Never mind that actually, she’s the one leaving. People nod and murmur, affirming that they’ll be there for drinks. Marissa smiles again, pleased, and people start leaving the conference room. Meanwhile, I signal to Addy. The curvy girl makes her way to me, and I smile.
“Was it a surprise?”
She bites her lip, looking at me through her lashes.
“Yes, Mr. Steele. I wasn’t expecting this. Thank you.”
I laugh.
“I hope it was a good surprise? But we’ll iron out the details later. For now, just enjoy your promotion.”
Addy nods, shooting a look at me, and then at Marissa. But she merely says another quiet “thank you” and then departs. With that, a new chapter of my life has begun because it’s out with the bad, and in with the good. I look forward to getting to know my new designer and working with her one-on-one.
4
Addy
* * *
This has been the strangest week of my life. I’ve gotten the promotion I always dreamed of, and not only that, but my boss is gone! Marissa and Marcus are getting divorced, and Marissa’s lost her job. Her ex-husband said they were parting amicably, and maybe that’s true, but the long and the short of it still stands: Marissa’s no longer a part of my life, and I now occupy her old position.
It’s surreal. Sure, I’ve been thinking a lot about a promotion, but I had no idea it would happen so soon. I didn’t even realize that Marcus Steele knew my name, much less that he was familiar with my work. I expected at least a few more years under Marissa’s thumb before anything would happen. And even then, I expected that I’d have to leave the House of Steele to make headway in my career.
But now fear makes me queasy, and I pick nervously at a loose thread on my sofa. What if I fail? My official first day is on Monday, according to the papers HR presented me with. People are going to expect me to take charge, and I can’t let them down.
My phone rings and I immediately pick it up.
“Hi, Mom,” I say a bit breathlessly. Pam’s voice comes over the line, tinny yet comforting.
“Sweetheart, hi! I’m so sorry I missed your calls. You know how service can be on a cruise.”
I laugh. “It’s okay, Mom, because I have some good news. I got promoted to head designer!”
Mom squeals. “Oh, Addy, that’s wonderful! This is the position you’ve been wanting for years. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Mom. My first day is on Monday, and I’m really nervous.”
My mom merely chuckles again, and I hear the blast of a cruise ship horn behind her.
“That’s perfectly normal. You’re going to be amazing, though, sweetheart. I know you can do it, just try not to let your nerves ruin the excitement.”
“You’re right. I need to be more confident. When are you and dad headed back to New York, by the way?”
Pamela says something in the background, but then she turns back to me.
“Sweetheart, it’s funny you ask because we just docked here in New York! Dinner tonight?”
I shake my head ruefully.
“I’d love to because I hardly see you and Dad anymore, with all the cruises you’ve been taking. But I’m having dinner with my new boss tonight. He wants to get to know me since we’ll be working so closely together.”
My mom’s voice fades for a moment, but then comes back on.
“That’s sounds nice. Are you going somewhere special? And who’s your new boss? Did she get promoted too? I can’t remember her name right now.”
“It’s Marissa. She was my old boss, and it’s a long story, but she and my current boss are getting divorced, and basically, I got her old job. She’s not working for the House of Steele anymore.”
My mom pauses for a moment, although I have no idea what she’s doing.
“My, my, my, that sounds complex! It’s a shame their marriage failed, but you get to reap the rewards. Enjoy your dinner. We’re about to disembark, but I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay sweetie? Lunch? Call me.”
“Absolutely, Mom. Love you, bye.”
“Bye sweetie.”
Mom hangs up and I smile ruefully. Ever since hitting sixty-five, my parents have decided to take advantage of the “senior specials” that cruise lines offer. As a result, they’ve been almost continuously at sea since last year. Even though they live in my same neighborhood, I rarely see them anymore.
But it’s okay because I want them to enjoy their golden years. Both Pam and Jerome are retired, and they deserve to enjoy their lives now. As their only daughter, I’m happy for them.
But now, I need to get ready for dinner with Marcus. He said we should grab dinner to get to know one another, and I do want to get to know him better because I still can’t get the image of his naked form out of my mind. God, it’s wrong, but I can’t stop! Last night, I had to touch myself just to fall asleep. It was totally worth it.
But I force myself to look through my most severe business outfits. This is a business dinner. This is not a date, and I have to get that through my head. I need to dress appropriately.
I pull out a business suit and set it on my bed, looking distastefully at the cheap gray fabric. I bought it on-sale and it’s not tailored to fit my body. Ugh, this is going to be bad.
Slipping on the pants and jacket, I take a look at myself in the mirror, and frankly, want to cry at the image that stares back at me. The suit makes me look frumpy and square, not to mention boxy and overweight in all the wrong places. I literally look like a gray-colored SpongeBob Squarepants, if that’s even possible.
But what else do I have that’s appropriate? If I had more free time, my closet would be filled with clothes that fit me perfectly because I’m an excellent tailor. But by the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is to pull out my sewing kit. As a result, my personal wardrobe has paid the price for my success in fashion design. It’s ironic, really.
At that moment, my roomie Megan swans in.
“What is that?” she asks, looking at my suit with confusion. “Have you suddenly gone corporate? That looks really weird.”
