There's Something About Her, A Manhattan Love Story (LOVE in the USA, #2)

by Z. L. Arkadie

“So,” he says, way too chipper, “what’s your five-year plan?”

  “Where the hell did that question come from?” I frown.

  “You really hate me, don’t you?”

  I try to iron out my expression so he might really believe what I say next. “I don’t hate you. Why would you ask me that?”

  “I’m one of the owners of A&Rt. It’s a reasonable question from someone in my position and in your position.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “Shit, I can’t win for losing.” He studies my face. “You’re not a morning person, are you?”

  I roll my eyes, remembering that Vincent made the same observation yesterday. No, I’m not, but I won’t admit it to him. “I don’t have a five-year plan. I live in the moment.”

  “Vincent isn’t your moment, though. He’s going to marry Gabrielle. He doesn’t have a choice.”

  “Is that what this ride is all about? You want to warn me away from Vincent?”

  “That’s not the only reason.”

  I focus out the window to quell my anger. “Warning heeded.”

  “Look, there comes a point in a man’s life when he runs out of options.”

  “Sounds like true love to me.”

  “Marriage is rarely ever about love.”

  “You didn’t love Lena?” I face him.

  He takes a long time to answer. “I did.”

  I take a deep breath to steady myself. “I’m not going to get in the way of Vincent’s whatever. I only want my job. I won’t do anything to ruin it.”

  “Smart girl. And there are plenty more fish in the sea,” he says.

  Man, I loathe that grin of his. “That’s the cliché.”

  “I’ll be free soon. How about I give you first dibs?”

  I search his face to make sure that was a joke. “Why don’t you hold your breath until then?”

  He studies me dubiously. “You don’t find me attractive?”

  “In what way?”

  “You know which way I’m referring to.”

  “Your personality is something I’m not too fond of.”

  He flinches and raises his eyebrows. “Oh?”

  “Physically, you’re attractive, but you know that.”

  “Do you think I’m cocky? Arrogant? A philandering prick?”

  “The first two definitely. By the way you grabbed my ass and shoved your tongue in my mouth, I suspect you could be a philandering prick as well.”

  He studies me as he grins, and I wonder what he’s thinking.

  He asks, “What if I was the one you were locked away with in Aspen? Would you be in love with me?”

  That’s a good question, one that requires more than a few seconds of deliberation. “I don’t know,” I reply. “If I knew from day one that Vincent was getting married, then I’m not sure if anything would’ve occurred between us. If I knew you and Lena were married or getting a divorce or were divorced, then I can say absolutely nothing would’ve happened between us.”

  He grunts. “And if there was no Lena?”

  I resist admitting the truth. He could’ve gotten very far with me if he tried, no doubt about it. Vincent feels like home, but Robert… I can’t quite connect with him. “I don’t know. Would there still be a Vincent?”

  He holds my gaze. The airport is coming up on our right. My cell phone rings, and I break eye contact to take it out of my purse. It’s Vincent. Robert is watching me. I silence the call and power down the device.

  “I didn’t do that for you,” I say to that grin of his.

  “You did it for you.”

  I sense a double meaning. Yes, I chose my career over Vincent, and that doesn’t make me happy. Instead, I’m numb.

  Robert finagles his way into the seat next to me on the airplane, but I catch up on much needed sleep. When I wake up four hours later, his hand is on my lap. I pick it up and remove it from my leg.

  Everything speeds up from the moment we deplane. We split into groups of four and load into three Town Cars. Keith tries to slide in beside me, but Robert directs him to the car behind ours. I feel like a gazelle being stalked by starving lions. It’s weird to go from sparse male attention to this much male attention. As we ride to the hotel, Robert pulls out the oldest trick in the book. He completely ignores me.

  “You haven’t found a boyfriend yet?” he asks Janice, gazing into her eyes.

  Janice eats it up. “Not yet, but I’m looking.”

  “Maybe we can grab a drink later.”

  She glances at me with a jubilant gleam.

  “Mags?” Linda elbows me gently. “I thought maybe you could handle the commercial since you’ve been working on the music and conceptualization. I’ll evaluate the concert area, media stations, and all the booths.”

