Chapter 4

"What do you mean you're going to Tampa for a week?" said Jenna with a sense of despair in her voice.

"I have a potential client down there that I want to try and land. The company I have been doing stuff for in St. Louis told them some good things and they want to talk to me."

"You can't pick up a telephone?" said Jenna.

"These things have to be done face to face Jenna. I need to look at their setup and write up an analysis and present it to them. That takes at least a week, maybe longer."

"Can we afford this right now?" asked Jenna. I could tell she didn't want to budge on this trip but I didn't know why.

"This is no different from what I've been doing in St. Louis. If I land this client, they will spring for my expenses. If not, I can just write it off as a loss on our taxes. With the amount of business I can get off this company it is worth the expense."

"But you will be gone a whole week. When you go to St. Louis it is only for a day or two."

"Jenna, what's the problem here?"

"I'm gonna miss you if you are gone a whole week," said Jenna with a pout.

"You'll be fine," I said kissing the top of her head.

Jenna threw her arms around me and squeezed tightly, making me feel like a real jackass for lying to her.

The sleek Midwest Express MD-80 sliced its way through the cold air above a snow covered Indiana, en route to warmer climates. I was happy to finally be on my way to Florida. I was happy that I might soon be seeing Nikki after all these years.

It had been nearly fifteen years since I last saw her. I wondered if she had a boyfriend. I wondered if she had changed. She was such a beautiful woman when I last saw her. She could be a lot different now. I remembered how I loved her for much more than her outer appearance and decided that the way she looked didn't matter to me. I was flying out to see Nikki the person, not Nikki the body.

I sipped from my glass of complimentary champagne and stared out at the barren snowy wasteland that was Indiana. My thoughts drifted to Jenna. She had been really distant the last few days before I left and then when I left in the morning she grasped onto me like I was leaving forever. In many ways I was and it made me feel bad for her. Why did she have to suffer because I was unsatisfied? Why did she have so suffer because I was so selfish?

I put my meal tray down on the seat next to me and then brought out my laptop and put it on the lap table and fired it up.

About two weeks before my trip I found all of my old college pictures that were just loaded with images of Nikki. I spent several hours scanning them all into my computer so I could look at them anytime I wanted to.

Once the computer was on I pulled up my image viewer and started looking at the photos, remembering better days.

The first picture was of Nikki and me at my ROTC Cadet Ball. I was dressed in my dress uniform and Nikki had her arm possessively around me wearing a floor length red dress. Her hair was up in a braided bun, the bright red color of it accenting her outfit. It was the first time the two of had danced together. We spent the entire night just looking into one another's eyes, lost in each other's souls.

There were several other pictures that were taken at the Ball, mostly of Nikki smiling at the camera with the smile that always melted my heart because it was full of love meant only for me.

The next group of pictures was from a sledding party we had. A bunch of my friends got together, along with Nikki and me, to go sledding. This wasn't your every day normal sledding, however. We stole food trays from the dining hall and used them as sleds. There was a huge hill behind Wells Hall, one of the residence halls on campus, which we went to for our antics. I often considered that day of sledding one of the best non-romantic things I ever did with Nikki. We were both just like little kids with no worries in the world enjoying a day out in the snow.

The next group of pictures was at my fraternity's Spring Formal. Nikki was once again clasped to me in her red formal dress. I was in a black tuxedo with a red cummerbund. I remembered that night fondly as one where we again spent gazing into one another's souls and going back to my dorm and making love until the sun came up. It honestly ranks up there as one of the best days of my entire life.

I silently reflected on that day and wondered if I would ever have another day that even came close to comparing to that night. I knew deep in my heart that only Nikki could make me that happy. It seemed like my entire life was now hinged on a one week trip to Florida with little odds for success.

I silently swore as my laptop bag slipped off my shoulder enroute to finding my rental car. I really hate it when rental car companies ferry you off to some lot a mile or two away from the airport, adding extra hassle into the already complicated mess that is involved in renting a car.

I finally found the car that I was assigned, a red Chrysler Sebring convertible, and opened the trunk and threw my bags in. I then pulled out my cell phone to call Jenna.

"Oh my God, are you ok?" asked Jenna when she picked up the phone.

"I'm fine. I'm here early actually. It's sunny and warm here."

"I want the number to your hotel room when you check in," she said.

"Yeah, yeah," I said. Actually it was a detail that I wasn't going to forget. I didn't want her calling a front desk that Nikki might be working at asking for her husband, Robert Pryce. While I didn't plan to lie to Nikki about being married, I was going to make it very clear to her that our marriage was on the rocks, which at least for me was the God's honest truth.

"I want you to call at least twice a day," said Jenna, continuing on her rant.

