Sweet and Sour

Barbara

Her Ford Mustang still had that new-car scent, Barbara thought. The wipers were working overtime to clear the windshield, and the clouds above her made it look like it was night. Barbara was nervous. With a voice command, she instructed her car to call her sister.

“Barbara?”

Glad to hear Martha’s voice, she asked: “Tell me again, why am I doing this?”

“Because you’re yearning for revenge?” She said without missing a beat.

Barbara nodded. She felt it in the pit of her stomach. Sometimes dormant in the background, but most times the flames burned so bright it almost consumed her.

“The Wolf Family forced them to make the ultimate sacrifice. They might as well have pulled the trigger.”

The ‘they’ Martha was referring to were their parents, who Barbara, after all those years, still missed. “And you’re sure your information is correct?”

“Yes.”

“I need a pep talk.” Barbara kept her eyes on the road. The rain had stopped, and her wipers paused their busy work.

“You’ve worked your ass off at law school, holding down two jobs to pay for it. You graduated cum laude, which gives you an edge over everyone else. This is your chance for sweet revenge.”

Barbara gripped the steering wheel.

“You’ve got this, sis.”

Memories of Martha cheering from the sidelines made her smile. “You helped me a lot. And not only with the paying part.”

Martha made a grunting noise; she hated sentimental talk. “Where are you?”

Barbara checked the clock on her dashboard, 4 pm. Then she checked her navigation. “I’m precisely where I need to be.”

Nathan

When Nathan, on his way home, saw the black Ford Mustang, he whistled through his teeth. Its safety blinkers were on and a woman was walking around, inspecting the car. He parked behind her and got out. He kept some distance between them. “Need help?”

The woman straightened her back to look taller than her five-foot six length. “Triple A is on its way.”

“That takes forever.” He walked towards her, still making sure there was a distance between them, and noticed the flat. “Do you have a spare?”

An eye roll. “Of course.”

It wasn’t a standard feature nowadays, but her indignation probably had more to do with him asking questions unsolicited.

She opened the trunk and started rummaging through her stuff. Nathan saw a small suitcase, which she put on the pavement behind the car. She lifted the trunk floor covering where the spare was kept. “I don’t need help.” Her voice was strained as she used all her strength to lift the tire from the back of her car.

She certainly wasn’t a damsel in distress. Why was he so dead set on helping her? While she was standing there, bent over her car, his eyes wandered off toward her well-shaped butt. With effort, he raised his gaze back to her face. Her jaws were clenched, and Nathan wasn’t sure if it was because of the heavy load or her annoyance with him. She put the tire on the ground next to the front of the car and went back to get the car jack. Part of it doubled as a tire iron. The rain had started again. She sat down on her haunches, and Nathan crouched next to her. She placed the tire iron on one of the lug nuts and got half up. The tool was wet and the ground slippery, and when she used her weight to turn and loosen the bolts, she lost her balance and fell on her backside. “Shit!”

“You’re okay?” He reached out and helped her back up.

She nodded and swept her wet hair out of her face.

Nathan shook his head. “Okay noted, you’re a tough chick.” Gently, he pushed her aside. “Now let me help you. I’ve done this a million times.” Without waiting for her answer. He changed her tire. It took him only a few minutes. With narrowed eyes and her arms crossed in front of her chest. She kept an eye on him.

After he was done. Nathan put her old tire, together with all the tools, back in the trunk, and covered it with the floor covering.

The woman, whose name he still didn’t know, took her suitcase and put it in the car. She turned to him and asked: “How can I pay you back?”

It wasn’t a gesture of gratitude. Her eyes, a shimmering aquamarine, ignited a spark that spread all the way to his loins. “A drink would be nice.” With a smile, he offered her his hand. “Nathan.”

She let his arm hang for quite a while, biting her lip. Finally, she said: “Okay.” After wiping her hands on her pants, she took his hand. “My name is Barbara.”

Before she could change her mind, he said: “I know a nice place just up the road.”

Barbara looked down at her wet clothes full of mud. “I’m a mess.”

“You can use their restroom to freshen up.”

She nodded and returned to her car.

He half and half expected her to bolt, but she didn’t, and after a ten-minute drive she parked her car next to him.

Barbara

The restaurant was small. The round tables had red checkered tablecloths, and each displayed a candle and a little vase with a rose. There were only a few guests, but it was still early. On the left was a fireplace, and across from it was a bar. A friendly server showed her where the restrooms were. She was glad to have a moment to collect herself. She checked her makeup and wished she had brought her suitcase in so she could change out of her wet clothes. A knock on the door, and a friendly girl gave her a towel, makeup wipes and a hoodie with the name of the restaurant embroidered on it. “Thanks.” She used the towel to dry her hair and took off her blouse and jacket and replaced them with the hoodie.

