One Little Letter_A Bad Boy, Second Chance Romance

by Robin Edwards

  For all the restraint and all the focus she had had since she was a little girl, it was really hard for her to not want to go roaming through the streets of New York soaking it all in. But when it came down to it Emily’s willpower was stronger than her desires, as it had been her whole life. She still couldn’t help stopping and thinking about how much Rosalie would have loved being in the city. The lights and the romance of it all would have been amazing but she made sure to shrug those thoughts off quickly and get her mind back to where it needed to be.

  Emily felt there needed to be no distractions; she would have plenty of time for that when she reached the top and could sit back and enjoy the ride she was just on. She had always pictured herself at the top of the latter by forty, taking a long awaited vacation somewhere sandy and sunny. Her spoils would be to relax for the first time in forty years and drink something with alcohol and an umbrella involved. She wasn’t against the idea of a family one day but she knew if wouldn’t be until after that signature vacation that marked the moment of her tip top success.

  Everything seemed to be right where she wanted it but what Emily hadn't accounted for was Bridgette Harlan; someone that would change everything in the blink of an eye. Bridgette was strong minded, goal oriented, and had mastered the art of crashing through glass ceilings with a sledge hammer. Emily didn’t know anything about Bridgette walking into the company but she was sure to find a whole lot about her, and fast.

  Chapter One

  Moving into the new apartment came with a little more stress then Emily had realized. There wasn’t a lot to move in because the company had provided her with a furnished apartment, but her parents were absolutely lost when it came to navigating through a big city. Once they had finally maneuvered her father’s truck into a parallel spot somewhat close to the building, and gotten her stuff up the elevator and to the door, Emily then had to weather her mother’s abhorrence to the eclectic decor that decorated the apartment; she didn’t quite understand modern design.

  The apartment was definitely a shift from the country and the farm house that screamed, “I love to farm,” but it was exactly what Emily wanted. She had been away from the farm long enough for this type of décor to not throw her off, and she was actually starting to feel more comfortable with the new age design than that of home. In fact, the last time she visited the farm she had caused her mother to snap at her when she was offered some handmade doilies for her dorm and scrunched her nose up at them. The thought of bringing the place she worked so hard to leave anywhere into her new life terrified Emily. Even when she found out about the apartment she told her mother it was fully furnished with no room for extras so she wouldn’t bring any lace or rocking chairs with her.

  Emily knew her mother had the best intentions but she just didn’t understand life outside of rural America. Whenever she stepped outside into the city her shoulders immediately touched her ears and she acted like she had just stepped onto a dangerous new planet. Emily still couldn’t figure out how her family had been alive all these years and managed to never experience anything beyond backyard picnics and floral design. The fanciest thing they had seen growing up was when Katie Springview married the strange and mysterious boy from two towns over and they had cloth napkins at their wedding reception. Emily was pretty sure at least half of them had gone missing into the towns folks purses before the end of the evening.

  It was Friday afternoon by the time Emily had settled all of her things into the apartment, and the original plan was to get dinner with her parents and then go to sleep early since they had to be up before the sun to start their trip back to Nebraska; the farm wasn’t going to run itself. However, after sitting in the living room awkwardly for about thirty minutes, Emily’s parents decided they were going to dip out early and leave before the major traffic hit the city. Emily loved her parents, but she had spent a week with them, and she was ready to get back into her regular routine.

  Emily paced around the apartment as her parents gathered their things. One small part of Emily was actually very sad to say goodbye. Even though she had so many things to keep her busy, her life, at times, seemed very lonely. She would overhear her friends talking about their time at home over vacations that Emily opted not to take and she couldn’t help but miss her parents. They may be quaint but they were the people that pushed her to be the best at anything she put her mind to. They also may have tried to talk her out of things at times but they were always the ones to be the first to back her up in her choices to other people. Her mom hadn’t told her but Emily had even heard her mom stopped going to her book club because some of the ladies had a problem with Emily being a lesbian. She never brought the subject up with Emily, but knowing that she had sacrificed one of her sacred evening with the ladies in town for Emily made her know she loved and supported her no matter what.

  “Oh I am going to miss you so much,” Emily’s mother said as she suffocated her with a hug. “I want to you to plan on coming home for Christmas, and please be careful in the city. Don’t walk around at night and wash your hands after you use the subway.” Her mother sniffled and moved to the side to allow her father to move in.

  “I am proud of you,” he said. “If you need anything just call us. I have some friends nearby that can be here in minutes...well, minutes if they don’t have to parallel park.”

  Emily giggled and hugged her dad. He always had towered over her, and he never gave in to her insistence that she didn’t need a protector. Though she loved her mother very much, her dad brought a feeling of sadness to Emily as she thought about the amount of time that would pass before she would see him again. She sighed and let him hug her a little longer before she pulled away. The three of them had always been a team no matter what but as Emily grew older she could feel the distance straining on their relationship. She just hoped that when she finally hit that goal mark she would be able to spend more time with them, even make sure to be at their house for every holiday. Until then, though, Emily had promised to call and talk to them at least once a week and visit for Christmas.

