Lovely Shades of Me

Mr. Moore

Chapter 3

Andrew Moore Jr.

"MISS Ryan-Alexander," I corrected myself and raised one eyebrow in confusion and accepted her handshake. She squeezed my hand tight.

If she were a man I would have thought she was overcompensating for something. But seeing this absolute bombshell of a woman standing in front of me, I knew instantly she wasn't overcompensating for anything.

I cleared my throat, trying to ease the tension. "My apologies, Miss Alexander for the misunderstanding." 

"Actually, Ryan-Alexander is my first name, " She corrected me again.  "But you can call me Ray."

"Ray..." I repeated.

The name suited her. She was like a beautiful ray of sunshine. She had a commanding presence about her. She was confident. She was bold.  It was clear she was in charge here. I felt my cheeks burn a tad bit. I was here less than a minute and I had already embarrassed  myself. Wouldn't my father be proud...

"Well that's quite alright now." Her accent was adorable. I could have easily mistaken her for one of those old ladies in Steel Magnolia. But this was no old lady.

"I'm a little shocked myself," she continued talking, completely unaware of how fascinated I was by her. "I wasn't exactly expectin' to meet you either." Every word she said was dripping with a thick southern drawl.  "I believe my assistant, Josh here, had scheduled this meeting with a Mr. Andrew Moore, Senior." Her elegant little mouth made a quiet hissing sound drawing attention to the word Senior.

"Ahh. Yes," I took a deep breath in, "my father did set this up." I exhaled. I was clearly exasperated.  "Just one of the many tasks he forced me to handle in Georgia." I spat out those last words with more venom than I intended.

These strangers did not need to get wrapped up in the messy family drama that my father had left me to clean up. Alas, maybe if Ray understood just some of the controversy I had to manage over the past few weeks, she would let me out of this meeting unscathed, and I could catch my flight back to New York.

"Yeah, I had heard Mr. Moore was havin' some health problems. I sure do hope he's okay?" Ryan Alexander's question was the perfect opportunity.

"He's dead."

I didn't intend to just blurt that out, but I wasn't exactly sure how to politely share such news. A decade of boarding school didn't really prepare me for explaining my father's untimely death. I shuffled my feet a bit and took another deep breath. I hoped Ray would see how uncomfortable I was and let me out of this meeting.

I couldn't stand being in this humid mosquito infested place any longer. My face and shoulders hurt and itched from bug bites and sunburn. We had been standing outside for less than 5 minutes and I could feel sweat start to pool on my lower back. I started to wipe away a few droplets from my face using a handkerchief.  It was early spring! It was not suppose to be this fucking hot.

"Oh no!" Ryan-Alexander placed a hand over her mouth. She didn't even know my father, but I could see hurt in her hazel eyes. She seemed genuinely sad. The sudden grief she felt for my father, hurt me to the core. I swallowed hard and actually felt myself having to hold back tears. This was not like me.

Where did all this unforeseen emotions come from? It had been two weeks since my father had died, and not once had I come this close to crying. I was not about to start now. Not in front of these strangers, no matter how enchanting this woman might be...
If I could make it through his funeral..the first board meeting without him...the heinous letter... My hands started to shake... I just needed to get out of this reprehensible place.

Suddenly, Ryan-Alexander reached out and placed her hand on my arm. My first instinct was to jerk away. I didn't even know this woman. But the touch of her hand felt marvelous. All of the emotions that were bubbling at the surface instantly disappeared. My world didn't feel so chaotic and unbearable anymore.

While I am sure it was only a few seconds, it felt much longer.

The man that was leaning against the truck, who's name I had already forgotten, started to speak.  Ray let go of my arm.

"Ray, I see Bobby pullin' on up now and I need to give him your instructions."

With a stretched out hand, he then addressed me, "Mr. Moore, I am very sorry for your loss. Please have a safe trip back to New York." 

"I will call you later Josh, and we can touch base," Ray called out as he walked away.

She then plastered on a cheerful smile...
The warmth of her smile covered every inch of me. I suddenly had this unfamiliar feeling.

"Now where were we?"

"Um. Yes." I crossed my arms. "As I was saying. The past few weeks have been-"

I was suddenly interrupted by the sound of an elderly woman.

"Ry-UN-Alexander!" she screamed "Are you still out there, Sugar?" She came marching down the sidewalk.
"Josh told me you missed your little lunch date. So I thought ya'll could use somethin' to eat."

"Mrs. Iverson, you are just too kind." Ryan accepted the basket from the generous woman. "You really didn' have to go through all this fuss for me."

"It was really no trouble at all darlin'. Now tell yo mama, I will see her at bible study this evenin'"

Ray's smile was even larger than before. I briefly saw her cut her eyes towards me.

"I sure will." That southern drawl was laid on even thicker than before but her tone was completely different. It sounded almost as if she were talking to a small child. She was clearly agitated. But the smile remained on her face. 

Through gritted teeth Ray said, "Now if you can just 'xcuse us, Mr. Moore here has a flight to catch."

Before I could even register what was happening before me, Ryan-Alexander had hooked her arm through mine and was very intently guiding me towards the car.

When we had almost reached my car, she let out a robust sigh. Her shoulders relaxed some. You could see the look of relief on her face.

"I am really sorry about all that," Ray began. "We had to get away from there quick or we would be here all day and night."

"It seems like you have rescued me," I joked. "But you were right. I do have a plane to catch and I need to return this car-"

Yes! It really seemed like I would get out of this meeting after all. If I left soon I would have time to enjoy the airport bar before my flight.

"You mean to tell me this is a rental?" She asked, "Where on God's green earth did you find a place that gives out classic cars as rentals?"

This was an odd question but I played along.

"You have never heard of Turo? It is like Air BnB but for cars," I explained.

She continued to look puzzled.

"People let you rent their personal cars. You agree on the price and pick up location using this app," I pointed to the app on my phone.

"Actually, I am supposed to drop this car off at the church at the end of this street."

"But then how will you get to the airport?" She certainly was inquisitive.

"I am sure I can call for a cab or an Uber."

"Nonsense! The airport is pretty good ways away. I will take you. That will give us time to talk about your investment. It just so happens that the property I wanted to show yo' Daddy is on the way."

Damn. This conversation had not gone the way I had hoped, but somehow I felt like I couldn't say no.