Back in the restaurant, the girl brought her to a table close to the fireplace, which gave a warm glow.

He got up and helped her into her chair, wearing the same hoodie. She reminded herself he as well had been standing in the rain.

“I owe you an apology.” She avoided his eyes and fumbled with the napkin in her lap. “I was rude. I know it’s not a good excuse, but being self-reliant is important to me. And I know how to change a tire.” She looked up and smiled. “On a clean floor, inside a garage.”

He held up his hands. “And I’m a stubborn prick who thinks he knows better.”

The waiter came back with a bottle of wine and two glasses. “And I, very presumptuous ordered for you. If you want to drink something else, that’s fine with me.”

“Er, I have to drive…”

Nathan winked. “Luckily, this restaurant has several rooms we can use.”

He didn’t say it, but he had seen her suitcase in the back of her car. He knew she had all her stuff with her. Barbara looked him over. She already knew he was tall, but now, in the warm light of the fire, she was happy to see he also had thick, curly hair and beautiful eyes the color of dark chocolate. The spark she’d sensed earlier only grew stronger. She thought about the meeting tomorrow. Was it wrong of her to play a little? She smiled, reached for her glass and held it up to him. “I’m a lucky girl.”

Nathan

Laughing, they stumbled to the door of their room. Before he opened it, he looked at her. “Are you sure?”

She nodded, put her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her. She kissed him; sweet and intoxicating. It was an addiction he knew he had to fight, but not tonight. He kissed her back, his hands going through her soft, honey-kissed hair that still felt damp. He took the key from his pocket, opened the door and swept her up in his arms, closed the door with his hips and laid her gently on the bed.

She examined him as if she were trying to read his mind.

“What are you thinking?”

She bit her lip. “You’re handsome and hot. Kiss me, please.”

Barbara

On tip toes she left the room. Before she softly closed the door, she had one last glimpse of him lying down on the bed. She ignored the pang of regret. Yes, the lovemaking had been sweet, but it wouldn’t change anything. She didn’t even want to think of what could have been. Today she would get what she had yearned for since the moment her parents died.

With a click, Barbara unlocked her car and opened the door. She threw her handbag onto the passenger seat, started the engine and drove away. She called her sister.

Martha picked up right away. “Barbara? Where are you? Why didn’t you call me?”

“Something came up.”

“Did you get it?”

Barbara looked sideways. Nathan’s phone was safely inside her bag. “Yes.”

“Be careful, sis.”

“Always.”

She saw him as soon as she walked into the boardroom. His father was standing next to him.

His eyes widened when he saw her.

The yearning in the pit of her stomach burned higher, but somehow it had changed.

He walked towards her. She stretched out her hand. “Hello, Nathan, or should I call you Mr. Wolf?” Not waiting for an answer, she continued: “I’m hired by Hobstone and Castor, a private equity company, and they are going to buy Wolf Corporation to sell it piece by piece.”

Nathan’s face drained of all color.

His father joined them.

She turned to him. “Ah, Mr. Wolf senior. I’m Barbara, Barbara Read.” Did he recognize her last name? She and Martha had decided that, since it was such a common name, taking on a false name just wasn’t worth the risk. Barbara took her handbag, grabbed the phone and held it in front of Nathan. “Here’s your phone. You lost it last night.”

Wolf Senior’s face turned red. “Goddammit Nathan. What did you do?”

Barbara pointed to the conference table. “Let’s sit. We have a lot to discuss.”

Nathan squared his shoulders. He looked down at her with a scowl on his face.

As soon as the two men were sitting in front of her, she said: “I’m not working for a private equity company, but I could have.” She focused on Nathan. “You didn’t ask any questions last night. Did you report your phone stolen? Block its content?”

While his father radiated anger, Nathan stayed calm, despite the deceit. It made her stomach turn. Instead of triumph, she felt the flame waver. He had trusted her. He had helped her with her car and had been a generous lover, a true gentleman. It took all of her willpower to keep her poker face. “As a successful business, you always have to be vigilant, and I’m here to offer my services.”

Barbara waited until she was in her car before she called Martha.

“And?”

Barbara pressed her hands against her throbbing temples. Memories flashed through her: the planning, the risks, the hard work, dreaming of revenge. It should have been so sweet, but all the scheming and lying had instead left a sour taste in her mouth.

“Barbara?” Martha asked again.

“I’m in.”