Chapter Seven

It was surprisingly easy to work for and have a friendship with Jasper. He was what every boss should be, supportive and understanding. And most of all he had a sense of humor. The projects were moving ahead. Alice took the lead on the Fremont project too and for all intents and purposes she took Paul Kincaid's position, however temporary. The team got along great and they became very close, particularly James and Alice.

She liked James a lot, not only because he was cute, but also because he was smart and eager to learn. He was a musician on the side, a classical guitarist, and Alice felt that his artistic temperament was what made her like him so much.

Naturally, the rumor mill started up again, more than likely stoked by Jessica; but Alice was done with office romances. Although she and James were a little attracted to each other she just wasn't interested in getting into another relationship, not now and not in the near future. The past few months with Jasper had taken a toll, leaving her feeling unsure of how she wanted to approach future relationships

#

At the end of January, on a wet Friday afternoon, Renee fell down the front stairs and broke her clavicle and her left arm. She spent one day in the hospital and came home on Sunday. Trooper that she was she refused to miss a day of work. Renee decided that she would work from home with her good right arm until she was fully healed. She had Alice drive her into work that morning so she could collect a few cases and she asked Alice to pick her up at noon and drop her back home. Alice agreed even though she had a meeting at two o'clock with Jasper and the team for a new development on the peninsula. If she left Renee's office on time she could make it back by the time the meeting began.

Pulling her beat-up blue Toyota out of the garage, she dropped her mom at her law office in downtown Oakland and sped off over the bridge to work. She arrived at nine on the dot. Alice worked hard all morning, then she called her prospective landlord for the flat by the BART; she tearfully informed him that she would not be taking the one bedroom flat, after all. Alice had to put on the waterworks so that she could get her first and last month's rent and deposit back. She sobbed as she explained that her dear old mother who was now temporarily disabled could not live on her own. He sympathized and offered his prayers, he said he understood and told her that he would send her check back to her.

Alice hung up the phone and smiled. She briefly wondered if Renee had thrown herself down the steps to thwart her moving out. Alice had not yet informed her mother that she and Jasper were kaput; she refused to give her the satisfaction, and suffer under Renee's smug 'I-told-you-so- face'. Nevertheless she was well aware that Renee suspected that things were cooling between her and Jasper.

#

Renee was nothing if not wily. Alice showed up at her mom's office at noon as she had promised, having rushed out of her office and not bothering with lunch. As she sat in the reception area waiting, her stomach rumbled and she realized she had skipped breakfast too. Renee kept her waiting for almost thirty minutes and Alice was not in a good mood. "Excuse me," she asked the receptionist "can I just go in and see what's taking her so long?"

"I'm sorry, but Mrs. Swan is not in her office, she is out to lunch."

"Are you kidding me?" Alice couldn't believe her ears. "Lunch?" and the receptionist nodded. "Tell her that her daughter was here." Alice huffed. She turned on her heels, she walked to the elevator and jabbed the down button angrily. Her day was so busy, she had missed both breakfast and lunch in order to make time to help mother, and her mother didn't seem to care at all. What was Renee playing at? Alice had told her that she had an important meeting that afternoon. Renee could not have made it any more obvious that he didn't give a fig for Alice's job. Alice was furious.

Just then the elevator opened and she was face to face with the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. Her heart stopped and then it started to thump crazily in her chest. They stared at each other and Alice smiled. Oh, I'm going to love getting to know him.

"Alice? Alice?" Renee called hoping to get her attention. Alice looked at her mom briefly and then looked back at the hunk.

"Hmmm?" She was trying to concentrate on what her mother was saying, but she just couldn't make her ears listen. It sounded like gibberish.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, Alice. Your mamma has told me so much about you." The gorgeous guy was holding her right hand lightly in his. An electric current flowed from his hand to hers and her knees went weak. She looked down at their clasped hands and swooned, she actually swooned, and his other arm reached around her to keep her on her feet.

"Wow. I think that's the best handshake I've ever had." Alice sighed, goofily looking up at him.

It was only when he laughed that she realized that she had said it out loud. "Jeez, I don't know what's wrong with me. I think it's because I haven't eaten lunch, or breakfast for that matter. And I've been running around." She ran her hands through her wild hair, trying to contain the buzz in her brain. Mr. Handsome clasped one arm around her waist and held her other hand as they walked back the way she had come. As if in a trance, Alice allowed the tall, dark man to lead her past the receptionist and into her mother's office. She plopped into the chair and her mother hurriedly placed a glass of juice in her hands. The drink revived her somewhat and Renee gave her a worried look.