I sigh.
“I know, but I have a business dinner tonight and this is the only thing that’s appropriate. What do you think?”
Megan makes a face.
“Absolutely not, Addy. As your friend and a fellow fashion designer, I can’t let you leave the apartment wearing that.”
I can’t help but laugh. “I don’t know what else to wear. I don’t have anything else to wear.”
Megan merely disappears into her own room for a moment. She’s a curvy girl like me, so I know she’s probably digging through her own collection of clothes. To be honest, it’s great being her roommate, even if we share a teeny-tiny apartment. After a long week at work, we usually spend a weekend night with wine, lamenting the trials and tribulations of our respective jobs. Megan gets it because she works for Lulu, an athleisure clothing brand, so she knows how ruthless this industry can be.
Lulu recently put out a plus sized line, but it took Megan a lot of work to convince them to do it. It’s kind of crazy to me, since Lulu’s clothes are often active wear that also work in other settings. Why not make active clothing for plus sized women? Just because they’re bigger doesn’t mean they’re not interested in working out. I love going for walks. I bought pretty much everything Megan designed for the newest Lulu line, and I wear those outfits more than anything else.
Finally, she reappears triumphantly.
“Got it!” My friend has a royal blue cocktail dress in front of her. It’s velvety and soft, and sure to hug my curves.
I stare at it. “Absolutely not.”
Megan’s eyebrow shoots up.
“Trust me, Addy. This is a good idea. You need to wear a dress because that suit is fucking awful. I don’t know what this dinner is about, but you cannot wear that. What kind of business dinner is this anyways? I didn’t know you had to do stuff like this.”
I sigh.
�
��It’s with my boss.”
Megan scrunches her face. “That bitch, Marissa? Does she even eat?”
I laugh and shake my head.
“Nope. But you haven’t heard the news? I thought it was all over the fashion media. Marissa is out of the picture.”
Megan’s eyes widen.
“Seriously? Holy shit. I thought she co-founded the House of Steele with her husband. But who are you having dinner with, then, if not Marissa?”
I make a face.
“Said husband. Marcus Steele has taken over as sole owner of the House of Steele. And he promoted me to head designer.”
Megan gasps.
“Holy shit, girlfriend! You have a date with Marcus Steele?”
I blush.
“It’s not a date! It’s a business dinner.”
Megan scoffs.
“Please. I’ve seen pictures of Marcus in magazines and he is smokin’. Nothing with that man is just dinner.”
Meanwhile, my stomach fills with butterflies all over again. Is Megan right? Could this dinner turn into something more?
“You’re wrong,” I say decisively. “We’re just having a meal together to get to know each other. I’m the new head designer, so it makes sense.”
Megan squeals, shaking her head furiously.
“I don’t care what he calls it, or what you think! Anytime you’re sitting two feet away from that man is an opportunity to look your best. Plus, he’s divorced now,” she swoons. “I’d love to go to dinner with him.”
I make a wry face.
“Yeah, but I thought you were head over heels for that new guy.”
Megan grins and pops back up.
“You mean Hector? Yeah, I guess he’s okay. But enough about me. Hector can wait. You need to try on this dress, Adds.”
I stare at it doubtfully again.
“But isn’t this going to send the wrong message?”
“What, that you’re a hot young woman with a smokin’ body?”
“Megan.”
“I’m serious, Addy. Put. The. Dress. On. Trust me on this.”
Sighing, I go into our shared bathroom and slip into the outfit before coming out again.
“See, I told you,” Megan says with satisfaction, looking me over. “Now this is an outfit worthy of a date with Marcus Steele.”
I stare at myself. It’s certainly flattering, that’s for certain. The blue velvet hugs my curves in all the right spots without looking trashy, and when I step into a pair of matching blue pumps, my breasts are pushed forward and my stomach tucks itself in a bit. I look curvy and ripe, not overweight and sloppy.
“Okay, okay, I’ll wear it,” I assure Megan. “Thank you for your help.”
She kisses my cheek. “Always, sweetie. Now wish me luck. I’m going on my third date with Hector.”
“Third date? Wow, is that a record?” I ask wryly.
Megan flips me off. “I’ve made it to four before. I think. But I don’t know if Hector’s going to make it to four because I don’t really like his name.”
I laugh.
“Hector is a perfectly nice name.”
But Megan shakes her head.
“Do you think I can get him to change it?”
I smile.
“Maybe if you try hard enough.”
My friend nods with satisfaction again.
“Well, I’m a determined person, so we’ll see. I’ll let you know my progress. And good luck with your ‘business dinner.’”
“Thanks. I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Hopefully not!” Megan calls as she leaves my room. “I hope you’re ravished by Marcus Steele and that I don’t see you until tomorrow morning. Or maybe until the weekend because you’re lazing around in his bed!”
I laugh and just grab my purse. Megan’s right. I couldn’t wear that boxy suit to a meal with Marcus Steele because he deserves more and better.
5
Marcus
* * *
Addy shifts nervously as she surveys the menu. Though she looks absolutely ravishing tonight, I can tell the curvy girl is uncomfortable in this restaurant.
