Page 8 of Champagne Nights

Chapter Four

Aubrey

Climbing out of the cab, I said goodnight to Ian, took my cane from my purse, and walked through the revolving door to my apartment building.

“Good evening, Aubrey.”

“Good evening, Kale.” I smiled. “How was your vacation in Mexico?”

“It was great. The wife and I had a wonderful anniversary.”

“I’m happy to hear that. I want to hear all about it tomorrow. Have a good night.”

“You too, Aubrey.”

Taking the elevator to the second floor, I inserted my key into the lock and stepped inside my apartment. I couldn’t stop thinking about Ethan Klein, which drove me insane. It wasn’t only his scent but also the sound of his voice: deep, but not too deep, and very smooth. He spoke words with confidence, and there was a sexiness to his tone. A voice like that hadn’t affected me like this in a very long time, if ever. I had to decline his invitation for a drink because I knew exactly how it would playout. I’d been there, done that, and it was something I wasn’t going to allow myself to get involved in again.

Men thought I was beautiful, and I always got hit on. Don’t get me wrong. It was flattering since I didn’t know what I actually looked like, but it went either of two ways. Some guys told me they just wanted to sleep with me because they found it a huge turn-on that I couldn’t see them, and others didn’t bother to call after the second date. I’d even had some guys tell me that my blindness freaked them out, even though they thought they’d be okay with it. They couldn’t look past it and get to know the person I truly was. That was when I decided it was in my best interest to forget men and live my life the only way I knew how. If they couldn’t adapt, it was their problem, not mine. But I made it my mission and stayed away to protect my heart. My Aunt Charlotte, Ian, Penelope, and a few other friends were all I needed.

Placingmy book in my bag, I grabbed my cane and coffee and climbed into the cab that I had called for before leaving my apartment.

“Hey, Aubrey.”

“Hi, Jeff.”

“It still amazes me each time you climb into my cab that you know it’s me.”

“I recognize your voice.” I smiled.

“That’s pretty cool. Where are you off to? Shakespeare Garden?”

“Yes, please.”

I had five cab drivers that I called for regularly. The cab company knew me and my situation and was always very accommodating.

“We’re here, Aubrey,” Jeff spoke. “Just charge it to your card?”

“Yes, please.”

Reaching into my wallet, I pulled out a few dollars and handed them to him for the tip. I mostly only carried ones, fives, and tens. I had a system in place of how I told the bills apart. For everything else, I used my credit card.

“Thanks, Jeff. Have a good day.”

“You too.”

Climbing out of the cab, I walked into Shakespeare Garden, using my cane for guidance, and sat on a wooden bench on a cobblestone walk lined with flowers. This was my place of peace. Not that my life was crazy by any means, but something about it relaxed me.

Opening my book, I began to run my fingers along the braille lettering. As I was reading and taking in the sun's warmth, a scent, the same scent from last night, occupied my space. I could hear soft footsteps approaching, and then they suddenly stopped.

“Hello, Mr. Klein. What are you doing here?”

“How did you know it was me?”

“Your cologne.” I smiled.

“Wow. You’re good, Miss Callahan. I was taking a stroll on this beautiful morning and saw you sitting here. I couldn’t believe it. I was trying to approach cautiously because I didn’t want to scare you.”

“Do you frequently take a stroll through Shakespeare Garden on Saturday mornings? And you wouldn’t have scared me. I don’t scare easily.”

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