we know each other," Paul repeated, giving Niko a hard look. "I've got to take off, Mari."

"It was nice to see you, Paul," I said. Which got me a hard look before Paul did a chin lift and left.

"It was nice to see you, Niko."

"And you as well."

I turned and left the coffee shop.

And it wasn't until I was halfway to Aunt Estella's house that I realized I hadn't even got my coffee.