~~~
They crossed a mostly empty parking garage level. Sara saw only a few vehicles, most of them foreign looking to her eyes, all of them luxurious without the least sign of dust on them.
In very short order, they came to an elevator with no obvious buttons to push. Instead the white plastic card did its trick once again, and the doors slid smoothly open to reveal a stark interior of glass and stainless steel.
As they stepped inside, Sara could not help but feel that she had walked into an isolation booth.
She watched as he pressed a series of numbers on a keypad next to the usual elevator buttons. Then appeared an almost seamlessly incorporated drawer that slid out and upon which he carefully placed his fingers. She heard a small beep accompanied by a green light as he withdrew his hand and the device disappeared from view.
What the hell is with all this security? I mean, what's next, retinal scans followed by rectal exams?
Sara was already having trouble not believing that she had somehow fallen into a movie. A film about a handsome stranger and his mysterious life, only the casting for his love interest was all wrong.
Except that she was living each moment, not watching it on the big screen.
Her stomach fluttered with that thought and then did it again as the elevator smoothly went into motion. She felt the familiar sensation of any elevator, but this one continued to accelerate for far longer than the elevator she usually took each day.
In time, the elevator slowed to a halt and the doors slid open, not into a corridor but directly into an office.
Or, at least, a receptionist's office.
A beautiful blond was seated at a desk and looked up mildly. Her eyes turned hard as she took in Sara with a quick glance that flicked down to the red stain and back up again.
The white shirted man nodded at her and said, "Giselle, une chemise pour la mademoiselle. Du préférence, en soie et perles."
The blond seated at her desk cast an appraising look at Sara and nodded, saying, "Oui, monsieur. Tout de suite."
He took Sara by the arm once more and steered her to a comfortable looking chair across from the receptionist.
Sara sat, wincing slightly as she did, then looked up at him.
The stranger was looking into the distance, beyond her, beyond the boundaries of the office, his face pensive.
Then, in a low voice he said, "Look...about earlier. I'm not sure what to say about that, except that I'd like to make amends. Giselle will bring you a clean shirt in a few minutes and you can go back to work, if that is what you want.
"I should be able to make the arrangements...you won't be fired."
Then his gorgeous amber eyes held her for the first time since the events in the restaurant manager's office. His stunning eyes held her in all their intensity as he said, "But, I would prefer that you stay. I need to see about a few things. It shouldn't take long, so I'm asking you to wait here for me.
"Will you do that? Will you wait for me?"
I have been waiting all my life for you, she thought then bit back such ridiculous sentiments.
"If you're sure," she said, "I can wait...if you really want me to."
He watched her, almost not blinking, before nodding slowly.
"Good. That's good," he replied and began to turn away.
He came back to face her, his visage as focused as ever upon her and continued, "You know...I can't promise that you won't have regrets about me. On the contrary, I can promise you that you will. But, you must know that you will have my full attention very soon, whether you like it or not."
That he spoke to her this way in the presence of the other woman, the one he had named Giselle, felt like a victory to Sara. He saw her and only her in that moment as all else fell away.
Then a smile broke upon his lips, lifting up the corners of his mouth and drawing into lovely lines that reached to what must have been childhood dimples in his cheeks. It was as though he was illuminated from within as he smiled for her and Sara felt her heart break just a little.
Of course, she would wait.