Zip Lining

"Nice to meet you, Tad," she said. Before she could introduce herself, he politely corrected her.

"It's Than. With an 'h'. And an 'n'."

He'd explained a thousand times how his name looked like the word 'than' but had a different 'th' sound as he explained yet again to her.

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I don't think I've ever heard that name before."

"I only know of one other myself. A guy on one of the older house flipping shows from New England. He played college football for Yale and made it to the NFL but never got to play much. But then I never even played college football, so I'll just slink away now."

That was something else he'd said many times since learning about Than Merrill when his mom first saw one of the flipping shows he starred in.

The woman smiled then introduced herself.

"I'm Fallon. Daniels."

He smiled again then said, "Like the woman on Dallas. The, uh...TV show."

"I know who she is," Fallon said a little too tersely, letting her frustration with Joe show through.

Than noticed and assumed it was directed at him.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. I just couldn't help notice how...your friend...left you here alone. But that's none of my business, so like I said, I'll just...go away."

Feeling bad for letting her emotions get the best of her she said, "I'm actually glad you said 'hello', Than. I have to admit I wasn't thrilled about being abandoned."

"Work or pleasure?" he asked.

"Pardon?"

"You're an American in Costa Rica. Is that due to business or maybe a vacation? And yes, I know this is none of my business, either."

"It's just business," Fallon said with a sigh. "And by the looks of it—all business. But to tell you the truth, I was just looking forward to getting out of Chicago for a few days."

"Ah. That makes sense. It's been brutal up north all winter," Than commented.

"And it's not that much warmer here, either," Fallon replied as she glanced over at Joe who was in full-sales mode, something else Than picked up on but didn't acknowledge.

"I'll let you get back to your meal," he said as he excused himself. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Fallon."

"Yes. Same here, Than," she replied, emphasizing the correct pronunciation.

He turned to leave then stopped and said, "I'm not sure why I'm telling you this other than the fact it's true, but you're a very beautiful woman, Fallon."

Fallon had been told that all of her life, and although it happened less often now than in her 20s or 30s, it still happened. It was just that it usually came from men closer to her age, so hearing from a younger, very handsome man was particularly nice.

"That's very kind of you to say," she told him, making sure to smile.

"Well, goodnight," he told her before walking back to his table.

Once he was gone, Fallon pulled out her phone then Googled 'house flipping' and 'Than' and when she saw the results, she laughed out loud.

"My, my. Aren't you a beautiful man—Than," she said of the other Than before looking at 'hers' and thinking he was at least as as good looking as the house flipping version. Both of them were tall, had short, dark hair, strong jaws, beautiful eyes and great smiles, and a kind of rugged masculinity nearly any woman would love. The other Than was clearly more muscular, but the Than she'd just met had a very nice physique, too, something she'd definitely noticed, causing her body to ache for the love she'd missed since the 'big reveal'.

Just the moments she spent thinking about all that caused her to turn and look for Joe again. Not out of any romantic feeling, but just to see if he was ever going to come back and eat with her. But when she turned around, Joe was nowhere to be found. Nor was there any sign of Ramon, and Fallon wasn't sure whether she was relieved or even more upset.

With no other real option, she asked for the check, paid for the meal herself, then headed back up to her room. She undressed, put on a modest nightie then brushed her teeth and went to bed, too tired to give any additional thought to where Joe was or why he'd left her there alone.

When she woke up the next morning, Fallon needed a second to remember where she was. Once she recalled being in Jaco, she sat up and looked across the room then remembered Joe's having gone AWOL making her wonder if he was okay. Now concerned, she grabbed her phone and saw that she had a voicemail from him.

She listened to it and heard Joe saying, "Hey there. Sorry to leave you like that, but this was just too big a deal to pass up on. I had to, you know, strike while the iron was hot, and it paid off big time. Ramon agreed and I'll be signing the contract sometime tomorrow. I uh, I kind of ended up out on his yacht, and I gotta tell you, Fallon, this is the life. I know you don't like the water, but you gotta join me out here. We'll be back in port around 10am, so just slip into one of those skimpy bikinis I saw you unpacking and come join us, okay? This deal is huge, baby. Really huge. I'm so glad we agreed to come here. And for the record, being on a yacht really stirs up the romantic feelings, so...who knows, right? Talk to you soon!"

