by Alice Ward
Stacey burst into tears. “I’m sorry,” she said through her sobs. “These damn pregnancy hormones have turned me into a crybaby.”
I fetched a box of tissue from the bathroom and handed it to her. “It’s perfectly fine,” I assured her, feeling the back of my eyes burn. I felt a little emotional myself. Stacey and I had never had such an honest conversation and I suddenly felt much closer to her.
“Can I make a confession?” I asked with a smile.
“Of course.” She sniffed and blew her nose. “I won’t tell anyone, not even Oliver.”
I paused, wondering if I should dare to say the words out loud. “I think I have a crush on Drake Waters,” I admitted as I exhaled a long, deep breath.
“I knew it,” she gasped, tears forgotten. “I saw the way he was looking at you last night. I think he feels the same way. This is so exciting,” she said, the last word a high pitched squeal.
“It’s a disaster,” I groaned and pushed my hands through my hair. “I know that he can’t be as bad as the rumors make him out, but he can’t be as good as he tries to appear either.”
“I wish I knew more about him. Last night was only the third time we’ve met,” Stacey told me. “But Oliver seems to think he’s a good guy. And he’s a great judge of character.”
“Yes, he is,” I agreed, taking her hand.
“Damn it, Chelsea, you’re going to make me cry again.” She laughed and climbed out of the bed.
“Where are you going?” I asked as she made her way across the room.
“Drake will be here any minute and I have the perfect shoes to go with your outfit,” she explained.
“Thanks, Stace.”
“That’s what sisters are for.”
***
“Thanks for coming with me today,” Drake said as he steered his vintage Rolls Royce out of Oliver’s driveway. “After last night, I was worried that you’d cancel. Were you hung over this morning?”
“No, Oliver made me drink about a gallon of water before I went to bed. I woke up a bit embarrassed, but I wasn’t sick. I owe you an apology for the way I spoke to you last night. I was completely out of line.”
“You were just speaking your mind. To be honest, I found it refreshing. Most people are incredibly guarded about what they say and do in front of me. Thankfully, that’s a trait that no one in your family seems to possess,” he added with a smile.
I shifted nervously in my seat as the car drew the attention of everyone we passed. “Can I ask you a question, even if it’s really none of my business?”
“You can ask me anything,” Drake insisted.
“Are you going to give Oliver the exclusive contract?”
He glanced over at me. “Yes, but please let me be the one to tell him.”
I breathed a quick sigh of relief. “I won’t say anything. But I’m incredibly happy for him.”
“Can I ask you a question, even if it’s none of my business?”
“Fair is fair,” I replied, trying to hide my grin. “Ask away.”
“When is Stacey due?” he asked with a smile.
“How did you know?” I gasped, my eyes wide in wonder.
“Oliver’s had a bounce in his step for a month and I didn’t see Stacey with a drink once this weekend. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together. Congratulations, Auntie Chelsea.”
“Thank you,” I replied with a happy smile. The smile quickly shifted to a look of shock when Drake pulled into the gravel parking lot of a rundown diner. He looked at me with the same amused grin he’d worn the night before.
“I take it the restaurant isn’t what you were expecting?” he asked.
“Not exactly,” I confessed, looking at it more closely.
“Coy’s has the best omelets in town,” he explained. “But if you’d like something fancier, I’m happy to oblige.”
“I don’t need fancy,” I assured him. “Let’s eat.” I opened my door and stepped onto the gravel. Drake followed suit, racing past me to hold the restaurant door open. He put a hand on the small of my back as I stepped into the diner and left it there while a middle aged waitress led us to a booth. I was relieved when he slid in across from me instead of taking the seat beside me.
“Do you need menus?” she asked Drake with an air of familiarity.
He glanced at me. “May I order for you?”
“Be my guest,” I agreed with a shrug.
“We’ll both have my usual, Grace. And go ahead and bring us coffee, orange juice, and water.”
“No mimosas this week, Mr. Waters?”
“No, thank you. Ms. Tyler and I had enough alcohol last night,” he explained.
The waitress nodded and walked behind the counter to make our drinks. Drake clasped his hands together and let them rest on the table while he studied me. The silent attention made me uncomfortable, but there was also something oddly exhilarating about it. Suddenly, I realized the difference between the way he looked at me and the way other men stared.
His eyes have never once dropped below my face. It was the same last night. I don’t know how I didn’t notice it then.
The realization relaxed me and I caught myself giving Drake a warm smile. He returned it and finally spoke.
“Last night, you insisted that we have nothing in common. My goal today is to prove you wrong. To begin with, I’d like to point out that we’re both accustomed to being judged for things beyond our control. I can’t help that I was born into a wealthy family. You can’t help that you’re beautiful.”
I felt heat rise to my cheeks at the compliment. “I’m not sure that mutual misunderstanding is enough common ground for a relationship,” I replied as Grace carried a tray of drinks to the table.
“Thank you, Grace,” Drake said as she placed everything before us.
“You’re welcome, Mr. Waters.”