"Jenna, I probably won't have that much time."

"Please," whined Jenna. "I already miss you."

"Fine, I will try to call you at least twice a day," I said angrily.

"I do love you," said Jenna.

"Yeah," I said. "I will talk to you later."

I clicked the 'end' button on the phone before she had a chance to reply.

"Since when did she get so damned possessive?" I whispered to myself as I climbed into my rental car.

The directions I was given to the hotel were easy to follow. It only took me about five minutes to get there, if that. I pulled up to the Rocky Point Double Tree and parked right in front of the lobby doors. I got out of the car and my heart was ready to pound out of my chest. It was very likely that I was going to see Nikki for the first time in nearly 15 years.

I walked through the glass doors, urging my legs to continue to carry me. When I entered the hotel I looked over at the desk and I saw her. She looked like she had barely aged in fifteen years. If anything she was slightly thinner, and her hair had thinned out a bit, but otherwise she was as stunning as she was fifteen years ago.

I walked up to the desk and my breath caught in my throat, preventing me from saying anything. Another woman, much older, walked out from the back and came up to me.

"Good afternoon, welcome to Double Tree. My name is Dianne. How may I assist you?"

"I'm here to check in," I squeaked.

"Name?"

"Pryce, Robert Pryce." I was hoping I said it loud enough. I had, because as Dianne was typing my information into the computer, Nikki turned around and looked directly at me. A look of confusion from her turned into one of recognition.

"Oh my God!" screamed Nikki. "Robby Pryce?"

"Nikki?" I said excitedly, feigning surprise.

"Oh my God! How are you?" screamed Nikki as she came around from behind the counter.

"Ok, I guess," I said. "You?"

"Not too bad," she said coming over to me and giving me a hug.

Her touch was electric. I felt like I was suddenly transported fifteen years in the past and it was good old Nikki enveloping me in her warm caress.

"What brings you to Tampa?" said Nikki breaking the hug.

"Business. I'm pursuing a new client while I'm down here."

"Really? What do you do?"

"I run my own consulting business that creates web based solutions for companies."

"Sounds complicated," said Nikki with a smile. It was one of those smiles like in the pictures. I had to fight my growing arousal.

"So, you married? Have kids?" asked Nikki.

The million dollar question. "Married yes, kids no. How much longer I'm married still remains to be seen."

"Troubles?"

"You could say that. I'm planning on asking for a legal separation when I get home," I said.

"I'm sorry," said Nikki. The put her hand on my shoulder to comfort me. All it did was almost make my cock shoot through my pants.

"How about you? Married? Kids?"

I was silently dreading her answer.

"Never been married, no kids and right now I am unhappily single."

My heart started beating again.

"Still living in Wisconsin?" asked Nikki.

"Yeah, still in the Milwaukee area."

"Well you can only guess where I live," giggled Nikki. "Live with Mom."

"You really look beautiful," I said.

Nikki blushed. "You think so?"

"Yes, you are still as stunning as you were back in college."

"You're still as sweet as you were back in college," said Nikki with one of those smiles. "Just as handsome too, if not more."

"Mr. Pryce," interrupted Dianne. "Is that P-R-I-C-E?"

"P-R-Y-C-E," I responded. I turned my attention back to Nikki. "You want to do dinner tonight and catch up on old times?"

"I don't know," said Nikki with hesitation.

"I want to find out what you've been up to for the past fifteen years," I said, trying to be charming.

"Well I guess, but I don't get off until seven and I'll want to change."

"How about eight o'clock," I said. "Does that give you enough time."

"It should," she said. "I'll meet you here?"

"Yes, that sounds good. You will have to help me pick out a place though. This is my first time in the area."

"Well there's a Denny's on Kennedy that isn't too far. If you go over the causeway there are a ton of places that aren't too expensive."

"I want something nicer than Denny's," I said.

"Well across the street are the Castaway and Landry's. Those are both pretty pricey though."

"Can you call the Castaway and make reservations for the two of us?" I said.

"Seriously?" she said. "Yeah, sure."

I finished checking into my room and Nikki gave me one more blissful hug before I went out to the car to get my stuff. I ran my stuff up to my room and then came back down, pretending I was heading out for the day. I needed to give Nikki the impression that I was out on business for the day. I really ended up going down to Clearwater Beach and walking along the boardwalk for the rest of the afternoon. At about six I headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up.

As I passed through the lobby Nikki was still working. I looked at her and she gave me a wink as I headed to the elevators.

I went up to my room, quickly showered and changed into something nice for the evening. I then flipped the TV on and watched it until 8 p.m. rolled around. The time seemed to drag on forever. At 7:55, I was heading out the door, impatient to get things rolling.

