by Kat T. Masen
“So, back to you and your dating life…”
Andy laughs beside me. “Not much to tell, Millie. It would be oddly gross if I went into detail.”
I shake my head, grabbing my soda bottle to throw into the thrash. “Where to next?”
“Museum of Metropolitan Art?” Andy suggests.
“Let’s go.”
We head toward the subway, spending the rest of our time walking around and commenting on all the art pieces on display. We often argue when our opinions differ but forget about it minutes later when we find ourselves laughing at something trivial.
The hours pass so easily, our fun coming to an end once again. Andy hugs me goodbye as he leaves for class. We agree to catch up for my birthday in a week, dinner in the city at a restaurant of my choice.
It’s a glorious day considering it is fall. The sun is out, a warm blanket on my face to cancel out the occasional cool breeze. I take my time walking through Central Park, admiring the surroundings and watching people as they go about their activities. The casual stroll is enjoyable until my legs grow tired from walking.
I stop by a small café, ordering myself a coffee and taking a seat to rest my legs. I recheck my phone, and still no message from Austin. As I’m just about to put my phone away, the phone rings with my Aunt Nikki’s name appearing on the screen.
“Why, hello there, favorite aunt of mine,” I greet jovially.
“If I were indeed your favorite, I’d have been visited by now,” she points out while I cringe at the lecture I’m about to receive. “A birdie told me you’re in the city today.”
“Yes, I am. I needed a study break.”
“Well, I insist you join us for dinner tonight. Rocky can take you home since there’s no chance in hell you’re taking a train that late.”
My lips flatten, knowing I have no choice. “Of course, sounds great.”
“Now, have you had a chance to visit Will?”
“Will? Uh no… I’m sure he’s busy with work.”
“Considering my son is a workaholic much like your dear old father, an impromptu visit wouldn’t hurt. Besides, I just spoke to him to try to convince him to come to dinner, but of course, he has some woman he probably has to pursue.”
I laugh at her comment. “A workaholic playboy, I’m sure Uncle Rocky is proud.”
“Don’t even start,” she growls, jokingly. “I’ll text you our address, and don’t forget to go see him. Someone needs to knock some sense into that man. Perhaps it’ll be you.”
“I highly doubt that, but sure, I’ll drop by his office in about an hour.”
Not long after we end our call, my phone beeps with all the details Aunt Nikki promised. The office building is all the way downtown, and despite my reluctance to visit Will since I haven’t seen him in forever, I hop on the subway and make my way toward his office.
The large silver building is tall amongst the older and historic buildings surrounding it. Rechecking the address, I enter the building and find the elevator.
Inside the confined area, I press the button to the twentieth floor when my phone pings.
Austin: I don’t know how long I can do this for.
Before the doors close, someone steps in, standing at the opposite end of me. My heart sinks at Austin’s text, my stomach feeling sick at the thought of us ending at this moment. The conversation with Andy comes to mind. Eventually, we’ll grow apart, but it’s too soon. Surely, we owe it to each other to at least try for a bit longer before we completely call it quits.
Biting down on my bottom lip, I hang my head, trying to ease the unwanted hardening of my stomach. I begin to type, only to erase the message. No matter what I want to say, it feels like it comes out wrong.
This is not how we should end.
Taking a deep breath, my eyes wander to the shoes and perfectly tailored pants beside me. The gentleman’s hand is tucked into his pants’ pocket, his watch notable as my dad has a similar one. His scent, a rather intoxicating aftershave, makes me want to check him out, but I keep my head down for fear of being caught.
The door pings on the nineteenth floor as he steps out, allowing me only to see the back of him. His tall stature, dressed in a business suit, is quite sexy. Perhaps I’ve been around college boys for too long—ripped jeans and T-shirts with crude slogans seem rather unappealing.
“If you’re here for an interview, which I assume you are, you may want to make sure you smile and not be caught on your phone.”
I lift my head as the door closes, unable to catch his face. What an asshole! I take it all back. Men, in general, are pigs. Right now, Austin is one of them since he can’t even make an effort to come see me and quite possibly is breaking up with me via text message.
When I exit the elevator, I ask the receptionist to use the restroom to freshen up. Inside the very clean and modern restroom, I stare into the mirror.
My hair has grown out this past year, the length falling past my bra strap. Running my hands through it, I tousle it to the side as I continue to glance at myself.
What the hell am I going to talk about? I haven’t seen Will since forever. I was a kid, no doubt tormenting him as I always did. We have such a big age difference. I think he’s close to thirty and most likely have nothing in common besides family. I can bring up his unstable love life at Aunt Nikki’s request, but wouldn’t that be awkward? As if he needs a nineteen-year-old girl giving him advice, well, almost nineteen in just one week.
Exiting the restroom, I wait in the reception area.
“Miss, you can wait in Mr. Romano’s office. He shan’t be long.”
I smile politely, admiring her British accent. They always sound fancy and educated no matter what they say.
Following her into the office, the glass windows with views of the city immediately catch my attention. It reminds me a lot of Dad’s office with an oversized glass desk and leather chair. Everything is strategically placed, and not a single thing looks out of place. From listening to my parents, I think he runs some tech companies and creates apps. I probably should’ve asked this, so I’d have something to talk about.
