Best That You Can Do

When you get caught between the moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the moon and New York City
Best that you can do is fall in love

 

Trixie’s office was quiet. After Reid had gone and her team departed, she welcomed the quiet solitude that allowed her to think. Jim called to let her know that he was running late due to unexpected delays with traffic and transportation. They agreed it would be easiest for him to meet her at the office.

The smooth acrylic desktop was bare except for the stack of note cards she had made and arranged. She studied her notes carefully and then began to rearrange them in a timeline of events. At first, her hands flew quickly, moving cards around in a certain order. But there were two notes she struggled with. She felt unsure where those events fit in the timeline, and how important they be exactly correct.

Trying to recreate something from five years ago is ridiculous , she thought to herself. One hand moved to her hairline and she began to finger a lock of hair, twisting it absently as she studied the cards. The other hand moved once more to rearrange a couple of them. Concentrating on the timeline, she nibbled at her lower lip and moved yet another card.

Nothing was coming to her. Somehow, her gut told her, she had the pieces she needed to put the puzzle together, but she couldn’t make them all fit. Sighing in frustration, she scooped the cards into one pile and dropped them into a drawer. She’d had enough of processing clues for one day. Glancing at the clock in the lower right corner of her computer screen, Trixie fidgeted. Where was Jim? He knew she hated waiting. Fortunately, she heard the sound of the outside door opening and jumped up to greet her visitor.

“Jim!” she cried, throwing her arms around her new fiancée; she wasted no time in letting him know exactly how glad she was to see him.

“Sorry I’m late,” he apologized when he had the opportunity. “I’m not sure you’re going to be so happy to see me once I tell you what’s going on.”

“Don’t be ridic!” Her fingers slid seductively up his arms and looped around his neck. “I’ll always be happy to see you.” She gave him a beatific smile. “Tell me what’s going on. What made you so late?”

“Brian came back to the city with me,” he explained. He locked his fingers as his arms encircled her waist. “He’s going to meet Honey at the airport.”

“Honey’s coming in tonight?” She asked in surprise. “Now that’s good news! Did she finish her work early?”

Jim shook his head. “She wants to help Mother. With Harold still being in a coma ….” His voice trailed off and he gave a small shrug. “I invited them to meet us for a late dinner,” he explained. “It just seemed like it was the only thing to do, since they’re both staying in town tonight.”

Trixie chewed her lip as she digested this piece of information. One had moved from Jim’s neck and slid slowly down his arm. Her head tilted to one side. “I take it you’re saying our romantic dinner and evening is kaput, huh?”

Jim nodded. “I’m sorry, Trix. It seems like lately nothing is going our way.”

Trixie bit back a disappointed sigh. “I guess it’s too much to ask the two of them to stay with Mart and Diana. Oh, well.” She gave him a bright smile. “If Brian rode in with you, then we should have plenty of time together before we have to meet them, right?”

Jim laughed huskily. “Yes, we have some time alone together now.” He dropped his mouth, searing her lips with a kiss. “You’re such a good sport; I love that about you.”

“Hmmm…” Trixie agreed, kissing him back as she attempted to unobtrusively move her hand into Jim’s jacket pocket, searching for a small, hard box.

“You know what else I love about you?” he murmured, breaking the kiss only long enough to ask the question.

“Uhhhh, uh…” Trixie was finally able to gasp.

“You’re so delightfully nosy and impatient.” His hand finally loosened the hold around her waist, and grabbed her hand that had made its way into his jacket pocket. “But it’s not there.”

“Jim!” she pulled back. “You knew!”

“You might be a great detective, sweetheart, but you’re a lousy pickpocket!” He grinned at her foolishly as he reached for the inside breast pocket of his sports coat. Retrieving the small jeweler’s box, he waved it in front of her face. “Is this what you’re looking for?”

Trixie blushed and gave a pretend pout. “Have you changed your mind already?”

“Now who’s being ridic?” he teased. He pulled her into another embrace, kissing her thoroughly. “Trixie,” he murmured huskily, clearing his throat as he reluctantly broke off the kiss. “Ten years of foreplay is murder. This is killing me.”