She disappeared again and Drake turned back to me. “That was just my first point, I have more. For instance, we’re also both incredibly intelligent. The fact that you work in a museum tells me that you have an appreciation for art. And my life is ruled by it.”
“You see your buildings as art?” I asked, doing my best to keep my voice free from judgment.
One look at Drake told me that I’d failed miserably. He straightened in his seat, clearly offended by the question. “You don’t?” he asked softly.
I blushed and busied my hands by opening sugar packets and dumping them into my coffee.
“Please, speak your mind,” he pressed. “It’s my favorite thing about you.”
I softened again as he echoed my words from the night before. I took a sip of the coffee and decided to give him my honest opinion. “You’re buildings are beautiful, Drake, breathtaking even. And you’ve certainly earned all of your awards and recognitions. It’s just…”
“Let me guess. You prefer older buildings with history and character,” he said. His voice was even and I couldn’t tell if he was mocking me or actually interested in my opinion. I decided to assume the latter and continued.
“Yes. Like I said, it’s just my personal preference. It’s also a perfect example of one of the many things we don’t have in common,” I pointed out.
Drake shot me a daring smile and cocked one eyebrow. “Haven’t you ever heard that opposites attract?”
It would be so much easier to turn him down if he’d stop looking at me like that.
Fortunately, Grace chose that moment to deliver our food. She sat lobster omelets, potato pancakes, and stacks of fresh toast in front of us.
“This looks amazing,” I said, slicing into the omelet with my fork. Drake let me eat in silence for a few minutes and then abruptly changed the course of our conversation.
“I apologize if I’ve come on a little strong,” he told me between bites of potato. “You’re a very intriguing woman. But it’s clear that my advances have made you uncomfortable, and that wasn’t my intention.”
Instead of feeling relief, my heart sank at his words.
“No apologies necessary,” I replied, staring down at my plate.
“I’ll promise to back off, it you’ll at least give me a chance to be your friend,” he offered. I finally looked up at him and found his soft, kind eyes staring back at me.
“I guess I could do that,” I agreed.
“Fantastic.” He smiled. “You’re the first woman I’ve met in a long time who I feel like I can talk to. You know I may design modern buildings. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the artists that came before me. Tell me, what’s some of your favorite architecture in the city?”
Before I could answer, my phone chimed. I fished it out of my purse and read the text message from Oliver.
“Oh no, Oliver’s had an emergency come up and we need to get back home. I’m so sorry, Drake. Can you take me back to the beach house?”
“Sure… or Oliver and Stacey could head back now and I can drive you home this evening,” he suggested.
The thought was both tempting and terrifying.
“Thank you, but it’s probably best if I get back early,” I insisted.
“If you’re sure.” Drake signaled Grace for the check and swallowed the rest of his coffee. The disappointment on his face was obvious and I felt an inexplicable need to make him feel better.
“Tell you what. Since we don’t have time to finish our conversation, why don’t you come to the city next weekend and I’ll show you some of my favorite buildings?”
He flashed me a surprised grin. “That sounds great. It’s a date.”
“It’s not a date,” I reminded him firmly.
“You know what I meant,” he teased. He studied me for a moment and then smiled again. “I have a feeling you and I are going to have a lot of fun with each other, Chelsea Tyler.”
***
Drake and I spent the next three days texting back and forth like teenagers. Suddenly, it seemed like he couldn’t make a single decision without asking my opinion. He’d text me pictures of avocados from the supermarket and asked which looked the ripest. I helped him choose a necktie for a hospital charity event and even gave advice on the shower tiles for his latest condo development. I knew that Drake was more than capable of making those decisions without me. But the fact that he was showing interest in what I thought had me jumping with excitement every time my phone made noise. I stared down at the screen, willing Drake’s picture to flash across it, when my thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Come in,” I called out.
My office door opened and Piper slipped inside. “Hey, I had a few free minutes before the staff meeting so I thought I’d stop by and see how you’re doing. Are you nervous?” She asked as she plopped down in the chair across from me.
Pete had sent a memo that morning confirming that Leonard’s replacement would be announced at the weekly staff meeting. My informal interview had gone well, but I wasn’t sure if I’d landed the position.
“I’m a little nervous,” I admitted. “Not so much about getting the job, but who we’ll have to work for if I don’t. Leonard has been so great. The worst could happen and we could end up with someone like Charles.”
Piper turned her nose up in the air. “Let’s hope not. Did the two of you finish packing up the Native American artifacts?”
I nodded and lifted a water bottle to my lips.
“I still wish you’d say something to Pete about him,” Piper said with a frown.
I sighed, tired of having the same argument with her. “Charles isn’t the first man who’s leered at me,” I reminded her. “I know the laws. And I bet he does too. He hasn’t done anything I can report him for. And if I’m lucky, the next time he needs help at the museum I’ll be too busy with my new job.”
As I spoke, my cell phone chimed. I looked down and beamed when I saw Drake’s face on the screen.
“Is that money bags again?” Piper asked with a roll of her eyes. She wasn’t amused by my new found friendship with the billionaire. In fact, she’d been grilling me about it since I arrived home from the Hamptons.
“His name is Drake,” I reminded her.
