by Amy Brent
I looked down at my watch and groaned, predicting I was going to be late for the meetings if I didn’t hurry up. I ran to the shower, cleaned up, changed, and grabbed my things as I walked out the door. When I got down to the lobby, there was a car waiting for me, and I shivered. Distracted, I’d walked out without my coat. Oh well, I would survive. I sat in the back seat with heat blasting, watching as we drove the nine blocks to the office, watching everyone hurrying down the sidewalks. The color red in multiple variations was everywhere, and there were at least a hundred dozen roses floating around in the arms of desperate men trying to please their significant others. At least I wouldn’t have to deal with that this year. Sicily was happy with heart-shaped pancakes and a sleepover at Grandma’s with ice cream and her best friend.
I got to work and headed for my office on the top floor. When I stepped into the elevator, Tony, one of my “scientists” as I liked to call them, smiled excitedly at me. I shook his hand and pressed the button on the elevator before anyone else could get in. I could tell he wanted to talk about a project.
“I’m really excited to present you guys the latest on the personal AI,” he said. “We’ve had some huge breakthroughs. There has been so much data uploaded, it almost seems as if the robot is thinking for itself.”
“Wow,” I said, genuinely excited. “That is huge.”
“I’ll see you in the meeting,” he said, getting off on his floor.
Everyone in the office was dressed in red except me, who’d opted for my Halloween tie instead. I liked the zombies on the front and figured it added a little something special to the day. I stepped out and headed down the hall.
“Brandt,” Trevor said, catching up with me. “You ready for the meeting?”
“Just gotta grab my notes,” I said, walking into the office.
“Nice tie, dude.” Trevor shook his head. “You’re like the Valentine’s Day Scrooge.”
“I’m not the only one. Jenny from accounting said she hated Valentine’s Day too,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, because her boyfriend broke up with her in a crowded New York City restaurant last Valentine’s Day, not because she has no soul like you.” Trevor laughed as we hurried back to the elevator.
“Well, I still consider her an ally,” I said.
We got to the meeting as everyone else was arriving, and I shook my head at the pink-dyed muffins and pink-frosted donuts on the table. We listened to the techs talk about their advances with the project. We were designing a robot of sorts but for personal use, something the public could purchase for their home. The robot was fully functional and was designed to help with chores, homework for the kids, cooking dinner, and pretty much anything a maid would do.
“This new program that we installed late Tuesday night has enabled the AI to walk around, turn down halls, pick things up, and sense when there are temperature, noise, and elevation changes,” the tech said. “It’s a huge leap forward in our project and has enabled us to start building the software that will push this AI right where we want it. We suspect by the end of June, this robot will be fully functional in all the capabilities we’re looking for.”
We all clapped, watching the screen as he played a video of the prototype walking around a kitchen, grasping pots, pans, turning on the stove, and many other things. This was going to be the crown jewel of the new sector of the company, a sector I’d added the year before. It was where I’d come up with the system I used in my house to talk to me, keep my schedule, and alert me if there were any issues inside the complex.
When the meeting was over, I congratulated the team on an amazing job, feeling really pumped up about everything. I went back to my office and sat behind my computer, still reeling from the meeting. I looked up as Trevor entered and shut the door behind him.
“That was fucking amazing, right?” I said.
“It was definitely everything you said you wanted,” Trevor replied. “I’m very impressed. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
“So, are we still on for the party tonight?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Sicily’s going to be at my mother’s all night, so we’re good. I had my tux dry-cleaned and pressed, and they’re delivering it to the complex today.”
“Good.” He rubbed his hands together. “Now I’m going to ask something of you.”
“What?” I said curiously.
“I need you to try to relax tonight. Don’t go running off at the first chance,” he said. “Enjoy the party, stay out all night, and for God’s sake, talk to women.”
“I promise to try to be social,” I said, looking up as Trevor stood looking at his ringing phone.
“I guess that is all I can expect.” He headed for the door. “I’ll see you at the bar later.”
I went back to work, burying myself in the logistics of the new project. By the time the day was done, I was actually pretty stoked to go out. I went back to the apartment and dressed in my tux, looking at myself in the mirror. I still thought I looked damn good in a tux, and I was glad this was a black-tie event. I never dressed up, and I always felt like James Bond with my gadgets and my seven-thousand-dollar tuxedo.
My car pulled up in front of the bar, and I sat there for a second, sending Sicily a good night text. She sent me back a bunch of hearts and told me to be nice to the ladies. I laughed and shook my head, wondering what she would ever do if I actually found a girlfriend. I put my phone in my pocket and stepped out, walking up to the doors as the doorman opened it for me. The whole place was covered in black and silver with cupids hanging dead from the ceiling. I chuckled to myself as I looked around at all the people dressed to the hilt and hating this day as much as me. Maybe this party wouldn’t be as bad as I thought.