“Don’t think you’re alone,” she answered. “I vote we lock ourselves in my office and pretend like we don’t hear the phone ring when Brian and Honey call us.”

“Right.” Jim snorted. “You forget that besides being your brother, I still consider Brian my best friend. That’s not an explanation I really want to give him about why we missed dinner. Not to mention my sister is too much like you. They’re bound to come looking for us.”

Trixie nodded, understanding completely the awkwardness of best friends and siblings being so intertwined. It had created more than one awkward moment with Diana during her courtship with Mart. “By the time all of these weddings take place, we’re going to all be related to each other,” she laughed. Stepping back, she pushed a hand through her unruly curls. “Now that we’ve decided that --” She paused and lifted a questioning brow at Jim. “We have decided that, right?”

He nodded affirmatively.

“Do I still get what’s in that little box or are you going to make me wait?”

“Don’t tell me that you’re anxious to start wearing a diamond ring?” he mocked. “It seems to me like I remember that you were going to sell this to buy a horse.”

“As if,” she sniffed. “That was always your idea.”

Jim let that answer go, and simply agreed. “True, that was the point, wasn’t it? But now, it’s rather handy that you didn’t sell it. You saved me from having to figure out the perfect ring that would surpass what both your brothers managed to do.” He finally extracted the diamond ring from the box. Reaching for her small hand, he firmly grasped it and pulled her close to him again. “I love you, Trixie Belden. For as long as we both shall live.”

Trixie watched as he slid the ring effortlessly onto her ring finger. She looked at the twinkling stone for a moment, her eyes blinking rapidly with unexpected moisture, before seeking Jim’s gaze. “I love you, too.”

For now, it was enough for both of them.

 

 

“It is official!” Honey squealed as she grabbed Trixie’s hand. “Wow, it looks bigger than I remembered. How did we ever convince your parents to let you wear this when you were thirteen?”

Trixie shrugged. “I guess they figured it was mine.”

Brian snorted. “I guess they had no idea what it was really worth. If Dad had known that Jim had given you a rock that appraised for …”

Brian stopped as Jim cleared his throat and gave him a pointed look. “Sorry, man.” He said sheepishly. “Let’s just say Mr. Lytell had more than sufficient security for that jalopy and let it go.”

The flash of a nearby camera interrupted the confab for the moment. Jim grimaced, realizing the ever-hungry paparazzi had decided he and Trixie were once again worthy news fodder. “Let’s move inside,” he suggested. “I don’t want to explain to Peter why our picture was in the paper again.”

Trixie’s eyes immediately sought Honey’s as the two of them suppressed giggles. “Peter,” Trixie mouthed at her best friend as the quartet quickly moved inside the small bistro. For some reason she found Jim’s new moniker for her Dad hilariously funny. Suddenly she felt carefree and fourteen again, and was looking forward to the evening with two of her best friends and her oldest brother.

Their dinner reservation was only marginally later than the norm, but the restaurant remained full, a clear sign of its popularity. Indeed, Jim had pulled numerous strings to get the late reservation earlier that morning, and even more to upgrade the reservation from two to four. “Frayne, party of four” had been seated immediately upon their arrival, tucked away in a discreet back corner far from the prying lens of any paparazzi.

Jim managed to give her shoulders a loving squeeze as he pulled out her chair, gallant as ever. Trixie beamed at him, conveying her agreement that this dinner was no longer an intrusion on their private time, but a longed-for and welcomed meal among good friends.

Brian reached under the table and gave Honey’s hand a meaningful squeeze. The male Bob-Whites were determined their respective sisters would be comfortable and find their way back to the closeness they had shared earlier in the year.

A celebratory bottle of champagne was delivered within moments. Exchanging a look with Honey, Brian proposed a toast.

“To Jim and Trixie,” he began. His dark eyes were bright as they surveyed the group sitting around the table. “There’s absolutely nothing mysterious about why the two of them belong together.” The glasses clinked, and before long the conversation turned to wedding dates.

“Do you think you’ll be married sooner or later?” Honey asked.