“And what does Drake need this time? Is he having a hard time choosing his socks?”
I pressed my lips together to hide my smile. “Be nice, Piper. You don’t have to be so protective of me. Drake and I are just friends.” I couldn’t meet her eye as I spoke, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed.
“I know you, Chelsea. You’re falling for him. You don’t want to, but you are.” She crossed her right leg over her left and gave me a pointed stare.
“We’re just friends,” I said again. “But… I mean, if it evolves into something more… maybe that wouldn’t be the worst thing.”
“Chelsea! With everything we know about him, how can you say that?” Piper gasped.
“I don’t think he’s the man he’s been made out to be,” I told her. “Just think about it. He’s spent the last few days asking my ideas and opinions. He hasn’t flirted or asked me to send a picture of myself. I told him I just wanted to be friends and he hasn’t crossed that line. Drake could be out romancing any woman he wants. Instead, he’s getting to know me.”
“I don’t know.” Piper hesitated, chewing her lower lip. “I still think he’s playing some sort of game.”
“I respectfully disagree.”
“I know you do,” she sighed. “Just promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I promise. That’s why I want to take this slow, Piper. I don’t want to stress out about it. I just want to get to know Drake and see how it evolves. And for the time being, I’m going to keep him under the impression that I’m not interested in him at all.”
Piper stood up and I swiped the screen of my phone to return Drake’s text. She took the phone from my hand and dropped it in her blazer pocket.
“Come on, Pete will have our asses if we’re late again. And if you don’t want Drake to know you’re interested, you should wait awhile before you reply anyway.”
I was annoyed, but I also knew she was right. It would look especially bad if I was late for my own promotion. I grabbed my work tablet and we made our way to the conference room. Pete walked through the door behind us and immediately called the meeting to order.
“Charles, Chelsea, what’s the status on the Egypt shipment?”
“It’s labeled, packed, and ready to go, boss,” Charlie replied.
“Fantastic. Leonard, where are we with the intern’s banquet?”
Shit, I forgot about the intern banquet. I’m going to have to go shopping again.
“I confirmed all of the arrangements yesterday,” Leonard assured him. “I managed to stay under budget, but still give the interns a nice send off.”
“Wonderful.” Pete smiled at him before turning back to the rest of us. “As you all know, the spring interns’ banquet was Leonard’s last official assignment here at the society. After an extensive search and careful consideration, I’ve decided that our very own Chelsea Tyler would be the perfect candidate to step into his role. Chelsea, what do you say?”
I’d known I had a shot at the promotion, but the news still came as a surprise. Leonard beamed at me from across the table as I accepted the job.
“I’ll have your new contract ready tomorrow morning,” Pete told me. “As I’m sure you know, the annual founders’ gala is coming up next month. The hotel we booked for the event has since changed hands and the new owners are shutting down for six months of renovations. I know its last minute, but your first order of business will be finding a new location. You’ll also need to alert the vendors to the change in plans. And keep in mind, our budget is basically nonexistent.”
“Not a problem,” I assured him. I slipped my hand into Piper’s pocket and retrieved my cell.
“The only points left to address involve the accountants. Everyone els
e may be excused,” Pete announced.
I leapt from my chair, anxious to get to my office and call Drake. He had more connections than anyone in the city and I knew he’d be able to help me find a last minute location. I was thrilled about my promotion and determined to show everyone I deserved it.
Piper put her arm around me as we stepped out into the hallway. “Congratulations,” she said with a squeeze.
As I hugged her back, I felt an unfamiliar and unwelcome hand on my waist. I instinctively jerked away and turned to find Charles behind me.
“Congratulations, Chelsea,” Charles said, his voice low. “It was between you and a man named Lewis Cobbs. Lewis’ resume was pretty impressive. But I managed to convince Pete to give you a shot.”
Way to make this all about you, you pompous asshole.
“Thank you, Charles. I appreciate the vote of confidence,” I said as calmly as possible. Piper moved between us and took my arm.
“Why don’t we all go out for a celebratory drink after work?” Charles asked, freely staring at my breasts.
“Sorry, Chuck. Chelsea and I already have plans tonight,” Piper replied hotly. She dragged me down the hall before Charles could reply.
“That felt good,” she whispered as we arrived at my office. “I’m so proud of you, Chelsea. I’m sure you want to stay late and try to get a venue booked. Text me when you’re heading home and I’ll order delivery, my treat.”
I held up my cell phone and shot her a smile. “I don’t think I’ll have any problem finding a new place for the gala. Give me five minutes, and we’ll head home together.”
CHAPTER 4
e
Early Saturday afternoon, I sat at a small outdoor table at Le Petit Café and daydreamed while I waited for Drake to arrive. I let myself imagine what his lips would feel like against my skin and how good it would feel to show up to the Founder’s Gala on his arm.
Drake’s reaction to my call about the gala had only stoked my desire for him. After I explained the situation, he immediately insisted that I use one of his new buildings for the event. He refused to charge me for it and offered to be my escort, should I be in need of one. I accepted his offer and won huge brownie points with Pete for landing an elegant, free location.