by Fiona Cole
The car drove off, and we said nothing. She burrowed her head into my neck with my arms around her shoulders. Her soft sniffs ended long before we got to her place, but not once did she move away.
When we pulled up, she carefully extracted herself, acting like the last fifteen minutes never happened.
“Do you need me to walk you up?”
Her hand on the handle, she looked over her shoulder with a soft smile and eyes that showed none of the turmoil she’d been in moments before. Back again was the strong Verana in pearls and a cardigan, made all the more attractive because I got to see all the layers beneath.
“I’m good, thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Despite the lies I swam in, I let another truth slip-free. “I look forward to it.”
Sixteen
Vera
I gladly took the back corner of the elevator behind the crowd, just as eager as me to get home after a long day.
It’d been two days since Nico’s grand show, and I was exhausted. There was always some level of scrutiny when you started a job, but now, everyone really watched. I hated it.
Their gazes like the sun through a microscope, a burning reminder to be on my best behavior. God forbid I showed any emotion other than happiness because I was sure it would get the rumor mill going about what happened behind the scenes between the boss and me.
However, when a group of friends piled on at one of the stops, my attempts to stem the rumor mill proved fruitless.
“I still can’t believe he’s marrying someone within the company,” one of the girls whispered.
It was obvious they were trying to keep the conversation private, but when you’re crammed into an elevator with seven other people, nothing was private. And with me shoved in the back corner, they obviously didn’t recognize my presence.
“If I’d known I had a chance, I’d have pushed for a job on his floor.”
The door opened, and a large group piled off, leaving only a few of us. I still stood unnoticed while the two others had headphones on. The pseudo privacy boosted their honesty, making me long for a pair of headphones myself.
“I think it’s pretty obvious how she got a job on his floor.”
“No,” one tried to defend. “She’s a project organizer. They all work on his floor. I’m sure that’s it.”
“There are project organizers everywhere.”
I rolled my eyes. They weren’t everywhere, and I clamped my jaw shut so tight my molars ached.
“She probably slept her way there. Can’t blame her either. If I knew it was an option, I’d let him do anything he wanted.”
Their giggles raked across my already raw nerves.
Be nice. Be nice. Be nice.
“Honestly, she’s not even that pretty. I mean, her boobs are kind of on the small side, and Mr. Rush seems like a boob man.”
The doors slid open, and I took my chance to escape this hell. With each step toward freedom, I reminded myself to hold my head high and be the lady my parents raised me to be. But then my phone vibrated for the seventh time that day with another call from my father. I declined the call, but it was too late. As if the small vibration slid up my arm and loosened my jaw, I thought fuck it and turned. I slapped my hand against the closing doors and met each woman’s eyes, enjoying the way they widened in shock.
“I assure you, I didn’t sleep my way into a job where I work on a single pie chart on the least important tab of the least important spreadsheet of the least important project.”
Their jaws dropped, and I let my hand fall. Before the doors could close completely, my lips moved again without remorse.
“And my tits are awesome.”
Once their shocked faces disappeared, so had my energy, and I slouched forward, breathing through the flood of adrenaline that left me exhausted. Looking up, I saw I’d gotten off on the fifth floor. Not wanting to risk another elevator encounter, I took the stairs.
As luck would have it, I wasn’t safe there either. The door just closed behind me when a deep voice greeted me two flights up.
“Hello, future wife.”
Rolling my eyes, I huffed a breath and leveled him with the most annoyed glare I could muster. Raelynn would be proud.
“Don’t look so happy to see me.”
Still on edge, I shook my head and proceeded to make my way down. If I could get home, I’d be fine. A bottle of wine, a comedy show, a chat with the girls, and maybe a bath could cure this day.
Nico missed my cues and followed behind, pushing my buttons even more.
“You avoid me at work and give short replies to my messages, and now you’re ignoring me completely. Will this be our marriage? Do you plan to not talk for five years?”
His questions beat against my back lightly but held the sharp edge of irritation. And I didn’t have enough room for his irritation on top of mine.
He almost slammed into my back when I whirled around at the next landing.
One arrogant brow slowly rose at my defiant stance, and he looked like the perfect target.
“Thanks to your spectacle earlier this week, I’m the talk of the office. And not in the way I want to be. I went to freaking Wharton and graduated with a four-point-freaking-oh, but do they say I got a job because of that? Ooooh, no. They say I got the job because of my underwhelming tits.” Both brows shot up when I barked that word at him. “God forbid you ever notice how hard I work, and I get an actual project role because no one will believe I got it for my ideas and smarts. Oh, no, they’ll assume I fucked my way into that position.”
My chest heaved by the end of my tirade, and he took the time to look me up and down, spending extra time at my chest.
“If you get a promotion, it will be because of your work, and I will not be the one to give it to you. That would always come under fire as nepotism. People can gossip all they want, but it’s just words. Words I will shut down, nonetheless. I can’t have people spreading false rumors about my company.”
His calm response in the face of my ire brought me back to earth. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling more like myself than the banshee from moments before.
