“Which way?” I glanced from left to right.
“Um, Ezra, I don’t know.” I honestly had no idea. “Which way is the best food vendor?” I hoped he didn’t hear my stomach growl.
He pointed left. “Thought you weren’t hungry?”
I shrugged. “Might’ve lied.”
Ezra appeared amused. Hale would’ve been angry or annoyed. Their differences were stacking up daily. And why was I even measuring these men against each other in the first place? After what Hale did last night any chance for us was gone. I would work for him. That was all.
Then, of course, whatever their agreement, Ezra might be unavailable. What I needed were friends outside their world. A life when I wasn’t working. I was ready for Hale to leave. His monthly visit had been long enough.
“What’ve you seen of the city so far?”
“Hale took me to Times Square and then we went shopping.” That, I didn’t want to repeat.
“Then let’s go get you the best tamales you’ve ever had in your mouth. Then I’ll show you a slice of the city.”
I’d never had tamales. It sounded really exciting. Better than the hotdog I’d envisioned.
“Sounds like the perfect plan. What places are you going to show me?”
Finally, I was getting to see it. And with someone who knew it on foot.
“Well, you’re a newbie, so I figured we’d begin with a ferry ride on the boat to Ellis Island. Go and see the Statue of Liberty. Might take up our entire afternoon, but we can always do this again. New York can take a year to cover the museums and the haunts of the tourists and the locals. Then you’d still lack hundreds.”
I wanted to clap with glee like a five year old with ice cream. That was exactly what I wanted to do. Hugging Ezra seemed a tad too aggressive, but I almost did it anyway.
“Thank you,” I said instead. Settling for a more acceptable means to demonstrate my bubbling joy.
“Don’t thank me yet Sammy Jo. Getting on the ferry is a pain in the ass, but it’s worth it in the long run.”
I had no doubt that it was.
Chapter Nine
He was wrong. Everything was perfect. Nothing was a pain in the ass. I soon realized I could act really silly and Ezra thought it was hilarious. Seeing the things I’d only read about made the little girl inside me giggle. I couldn’t take enough photos, read enough monuments or ask more stupid questions. Ezra patiently answered them all. For the sake of my sisters I was like a tourist guide who could spout any detail desired. I did not miss a thing.
By the time we got back to the penthouse it was after six and I was nervous. Hale hadn’t called me all day. I was worried that my being gone like this was going to make him angry. He’d never been angry with me before, but I’d now seen his ugly side and I didn’t want to turn it on me.
“Hale may be back,” I said. We were walking toward the entrance. I should’ve been thanking Ezra for the day or a host of things. But my focus was on Hale coming back. My perfect day was about to be marred by Hale shutting it down.
“He isn’t.”
He was sure but didn’t elaborate.
“There’s the best Chinese food in the states nearby. I can call and get us some dinner. Trust me, you won’t regret it.”
So Ezra wasn’t leaving? If he was right and Hale wasn’t coming back then we did need to eat somewhere. I enjoyed being around him. He wasn’t concerned about Hale, so maybe I shouldn’t be either. He knew him better than me.
“Okay,” I agreed. “Sounds great.” He’d given me his entire day. If he wanted to eat dinner with me, then I should be accepting, not nervous. He seemed to know where Hale would be.
Stepping into the penthouse I was shaky. Not sure how to handle Hale. He might send me packing back to Moulton. But Ezra was right. Hale was gone. The place appeared the same as I had left it. “You’re right. He’s not here.” I then sat my purse down on the table and wondered if I should go change it. Once again, I feared his wrath and I didn’t like that feeling. But you were supposed to want to please your boss. That was the normal procedure. Correct?
“He won’t be back until much, much later,” Ezra replied without concern. How he knew this was true I couldn’t be sure, but he seemed to be secure in the knowing. I forced myself to relax and trust him.
“Would you like something to drink? He’s got everything you could want.”
“I’ll get it. What about you? A glass of wine?”
I hadn’t drunk alcohol since arriving here. I was still under age, though that wasn’t the reason, I didn’t feel comfortable drinking around Hale and I had no explanation for that.
“I’ll go get a glass of water.”
I didn’t wait for him to ask me why or insist I drink the wine.
“Okey dokey,” he casually responded.
Stepping into the kitchen it gave me time to think about what was happening. I’d enjoyed my time with Ezra. There was a touch of something there. Anxiousness, or maybe excitement, neither one an acceptable feeling. He either worked with Hale or in Hale’s vicinity, though I couldn’t figure that out. He was nothing like Hale, but oddly enough, what I thought Hale would be like, the very first time I met him. Today, for instance, he’d liked making me smile, telling me jokes and when I wanted to do something he didn’t frown or suggest something else. We went to it and did it that second.