  I smile. “I love how you’re taking charge.”

  “I know!”

  We shimmy our arms against each other in celebration of how far we’ve come.

  “Maggie, I have a dinner planned with Melanie Richland from KMOO. I need you there,” Robert says.

  I reluctantly turn to look at him. “Why do I have to be there?”

  “I promised to have the Director of Strategic Marketing at the table tonight.”

  “You’re just now telling me this?”

  “You’re frowning.”

  “This”—I circle a finger around my face—“is confusion. Give me something if you want me to look like I know what the hell I’m talking about.”

  He gives me my favorite grin, and I think only the fact that Linda and Janice are in the car stops him from making a dirty comment. “She’s an old friend.”

  “And?”

  Linda bumps me with her leg. It’s a warning that I’m being too cross with the boss.

  “You’ll learn more at the table. I’ll meet you at your room at six o’clock.” He promptly returns his attention to Janice, who drinks up his act like chocolate syrup.

  Linda widens her eyes at me, and I roll mine. “He’s an ass,” I mouth.

  “I heard you,” Robert says.

  I flick around to look at him. He’s still gazing into Janice’s eyes, asking her if she’s ever had good Jamaican rum.

  We have half an hour to check in, unload, and put on more layers of clothes. Five hours later, I’m almost at the end of the commercial shoot. I’m wearing two sweaters, stockings under my corduroy pants, leg warmers under my boots, a puffer coat, and I’m still shivering. Darius soars through the air at a new angle on his snowboard. This is his final jump, but he’d be happy to do fifty more.

  “They’re all good shots,” Levi, the director, informs me.

  “Then is it a wrap?” I can’t stop my teeth from chattering.

  “It’s a wrap!” Levi shouts.

  The local crew applauds, and we move to a van to edit the video. Four hours later, we have a hot and trendy commercial.

  I take a car back to the hotel after nine. Sue me. I missed Robert’s stupid dinner, and I’m happy about it. The hallway in the hotel lodge is warm, but I’m still shivering. I slip the key card in the slot, and a hand slams onto the door. The scent of a man’s cologne overtakes me, and his body is heavy against my puffer coat.

  “Are you hungry?” Robert asks.

  I pull the card out of the slot. “Nope.” I’m starving.

  “Then you’ve eaten?”

  “Nope.”

  “We haven’t either.”

  “Robert, promptly remove your hand so that I can get into my room.” I sound as wiped as I feel.

  “We’ve been waiting for you.”

  “For four hours?” I shake my head. “Leave me alone.”

  “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

  I sigh, exasperated. “The people in hell want to go to heaven.”

  He snickers. “Listen, Melanie is a producer at KMOO, and she’s curious about the Marketing Strategist position on the TV side. I want to see if you’ll hit it off.”

  “We’ll hit it off. I’m a professional.”
My words are dragging. I crave food and sleep equally.

  “If she gets the job, then you’ll work close together. It’ll make her”—he pauses—“happy.”

  I turn around to look at his face. “It’s an elaborate scheme to try to get laid. Just flash her your naughty little grin. She’ll drop her panties.”

  “So you like my grin?”

  I roll my eyes. “I’m sleepy. My feet ache because it’s so cold. And yes, I’m starving, but I’m too tired to do anything about it.”

  “Maggie, Maggie, Maggie,” he says in a sexy voice. “There’s a seat next to a warm fire in the lounge with your name on it. And it’s comfortable. I’ll order you a lobster. You like lobster?”

  “Lobster? You’re being cliché again.”

  “In garlic butter cream sauce. I’ll ask the kitchen to have it ready for you as soon as you get downstairs.”

  “You will?” I hear a marked change in my tone. He’s winning me over.

  “And a bottle of Chateau La Mondotte. You like red wine?”

  I drop my forehead on the door. “Okay. But take your hand off the door. I need to clean the snow and dirt off of me, then I’ll meet you and Melanie in the lounge.”

  He removes his hand.

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” he says, no longer pressed up against me.