I didn’t mean to make her nervous. When I asked her to dinner, I wanted to impress her. As a result, I chose La Gitana, my favorite restaurant in the city. The prices are high, but the food is delicious. The problem is that the ambiance can be a bit pretentious, and it’s obviously wearing on the lush young woman before me.
“So how are you?” I ask smoothly.
She blushes and smiles a bit.
“Good, Mr. Steele. Thank you for inviting me.”
I nod.
“Please, call me Marcus. We’ll be working closely together from here on out, so it’s only fitting.”
She nods shyly.
“Yes of course.”
I grin.
“By the way, this is a business dinner, so it’s on me. Well, it’s on the House of Steele, actually.”
Addy blushes again. “Was I being that obvious?”
“I could practically see you doing the math in your head. Don’t worry about it. Order whatever you like because La Gitana is an amazing restaurant. You’ll enjoy their menu items, I promise.”
She bites her lip, still a bit hesitant.
“Okay, thank you. It’s just that I’ve never been to such a fancy, expensive restaurant before.”
“I’m glad your first time is with me then,” I quip.
Addy blushes again. Did she catch my innuendo? I hope so because ever since seeing Addy spying on us that night, I haven’t been able to forget the lust in her eyes. She wants me, I’m sure of it. Yes, we work together and I’m technically her boss. But I just don’t care. There are benefits to being CEO, and this is one of them. Suddenly, a waiter materializes at our side.
“Welcome to La Gitana. I’m Davide and I will be your server.”
The man speaks with a genuine French accent, and I nod courteously.
“Good evening, Davide,” I begin. “Can we get a bottle of Burgundy for the table to start? The best from your cellars, please. And I’ll have the calamari, grilled not fried.”
“Excellent. And for you, Mademoiselle?”
“Oh. I’d like, um, the French onion soup to start.”
“Excellent choice, Mademoiselle. I will bring the wine and get your appetizers in.”
“Thank you, Davide,” I say. As soon as he leaves, I look at Addy. “I hope Burgundy is okay?”
“Oh, yes, it’s great.”
“Good. And Davide was right, you’ll love the French onion soup. The melted cheese on top is delicious, and it’s a huge, thick layer of goodness. Not the tiny thin portion other places dole out.”
“I’m glad. I’m really hungry right now, so lots of cheese sounds perfect.”
I smile at her.
“I’m just grateful you ordered food.”
Addy furrows her brow. “What do you mean?”
“I’m used to women who barely eat anything. They’ll order a salad and a water and then just push it around their plate, so the French onion soup is quite a departure.”
Addy blushes once gain. “Oh. Well, thank you. I like food too much not to eat, and I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to have my favorite. I’ve loved French onion soup since I was a kid,” she confesses. “Although yes, it has a lot of calories since there’s bread in it too.”
She looks self-consciously at her body. Does Addy feel that she eats too much? I hope not because her body is fantastic and my fingers itch even now, wanting to stroke those curves.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Addy,” I say in a low growl.
She looks up at me quickly, her cheeks flushed.
“Thank you, Mr. Steele. I mean, Marcus. I mean, you’re a handsome man too. Not a beautiful woman.”
I laugh at her stumbling words. She’s adorable.
“Thank you.”
I’d continue to compliment her, but she’s obviously a bit nervous at the moment, so I go easy.
; “How are you feeling about the promotion?” I ask, turning the conversation to business matters. Addy smiles shyly.
“I feel wonderful, thank you. I’m grateful that you thought of me for this position. It’s a big step for sure, but I’m excited to get started.”
“Are you nervous about Monday? I know it’ll be your first official day then.”
She takes a deep breath and nods.
“Yes and no because in some ways, I’ve prepared for it, but in other ways, I’m not prepared at all. You see, I’ve been peers with the design team for so long, but now I’m their boss. Plus, Marissa set high standards for the lines House of Steele puts out, so I hope I can fill her shoes.”
I nod.
“You’re going to do great. If you think about it, you’ve been doing so much management for the design team already. I think you’ll find it’s a natural transition.”
She nods and bites her lip again, making it rosy.
“I hope so. The design team has been nothing but supportive, so I think they’ll make it easy for me. It helps that I know them and that I’ve had plenty of interaction with them over the last few years.”
I smile.
“Exactly. You’re a natural born leader. I’ve seen you work with them, and the staff treats you with respect. It was part of the reason for your promotion.”
Addy’s jaw drops. “You’ve been watching me? I thought you only focused on operations? I didn’t think you paid any attention to the design team.”
I smile ruefully.
“Sort of. Marissa was nominally in charge of you guys, but the fact is that our marriage has been on the rocks for a while now. It’s part of the reason why she began to delegate more and more to you. Even though we only made the announcement last week, she’s been pulling back from the business for almost an entire year. As a result, I was trying to fill that gap, albeit subtly.”
Addy gasps.
“You’ve been separated for a year?”
I think for a moment.
“Longer than that, to be honest. We were married straight out of design school, but she moved out of our shared apartment … I don’t know, maybe two years ago? Like I said, our marriage has been on the rocks for a long time now.”
My Boss’s Husband: A Forbidden Romance Page 3