Severing Ties (Book 2. Ties)

31. Try One Class

I found myself on the subway at 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Like usual, it made a few stops before it made it to the station I needed to get off at.

Stephanie's wedding planning was continuing, and I was helping of course. She liked how I had been going through magazines and telling her what I liked and what I did not or what we could make ourselves. My system consisted of colored sticky notes.

Stephanie had opted for the colors to be ivory, nude, and small details of pale blush incorporated into her wedding color scheme. The wedding would be in October, which was five months away. In conclusion, there was no time to spare.

My mom had managed to pull off a deal for Lucas and Steph. The museum had a space where special events could be held, but it was available for a few hours only. Somehow she convinced whoever she had to convince to allow the wedding to be held there until midnight. With what she did for Stephanie, Elena had lessened her hostility with my mom. A rift remained between them but it did not hold such a tight grip like it had a month before.

"You're getting married," a male voice forced me to look up from the magazine on my lap.

A suited man that I remembered was holding on to a bar, as the train began to move again. "Er, no." I was going to elaborate but he was a stranger, so I stopped myself from continuing.

"I'm sorry; I just assumed."

I shook my head left to right. "It's all right. That would have made sense."

"Do you like to look at them just because?" There was a tiny smile on his lips.

The heat creeped up onto the back of my neck in embarrassment. "No! I mean..." I chuckled nervously. "My friend is getting married and I am helping them prepare and plan."

"The one you were with?" In answer, I nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

"You've already asked a lot of things." I bit the inside of my cheek so my face did not turn to a full on smile.

He snickered at my smart aleck remark. "Touché, but I do want to ask an additional question."

"Okay, shoot." He gave me a funny look that I could not understand, but I let it slide.

He moved from his standing position and sat next to me. "I gave you my card and you didn't call."

I stared back at his brown eyes. "What's the question?"

He shut his eyes and began to laugh. "I don't win with you," he responded.

"I thought you were a lawyer, Calvin. Shouldn't your life consist of winning?"

"Not with you apparently." He sniggered one last time. "Why didn't you call?"

"The truth is I've been really busy... And I forgot." I grimaced. "Sorry." I did mean it. He may have been a stranger, but I had become a good judge of heart through the years, and I could not find any malice in Calvin.

"You should come by the studio. Just to observe how things work; you don't have to commit to anything."

What's the harm? He said I did not have to commit to anything, so I could simply check things out. If I liked it, I would go back, and if I did not, I would not.

My stop was approaching, so I had to tell him something. "How about tomorrow?"

A smile grew on his face. "We're there from five until past nine."

I had my level 2 kids until 8:00; I thought I could have gotten out of going to the art studio, because of the gym. But of course the studio had late hours, so that gave Calvin a window. "I'll call you to ask for the address then. I have to go."