Fallon read through it a second time then shook her head in disgust and set the phone back down.

"What part of 'I'm deathly afraid of water' don't you understand—babe?" she said out loud to herself before getting up to use the bathroom.

To work off her bad mood, something that was happening all too often lately where Joe was concerned, Fallon rode one of the hotel's exercise bikes for half an hour or so and felt much better. After a shower and changing into something casual, she decided to have breakfast in the dining room downstairs—alone. Again.

A croissant, half a grapefruit, and some yogurt with black coffee was all she wanted as she to the items on her tray. Once she had it, she sat down and began slicing into the grapefruit when she looked up and saw Than, who'd just walked in. Fallon was surprised at how happy seeing a friendly face, the only friendly face she knew in Jaco, walk in, made her feel. She started to get up to go say hello when a woman every bit as beautiful as Than was handsome came in and hooked her arm in his.

Embarrassed, she sat back down and tried not to look, but when Than kissed the woman on the cheek, she experienced a strong feeling of sadness, and as ridiculous as it was...betrayal.

She returned to attacking the grapefruit which fought back and repaid her by squirting her in the eye.

"Dammit!" she sound a little too loudly as she blindly reached for a napkin.

Than, and the woman he was with, heard her, and when they turned around, Than headed her way.

"You okay?" he asked as Fallon groped around using her one remaining good eye to locate what she needed.

He placed the napkin in her hand, and once she knew who was there, she thought she might figuratively die of embarrassment. But when the gorgeous woman walked up and asked Than if this was 'the beautiful woman' he'd mentioned last night, she really believed that could actually happen.

As Fallon carefully dabbed her eye, Than told the woman he was with that her name was Fallon Daniels and that he agreed with her that she was a very attractive woman.

"You okay?" Than asked once Fallon stopped blinking.

"Oh. Yes. I...I think so, anyway. Or at least—physically," she replied as she got a close-up view of the woman standing next to Than.

"Good. I was starting to think I'd have to carry you to the Eye Wash Station around back," Than told her.

"They have an Eye Wash Station?" Fallon naively asked as the other woman smiled at her.

"No. I totally made that up," Than told her as the pretty woman tried not to laugh.

"His sense of humor takes some getting used to, I'm afraid," the gorgeous brunette said.

Before she could reply, Than said, "Oh. I'm sorry. Fallon? This is my sister, Tabitha."

"Sister?" Fallon weakly said as the woman extended her hand.

"Guilty," Tabitha said as she smiled. "Than told me he met a beautiful woman last night. He just didn't tell me how beautiful she was."

"I have to confess two things," Fallon said. "The first is that you're the one who's...beautiful. You and your brother could be models."

"And the second?" Than asked asTabitha thanked her and he smiled.

"This is a little embarrassing, but I kind of assumed you two were, you know—together."

This time, than laughed, but Tabitha playfully swatted him.

"Eeew!" she said, clearly not offended. "No. I'm his big sister and his attorney. Oh, and I keep him out of trouble."

Tabitha paused then said, "No. Let me rephrase that. I do my level best to try and keep him out of trouble, but that often turns out to be a full-time job."

Now both confused and relieved, Fallon asked them both to join her.

"We don't want to be a bother," Than said.

"No. You're not. It would be nice to have someone to talk to. If you're not too busy, of course."

"No. We just concluded our business, and have the next few days free," he told her as he pulled out a chair for his sister.

"You have the next few days free," Tabitha told him. "I have to be on a plane back to Seattle this afternoon."

"Right. Someone wants to make partner in the worst way, doesn't she?" her brother teased.

"Okay. So I'm driven. Shoot me," Tabitha replied in a way that Fallon couldn't tell was serious or just sibling rivalry.

"Seattle's beautiful, or so I hear," Fallon said as the brother and sister sat down, and picked up a menu rather than grabbing something from the buffet.

"I wouldn't live anywhere else," Tabitha replied. "I'm not much for the heat or humidity in other places, and while the gray skies get a little dreary, it's green and lush, and as I said, I just love it."

"So do you live in Seattle, too, Than?" Fallon asked as she removed a wedge from the grapefruit.

"Me? No. No way. I grew up there, but it's too...depressing."

He saw his sister give him a 'watch it, buster' look, and pretended to duck.