“And I assure you, Vera, your tits are more than enough. A perfect handful.”
He gave my chest an appreciative glance, and I swallowed, pulling my shoulders back to stand tall. Not at all to make them look more impressive. He was kind enough to merely smirk than call me out on my move.
“Thank you.”
“Do you have plans this evening?” he asked as if asking about the weather.
“I have to get my dress for the party this weekend.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No, thank you. I’m going to grab a cab and head home.”
“Take my car.”
“A cab is fine.”
“Nonsense.” He didn’t even bother looking at me to argue. He pulled up his phone as he moved down the stairs again, leaving me to follow behind. He held the door open and pointed to the black car waiting out front. “Take a picture of the dress and send it to me.”
“No,” I scoffed. “And I’m fine with a cab.”
My argument fell on deaf ears as he guided me to the car and opened the door.
“I’ll take a cab. Now get in.”
I considered arguing, but the lush interior called to me, and after the day, the privacy and comfort were too nice to pass up. “Fine. But I’m not sending a picture,” I assured, climbing in.
Before he closed the door, he winked and smiled. “Sure. Okay.”
I wanted to be irritated at his arrogance, but it was the most playful I’d seen him since the moment we collided in the lobby. I couldn’t help but lean back against the cool leather and smile.
Thankfully, I only had to run in to grab the outfit I’d picked out online, and I was home in no time.
My key slid into the lock when I heard the first peel of laughter. Whatever weight I’d carried around for the rest of the afternoon fell away. The plans to
be alone in a hot bath faded away as I opened the front door and slammed it hard enough to announce my presence.
“Well, it’s about damn time,” Rae called from her spot sprawled on my couch.
I expected her. Who I hadn’t expected was the red-headed friend sitting cross-legged on the floor in her oversized corduroys and crop top, stating she liked hiking and like three people.
“Nova!” I shouted, throwing my hands up. “You’re here.”
“Yeah. This is an all hands on deck issue,” Raelynn said before directing her attention to Nova and pointing her wine glass at me. “This bitch messages me that she’s engaged to someone not named Camden and then says she’s ‘too busy.’ I don’t think so.”
Accepting my fate, I collapsed to the couch with my bags and purse still in my arms.
“And enough of this one word shit you keep responding with. It’s time to spill.”
“How was your trip, Nova?”
She curled her lips inward to hold back her laugh, knowing my avoidance would only spur Rae on more.
“Nuh-uh. I don’t think so. Not in my house.”
“This isn’t your house,” I reminded her with a laugh.
“We are in the bubble of sister sharing—which is my house,” she stated with her chin high, daring me to contradict her.
“What’s in the bag?” Nova asked around a giggle.
Raelynn glared at Nova. “You know what, I’m going to let that slide because I love that store, and I want to know what you bought. But let it be known, I don’t appreciate you two bitches ganging up on me.”
We both laughed, and Raelynn gave us a haughty stare that was ruined by her twitching lips.
“It’s my outfit for the engagement party.”
Raelynn stared for a while, considering her response. She struggled to remain stoic with her arms crossed but eventually failed, throwing her arms up in defeat. “Ugh, fine. You know I love clothes. Try it on for us, and then you can spill.”
I dashed up the stairs to my room and quickly changed, excited to get Raelynn’s opinion.
When I came down, Rae squealed. “Oh my god. A white jumpsuit. It’s perfect. Turn. Let me see it all.” I obliged and laughed at her excited clapping. “He’s gonna diiieee over that back. All that skin. Yum, girl.”
“I have to admit,” Nova added softly. “The long sleeves and wide pants set off the bare back and deep v perfectly. It’s pretty sexy.”
“Yeah?”
“Hell, yes. Nicholas will be drooling.”
“He wanted me to send him a picture, and I told him a hell no.”
“Dude, send it,” Nova said, shocking me.
“What?”
“If Nova says to do it, then you know you have to,” Rae stated.
“I’m not sending him a picture.”
“Do it. Do it. Do it,” they both chanted at the same time. Nova smacked her hands against the table with the beat while Rae grabbed my phone. Me? I stood there, unable to stop it.
“Oh my god. No.”
“Pose,” Rae commanded.
“No.”
“Naughty Nova over here is coming out,” Raelynn joked, tilting her head toward Nova. “She wants you to send a pic too. And when Naughty Nova speaks, you listen.”
I laughed. Raelynn and I came up with a name for when Nova let loose from her usual, relaxed self. Shrugging, I gave into the losing fight and struck a pose.
“Yas, queen. Be sultry. Be sexy.”
After a ten-minute photoshoot, which turned to tackling Nova and a lot of selfies, Rae commanded I go change before ruining my outfit.
When I came down, she informed me she took the liberty to send her favorite to Nico.
“I didn’t want to give you a chance to be a chicken-shit and back out.”
“Oh my god. Give it to me.” My heart stopped, and I scrambled, fumbling for my phone, almost dropping it in my haste to get it unlocked.