  As soon as I escape him, I shed my clothes and take a hot shower to warm up. It works. I brought a pair of black leather skinny pants and a furry white sweater in case this happened, although I’d hoped it would be a networking opportunity with a company I would want to add to my Rolodex. I pull my hair up into a messy ponytail and put on a pair of black booties over thick black socks. My stomach growls three times from the moment I leave the room and arrive in the lobby.

  The lounge is alive. The A&Rt team aren’t the only night owls. If there was ever a night to mingle, this is it, and I’m unable to take advantage. My brain is on the verge of collapsing. I couldn’t speak one coherent paragraph even if I tried.

  The soothing music makes me fight the urge to yawn. Linda and our team are sitting at a table together. She and I wave at each other. I point to Robert, who’s sitting across from a stunning brunette in a booth in front of a fireplace. They appear as if they’re really enjoying their conversation. I slog over to the booth and stop at the end of the table.

  Robert stands when he sees me. “You look sexy,” he whispers and kisses my cheek.

  I give him a look. What the hell was that about? Melanie rises, which makes me happy. The last thing I want is to be sandwiched between them. I know Robert intended for me to slide inside, which was why he stood up so quickly. However, this Melanie is a smart woman.

  “Hello, I’m Melanie Richland.”

  I shake her hand. We’re the same height, but she’s half my girth, which makes her super skinny. Her very blue eyes are stunning against her brown hair.

  “As you’ve already heard, I’m Maggie,” I say. “Please sit.”

  I usher her into the booth so that I can sit on the outside. When I sneer at Robert, he winks. Score one for me.

  “Are we ready to eat?” I ask.

  As promised, two waiters immediately serve Melanie a salad and Robert a steak plate, and I have the succulent lobster on a bed of fluffy rice.

  “I’m sorry, what were you saying?” Robert asks Melanie.

  I pick up my fork and knife and get right to it. They’re talking about some trip to Paris. Either they went together or ran into each other while they were there. I can’t really concentrate on what they’re saying. I glance over at Linda’s table and see Janice staring daggers at Robert and Melanie. I’m happy she’s not directing her scowl at me.

  “Have you ever been, Maggie?” Robert asks.

  “Sure.” I think they’re still prattling on about Paris.

  Melanie makes eyes at the young waiter, who’s pouring the wine. “And what did you think?”

  “Who me?” the waiter asks.

  She sets her gaze on me. “No, her.”

  I narrow one eye at her. What a weird chick. She strikes me as a classic attention-seeker. Flirting with the waiter so he won’t notice me, the other chick at the table, is the oldest trick in the insecure chick handbook.

  “I thought it was awesome,” I declare and take a sip of wine.

  Robert tilts his head. “What was awesome about it?”

  I lift a finger, asking him to wait. I keep drinking until a response comes to mind. “Everything.”

  “What’s everything?”

  He knows I’m bullshitting. “The culture, the people.” I lift my eyebrows at Melanie. “The shopping.”

  She frowns. “In Burgundy?”

  I’m dizzy from the wine. Jeez, it works fast. “Oh, and then there’s the wine.”

  “So you’ve been to Burgundy?” Robert asks, refusing to let it go. He looks amused.

  “I guess not. Maybe. In my dreams.”

  I finish the rest of the wine in my glass. Robert picks up the bottle to pour more.

  “So, Robert,” Melanie says a little too loudly, to reclaim his attention. “I can’t believe you’re getting a divorce. Lena? Is that her name?”

  “Yes, Lena. She was always too good for me,” he says.

  “Oh, brother,” I mutter and drink half my glass.

  “Do you have something to say, Maggie?” he asks.

  “Nope.” I finish that glass too. “Two glasses of di vino rosso, and I’m going to sleep like a baby.” I slam the glass down and stand up. My head is spinning, so I sit back down.

  “Relax,” Robert says like the devil in the white night gown from those old cartoons. “Enjoy the fire, the wine, and the company.”

  “Right.” I sigh and rest my head on the high-back seat.

  “Melanie, I wanted you to meet Maggie because she’s the new star of marketing at A&Rt.”

  I sense that he’s facing me.

  “Oh.” She’s not particularly impressed.