The sound of a voice echoes behind the door. “I don’t care what it takes, either wrap up the deal or consider yourself done.”
Ouch.
“You have until close of business tomorrow,” the voice continues, “Uh-huh… listen, I need to call you back.”
With my back toward him, I close my eyes then force a smile, spinning around. My eyes fall onto the leather shoes I saw inside the elevator, the ones that belonged to the asshole who commented somewhat prematurely on my phone behavior. Slowly, I drag my eyes upward past his navy-blue pants until I reach his belt, realizing my stare has lingered too long. I snap my head up until our eyes lock.
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Edwards.” His gaze is unwavering, making me slightly uncomfortable.
Will has changed so much since I last saw him, a man with very defined features and dark hair like his father’s. The style is modern and polished and not lathered in product like some men I know.
I don’t recall the strong jawline or how his cornflower blue eyes hold so much depth. He has aged so much, or perhaps being in the presence of a man in his thirties is vastly different to college boys I’m surrounded by all day long.
I’ve never seen him in a business suit, remembering the last time we saw each other, he must have still been in college, and his wardrobe consisted of jeans and tees.
“Living and breathing,” I answer, eager to ignore his elevator dig. “How have you been?”
“Quite well, and you?”
“The same.”
There’s a silence that follows us, prompting him to close the door and take a seat behind his desk. His stare continues to make me feel paranoid, and without trying to make myself obvious, I check my hair to make sure I don’t have something wrong with me. Worst yet, do I have something in my teeth? What does it matter, anyway? I’m sure Will’s seen my many nudie runs during my tod
dler years.
“It’s a lovely office you have here. It reminds me of my father’s.”
“That it is.”
His closed answer leaves nothing for me to continue with.
“Have you been here long?”
“About two years,” is all he answers, his annoying stare still making me self-conscious. “You know, you don’t have to be so formal.”
“I should hope not,” I blurt out, relieved at the break of tension. “I’m almost certain you dared me to eat a worm, which I did. Surely, that should count for something.”
He chuckles softly. “You always were a risktaker. And look at you now. I’ve heard you’re studying at Yale?”
“Yes. I had a free day, so I thought I’d visit the city…” I trail off, momentarily stumbling on my thoughts as his eyes wander to my lips. My heart beats loudly, but I must be imagining all of this. He’s just entertaining me because of obligation, and anyway, I should not be thinking about him in any other way. Austin’s text still leaves me wounded. That’s it.
“I don’t remember you being so speechless,” he follows with an arrogant smirk. “Little Miss Chatterbox from memory.”
“Things change… people change.”
His penetrating stare never leaves mine. “Why yes, they do…”
I glance at my phone. “Listen, I should probably go since you must have work to do.” I stand up, questioning whether I should hug him since he’s family. Perhaps, if I had done that at the beginning, it wouldn’t have been so awkward.
“The pleasure has been all mine, Amelia.”
My name rolls off his tongue with a delicious bite. Shit! What the hell is wrong with you? He’s family.
I take a deep breath, willing my actions to gain some sort of control since my imagination has turned into some overcharged sex maniac. This isn’t at all like me, it’s almost as if he brings out the ‘old’ Amelia, the one who didn’t care for consequences because she always pushed boundaries and limits. Perhaps, I can use this to my advantage. Say something to make Aunt Nikki proud that I’ve called her son out on his less-than-desirable behavior.
“It was nice seeing you again,” I offer with a smile, turning my back on him to leave the room, “Oh, and before I forget, that assistant out there, she’s quite nice. Maybe try to keep your dick in your pants, so you don’t lose another one.”
His expression falls, a look of anger as his eyes pierce into mine. I purposely keep walking with a satisfied smile.
One point for me.
And the best part of all of this, there’s no chance of him upping me since I won’t be seeing him anytime soon.
Nine
Will
“And so, Mr. Romano, as you can see on this chart, our company has a lot to offer.”
Staring blankly at the screen, I blink my eyes to break the trance I find myself in… again. Fuck! What the hell did he say? Not wanting to come off like an idiot, I demand a break.
“I need to make a phone call.”
Without waiting for an answer, I storm out of the room and back into the solitude of my office. The glass windows surround me, a view of Brooklyn Bridge not too far in the distance. The city is busy, the usual peak-hour hustle as commuters rush home.
Pacing up and down, I clench my fists, willing to rid myself of these thoughts.
She’s too young.
Immature, obviously, by her dig at my sex life.
And she’s Lex and Charlie’s daughter.
But the minute I stepped into that elevator, something drew me toward her. I’m used to seeing women in the building dressed in corporate wear and flashing any piece of skin they can get away with. It often ranges from younger women, interns in their twenties, to sexier, more confident women, aged yet mature in their demeanor.
Not this girl though.
She appears different.
I didn’t catch her eyes, only the supple pink lips which often sighed when she stared at her phone. There was an innocence to her, and perhaps it was that which left me curious as to why she ended up in my building.
