“I try to watch my carbs. I don’t have to worry about calories or putting on weight. I do at least six hours of Pilate’s exercises every day. My body craves protein. Some night’s before I go home, I stop at Costco, buy a rotisserie chicken for dinner; or two deli sandwiches, throw away the bread from one and chow down. But that’s enough about me, tell me about you.”
“After that story, there’s not much to tell. I’ve led a rather borrowing life. I was born in Phoenix. My parents met in high school, got married two years after they graduated. My father’s ancestors came from Spain, by way of Mexico. He could trace his lineage back to the Conquistadors. My mother was born in Phoenix. She had two older brothers who were contractors. When I graduated college, I tried office work, but didn’t like it. I wanted to work with my hands like my uncles, so a few years ago I went to work for their maintenance company.”
“You used the past tense when referring to your parents.”
“I lost my parents in a crash two years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks”
“Where do you live?”
“Well, right now I’m between homes; technically, I’m homeless. My last apartment was far too noisy for me. The couple above me were either screaming at each other or shaking the bed in the room above mine, if you know what I mean. So, I let the lease expire and moved out. But before I did, I answered an ad looking for a house sitter for a place in Phoenix. Some big-wig was transferred to the corporate headquarters in Germany and would be spending the next two years there. I’m living in what he called the casita in the back of their house. It’s right next to Camelback Mountain. All I have to do is take care of the pool and check on the house, making sure the systems are all working properly, and that the landscaper is taking care of the outsides. I send him a report once a week by email.”
Rick was just about to ask her where she lived, when they were interrupted by Carlos with their check. “Rick it was good seeing you again; senorita, it was pleasure to serve you, come back to see us soon.”
Sasha smiled and grabbed the check off the table. She reviewed it quickly, and then looked up at Rick with a puzzled look on her face. Knowing what was troubling her, he smiled and said, “I told you this is a family run place. It is also family budget friendly as well.”
The bill came to just over forty dollars; Sasha put a fifty-dollar bill on the table. They both stood and as they walked towards the rear exit, Jeanine approached Rick and gave him a big hug, and then turned to Sasha and extended her hand. “I hope we will be seeing a whole lot more of you in the future.”
On the drive back to Glendale, Rick said, “They’re good people. I’ve been eating there all my life.” When they got back to the shopping center, Rick pulled in front of the Studio. “Do you want me to drop you off by your car?”
“No, I have to go in, clean up a little, and then do some stuff on my computer. Rick, thank you, I had a really good time tonight and thank you for all your help with the Reformers, I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“I had a great time too, both this afternoon and this evening, you are a fascinating woman.”
That said, Sasha leaned over the console and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Before he could release his seatbelt, she had opened her door and began walking towards her studio. He watched as she opened the door, stepped into the building, turned, and relocked the door. With a friendly wave of her hand, she disappeared deeper into the building.
With a toot of his horn, Rick drove around the shopping center and parked in the parking lot behind the office building. He left the truck and took the elevator to the fourth floor, checked for any messages at the reception desk, then walked around the floor until he reached his corner office. He didn’t bother turning on the lights, the glow from the parking lot lights was enough for him to check his desk and phone for any messages. Finding none, he was just about to call it an evening, when he noticed the light escaping from an open door in the back of the shopping center. He watched as a lone figure walked quickly from the doorway to the dark colored VW Beetle, which was still parked in the far corner of the office building’s parking lot. Sasha, opened the door, climbed in, and started the vehicle. He watched as she drove around the buildings and disappeared, only to appear a few moments later as she guided the vehicle to the far corner of the shopping center’s parking lot. Once again, the interior dome light came on, she exited the vehicle and closed the door. He watched her walk towards the front door and stood by his window until he was sure that she was safely inside.
He left the office, took the elevator back down to the ground floor, exited the building and walked over to his Dodge Challenger Hellcat, which he had left earlier that afternoon, and drove around to the front of the shopping center. He stopped for a few minutes in the center of the lot, in front of The Studio, far enough away that he was sure she could not see into the car. He watched the front window until he saw her silhouette as she straightened out the waiting area. Convinced that she was safe, he slowly left the parking lot and headed for home.
As he drove home, he chuckled to himself. ‘She thinks she’s so smart; concealing the fact that her car is always here overnight. I know your little secret Sasha; you’re living in the building, aren’t you. You’re lucky I’m the only one who knows. If my father had known or my cousin ever found out, I’d have a major argument on my hands. But for right now, your secret is safe with me. Good night, Sasha, sweet dreams.’
Chapter 4
They saw a lot of each other during the next six months. It started out as coffee every Monday morning; a way to delay the start of the work week. But soon it morphed into breakfast. Rick would stop at a fifties-style diner on his drive into Glendale. He would get himself the mainstay for a tradesman’s breakfast, an egg on a roll, for Sasha he would get the protein special, an egg white and chicken omelet, no potatoes or toast.
When he pulled into the lot, he would find Sasha sitting in one of the two chairs she had taken from the waiting room, and a small table placed between the chairs.
Their conversations came easy; they had quickly become the other’s best friend, in reality, their only friend. Sure they both knew numerous people that they worked with, but they only socialized with each other.
During this time, Arizona’s early spring season, which ran from mid-February to the middle of April, had given way to the ever-increasing temperatures of May and June. By the beginning of July, the temperature was consistently flirting with the hundred-and-ten-degree mark. Worse still, there had not been a measurable amount of precipitation in the last two months.
“Rick is there any way to get more fresh air into the building other than opening both doors? The air in there is getting pretty funky.”