I went down the elevator and out into the lobby. A young girl who couldn't have been a day over twenty was working the desk.

"Can I help you sir?" said the girl.

"Just waiting for someone," I said.

"You wouldn't happen to be Mr. Pryce would you?"

I panicked. Had this girl been given a message that Nikki wanted to cancel our dinner.

"Yes, why?"

"Nikki couldn't stop talking about you when I got in this evening. She was really excited."

I sighed in relief that it wasn't a message to cancel the dinner date.

Nikki arrived at five after. She was wearing a stunning low-cut black cocktail dress that showed off a lot of her body.

"Oh, lookin' good girl," said the girl behind the desk as she approached us.

"Thanks Mel," said Nikki. She turned back to me. "You ready?"

I nodded and the two of us headed out the door. She started heading in another direction from my car into the parking lot. I guessed that she assumed she was driving.

"We'll take my rental," I said.

"Ok," said Nikki with a demure air.

When we got to the car I fought the temptation to open the car door for her. I knew it would be obvious that I was here to pick her up if I did that.

The two of us didn't say a word as we drove the 500 or so yards across a very busy highway 60. I dropped Nikki off at the front door and then parked the car in the lot. I met her at the front door and she opened the door for me and we went in.

The Castaway was a nice place with a seafaring theme that was kind of reminiscent of a Red Lobster, just a lot more elegant.

Nikki submitted our name and we were quickly seated.

"It's so good to see you," I said after the hostess departed.

"I feel the same way," said Nikki. "I really have missed you over the years."

"So what have you been doing all these years?"

"Mostly the same thing. Working dead end jobs and living at home with my mom, you?"

"Well I went in the Army for a few years as you know. Got in a serious training accident that tore up my knee so they discharged me and put me on disability. Used that money to help me go back to school. Finished a degree in accounting of all things and then ended up in computers. Along the way I met Jenna and we got married. After a few years she convinced me to go into business for myself and that's where I am now."

"Wow, that's quite an adventure compared to me," said Nikki. "You said you were thinking about getting a legal separation when you get home. How come?"

"I just don't love her anymore," I said. It was really a lie. There was part of me that loved her very much but part of me hated her for the trap she had me in.

"Did she do something to you to make you feel that way?" said Nikki.

"It's hard to explain."

"You've never had a problem in the past telling me your feelings about things," said Nikki.

"We were dating then," I said.

"Please tell me."

I looked at Nikki and noticed she looked concerned. Her eyes melted my heart and forced me to speak.

"There just isn't any passion in our marriage. Never has been."

"Oh, I can see why that's a problem with you," said Nikki.

"Why?"

"You are one of the most passionate men I have ever met. I can see if you didn't have someone equally as passionate in your life that you wouldn't be happy."

"It's amazing how much you know me after all of these years." I paused and looked away from her. "So you don't think it is wrong of me to leave her because of a lack of passion?"

"I wonder why you got into the marriage in the first place if there was no passion there."

"You're gonna laugh at me when I tell you this. She made me wait until the wedding night and I foolishly accepted."

"No way!" squealed Nikki.

I nodded.

"She must be one hot girl for you to wait like that."

"She is," I said. "I've only had one hotter woman in my life."

"Really? Who?"

"You," I said softly.

Nikki blushed and looked away from me.

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you," I said softly.

"It's ok," said Nikki. "You're still so sweet to me, even after all that happened between us."

The waitress came by and took our order for drinks and then disappeared.

"You know I couldn't concentrate today after seeing you. I had wondered all these years what had happened to you. It was like you disappeared off the face of the earth when we broke up."

"I had to," said Nikki. "It hurt me so much to do it that I could never face you again. I felt so bad for hurting you."

"Well, that was fifteen years ago Niks," I said.

"Oh my," said Nikki with a tear rolling down her cheek. "No one has called me that in fifteen years. I always loved it when you called me that."

We sat in silence for a few minutes. We both took the opportunity to peruse the menu and find what we wanted to eat. The waitress came back with some wine for us and took our order and then left again.

"So, how's your mom doing?" I asked, trying to be polite. I secretly hated the old bat and I knew she hated me.

"Still working. She's selling real estate. Annoying as ever too. I'm hoping to save up enough money someday to go live on my own."

"Why don't you find a roommate?" I said.

"Tried that for a few months and she ended up stealing from me. Learned not to trust anyone I don't already know really well. All my other friends are already married. Even Melanie, that girl you met up at the desk tonight just got married. I'm starting to feel like an old maid."

"You had your chance," I said, regretting the words as soon as they left my mouth.

"I know," said Nikki sullenly.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."