  She walked her parents out and stood on the sidewalk and waved as they pulled out into traffic and made their way down the street. Emily stood in front of the apartment building and looked around, taking in all of the sounds and smells around her. Honking, sirens, and the smell of hot dog vendors was different from Nebraska, but she absolutely loved every bit of it. It was the beginning of summer and the few trees that peppered the sidewalk were bright green, and the heat from the sun radiated off the sidewalk. Emily smiled and walked back into the building, up the elevator, and into her brand new apartment.

  The apartment smelled fresh and clean and everything was meticulously placed from the way the furniture was structured around the windows to the diverse array of paintings that hung throughout the space. The apartment was one of the perks that the company offered for the first year of her employment; they knew someone right out of college wouldn’t necessarily have the funds for a lush downtown apartment. Even the bathroom, covered in sparkling black marble, screamed success and Emily stared at the oversized bathtub wondering when she would have time to take a soak. She felt lucky since she would have lived in a one room efficiency on top of a yarn factory if it meant she could work for High Point. Emily had known she would work for High Point since high school so accepting the position was no brainer, the apartment was just an amazing perk.

  High Point Marketing was one of the leading companies in the world and covered everything from cereal brands to sports teams. During the interview process, she was wined and dined with the other candidates who were from the top school in the world. What made Emily stand out was that while everyone else spent their evenings partying in the city and sightseeing, Emily was studying the current clients and marketing trends that pertained directly to High Point. Her preparation and lack of a hangover impressed the staff, and her ability to be smart and charismatic gave her an edge with her new boss. From the moment she sat in Eric’s overstuffed chai
rs in his office, they both knew she was the right fit for the job. After their personal meeting Eric had even cancelled all the others and told everyone they weren’t necessary since we all were such great options. Emily knew better though, especially when she was invited out to drinks with the partners the evening before she left to go back to school.

  Eric was her boss’s name, and he was what everyone would expect out of the Vice President of marketing for a multi-million dollar company located in the heart of Times Square. He was tall, salt and peppered but very handsome, had two ex-wives, a couple of girlfriends, and a smile that made all the other woman in the office weak in the knees. Maybe because Emily was a lesbian it gave her an advantage of not being so nervous around him as the other women were. He supported Emily’s goals and already had pushed her harder, giving her motivation and opportunity from the start. Emily was bombarded with extra information on the company the day after they met. He had sent that and a bottle of wine to her hotel room and she snacked on chips and a $2,000 bottle of red grapes. She even giggled at how ridiculous the entire thing was as she was sitting on her hotel bed.

  Everyone else in the office seemed nice, and they all had something in common with Emily, motivation. High Point made it a point to treat their employees well, and they only looked to hire those with the best credentials and an intense hunger to be the best in their professions. Emily didn’t get to meet very many of the other people in the office during her tour last month, but she spent a considerable amount of time with Eric and his Assistant Vice President, Bridgette. Bridgette was just a little younger than Eric, maybe 35 or 36 but was extremely serious and didn’t talk a lot. She looked as if she had a lot on her plate as an extension to Eric and most of the time all Emily saw was her running around on her cell phone or whispering to Eric about a file she was holding.

  Every time she passed she would crack an exhausted smile and wink at Emily. Most people would be put off by watching someone scurry about, obviously exhausted, but all it did was make Emily want to work for High Point that much more. She imagined herself in Bridgette’s shoes, being that close to the top and putting everything she could into, no matter how much her feet hurt in six inch heels. Emily didn’t spend a moment alone with Bridgette during the tour but she knew that was exactly the kind of woman she would be for High Point. Hopefully she would get to pick Bridgette’s brain a little once she got her feet on the ground this upcoming week.

  Emily crossed the living room and sat in a lounging chair that faced the far right window of the apartment. She was on the eleventh floor and could see the city skyline beautifully. Her apartment was located across the street from a park so she was lucky not to have a direct view into someone else’s home. There were a ton of people out in the park that evening, some running, some playing with their dogs, and others just wandering through the park as if they were thirsting for nature inside the cement confounds of the city.

  The sun was beginning to set and Emily couldn’t help but compare the orange tint of the sky reflecting off the glass buildings to the sunsets over the Nebraska cornfields. The difference between her and someone from home, though, was that she was breathless from the city sunset and laughed at the ones from the farm. There was something amazing to Emily about what people had been able to build and structure but still let in that beautiful natural light that had shined down on the earth since the beginning. The sun creeped through the window pain and Emily closed her eyes feeling the warmth of it cover her like a blanket. She took in a deep breath and put her hand against the warm glass, extremely comfortable in her new surroundings. It already felt like home which was perfect since she felt the need to start prepping for work on Monday. Now all she had to do was gather her things and relax into the future.

  Emily grabbed the folder out of her briefcase that had been sitting on the counter when she moved in. It was full of brochures and flyers for activities, restaurants, and events in the city for the weekend. She thumbed through the restaurant flyers and landed on a diner that was apparently only three blocks over from her. Her stomach was rumbling, and she hadn’t had the chance to eat that day due to all the commotion from her move. She threw on a light sweater and made her way down to the diner. The air was warm and the, still boisterous, sounds of the city around her made a slight grin wash across her face. The area she lived seemed to be pretty upscale but she, despite her assurance to her mother, was still cautious having heard some pretty terrifying tales of New York crime. She clutched her purse in front of her where she had put the pepper spray her dad had given her before he left.