But Alice was oblivious to anything but Mr. Handsome. She surmised that this was the elusive Dr. Mirzal "Mike" D'Souza. Why didn't Renee ever mention that he was almost six feet tall and slim and solid, with coffee colored skin? Oh, I want to sip him. He had longish, inky black hair that came down over his collar, and sexy, manly sideburns that came down to his jawline. His dark bedroom eyes were surrounded by the longest lashes she had ever seen. Overall his face was handsome, straight nose, high cheekbones, square chin, but the kicker was his lips. They were perfectly delicious looking, full lips. Good god, he was yummy.

"Alice." Turning to her mother Alice shook herself out of her daze and tried to compose herself; Renee was postively beaming, with a huge self-satisfied smile on her face. "Alice, thanks for coming, but Mike has kindly offered to help me, so you can go back to work." Alice should have been furious but how could she be when Mike was so sexy? Nevertheless, she was more than a little annoyed at her mother's cavalier attitude and voiced it out loud.

"Go back to work? I just came all the way across the bridge for you, mom. And I told you that I have a … " Alice stopped mid-rant, realizing that she was not going to make a good impression on the handsome Doctor Mike if she acted like a shrew and yelled at her mother in front of him, so she softened her tone and lowered her voice. "I'm here already mom, I came to help you. Why should we impose on Mike and have him do all that hard work." Alice was trying to recoup and get back to flirting.

"Don't worry about it, I don't mind at all, it'll be a pleasure to help your mamma in any way that I can." Mike said. When he smiled at her mom, a small dimple appeared in his cheek. Was he perfect or what?

The way he spoke was so soft and southern that it tickled Alice no end. Dr. Mike D'Souza was so unexpected , his Louisiana accent sounded so Rhett Butler ish, Alice almost laughed. But his voice was so deep, sexy and stirring that she couldn't laugh, she just imagined him whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

Alice dropped her voice to a seductive purr, "Mike, you're a busy doctor, I hear. You're always on call. Don't you have more important things to do than help 'lil ole us with a little bit of moving?"

"Not at all. I'm never too busy to help out a lady in need. Ms Renee has been very gracious, feeding me her wonderful Louisiana cooking. I like having the opportunity to repay her kindness." Oh, that soft southern accent, she could listen to it all day; especially if it was coming out of those soft full lips.

"Well, I guess that's settled then. Since you don't need me, I'll be getting back to work." As she spoke she stood up and smoothed her hands over the snug dark green wool skirt, running them slowly over her hips. Mike's eyes followed the movements of her hands. Oh yes, she was well aware that she looked good, she had paired the skirt with a silky sage green blouse that showed just a hint of cleavage, and deepened the green of her eyes.

"Oh but we do need you. Unless you have to get back to work." he said hurriedly. "You can show me where to put your mamma's boxes and get her set up at home."

Alice made a mental note to call Jessica and tell her to inform Jasper that her mom needed her desperately and that she'd be a little late to the afternoon meeting. "I don't have to go back to work for another couple of hours."

Rising from his seat he stood up mere inches from her, she could feel his warmth. "Okay, that's settled."

Alice was agog, he was so near he must have heard the thumping of her heart. My, oh my, how am I supposed to stop myself from jumping on him? Her brain conjured up a vivid image of him, naked and a tremor moved through her from head to toe. He smiled, and she felt sure that he knew her thoughts.

At Renee's behest the receptionist brought the cart and they piled the huge cases, some books and Renee's work laptop and printer on it. After everything was on they traveled down the elevator together. Once in the lobby Renee had to run back upstairs, she had forgotten her purse. Mike and Alice waited by the doors and talked. He had a smile that made her heart turn, white teeth, dimples and soft lips; his black-brown eyes were liquid and warm.

Alice brought her face inches from his, looked at his lips and smiled seductively. "So Mike, how do you come to have that beautiful southern accent?"

"My gramps was a doctor and my grams was a nurse. They did charity work and were sent to Pakistan to start a free clinic near an orphanage. My mamma and her twin sister are Pashtun, they were brought to the Catholic run orphanage, near Peshawar fifty years ago. According to my gram, they immediately fell in love with the twins, they couldn't leave them behind when it was time to return to America. My gramps and gram adopted them.

At the time they were adopted they were less than three years old, so my mother says she has no memories of her life in Pakistan. They brought them to Louisiana, where my gramps started his practice. My mamma grew up as the daughter of the only doctor in town, so naturally she followed in her father's footsteps. My auntie went to law school and is a partner here with your mamma."