She sent one of me laughing over my shoulder, my hand covering part of my face. My bare back stood out against the white since my hair was piled in my hand on top of my head. I’d never have thought to send it to him, but I liked the candid shot. It looked like an Instagram worthy one that people would pose hours to get.
I didn’t hate it.
It didn’t stop me from tossing it to the side to avoid waiting for his response.
“All right,” Raelynn said with a clap. “Enough playtime. Spill. The. Beans.”
Grabbing my wine glass, I curled up in the corner of the couch and told it all. From Camden coming by, to my dad losing his cool, and confessing it all to Nico. They gasped, swore, and threatened to murder a few people through it all.
“Damn,” Nova said once I’d finished.
Before Rae could make a comment, a knock at the door came.
“That’s probably the Chinese I ordered,” Rae announced.
“I’ll get it,” I said.
Grabbing my wallet, without a care in the world about who would see me with my messy bun, striped PJ shorts, and big black T-shirt that said, “Fuck off. I’m sleeping,” I swung the door open to not the Chinese delivery man, although he did have our food.
“I arrived at the same time as the food, so I took care of it and thought I’d bring it in.”
“Fuck,” I whispered, looking up and up into deep chocolate eyes.
“Not the reaction I expected.”
“I mean—shit.”
“Still not the one.”
Shaking my head, I gathered my wits, a little blown away by Nico standing at my door while I looked like a hot mess.
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you. It just threw me.”
“Obviously,” he said, his full lips tipping up into the smirk I loved and hated all at once.
“Stop flirting with the delivery guy and bring me my food. I’m getting hangry!” Rae shouted from around the corner. “I may have to start eating No—”
If I hadn’t been so concerned with covering my braless chest and tucking away stray strands of my bun, I would have laughed at Raelynn’s dropped jaw.
“Wow,” Nova whispered from her spot at Nico’s feet.
“Ladies, this is Nico, my fiancé. Nico, these are my best friends, Raelynn and Nova.”
“Good evening,” he greeted, not missing a beat, totally ignoring the gawking women. “I believe I’ve seen you before, Raelynn, but not yet had the pleasure of meeting you.”
“Please, call me Rae,” she said, finally pulling herself together. Her socialite came out, and she stood tall, stepping over Nova to shake Nico’s hand.
Nova clambered to her feet and offered her hand too. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had company,” he said to me. “I won’t keep you long.”
“Do you want to stay to eat?” Raelynn offered, completely ignoring my wide eyes, screaming at her to shut up behind Nico’s back. “I ordered enough for an army.”
“I appreciate the offer, but according to the look Vera is currently making, I shouldn’t overstay my welcome.”
Nova snorted, and I quickly cleared my face. How the hell did he even see that when I stood behind him?
My confusion must have shown because he turned to me with a knowing smile and explained. “The mirror above your fireplace.”
Looking up, I met my makeup-free face underneath a mop of tangled hair and rolled my eyes. “Duh.”
“Either way, I have work to do at home, and I just ate. I wanted to come by and drop these off.”
He presented a small box from his pocket after setting the food on the coffee table. I gingerly grabbed the item, careful not to brush his skin, and stroked the soft black velvet before prying the top back.
“Oh my,” I gasped, my hand shooting to my mouth. In a soft dark cushion laid a pair of stunning earrings. The rose gold stood out against the sparkling diamonds, adding to the intricate design. At first glance, it looked like a mosaic of diamonds thicker on
top. Almost like an upside-down, curved teardrop. But when I looked closer, it was actually a flower made from a pear-shaped diamond and leaf-shaped diamonds draping away from it. “Are these your mother’s?”
“No. I picked these out myself after work when I found out you were dress shopping. I hoped it would work, and it matched your mother’s ring you always wear.”
“Oh,” I breathed, fingering the fine band. For a moment, Rae and Nova ceased to exist. My chest warmed, and I wanted to step into his arms and let him know without words what his gesture meant to me. He’d gone out and got something. Just for me.
I swayed on my feet and almost gave in to take a step forward when Nova cleared her throat.
I blinked out of the trance and snapped the box shut. “Thank you so much, Nico. They are stunning and will look perfect this weekend.”
“Of course.” He ran a hand through his hair as if he was just as uncomfortable as Nova had been with the intimacy. He turned toward the girls and offered a smile. “It was nice to meet you. I hope to see you this weekend.”
“Duh,” Raelynn answered, making him huff a laugh.
“I look forward to it.”
With that, he walked out, and I scrambled to follow.
“I’m sorry for interrupting,” he said again.
“It’s not a big deal, really. Maybe a little warning next time, though.” I gave an embarrassed laugh and gestured at my attire.
He scanned me up and down, and I heated under his scrutiny. Even more so from his easy compliment. “You look good in anything.”
Before he stepped through the door, I snatched his hand on impulse and squeezed. “Thank you again for the earrings. They really are beautiful.”
Instead of offering any more words, he merely nodded and squeezed back before walking out.
As if they’d been counting to ten once the door clicked, the girls screeched on cue to my entrance.
“Oh my god, he’s delicious.”