Chapter 4
Emma
One good thing about being dragged out of town on Valentine’s Day was the fact that I didn’t have to go to work. The girls had cornered Greg and basically given him a sob story about how I was personally falling apart, and they needed to get me out of town to get me back on my feet. That was where his speech about Alex had come from. At least he had agreed and given me the day off. Otherwise, I would have had to grovel, and I hated groveling. I loved where I lived, I really did. I grew up in Camden, and it was the all-American small town. We had Fourth of July parades, we still took pictures with Santa, and everyone was there when someone got married, when someone died, or when a baby was born. The town sign still put up special messages on people’s birthdays. It was a place you could settle down, raise a child, and leave your doors unlocked in the evening. The one thing I hated, though, was how everyone knew everything.
I hated the looks I got when I walked into a restaurant or a movie by myself. Everyone knew that Alex and I had been the town couple, the two that they just knew would be together forever. When everything had fallen apart, people were stopping by to check on me, bringing by food, and every time I went anywhere, the looks of pity followed me. It made me feel worse than I already did, constantly reminding me of my pathetic life. My life had been a struggle for weeks, and I couldn’t seem to find enjoyment in anything. However, as I packed some clothes into my carry-on, I started to get excited about the trip. I wasn’t excited to go to New York necessarily, but anywhere away from Camden and Alex, at that point, was very much needed. I finished up packing and pulled on some comfy yoga pants, tennis shoes, and a sweatshirt for traveling.
“Knock, knock,” Caroline called out as I walked down the stairs. Well, I guess I had forgotten to lock the front door. “Are you ready to get wild and crazy in New York City?”
“Whoo,” Gillian yelled as she walked in behind her, dancing. “Girl’s weekend! I would pop some champagne, but one, I don’t have any, and two, the car is waiting out front. So, hurry your ass up.”
“The car?”
“Yeah, I hired a driver because a cab to Bangor to the airport was insane, and I didn’t feel like leaving my car there,” Caroline said. “Here, give me your bag. I’ll carry
it. You turn off your lights and lock your doors, for damn sakes.”
“All right.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m coming.”
I smiled and laughed, listening to Caroline and Gillian talk excitedly about New York as we drove to the airport. I was the only one in the car who had never been there before, and Caroline apparently went there all the time. I wanted to travel more, I really did, but I had gotten stuck in a life that I thought I’d wanted. After Alex and I had broken up, I was still in the same old routines. We got to the airport and boarded the plane, heading straight to first class. Caroline said she didn’t want to be smashed on this flight, that she had been smashed in business class all the way to England. I was all about the leg room and warm towels and wondered briefly how much all of this cost. On second thought, I didn’t want to know. It would probably depress me more. We sat there excitedly as the plane took off, holding hands and looking out the window as we rose into the clouds.
“We’re off,” Caroline said happily. “I love takeoff. It’s so exciting.”
The flight from Bangor to LaGuardia was only an hour, so there wouldn’t be a whole lot of time to sleep or anything. We ordered three glasses of champagne, and Caroline started talking about everything she had planned for our trip. I should have known she would have a plan, especially since she was so excited to get to travel with us for once.
“So, tonight,” she said. “I got us on the VIP list to a party.”
“Oh, God,” I said, thinking about a Valentine’s party in New York City.
“Relax,” Caroline said. “It’s an anti-Valentine’s party. It’s black-tie, and some of the richest people in the city will be there. I packed us all fancy dresses for the night. We’ll get all dolled up and go out and have a blast.”
“Ugh,” I groaned, pushing my head back against the seat.
“Emma,” Caroline said, both of the girls looking at me. “You’re supposed to be going to this party to have a good time, let loose, get away from he-who-shall-not-be-named. I want you to promise us you’ll make the best effort to relax, talk to people, have a good time, and be free for once. You’re so damn uptight, and you don’t need to be anymore. You’re a free woman, and I know you think it’s devastating but guess what? It isn’t. It’s amazing.”
“I’m in a relationship, and I’m still going to have a good time,” Gillian said. “Don’t waste this trip being dramatic.”
“I am not dramatic.” I feigned shock. “Fine! I promise to be nice and social while we’re on this trip. I will drink, have fun, wear sparkles, and pretend to be someone else for the entire weekend, someone who isn’t trying to figure out their life.”
“Good,” Caroline said, sitting back in her seat.
I stared out the window wondering what I had gotten myself into. When we got to New York, we picked up Caroline’s loads of luggage and went out to the car waiting for us. I could already feel the change in attitude in the air as we rode through the city, looking up at the huge skyscrapers rocketing into the clouds. I had to admit, it was impressive, and the number of people in that city was insane. We pulled up in front of the Waldorf Astoria and got out, following Caroline into the hotel.
“Wait here. I’ll get us checked in,” she said.
I stood in the ornate lobby watching people walking in and out of the hotel. There were tourists, there were business people, and there were people from other countries speaking other languages. It was amazing to watch, and I was starting to get excited to be there.
“Hey.” Caroline handed us each a key. “Our rooms are all next to each other. Go put your stuff in there, and then meet in my room to get ready. We can order room service and eat dinner here so we don’t have to fight for a table anywhere.”
“Sounds good,” Gillian said, following Caroline up the stairs and to the elevators.