"In my opinion, anyway," he quickly added.

"Than moved away and lives in sunny San Diego now. Where it's...sunny. All of the time."

"After living in Chicago I could stand some sun," Fallon said with a smile.

"You have amazing skin," Tabitha told her as she really closely looked at the woman who was obviously older than her but just how much older wasn't quite as obvious.

"Says the stunningly gorgeous woman with flawless skin," Fallon replied.

"I just turned 30, and I don't feel...gorgeous," Tabitha told her the way anyone who's just hit 'the big three-oh' might feel.

Fallon tried not to laugh and said, "Oh to be 30 again," even as she wondered how old Than was seeing that Tabitha was his 'big' sister.

"Oh, I see," Than said.

He looked at her closely then, in a playfully sarcastic tone, said, "You're what? Maybe...34 or 35 and you're pining for the good old days way back when when you were 30?"

"Um...thank you, but...no," Fallon said. "I'd actually love to just be IN my 30's again."

Than gave a little shake of his head then turned to his sister.

"Don't look at me! I'm thinking the same thing."

"I don't even want to ask what that 'thing' might be," Fallon said as she carefully worked on her food.

"The 'thing is is, if you're over 40, I want to know what your secret is," Tabitha told her.

"Oh. Well, in that case...thank you," Fallon replied, having no intention of sharing her actual age.

"Where's your...associate?" Than asked.

Grateful to be off of that subject, but not thrilled with this one, Fallon told him about the text she'd received.

"Wait. You came here together, but he not only left you at dinner but didn't even come back to the hotel last night? I think I'd be more than a little unhappy about that," Tabitha said supportively.

"I suppose I should be, but he's my boss, and this is a business trip, so I can't complain. Even so, I really didn't expect to be left completely alone."

"Well, any guy who'd leave you alone for any reason needs to have his head examined," Than told her. "No offense to what's his name."

"It's Joe and none taken," Fallon replied before changing the subject yet again by asking Than what he did for a living.

"Ha!" Tabitha replied before her brother could speak. "Work? Than doesn't work. He just...plays!"

"And does he get paid for playing?" Fallon asked before adding, "because if he does, I want that job!"

Neither replied directly, but Than did invite her to see for herself what he did.

"Zip lining? Are you serious?" she asked after his invitation.

"Totally," Than told her.

"Isn't that where you're way up high and slide lower traveling like a bat out of hell on some skinny wire while held in by some skinny little velcro seat?"

Than laughed then said, "That's one way of looking at it. I prefer to think of it as having a great time, and it's a LOT safer than that."

"This one thinks bungee jumping is fun, so take anything he says with a grain of salt," Tabitha warned.

"Oh, my gosh. Bungee jumping scares the daylights out of me! And zip lining is just about as frightening."

"Okay. I guess I can see how bungee jumping could be a little intimidating," Than reluctantly agreed. His comment drew open eyes from Fallon and a laugh from his sister.

"See? I told you he was nuts!" Tabitha said.

"But zip lines are safe. You are up high, but you just slide from point A to point B and that's it."

"Uh-huh. Yep, that's it. As in—I'm dead from a heart attack 'that's it'," Fallon quipped as her grapefruit squirted her again. Mercifully, it missed her eye this time.

Than couldn't help laughing but didn't comment.

"Come with me. Let me show you how much fun a zip line can be," he offered. "If, of course, you're not actually with that other guy. The one who abandoned you."

"I...I don't know, Than. I mean, I'm definitely not with him...but we did come here together. And I'm pretty sure he's more than a little interested in actually...being...with me."

"I understand. I guess I'm just trying to see where I stand. You know, to find out if I have any kind of chance with a woman as beautiful as you," he said, that amazing smile of his blazing away across the table.

"You can't possibly have any trouble meeting women," Fallon replied. "Women your own age."

Than didn't answer, but Tabitha did.

"I have to admit my brother's changed the last few months. Not that women aren't still fawning all over him everywhere he goes, but something's...different. It's almost like there's a real man in there somewhere who's ready to..."

She put her hand over the side of her mouth facing her brother then said, "Settle down," as though they were dirty words.

"What's wrong with that?" Than replied with an edge.

"Nothing," his sister replied without hesitation. "I just never thought I'd see the day when that would happen to my baby brother. That's all."