  “Vincent and I went to high school with Maggie. Funny, we both liked her, but she liked me. Isn’t that right, Maggie?”

  Everything he said sounded as if he spoke it from a distance. “Yeah,” I whisper.

  “All right. You win. Up.” Robert helps me to my feet. “I’m taking her upstairs. I’ll return shortly.”

  I shove him away with my elbow. “I don’t need your help. I can make it.”

  “You drank the wine like it was water. So you do need my help.”

  I gaze into his eyes. Why in the world did I drink so fast? I know better. A good bottle of wine sends your spirits soaring in a more remarkable way than a cheap bottle.

  Robert has a hand around my waist as he walks me through the lounge. The people from our office are watching. This looks suspicious, especially with his reputation. I’m sure I’ll be vindicated once he rejoins Melanie. We make it to the elevator.

  “Two glasses. Is that really all it takes?” he asks, amused.

  “I’m not drunk. I’m relaxed. You’re overreacting, so go back to the lounge and work on getting laid tonight.”

  Robert pushes the button. “I’d rather be with you tonight.”

  The elevator dings and opens.

  “No.” I shove his hands off of me.

  He steps into the cab with me. I’m sort of glad he’s here to hit the number five button because I momentarily forgot that I’m on the fifth floor. I rest my head back against the wall. I feel Robert’s fingers slide gently down my neck.

  “Graceful,” he whispers.

  I open one eye. “What are you doing?”

  The doors open. “You’re beautiful.”

  “Beauty’s a dime a dozen, and you’re one man who’s definitely aware of that little factoid,” I say as I stumble out of the cab.

  He grabs my hips to steady me. “Was that your way of calling me a cad?”

  “Cad? Who says that anymore?” At least when it comes to speaking, all of my inhibition has spiraled down the drain.


  A cell phone rings in his pants pocket.

  “You shouldn’t keep that in there,” I warn. “I heard it’s dangerous.”

  “Duly noted.” He shows me the screen. “It’s Vince.”

  I swipe at the phone, but he pulls it away. “Don’t answer that.”

  He ignores me. “Vince, how’s it going?

  “I told you…” I start, but then I pipe down.

  “Yes, that was her,” he says. “What? Sorry, can’t hear you.” He hangs up the call.

  “You’re an asshole.”

  “I thought you were over him.”

  “I’m not. I’ll never be over him.” I moan, and I really feel like crying. Goodness, wine and exhaustion are making me hysterical. As soon as we arrive at my room, I slide the key card out of my back pocket. It’s a little bent from me sitting on it for an hour. “I can take it from here.”

  Surprisingly Robert steps back like a gentleman. His giddy grin and flirtatious stare have disappeared.

  I open my door. “Good night.”

  “Good night.” He walks away.

  I close the door and count to ten, expecting him to knock. He doesn’t. I look through the peephole. He’s gone. I’m relieved but worried. Is Robert starting to rub off on me?

  I fight the urge to call Vincent to explain the unfolding of the night’s events, but what would be the purpose of that? I meant it when I said that I’m leaving him to his fiancée. I have to fight my impulses if I want to get over him. I won’t call Vincent tonight. Instead, I strip out of my clothes and go directly to bed.

  The ringing of the alarm on my cell phone jolts me awake at eight thirty a.m. Vincent called twice while I was asleep and left two text messages, both asking me to call him. He’s making it difficult to for me to live and let be. I decide to contact him later after I’ve gotten into the work groove. That way, I’ll be in the right frame of mind to keep it professional.

  I call Linda while putting on layers of clothes. We’re going to meet in the lobby at nine thirty a.m., and one of the cars will carry us to the lodge. I brush my teeth and try to do something about the purpling and puffiness under my eyes. I try a cold-water compress and then a warm-water one. I find eye drops at the bottom of my purse and try two drops in each eye. That works a little.

  I slide into my puffer coat and go to the lobby for a cup of complimentary coffee. It’s a relief not to run into Robert. He has been giving me the feeling that he could jump out from behind a wall at any moment. Linda joins me at a tiny table in the lounge when I’m halfway done with my coffee.