Assuming it was an interview, I found it highly inappropriate to wear Chucks, yet admired her fashionable choice in wardrobe on this exceptionally warm fall day. Nevertheless, I’d never allow hiring someone dressed in such attire. I pride myself in recruiting a professionally presented workforce, and Chucks aren’t part of the dress code.
Then I find her in my office, and the second she spun around, those emerald-green eyes did something I can’t explain. I couldn’t breathe like I’d been punched in the chest, which has happened to me during several boxing matches. The exact feeling stays with you, almost as if you’re close to death because you can’t perform the simple act of breathing.
But there’s nothing to do but ignore it, blame all of it on Lex after he got into my head about being alone.
And the irony—his daughter is the one consuming my head.
When we sat inside my office, she struggled to make any conversation with me worth my attention, giving me too much opportunity to examine her. My memory can’t recall the last time I’d seen her, only snippets of our childhood and the way she’d taunt me with her overbearing ways.
Yet, she’s turned into a beautiful woman, one I didn’t expect to see sitting on the white leather chair across from me. Amelia’s face has changed, slimmed out with her features more defined, including her cheekbones. Her hair is shorter and a different color, offering a more mature style than the waist-length hair I remember she always had in pigtails.
But it was her quiet, rather introverted attitude, which puzzles me the most. As a child, she was a boisterous daredevil, nothing at all like her sister, the Little Miss Precious, Ava. She dared me to jump out of trees and tested me in the pool with ridiculous races she’d have us compete in. And the little girl who would demand my attention on my family trips to California had soon become the bane of my existence.
Shaking my head, I push the thoughts out of my mind and send a text to Elisha—a woman who offers a great fuck whenever I need it. Within seconds, she responds eagerly with an open invitation to her place tonight.
There. Done.
This will bring me back to reality.
As the afternoon drags on, so do my rampant thoughts. By the time everyone leaves the boardroom, I’ve abandoned Elisha’s invitation. Although I had prompted it, I decide to head over to my parents’ place, needing a good old pep talk from Dad, who’ll knock some sense into me about staying single and fucking whomever I please.
I punch the code, opening the door, and yell out to my parents.
“Will?” Mom responds, unsure, as I walk through the apartment toward the kitchen.
“Yeah, it’s me, is Dad around—”
My words fall flat, stopping at the dining room as emerald-green eyes feast upon me. Fuck.
“I’m glad you’re here, come join us. Beau is visiting your grandparents,” Mom offers, opening a seat beside Amelia.
Amelia’s eyes widen until she drops her face quietly, not saying a word. Huh, interesting from Miss Keep-Your-Dick-in-Check Edwards. Curiosity overcomes me as I accept my mom’s offer and take a seat beside her. Her body almost stiffens, making this all the more fun.
“Amelia tells us that she visited you today?”
“Yes,” I say, taking a sip of the wine Mom poured, though eyeing the beer Dad has in his hand. Would it be wrong of me to ask for something stronger? Perhaps, something hard like shots of Patrón, an excellent way to rid myself of this unwarranted feeling.
“She’s a beauty, isn’t she?” Dad chuckles with his ridiculous grin. “You’re going to drive all the college boys crazy, just like your mother.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment, Uncle Rocky,” she answers politely.
Mom slides the dishes over to me, and almost instantly, I recognize all the food from the Chinese restaurant across the street. Mom’s hectic work schedule means she often has little time to cook. I don’t blame her as I order take-out more
than I care to admit. It was only Dad who complained, which always prompts an argument between them. How they’re still married is beyond me. Dad can be a dick, and quite frankly, Mom can be a bitch. They are like fire and gasoline, a deadly combination.
“How are you enjoying college life?” Mom asks.
“I love it, to be honest. Homesick at times, but aside from that, I’m enjoying being in New Haven. It’s a beautiful place.”
“Yale had the most wicked parties.” Dad whistles, digging his fork into his chicken like the caveman he is. “Do you remember that one when the cops were called, and you and I were—”
“Jesus, Dad, please don’t continue that sentence.”
My mom purses her lips, hiding her smile. I take it back, I know why they are still together, and lord knows I don’t need any details. On more than one occasion, Dad has used the word kinky, and I demanded he stop talking, especially because it involves my mother.
“I hope you’re enjoying the social aspects. It’s good to have a well-rounded college experience. A college boyfriend isn’t so bad, either.”
“I’m kind of… well, seeing someone.”
My ears perk up, though I keep my gaze fixated on the plate in front of me. She’s beautiful. Of course, she has a boyfriend. This is what you do in college—date and fuck around.
“Oh, from Yale?”
“Actually, no, he attends John Hopkins.”
“How did you meet?” Mom continues. “John Hopkins isn’t exactly close.”
“Back in LA, we… uh… decided to continue our relationship.”
I don’t know why this information bothers me. A stupid high school crush means nothing. And she’s a fool to think she can keep a guy from screwing the girls knocking on his door. What do you care, anyway?
“Well, take it from us, young love can turn into a lifetime. I’m sure your parents can say the same.”
Great, now they just contradicted my entire thought process.