“Yes, of course,” Trixie answered giggling. “One or the other.”

“Sooner,” Jim interrupted. “Absolutely, sooner.”

“Well as far as I’m concerned the sooner the better,” Honey replied, shooting Brian a knowing look. “Don’t you agree, dear?”

“I thought most engagements lasted a year,” Brian objected. “Isn’t that what your mother admonished me with when we told her we wanted to get married this fall?”

“Dude, there is no way I’m waiting a year,” Jim said. “No way in hell.” He shot Trixie an apologetic look. “Please, Trix … tell me you don’t want to wait a year.”

“As far as I’m concerned, we can get married tomorrow,” she replied, giving him a saucy wink. She turned to Honey, who had choked on her sip of champagne. “Too many bubbles?” she asked solicitously.

“No,” Brian said dryly, taking Honey’s glass and handing her his napkin. “Methinks Honey is counting her winnings before they’ve been won.”

Remembering the comment from Diana at the Wheelers’ brunch, Trixie frowned. “You bet on us!” She pointed a finger at Brian, who suddenly seemed very concerned with the menu. “Confess now! Who’s in on it?”

Honey cleared her throat and took a sip of the water. “All of us, of course. It remains to be seen who will actually win the bet. There are a couple of us in the running still.”

Jim’s eyes narrowed. “You and Dan, of course.”

Honey’s eyes widened. “What makes you think it would be me and Dan?” she asked sweetly, batting her eyelashes. “I said all of us were in on it.”

“Because you or Dan always win the Bob-White bets,” Trixie interjected. She held up a hand as Honey started to protest. “Don’t tell us. We don’t want to know. You can tell us when it’s all over who won and what everyone bet, but I take it that none of you bet against us, huh?”

“Of course not,” Brian snorted. “We’re not stupid.” He opened the menu. “Let’s decide what to order. I’m starved.”

 

 

Trixie did her best to stifle a yawn, not quite succeeding. She was glad she had no witnesses. Between the delicious meal, the champagne, and the late hour, the past couple of days were catching up with her. It had been simple decision to step outside with the excuse of checking her messages. Jim and Brian were arguing over the check, while Honey slipped off to the ladies room. The fresh, cooler night air was helping chase away the wave of sleepiness that threatened to take over for the evening. She breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing urgent had popped up that needed her attention. She reminded herself she still needed to file the weekly report with her boss.

She turned and looked at her fiancé and friends through the warmly lit windows of the restaurant. Her lips twitched in a small smile as she watched the conversation between Jim and Brian. Heads shook, frowns, smiles, and finally a handshake. Wonder what that’s all about, she thought. Within moments the three of them had joined her outside the restaurant.

“Is anyone up for a midnight movie?” Honey inquired.

Trixie shook her head. “I’d be asleep before the previews were over,” she apologized. “I’m sure we’ll be getting together again tomorrow. Are you going to come by the office?”

“Not tomorrow,” Honey replied with a regretful shake of her head. “The real reason I’m here early is to help Mother. She’s spent so much time with Mrs. Langham, she’s behind on everything for Jim’s fundraiser. I’m here to get things together.”

Trixie shot Jim a reproachful look. “No one told me things were behind. I could’ve done more; it would have been easy --”

Jim held up his hand. “You’ve done more than enough. These are things Mother doesn’t trust to anyone else but Honey.” He shrugged. “Don’t ask me why.”

Honey smiled. “It’s a mother-daughter thing. All those years working as her secretary, she knows that I know exactly what she would do if she were the one doing it, but she trusts me to do it like she would do it.”

Jim and Brian exchanged confused looks, but Trixie nodded vigorously and hugged her. “Of course you do!”

Honey returned the hug and beamed at Trixie in perfect understanding. “We do need to make some time to see Ben. We’re going to need to make some changes about investment and ownership since you’re going to be working on your own the first year of business.”

“That’s not necessary,” Trixie protested. “Nothing has to change.”

“We’ll talk about it later, okay?” Honey reached out and gave her friend’s arm a reassuring pat. “It’s late.”

