by Pinki Parks
“Damn it, come on,” escaped her lips.
She collided with a wall of warmth and department store cologne. Ava made a sound that reminded her of the girlish squeal of a woman in a horror film, and she knew that she’d be embarrassed about that later. Her eyes snapped all the way open, and she winced as her phone smacked against the pavement.
Ava blinked and sputtered, “Oh my Gosh, I’m so sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to run into you.” she paused and examined the smirk that sat on the lips of the man in front of her. The navy-blue suit that he wore only accentuated his broad shoulders. Dirty-blond hair covered his head and the sun highlighted the curve of his cheekbones. His wrinkle-free face had a look of innocence, the kind that had not been tainted by life’s big disappointments like bankruptcy or divorce. It was then, Ava realized he was just a kid and felt like an idiot for calling him sir. Compose yourself, Ava. She told herself.
However, his dark eyes and slightly squared jaw told her that his smooth features were completely natural. She pressed her hand to her forehead and said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you.”
He shook his head. “Sir? Not used to that.” He grinned and knelt down and scooped her phone into his palms. Ava held her hand out, and he placed the phone in the center of her palm. His fingertips were smooth and warm against her skin. His hand lingered in hers until Ava dragged a hand through her light hair.
“I have to get going,” she said, although her legs had yet to move from where she stood. The man’s gaze was penetrating, it felt as if they’d been standing in the middle of a private room inside one of the exclusive lounges in New York City.
His smile was refreshing, boyish. Instantly taken by her beauty, his jaw practically on the ground. He stared at her like a boy staring at brand new toy he so desperately wanted but didn’t know how to get it. He nodded and said, “I won’t hold you up. See you around?”
Ava tore herself out of her reverie and nodded, “Yeah, see you around,” she hurried away from him and towards one of the main buildings. He watched with a desperate anticipation as she walked off. This wasn’t enough for him. It couldn’t be. It didn’t feel right to end it there. He wanted to follow her and ask for her name.
See you around? When am I ever going to see a man like that around the city? The smell of his cologne still clung to her clothes, and the giddy, man hungry twenty-year-old girls that still lived inside of her thirty-five-year-old body wanted to bathe in it.
Ava returned her gaze to her phone and followed the instructions that Valeria had outlined for her. Her shoes clicked against the linoleum floors of the hallway, and her shoulders grazed against the bare shoulders of tank top and sweatpants clad students. Ava wrinkled her nose and chuckled to herself. I can’t remember the last time I wore sweats in public. I forgot about how much you don’t give a shit in your twenties.
She stopped just outside the entrance to the lecture hall. Ava raised her hand and set it against the tan colored double doors. She leaned in and watched the scene that occurred on the opposite of the glass, students filed into the room at a snail’s pace. They held purple and pink coffee cups with a white-knuckle grip. Ava pinched the back of her palm. You’re in charge. They’re just kids, she reminded herself. Ava pushed the door open and almost instantly felt the eyes of every student shift towards her.
The eyes of almost every female student ran over her polished appearance and glossy hair. She allowed herself to feel flattered by the ogling gaze of the male students. Ava grinned as she moved towards the front of the classroom and extended her hand to the professor.
Professor Black was only a few years older than her. He wore a thick, knit cardigan and jeans that just barely passed for dressy. His curly, dark hair stuck up in the front, and his cheeks were lined with salt and pepper stubble. Upon closer inspection, Ava realized that fuzzy grays had gathered on the edges of his hair. Ava supposed that she was being the vain one, but she couldn’t fathom the idea of letting anyone get a glimpse of the bundle of gray hairs that had gathered towards the middle of scalp. Her weekly hair appointments ensured that she’d receive a fresh coat of sandy-blond dye so that she could keep her dirty, little gray secret between herself and her stylist.
Ava cupped her hands around his and her face automatically installed a winning smile. “It’s great to be here, Professor Black. I’m happy I get a chance to speak with your class.”
