Chapter 4

Between Lovers

Chapter 4

© Lizzie 2003-present

 

            Greta looked up from the papers that she was organizing and smiled slightly at the man before her, “It depends on what you need…” Greta said her thick Swedish accent very present.

            “I need some information about someone…”

            Greta raised her light brown, neatly arched eyebrow at Jacob, “On whom?”

            Jacob thought a moment, placed his hands on the desk in front of him and whispered, “Alexandria.”

            Greta’s eyes went wide and she shook her head, “I can’t do that. Alex is one of my best friends and is very private. Why if she were to find out that I told you anything about her…”

            Jacob placed a finger on the woman’s lip, “She wouldn’t have to know, and it’d be our little secret.” Greta leaned back in her chair and bit her lip thinking for a moment, “All I’d like to know is a place or two that she likes spending her free time.”

            Greta looked back in Catherine’s office before she grabbed a piece of scratch paper and her pen, “This is just between you and me.” She scribbled the address and time of a place on the paper, “If anyone finds out that I told you, I’ll deny everything.”

            Jacob smiled sweetly and took the paper, “You’re a doll. And I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

            Greta nervously fixed her papers as Catherine walked out of her office, “I’m sorry Jake, but I simply can’t have drinks with you…what would Catty think?”

Greta gave Jacob an uneasy smirk and he laughed, “Our dear Catty wouldn’t mind a bit, would you?” he asked as he looked at Catherine

Catherine rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, “I thought you had some place to be?”

“I was just leaving.” Jacob said as he folded the paper in his hand and placed it in his pocket before giving a smile, “I’ll be calling you for those drinks Greta dear.”

Greta’s cheeks flushed a rosy pink as she watched Jacob walk out of the office, “How can you deal with his incessant flirting?” she nervously asked Catherine.

“I ignore it and remind myself than business and pleasure never mix.” Catherine said, “We’re going to be closing up early today. I have a trip up north that I have to plan for. Why don’t you take the weekend off and…have drinks with Jake…” Catherine said with a smirk.

Greta turned a brighter shade of red before she shook her head and smiled back, “I couldn’t possibly take him away from you.” Catherine and Greta both laughed and continued on with their business.

A couple of hours later, Greta knocked on Catherine’s door, “Catty, I think I made a big mistake…”

Catherine glanced up from the listings in front of her, “Does this have to do with Jacob?”

“And Alex…” Greta said

Catherine’s full attention was on the woman standing at her door, “What about them?”

“Jacob asked me for some information about Alex and well…”

“What?!” Catherine demanded, “What exactly did you tell him?”

“He wanted to know where she spent her free time so I gave him the address to the place she went to a lot.”

Catherine tried to not over react, “Where did you tell him?”

“Hoff’s Hut on 52^nd Street.” Greta said softly, “I’m so sorry and I know that I shouldn’t have, but he looked so desperate.”

Catherine gave a laugh, “Our dear Jake is always desperate, but we learn to live with it. As for Hoff’s Hut, Alex doesn’t go there anymore, so when Jake finds out, he’ll be even more tenacious to find out where she hangs out.”

Greta sighed a bit, “Are you sure? I mean I don’t want Alex freaking when or if she sees him there.”

Catherine shook her head, “I’m fairly sure that she doesn’t go there anymore, but if she does, she goes right before closing.” Catherine looked at Greta, “When did you put down she went there?”

Greta thought a bit then smiled, “Opening.”

“Let’s hope dear Alexandria doesn’t decide to go during the first few opening hours.”  Catherine said with a laugh.

+*+

            After Jacob left Catherine’s office he went directly to auto shop and cleared his nightly schedule on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. In the place of work, he scribbled personal time – close shop early. He entered the information in his computer that was connected with the computer at the front desk. He glanced at his work load for the rest of the afternoon and decided to blow them off until the next day. He looked back at his clock and at the paper that Greta had given him earlier.

            ‘If I leave now, I’ll be able to get home, change and head to Hoff’s Hut in time to see Alexandria arrive.’ Jacob thought to himself. He rang the closing alarm to let the other workers know it was quitting time. Thirty minutes later he was locking up and heading to his apartment.

            After a forty-five minute delay on 41^st Street, Jacob sped into the parking structure of his building, parked in his assigned spot and rushed to the elevator to his fifth floor apartment. He took a thirty minute shower and five minutes later he was heading back out.

            Once on the road, Jacob decided to take a short cut to Hoff’s Hut and turned onto Spruce Street. While he was waiting at a light, he noticed a familiar woman walk out of a clothing store. Jacob tilted his head to the side and watched the woman and her young female companion walk down the street. The honking of a horn behind him snapped him out of his thoughts.

He gunned the engine and crossed the street making a sharp right turn into a public parking complex. He parked his car in the first free spot he saw and quickly made his way back to Spruce Street and looked around for the woman he saw. ‘I know that was her…it looked just like her…” He continued walking and he saw who he was looking for.

“Pinky promise me you’ll get me from dad’s tomorrow night, Lexi?” The girl asked.

The other female thought a bit, “I don’t know…I have a meeting with Catherine and it may run longer.” the lady said, “I need to stop in this shop and I’ll be right back.”