"And your father? Where is he from?"

"Oh my mamma and papa met at Tufts. His family is from Goa, India, but he was born in New York," he smiled. "Even after thirty years in Louisiana, he still has his Brooklyn accent."

Renee returned and they decided that they would all pile in Mike's Mercedes since Alice's Toyota was much too small and way too cluttered. Renee insisted that Alice ride in the front and Alice was not going to argue. As they drove to the house Alice watched his strong hands on the wheel and imagined them on her body.

She looked at his body, he was slim and hard. She could see his muscular thighs as he moved them on and off the brakes. How would it feel to have those thighs rubbing against hers? A little moan escaped and she quickly looked up to catch him looking at her, smiling, knowing. Alice smiled back at him, she was not the least bit embarrassed.

They set up Renee's workstation in a corner of her bedroom suite upstairs. Alice wanted to make space in Bella's bedroom, since she was seldom there, but Renee insisted. "You were gone for five years and I never changed your room, because I always wanted you to know you have a home here to return to. I'm not going to change anything in Bella's room. That'll be her room forever." Renee was pushy, strong and sometimes hard, but there was no doubt about it she loved her girls.

Alice made some chai tea and set out some almond cookies on a plate. She and Mike sat at the kitchen table and talked some more, while her mother puttered around, getting settled.

She learned a lot about Mike in that short session, he was an open book. He talked freely about himself and his family back in Louisiana. All too soon Mike announced that it was time for him to take Alice back to get her car. Alice had almost forgotten. She called for her mother, who came down the stairs with an outstretched right arm. She startled Alice when she gave Mike a hug with her one good arm. Renee Swan was not a frequent hugger.

"Thanks Mike. You were such a lifesaver. I'm sure Alice and I would never have been able to manage without you."

Mike winked at Alice over Renee's head, "The pleasure was all mine, Miss Renee. Call me anytime you need me. And don't forget to rest and let those bones heal." Then he headed for the front door, Renee and Alice following.

Mike ran down the stairs to the car in the driveway and Alice stayed behind for a few seconds and whispered hurriedly to her mother, "Make a dinner party or something so we can invite him over." Then she skipped down the stairs behind him.

As they drove the fifteen minutes back to Oakland, Alice talked about herself. She hoped that he was interested, but really couldn't tell. She directed him to where she had parked and thanked him again for all his help.

"I'm just glad your mamma called me instead of someone else. I finally got to meet the beautiful daughter she's been raving about. I must say that you really are beautiful."

"Well, thank you. You're not so bad yourself." Alice replied. She could kick herself why couldn't she come up with a better line than that?

He laughed anyway, as though it were scintillating repartee. "Well thank you for the compliment." He got out of the car and opened the door for her. He walked her to her car and there they stopped silently. He was looking down at her from his six foot height, he was smiling in a way she had never seen anyone smile before.

He reached for Alice's hand, the electric current was still there. "It was a pleasure Alice, I do hope we'll see each other again."

"I hope so too." she said huskily. She held on to his hand longer than she needed to. Alice felt like tugging him to her and giving him a kiss, but something about the way he was looking at her made her stop. She got in her car and started it and waved. His car was blocking her so he drove off first, she stared after his car until it disappeared around the corner.

#

That evening after work, Alice ran up the stairs and slammed into the house. "Mom, mom." Renee came out of the kitchen smiling.

"I don't need to ask you what you think about Mike." She saw the excitement on her daughter's face.

"Is he seeing someone?" Alice asked, eager for more information.

"Not as far as I know." Renee was excited too.

"How is that possible?" Alice wondered how such a catch could be available. There must be tons of women after him.

"I think he's pretty selective."

"You know, normally I would come on to a guy and ask their number or even ask them to ask me out, but somehow I couldn't do that with him. He was smiling and sweet, but I think he was a little reserved in that area. I can't quite put my finger on it." Alice was thinking these thoughts to herself, only half meaning to speak them aloud to her mother.

"He's a true southern gentleman, Alice. That's the difference." Renee informed her daughter. She seemed as excited as Alice about the young doctor. "He won't disrespect you."

Alice turned her back on her mother and rolled her eyes. Her mother was so old-fashioned. "Well, whatever he is, it's fine by me. He is gorgeous."

"I'm glad you think so, Alice. But he's more than just good-looking, he is really a very nice man." Renee chided her daugher.