Everything was so beautiful and luxurious, and I had to be thankful for my two best friends. They really wanted me to feel better. I told myself right then and there, going up the elevator, that I would try my best to have a good time. I didn’t want to seem like I wasn’t appreciative of it, and I knew if I let go a little, I could have an awesome weekend with my two best friends in one of the most amazing cities in the world.
I went into my room and set my stuff down, smiling and shaking my head at the room I was staying in. It was a suite, and it had a separate bedroom from the living room area. I felt like it was nicer than the first apartment I had in Camden. I walked over to the window and looked outside, gasping at the view. It was beautiful, all the people, the buildings, the edge of Central Park. It looked exactly like it did in magazines and on television. I grabbed my makeup bag, phone, wallet, and hotel key and headed over to Caroline’s suite. Her room was just as nice, and Gillian smiled at me as I walked in.
“Thank you for this, guys,” I said. “Sorry I’ve been a bummer lately.”
“Yeah, well, it was this or kill you, so we figured we would try this first,” Caroline said, laughing. “Look at the room service menu and pick out what you want. I’m going to call it down as soon as you know. I’m ordering, like, four appetizers so just pick whatever you want as a main dish.”
“All right.” I had to laugh at her excess.
We all sat around the living room talking, eating, drinking expensive wine, and feeling like we were worth a million bucks. Caroline was used to this kind of thing, but Gillian and I were not at all. It was a lot of fun, but I could see how I might want some normalcy after a while. I understood now why Caroline always came back to Camden to live. It was where she felt the most comfortable, where she didn’t have to show off. She could just be with her friends and family.
After dinner, Caroline pulled out a long, sparkling black dress and handed it to me with a pair of strappy black heels. I smiled, remembering not to complain. I slipped the dress and heels on and then sat down in the bathroom to let Gillian do my makeup and Caroline do my hair. They both said I was going to look sexy and dramatic, and when they were done, I barely recognized myself. I rarely ever dressed up, but it definitely made me feel better. I looked into the mirror as Caroline and Gillian walked up behind me, putting a faux fur shawl over my shoulders and kissing me on each cheek.
“You look amazing,” Caroline said.
“You are gonna knock ‘em dead tonight.” Gillian smiled.
When we were all three done getting ready, we took a selfie, and Caroline posted it to her Instagram. I laughed, thinking it was so silly, but smiled a bit for the camera. Then, we went downstairs and climbed into the car waiting out front for us. The city was dark, and my eyes didn’t know where to focus first. There were so many lights, so many tall buildings, and so many things to see. I watched in awe as we passed through Times Square, looking up at the enormous screen and all the people walking in and out of the streets. It was grander than I had ever imagined, and I couldn’t believe we were actually there.
We drove a little farther, and the driver pulled over to the side, opening the doors for us. We got out, and I looked up at the bar in front of us. The outside was black with large sculptures all over the front. The front doors were two large wooden doors with big silver handles. It looked like the entrance to a gothic castle in a movie. There was a line of people to the right, but Caroline walked up to the doorman and gave her name. He nodded, and the bouncers pulled open the doors. I walked in behind Caroline, checking my coat at the door and following her into the main area. I stopped and looked around, amused and in awe at the same time.
The entire room was decorated in black and silver with red floor lights shining up the edges of the walls. There were people all over the place, the men in tuxes and the women dressed in evening gowns like we were. I chuckled, ducking past the large cupid hanging from the ceiling, fake blood dripping across its chest. This was going to be a very interesting night, I could already feel it.
Chapter 5
Brandt
The party was definitely one of the hot spots in the city for the night. The
music was loud, the lights were all over the place, and there wasn’t a single couple in the place. I decided to follow Trevor around the place for a while, give him the satisfaction of seeing me talking to women. That was what he wanted, for me to talk to women while I was there. I knew if I stuck with him, we would always be close to a group of them. Lo and behold, there we were, chatting up a group of ladies in the center of the room. I still couldn’t figure out how Trevor did it, but he was always so good at getting their attention. I just so happened to be standing right next to the strawberry blonde in a tiny sexy dress and perfect makeup, so I talked to her. It was kind of flirting but not really. I made the mistake of asking her what she did for a living, and she broke into a monologue about the fashion industry, who she worked for, and what she did on a daily basis. It was difficult for me to pay attention to because, frankly, I didn’t give a damn.
I looked over at Trevor who was trying to keep down a laugh. I guess he could tell the conversation was less than riveting. I looked back at her and smiled, trying to pay attention. That was when it happened, that was when I saw her. Walking into the shifting lights of the dance floor was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. She was gorgeous with long brown hair, an hourglass figure that had the most perfect curves, and when she turned in my direction, I could see her striking green eyes. Her dark hair was pulled back in strands and twisted at the base of her neck. Her dress had small straps that sat on her delicate shoulders, and the dress hung enticingly over her breasts, draping down her curves. It was covered with black sequins and sparkled and shimmered in the lights. My breath was taken away, and before I could turn back to the redhead, the whole group had walked away. Trevor walked over and followed my eyes, trying to figure out what I was looking at.