"You know, I should really be going," Fallon said, causing Than to do another little head shake thing indicating his surprise.

"You've had maybe four bites of half a grapefruit. You don't look like you're anorexic, so that can't be all you're going to eat," he told Fallon.

"No. It...it isn't that. It's just that my boss—Joe—is expecting me," she explained.

"Ah. The business part of your vacation, right?" Than observed.

"Yes. Business," she replied without further explanation before telling Tabitha how nice it was to meet her.

"You, too. And if you ever get up to the Pacific Northwest..."

Than jumped in and said, "Bring rain gear and an umbrella. Oh, and lots of sweaters and coats, and gloves and scarves and..."

Tabitha hit him again and told him to stop criticizing 'God's Country'.

"If God lives in Seattle, I think I'll stay in the fires of hell," Than quipped.

"See what I mean?" Tabitha told Fallon as she stood up to leave.

"Sorry. I'm an only child, so I'm actually a little envious of the relationship you two have," she said rather quietly.

"Honestly? I wouldn't know what to do if something ever happened to doofus here," Tabitha said to Fallon while giving her brother a disparaging look.

He laughed then looked at Fallon.

"May I walk you back to your room?" Than asked as he stood up, too. "Assuming that's where you're going."

"I think I can find it okay," Fallon said with a smile and not in a rude way.

"Oh, touché!" Tabitha said. "I like her!"

Than winced then said, "Ouch."

"No. I didn't mean it like that. Not at all," Fallon said, now feeling bad she'd said that.

"If you change your mind, just give my room a ring, okay?" Than said as he wrote it down on a business card for her.

"Oh. Sure," she replied after taking the card before wishing them both a great day and wondering if Than was just being polite or actually hoping she might call him.

As she walked away Fallon felt a growing sense of confusion from the way just being around Than made her feel. It had been disturbing the night before, but after having asked her to do something with him—even if the something was zip lining—she found herself trying to understand what it was she was feeling. And more importantly—why.

Fallon changed out of the top she'd squirted juice on and went to change into a one-piece bathing suit when she said, "No. I'm not doing that."

Two minutes later she was in the white bikini and as she turned around in front of a full-length mirror she thought she didn't look too bad for a 44-year old woman. The truth was she looked fantastic, but 'not bad' was also true. Even so, she pulled on a short silk robe that mostly covered up the parts of her that 'weren't so bad'.

It was almost 10am, and as she walked toward the water, that old familiar fear welled up inside her. It made no difference that it was irrational. Fallon was still just as afraid of water as if she'd nearly drowned as a child or something similar. She hadn't, but she'd had an overwhelming fear of water for as long as she could remember.

The yacht was impossible to miss as it took up a huge amount of space in the water. It obviously couldn't dock so getting to it required a smaller boat to shuttle people on and off.

Fallon stopped just shy of the dock and dialed Joe's number. When he answered she let him know where she was. He told her to hold on then stepped out onto the port side and waved.

"Can you see me, baby?" he asked.

"I see you," she told him unenthusiastically without waving back.

"Ramon just called the dock. Someone should be walking over to give you a ride."

"Wait. A ride?" she asked as she began looking around.

"Yes. To the yacht. How else are you going to get out here?"

"Joe? You know how I feel about water, right?"

"Honey, it's just..."

"Okay. Stop. First, I'm not your 'honey'. Or your 'baby'," she began. "And next, I am not getting on any boat for any reason."

As Fallon stared at him, she saw a pretty young woman walk out and put her arms around him. He made a feeble effort to push her away, and Fallon heard him say, "Not here. My girlfriend is watching."

The girl turned around and started waving, and Fallon again shook her head in disgust.

"Joe?" she said to get his attention. "I have no idea what kind of fantasy you're living in your mind about us, but let me say as nicely as I can, there is no...us. You've been very good to me since the day you hired me, but you and I...us...is never going to happen."

The last thing she heard was, "Fallon. Wait. I'm sorry. Let me..."

As she ended the call the weight of the world lifted off her shoulders. She knew Joe might fire her, but she was no longer worried about that. Leading him on, to any degree, was wrong on every level, and the truth needed to come out. If he took it out on her for being honest then so be it. She had no idea how she'd pay for Lisa's room and board, but she'd figure it out.