Alice was in a world of her own, thinking about Mike and what may have been a missed opportunity. "I so wanted to ask him to ask me out, but he was so soft and gentle I just couldn't be bold." She kvetched.

"Don't worry he'll call and he'll call soon."

"Oh, I hope so." If not, she made up her mind that she would just have to call him. She would give it a day or two, maximum.

He did call soon, at seven-thirty that night. He called and Renee answered the phone. He asked after her health. Then he asked her if Alice was available. She told him that Alice had just run out to the store but that she would be home by eight.

Alice walked in the door with the bag of groceries at seven –forty-five and Renee told her that Mike had called and would be calling back. Alice felt butterflies in her stomach. What was wrong with her? She was giddy and nervous.

Mike called and when Alice heard his voice over the phone she had to sit down.

"How are you Alice?" His voice was warm, sexy, it did things to her heart.

"Fine Mike, how are you?" She answered breathlessly, hoping he would think that she had just run up the stairs. She was a little alarmed at the effect his voice was having on her.

"I'm well. Alice, I would like to see you again."

"I'd like to see you again too."

"Are you busy this Wednesday night?"

"No, I have nothing planned. Wednesday night is fine."

"What if we go out to dinner?"

"That sounds lovely."

"Great, do you like Italian?"

"Love it."

"I'll be at your house at seven, then."

"Seven. I'm looking forward to it. Bye, Mike."

"Bye."

Alice hung up the phone and wished she had insisted on seeing him tomorrow.

#

The two days dragged and Wednesday night she dithered over what to wear and opted for a simple black knit dress, her knee high stiletto boots, chunky wood carving necklace and an African print shawl for warmth.

He was on time and she was ready. He came inside and spoke to Renee for a few minutes. They had dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant. She learned that next to Southern food, Italian was his favorite. The first time he had tasted Indian food he was in college and was introduced to it by a date. She also learned that he had a brother who is a teacher and a sister who is a librarian and they were both still living back in Louisiana.

He graduated from high school when he was sixteen and got his undergrad degree when he was nineteen. He loved to play basketball and he hadn't owned a television for nine years. He was doing his residency as a pediatric surgeon at Children's Hospital and he was twenty-eight years old.

He loved Elvis, he'd been to Graceland, twice. His all time favorite band was the Rolling Stones and his favorite song was 'Imagine'.

Alice laughed and said, "I thought you were going to pick an Elvis song, like "Hunk o' Burning Love."

"Do you think I'm a hunk o' burning love?" He teased her with a glint in his eye.

"Only you can answer that." She said with pretend coyness. And he laughed.

"Why?" she prodded.

"Why what?"

'Why is 'Imagine' your favorite song?"

"It's so simple, so hopeful, so classic; just John and the piano. But I guess what I like most is that the message is dear to my heart, because it expresses a desire for us to put differences aside and try for world peace."

Alice disagreed. "I think it's a very sad song, I cry whenever I hear it. When I listen to it I realize that peace and brotherhood is an impossible goal. As human beings we are too greedy, too flawed to accomplish his vision."

"True. But as Browning said, 'A man's reach must exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?' We have to dream bigger than we are, Allice. That's the only way to make things happen."

"You're an optimist aren't you?" She accused laughingly.

"No. I'm a humanist. My dream is to take my ability to heal to impoverished countries and give those disabled children the opportunity to live a better life; they should not suffer just because of the circumstances they were born into. Like Lennon, I want to think beyond the border of countries and religion and circumstance."

"You're too perfect." Then she gasped and looked above his head.

"What?" he asked puzzled, turning around and back again.

"Did you see that light? Could it be? Uh oh, is that a halo around your head?" She teased him and lightened it with laughter.

He laughed, long and hard. When he finally recovered he smiled at her. "I'm not the angel here, you are."

"You're sweet." Alice smiled and then became serious. She decided to be forthright. "Mike, are you seeing anyone special?"

He stopped eating and leaned over the table to take her hand in his. "Alice, I'm not seeing anyone, special or otherwise. I wouldn't be here with you if I was."

Her heart thudded at his nearness, the smell of his skin. She badly wanted him to kiss her. "How come? You're very handsome, smart and successful. Why aren't you attached to some lucky girl?"

"Thank you again for the compliment, you're generous with them. I like that." His smile made her knees go weak. "I just haven't met that special person that I want to be attached to."

She wrinkled her nose. "You know what? People date and have relationships all the time, even if it's not with 'that special person'. I'm a little suspicious of your answer." She teased, but underneath, she wanted an answer.