Professor Black shook his head and said, “I just can’t believe that one of the biggest CEO’s in the city took time out of her schedule to speak to my business class. I couldn’t be more honored,” he swung his arm towards the front row of seats and said, “I’m hoping that you rub off on some of these kids. As you can see, I ask my top performing students to look the part when they enter my classroom.”
Ava nodded and scanned the first row of students. A girl that couldn’t have been older than twenty-two hurried to the front row, she wore a burgundy tight-fitting pencil skirt that kept her knees pressed against each other. She collapsed into her seat and whipped out her laptop, while toying with a piece of auburn hair. More students moved into the front row, each one was more well-dressed than the last.
A young man that clearly borrowed his father’s suit, with its oversized sleeves and loose-fitting pants, took his seat in the front. Ava did a mental run through of her speech and her notes. “You have to know how to bullshit in the business… world…” she tried as her eyes landed on the bright-eyed young man that she’d run into in the courtyard, his smile brimming from ear to ear.
He eased into the seat directly in front of her and sat with his legs apart. There was a knowing light in his eyes and the unmistakable air of flirtation hung around him. His eyes hungrily consumed her, moving from her soft, perfectly painted lips to the smooth skin that covered her skirt clad legs.
A wave of heat washed over her chest and Ava blinked hard to will herself back to the present. It proved to be a challenge as her mind wandered to how well this man’s suit jacket might look slung over her headboard, a place that no man, much less a young college student, had visited for the last six months. The thundering clap of Professor Black smacking his hands together freed her from the trance.
He smiled and said, “Class, I’m sure that some of you might have already heard the exciting news, but this morning we get to have a front row seat to some of Ava Lawrence's thoughts on the business world. Please give her a warm welcome with a round of applause,” he clapped his hands together and the classroom followed suit, the applause echoed throughout the room and Ava raised her hand modestly.
She could still feel the intensity of his stare as she took Professor Black’s place at the front of the classroom and asked, “How many of you know how to talk business?”
Chapter 2
“Valeria, I’m going to be going out for coffee break, why don’t you send all of my calls straight to my cell while I’m gone?” Ava said, she shrugged the sleeves of her navy-blue pea coat over her shoulders and reached into her pockets. She withdrew a pair of leather, black gloves.
Valeria’s eyes followed Ava’s fingers as she stuffed them inside of each glove. A wry smile sat on her lips, and she said, “Alright, I’ll forward them,” she rested her elbows on top of her desk. Her thin elbows pressed against the shiny surface, and she said, “Although, you could just take a real lunch. Without phone calls.”
Ava raised her eyebrows at the teasing hint in Valeria’s voice. Ava turned her head to right of her and nodded at an associate that breezed past them with her cell phone tucked in between her hands. The shrill sound of the phone speaker stayed in the room with them long after she’d left.
That’s exactly why I need to get out of here for a bit or I’m going to actually go nuts. Ava hadn’t become a CEO by refusing calls during her lunch, or after hours in some cases. She didn’t expect Valeria, a college graduate with her first real job that would count, to understand why she always wanted to be plugged in. Ava shrugged her shoulde
rs and said, “I don’t want to miss any important calls over a $5 coffee. It’s fine, Valeria.”
Valeria wore a sheepish grin, her long, auburn hair fell past her shoulders and the solitary streak of blue that hung from the right side of her head was swept onto the desk as she leaned her head down. “I just know that you get really burnt out towards the end of the week. You never told me if the seminar at Aston took a lot out of you.”
Ava smiled to herself as she pulled her handbag closer to her body. The seminar itself had gone smoothly, about the same as any pitch you give to any client. She found herself embracing a massive wave of relief when she realized that there were more than few pairs of eyes that were downturned towards thick stacks of paper that sat on their desks. Some students looked around the classroom, as if the walls would materialize a door that could get them out of class and back to their hookups. It had been a pleasant surprise to not have all eyes on her, while a part of her hoped that she’d helped at least one student with her advice, she’d mostly been in a hurry to escape the spotlight at the head of the classroom.