  She passed several people walking home from a long day at work, still talking business on their cell phones. All the men who passed glance slightly at Emily as they walked while the women, all with the same cautious grasp on their bags, talked frantically and with emotion on their cell phones. Emily glanced down at her phone but no one had called. She couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that she hadn’t heard from Rosalie since it was her move in date for Harvard Law as well. She shrugged and shook the feeling from her chest, there was no reason focusing on something she couldn’t change.

  The evening crowd hadn’t flooded the diner yet, so there was ample space for Emily to sit and she chose a booth by the front window. The food was mediocre as it would be for just about any generic diner but it was quiet, and she was feeling the need to be focused on her inner thoughts. She ate slowly, going over different points that had been given her for review for her first day on Monday. Emily had packed some of the files in her bag and pulled them out, setting her half eaten burger and fries to the side. There was so much to the job she had accepted and she couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by it all.

  As the clock ticked by the diner began to fill up and Emily noticed the irritation in her server’s stare so she packed up her bag and paid her tab. The walk back to the apartment was a little quicker since she was alone and it was dark but she still took in deep breaths of the warm city air. Emily turned the air down in the apartment since it was set at about sixty five degrees and the windows had condensation from the cold air on them. She set all her folders out on the breakfast table in preparation for the next day and looked around the apartment. She was satisfied with the way she had managed to get everything in its place before starting her adventure here. Emily hated clutter and despised being unorganized so she always made sure things were ready ahead of time. The rest of the evening went quickly, and Emily fell asleep immediately after lying down in her new bed.

  The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful, and Emily decided that sightseeing could wait. Besides, New York was her new home so there was no reason to run out immediately and see everything in one weekend. She went grocery shopping at the local organic supermarket and got all the essentials for her quick, easy, smoothie breakfasts and healthy packable choices for lunch. Emily never was one for spending excess money, which is probably why she was one of the few people that graduated college with a nest egg. The bonus she received from High Point when she signed would get her through her entire first year in New York if she were careful, especially since she didn’t have to pay rent until next year.

  Emily also happened to be excellent with finances and took mostly financial classes for her electives. When she graduated she not only was a master with her personal finances she probably could have become an accountant if she wanted. Money, even though Emily’s drive was for success, was not what she always had on the mind. Sure money was a great way to measure how far she was moving upwards, but she didn’t ever want to become obsessed with it. As long as she had enough to pay her bills, take a couple vacations, and have a good nest egg for the future, she was happy. Success, for Emily, was more of a way to tell how hard she had worked and pride in the obstacles she had to overcome to get there; not that that marble bathtub wasn’t an amazing way to spend the evenings.

  Saturday she spent the day unpacking the few boxes she had brought and ironing her clothes so she could hang them up in
the closet ready to go. She knew life in the city was going to be a lot higher paced than in Nebraska, and she wanted to make sure she didn’t mess herself up by not always being prepared with the little things. She ate take-out in the park across the street, and people watched, trying to force herself to relax a little before her career kicked off on Monday. People watching was something she would do in college when she became overwhelmed with life. She watched each person and created a story in her head for every single one of them. Some people were pioneers, researchers, and famous scientists, while others she imagined as everyday people with everyday issues. Taking her mind form the hustle and bustle of her life always helped her ground herself and clear the excess from her mind.

  Sunday was a day of preparation for Emily, and she spent her time reviewing the projects that she would start assisting on when she got there. By dinner time Emily had laid her outfit out for the next day, programmed the coffee maker, made her smoothie and put it in the fridge for the morning, gotten a thorough plan of attack for the subway system, and had her briefcase sitting next to the door. She ate a light dinner and jumped into the shower. After her shower, she spent about two hours reading one of her favorite books by the view of the bedside table before she snuggled into bed. Her excitement, something she didn’t feel very often, kept her awake in bed for a while but the sound of evening rain on her window lulled her to sleep. She dreamt of High Point and how she would climb the corporate ladder, making sure to have Bridgette’s position by the time she was 30. A smile crossed her face in her sleep as the night slowly turned to dawn and the day she had worked so hard on quickly approached.

  Though she was fully prepared for the technical of her new job, Emily knew there would be mental obstacles she would have to face. She was used to being the best at everything and in this new placement she would be going in as the low man on the totem pole. This didn’t discourage Emily like it would anyone else, but instead motivated her. In fact, her motivation was so high that when she woke the next morning she was still reveling in a dream she had experienced. Everything down to Emily’s dreams at night pointed her towards a successful journey through life. However, lurking on the outside of her dream world, right beyond her field of vision was an event, and a person, that just may throw a wrench into that perfect little picture that she painted for herself. Creeping in the outskirts of her motivation was a woman who was ready for a change, a change that just might derail everything Emily had on the books. But that was something that she could never anticipate or prepare for ahead of time, and she just might find that is the best thing for her.