"Well I guess you're right. That wasn't a good enough answer. The truth is simple. I go on dates, I like the company of women. I've had a few relationships. In med school I had a girlfriend for three years whom I introduced to my parents. I was serious and she wasn't. So we broke up. I dated another girlfriend for a couple of years but we drifted apart. Since I moved to Oakland last year, I have dated a few women, but no one that I felt I wanted more dates with. Which is a good thing. Because if I had, I wouldn't be sitting here now with you. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes. It does." she smiled at him, liking his honesty.

"And you? Why aren't you attached to some lucky guy."

"I was for a little bit. He just doesn't deserve me." and then she burst out laughing, thinking how conceited she sounded.

"What does it take to deserve you?" He asked sincerely, as though he really wanted to know.

"Lots. Sexual attraction, I gotta feel that. Then humor, I laugh a lot and I want that person to laugh with me. Then goodness, I want that man to be someone who is good to me and to other people. Caring, I want that person to care about my feelings and not want to hurt me. Honor. I want that person to honor me and shout to the world that they do. And most importantly-drum roll please- Desire. Not the desire for my body or my sex but a desire to want all of me, the good and the bad of me."

"You've obviously given this a lot of thought."

"Don't I know it! Probably too much thought, but, that's why I'm not attached. No one has been able to give me all of it. And I'm no longer willing to settle for anything less."

"You're demanding."

She nodded. "But I'm worth it." She said confidently.

"I know you're worth it." He smiled at her admiringly.

"How do you know?" Alice was practically batting her eyelashes. She was angling for him to tell her how wonderful she was. But his answer was not aimed at her specifically.

"Because every woman is worth being regarded the way you described. It's how my father treats my mother. And how, I hope, someday someone will care for my sister."

Alice swallowed a lump in her throat, she was floored by this guy. He was genuinely sweet and loved and respected women, could he be more perfect? She cleared her mind of daydreams and laughed ruefully, "This is a pretty serious first date conversation, isn't it?"

"Yes. But it makes me know you better and I'm happy you were honest about your requirements." There was a long silence as they gazed at each other over the flickering candle.

"Do you want desert?" he finally asked her.

Alice shook her head. She wanted to be alone with him.

"Well if you're done, I'll take you home."

They got up and he helped her into her coat and held her hand as they walked out of the restaurant. The tingle was now a buzz.

The drive up to the little Victorian in the hills took no time at all. He opened the car door for her and when she got out she leaned against the door of the car. She wasn't quite ready to say goodnight.

Alice held both his hands in hers and asked him softly. "Why did you want to see me again?"

He leaned down and brought his face inches from hers, he sighed his answer into the night air. "Because you're beautiful and I'm very attracted to you and I want to get to know you. I hope that we'll go on another date soon."

"Are you asking me now?" She smiled up at him. Liking the way his hair moved in the slight breeze, bringing one lock down onto his forehead. His smile was all for her, he looked as giddy as she felt, she knew this was special, she just knew it.

He squeezed her fingers ever so slightly, as though speaking to her with his body and his words. "Yes, I am."

She squeezed his fingers in response. "When?" She asked, knowing full well she would meet him whenever and wherever he wanted.

"I'm not working this Saturday, so can I see you in the afternoon?" he asked.

"That depends, what do you have in mind?" His answer didn't matter, but she wanted to keep him there with her as long as possible. The back and forth was tittilating.

He threaded their fingers together and rubbed his thumbs along hers. They were touching hands only and her heart thumped crazily. His soft voice wooed her. "I'd like to take your for a walk around Lake Merritt, and then lunch at my apartment. I'll make gumbo. It's the best gumbo in the world, second only to my mamma's."

"Ah do love me some gumbo." She said in a fake southern accent, her eyes twinkling.

"Well, say 'yes', and you can have some." He laughed.

"Yes." And she released his hand and tugged on the front of his shirt to bring his head down to hers. His breath was warm and sweet as it skimmed her cheek. He brushed her lips with his and kissed the corner of her mouth. He moved his lips to the next corner and her mouth opened. His tongue slid over hers and she felt the goosebumps all up and down her arms. Her tongue licked his and it was magic. He pulled his mouth away and smiled down at her. Alice wanted more. She ached for more of his kisses.

Mike reached his arms around her waist and picked her up off her feet. He whirled her around slowly and put her back down and whispered in her ear, "Thank you." Then he walked her up the stairs and said goodnight.

Alice walked into the house elated. Renee was waiting on the couch for details and Alice sailed past her to her bedroom as if in a trance.