She remembered the way that she’d been eager to slip out from underneath the gaze or, really, the boy that oozed sexuality in the front row. I can’t believe that I thought he was just a few years younger than me. The way that his shoulders filled out his suit reminded her of a grown man, not only a grown man but one that had importance and elegance rolling off of him in waves. As she left the university that day, she reminded herself that it would be a long time before he’d be a real man, one that she could consider wasting a few evenings with.
Ava focused in on Valeria’s flighty green eyes and said, “I’ll be back. I want all of those calls, no messages.”
She tapped her hand against her side and sighed with relief upon feeling the hard, square shaped lump. Ava headed for the main staircase that led into the lobby on the first floor. A young man that she didn’t recognize nodded towards her as she headed towards the front door. I’ll have to double check with Valeria. It feels like we’re getting new staff each week, what the hell is going on? Admittedly, she couldn’t be on first name basis with all the people that worked for her because she usually didn’t have much time left over after leading boardrooms for most of the week.
The cold wind whipped against her already reddening cheeks, and she conjured up an image of a steamy mocha with flecks of mocha powder sprinkled on top of it. She narrowed her eyes as she peered down the crowded sidewalk.
Keller’s should be open today. Kellers was the only coffeehouse in the city that she trusted with making her afternoon coffee. All the other places that she’d gone to in the past always had a distressed looking teenager manning the front counter. They would ask for her to repeat the order at least three times, and still screw it up. Ava found Keller’s after deciding to meet Valeria there for her very first interview. She remembered instantly feeling at ease when the warm winds whipped against her face, and the smell of mocha and freshly made croissants hung in the air like a fragrance.
She’d been delighted when she approached the counter to place her order and was greeted by an adult, he was still young, maybe around Valeria’s age, but he was obviously a practiced barista. He made quick work of the espresso bar, his hand expertly popped against the milk steamer as he placed foam on top of her mocha.
Ava moved down the street, her brows were furrowed in an attempt to remember whether the new clients she’d spoken to moments before said that they were going to move forward and use Lawrence Realty as their broker. The corners of her lips turned down as she allowed more worry to consume her.
The voice of the man behind her blended in with the traffic and shouts that rang throughout the street. Ava gasped as a man’s voice rang in her ears, “Hello? Ava?”
Ava whipped her head to the right of her. Her hands trembled inside of the pockets of her coat. This is why everyone else insists on leaving in a group or with security. Her face was unguarded as her eyes landed on the smile of the man in front of her. Ava’s gaze traveled up the man’s smooth, slightly-tawny colored cheekbones and landed on a pair of round, dark eyes.
A chill shot through her body, the same feelings of lust that she’d felt the other day wafted up from her nether regions and into her chest. Ava pasted an all business smile on her face and said, “Do I know you from somewhere?” It’s him, she immediately knew who he was.
He wore a charming smile as he extended his gloveless hand towards her. “I’m flattered that Ava Lawrence recognizes me, of all people. A college kid that scares you on the street.”
Laugher colored Ava’s features, and she said, “I remember now. Were you in Professor Black’s business class?”
He grinned and leaned forward as he said, “I sat in the front row. But um…we ran into each other on outside the class.” He wore a big, puffy brown coat that he’d probably bought in a department store on the other side of the city.
I guess the suit was a one-off. Ava silently thanked the universe for reminding her of his age and inability to buy a wardrobe that was similar to what he wore the other day. That suit made her forget all of that, and that was a bit risky.
Ava made a show of pulling her phone out of her pocket and flashing the screen towards him. “Well, I’m glad that you liked the seminar. I’ve only got a few minutes, I need to get going,” she looked towards the sidewalk and the man held his hands out in front of him.