Trixie nodded.

“How about we ---” Brian was interrupted by the blinding flash of the paparazzi. The group shared knowing looks and didn’t say a word.

“Shall we grab the next cab?” Brian finished his original suggestion.

Jim shook his head. “Let’s split up. You and Honey take the next cab. We can walk.”

Honey looked askance at Trixie’s shoes. “Are you sure, Trix?”

“Yes, it’s not far. Once we get to my place, the doorman will make it his personal mission to keep him away from us. Harry’s funny that way.”

“Grab this one,” Jim whistled as a cab approached. In less than a minute Honey and Brian were safely stashed in a yellow cab and Trixie and Jim had set-off towards her apartment, hand in hand. By unspoken mutual agreement, they didn’t talk, realizing the paparazzi would not be far behind them. They also refused to turn and look, unwilling to even acknowledge the photographer’s presence.

The tension created by their unwanted companion began to dissipate as they approached Trixie’s building. As she had predicted, the astute doorman recognized Walt Tyllman. Quietly entering the lobby, they finally escaped his inquisitive lens.

Only when the elevator doors slid shut, isolating them in the quiet car, did Trixie begin to relax. She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Jim. “How much longer do you think he’ll think we’re newsworthy?”

Jim shrugged. “Until they find someone or something more scandalous to follow. But I think he’s with us until after the fundraiser, no matter what.”

“We’re scandalous?” Trixie laughed at the idea. “Surely there has to be a bureaucrat diverting taxpayer dollars or a politician sneaking around on his wife.”

Jim quirked a brow at her. “Are you jaded already, Miss Belden? Not everyone in public service is crooked.”

“No, they’re not,” Trixie admitted. “But don’t you think in the overall scheme of things, we’re pretty boring?”

Jim held out his hand for Trixie’s key as they exited the elevator. “Everyone thinks I’m boring, but you -- no way. You couldn’t be boring if you tried.”

“It just seems mysterious to me. We’re not doing anything scandalous.”

Jim laughed as he pushed the door open, automatically flipping the light switch and bathing the entrance in light. “Very mysterious,” he agreed, his green eyes starting to sparkle. He solicitously placed Trixie’s keys into the bowl where she normally stowed them when she was home and turned on the small lamp situated on the foyer table. Methodically, he hung up her coat and purse in the closet before hanging up his own jacket.

Trixie smiled as he shut the closet door and turned around. Before she could blink, she found herself pushed against the door, his hands on either side of her shoulders. In one smooth move, the light switch was turned off and the soft lights of the lamp created a romantic ambiance. Add he dipped his head to her level, his lips met hers in a tender kiss.

He broke the kiss reluctantly and whispered. “There are no paparazzi now.”

“Very observant of you,” she noted, smiling as her arms slipped around his neck.

Jim dropped butterfly kisses along her neck, stopping only to nuzzle her earlobe before his hands shifted from the door, to encircle her waist. One finger managed to find its way under her sweater and he began a seductive trail along the bare skin of her waistline, while the trail of kisses continued.

“Jim,” she finally managed, as his hands slipped further up under her sweater, only hinting at the intended destination. “Brian will be here soon.”

The kisses stopped as he returned to her ear. “No, he won’t,” he murmured, before capturing her lips again for a thorough kiss.

“Yes,” she managed removing her arms from his neck and placing her hands on his chest, she gave a gentle push. “Remember, we walked and they took a cab. He’s had plenty of time to drop Honey off at the penthouse.”

“Brian’s not coming back to your apartment tonight,” Jim insisted, taking her hands in his and bringing them to his lips.

“What?”

“Brian’s staying at the Penthouse with Honey,” he explained. “He’s not coming back here tonight at all.”

“Are you positive?” she asked, a smile breaking on her face.

“Yes.”

Twisting her hands to remove them from Jim’s grasp, she grabbed his hands, almost reversing their previous position. “Give me one reason why we’re still standing in the hallway,” she demanded.

“You have a better place we should be?” he teased.

“Just follow me,” she instructed, tugging at his hands as she led the way to her bedroom.