His lighthearted giggle was refreshing. “I know that you’re probably busy. That’s what’s so interesting about you,” he bounced back on his heels and swept his hands through his thick hair. He grinned and said, “Can I walk with you?” He said it with anticipation, forgetting to filter his thoughts like a man. In her presence, he was a lost puppy. A man who had his nerves in check would have said “Where are you headed?” instead, he thought in a quick retrospect as he stood next to his goddess.
Ava frowned and peered down the street at the crowd of people that were gathering at the subway station. She chanced another look at the man, no, boy in front of her and narrowed her eyes. “I’m just grabbing a cup of coffee.”
He stuffed his hands into his pockets and said, “Kellers up the street? I love Kellers.” Ava notice every time he spoke it was supported by a nervous wide-eyed look, as though he was careful not to screw anything up.
Ava held up her hands and replied, “I’m sorry, I haven’t done this kind of thing in a long time. Not since college,” her last few words were delivered with a pointed sharpness. “Do you need something from me?” She looked towards the tall office building a bit further down. A young couple headed inside, and the door swung towards the sidewalk as they entered. The silvery letters that spelled LAWRENCE REALTY CORPORATE OFFICE flashed at her before the door closed again.
“You got me. I thought that I’d take my education into my own hands,” he grinned and said, “Professor Black knows his stuff, but I feel like I can get a firsthand idea of the business world from the Queen of it.”
Ava’s felt a surge of heat in her cheeks, and she smirked. “So, you thought you’d wait outside of my office for an opportunity to kiss my ass? I already have highly qualified people on payroll that are willing to do that.”
“Mierda! You’re tough, I’ll give you that. That’s probably why you’re so successful.” That nervous wide-eyed look of his quickly turned into complete disappointment. He was kicking himself because he knew he had said the wrong thing. He didn’t miss the bored expression that was settling in on Ava’s features, and he said, “Look,” he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a worn leather wallet. He held it up to her and said, “I’ll buy you that coffee in exchange for your time.”
Ava snorted and replied, “I don’t need-”
“I know that you don’t need it, but I’d like to do it for you.” He smiled and held out his hand to her, “When’s the last time you let a guy buy you coffee?”
Ava only had a faint memory of the last time she’d let a man rat
tle her headboard, much less take her out for coffee. “I’d be letting a kid buy me coffee,” she said, and upon noticing the look of disappointment that flashed across his handsome features, she said, “I say that because I’ve got gray hairs with more business experience than you,” she leaned her head down and pointed at one of the faint gray hairs that was nestled in her thick of her scalp. Why did I show him my gray hair? So that he could he could be disgusted by how old I am! Ava suddenly didn’t feel sexy any more. She didn’t think he realized how much of an age gap there was between them.
She raised her head and her fears were erased thanks to the warmth that emanated from his eyes. Ava sighed and pointed down the street, “What’s your name?”
He raised his eyebrows and said, “Tristan Marquez.”
Ava nodded, “Well, Tristan, I’m going to buy you a cup of coffee. We can talk about whatever you want.” She turned on her heel and strolled down the street, she smiled to herself when she heard Tristan’s footsteps behind her.
Tristan chuckled and said, “I know that you’re a CEO and all, but I can afford a cup of coffee. Even in SoHo.”
Ava grinned as he pressed his thumb into the silver button on the cross walk. She looked ahead at the sign and waited for the hand to fade to the walking signal. “You say that like you’re not used to SoHo.”
Tristan shrugged. “More used to Sunnyside. I could get used to SoHo, though. Especially if it means spending more time around you.”
Ava guffawed as they crossed the street. Taxis slowed to a stop behind them and Ava said, “What makes you think that you’re going to be spending more time with me? A cup of coffee?”
Tristan smirked as they headed towards the bright red sign that read KELLERS. “Well, a second ago, you were trying to blow me off. Now, I’ve got you buying me coffee.”