by Todd, E. L.
“What are you doing?” Orlando asked when we walked in.
“Victoria wants me to give this to Tony.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s weird.”
“She said it’s for his birthday.”
“So why are you trying to read it?”
I averted my gaze. “They used to date.”
“Oh…now you want to know what it says?”
I nodded.
“Well, I don’t think Victoria would help you then give you a love note to give to Tony, especially if it contained anything inappropriate. That wouldn’t make any sense.”
I sighed. “You’re probably right.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Then why do you still look like that?”
“I don’t know…I guess Danny screwed me up more than I thought.”
“You’re just being paranoid,” he said.
“I just want to know what it says.”
“And what difference would that make?”
“I don’t know…”
“Well, open it and read it. Put it in a different envelope and he’ll never know.”
I felt the guilt rise. “That would be wrong.”
“Then just give it to him.”
“But what if it says something bad?”
“Like what?” he asked.
“Like she wants to give them another try or something…”
Orlando stared at me. “If you’re that paranoid about it, just read it. I’m sure it doesn’t say anything like that.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “It wouldn’t make any sense for her to give it to you if she did.”
“You’re right.”
“So open it and read it. You’ll feel better.”
I opened it and took out the paper.
Darling,
Seeing you with Cassie leaves me feeling weak and confused. You’re so sweet to her, gentle with her. It makes me wonder how it would feel to be the object of your affection, the woman in your heart. And, I think I could be the woman in your heart. When we broke up, I felt broken and destitute. I would really love another chance. I thought I loved Fernan, but being around you makes me realize I don’t. I would really love to have another go at things. And I think you won’t be disappointed.
If you don’t feel the same way and I just crossed a line, please disregard this message and never speak of it again. I would rather settle as your friend than lose you entirely.
Love, Vicki.
My hands were shaking.
Orlando’s eyes widened. “That doesn’t look good.” He took it and read it. “Wow.”
“What do I do?” I whispered.
“Don’t give it to him, obviously.”
“Really?”
“It’s just going to mess with his head. And she even said she didn’t want to speak of it again. She would never know that you didn’t give it to him.”
I felt sick to my stomach. “I can’t believe she would do that.”
“I doubt it’s personal, Cassie.”
“Why is she helping me if she wants Tony?”
“That’s a very good question,” he said. “And I don’t know the answer.”
I took the letter and dropped it on my desk.
“Don’t give it to him,” Orlando said. “He’s better off not knowing.”
“But that’s wrong…”
“He’ll never know.”
“I guess.” I still felt apprehensive about it.
“Victoria is out to get your man,” Orlando said. “You can end it now by destroying that letter. She’ll give up because she’ll realize he isn’t interested. And all of this can go away.”
“I love him.”
“Then fight for him.”
“I—I can’t do it.”
Orlando snatched the letter then threw it in the shredder.
“Orlando!”
“I’m helping you, Cassie.”
I opened the lid and saw the shredded remains. It was totally destroyed.
“Now just forget about it,” he said.
“I’ll just tell him the truth.”
He shook his head. “I wouldn’t advise that. How would you know what the letter said unless you opened it?”
“Damn…”
“The damage has been done, Cassie.”
16
“I contacted my lawyer and got all the patents and licenses taken care of,” Tony said as he sat in his office, going over the paperwork. “And I found an offshore manufacturer to produce the clothes at minimal cost.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Where third world civilians work for fifty cents a day?”
Tony shrugged. “That’s what my business friends suggested. They produce high amounts of product in little time.”
“No.”
He stared at me, waiting for me to elaborate.
“We manufacture only in the United States. It will create new jobs and will protect innocent people from being forced into servitude.”
Tony nodded. “It will cost you more. I don’t care how much you want to spend. I can afford it. But if you really intend to pay me back, it’ll take you much longer.”
“That’s fine.”
He smiled. “You’re amazing.”
“I’m a humane person.”
“And we need more business owners like that.” He opened a file. “I’ll let them know that we’ll on stay on American soil. I’m sure we’ll find something. In the meantime, Victoria is taking your clothes and modeling them. They’ve already gotten a lot of attention. And when she said they weren’t available, people only became more interested, naturally.”
The mention of Victoria made me sick. I knew I should tell him the truth. What I did was wrong and inexcusable. “Tony…”
“Yes, babe?”
“About Victoria…”
“What?” He looked at me with the beautiful green eyes I adored. I didn’t want to lose him. He was everything to me. Nothing good would come from this secret. I chickened out. “She’s been really helpful.”
He smiled. “I’m glad. She’s a very nice person.”
I couldn’t disagree more.
He opened his checkbook. “The supplies, licenses, everything has been paid for. I’ve opened an account in your name and transferred the rest of the funds to it.”
“An account?”
“Yeah,” he said. “That way you can control everything and not ask me for money every time you need it.”
I was speechless.
He handed me the envelope. “All the information is in there.”
I opened it and saw the amount. “Tony…this is too much.”
“Believe me, it’s not. You may need more.”
“But everything has already been paid for, the advertising, the marketing, the supplies…what’s this for?”
“You’ll need to pay your salary along with the rest of your workers, plus gas and electricity at your studio downtown.”
“I don’t think I need twenty million for that.”
“That’s my investment,” he said. “If you don’t use it, then just leave it there.”
My hands shook. “I—are you sure?”
He smiled at me. “I’m more than sure. Now chase your dream.”
“I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“I’m glad I could help, baby.”
“You’re so good to me. I—I don’t deserve it.”
“That’s completely untrue,” he said. He came around the desk then sat beside me, pulling me into his lap. “I am the one who doesn’t deserve you.”
My heart ached at his words. I always assumed I would end up alone or with an average guy. I never expected to win the lottery like this, getting the most amazing guy in the world. “I want to take you out to dinner tomorrow.”
His eyes widened for a second before he adopted a stoic expression. “And wht is that?”
“To celebrate your birthday.”
He sighed. “How’d you know?�
��
“Scott.”
“That bastard.”
“Why don’t you want to celebrate your birthday?”
“I just don’t.”
I ran my fingers through his hair. “I would like to do something for you.”
“You know what I want?”
“Hmm?”
“To not acknowledge it at all.”
I thought that was odd. “Why?”
“Drop it, please.”
I stilled at the annoyance in his voice. “Can I still cook you dinner?”
“I guess.”
I kissed his forehead. I hated seeing the pain in his eyes. There was something more to this story. I wished he would confide it in me.
Tony was in a bad mood for the rest of the night. We watched TV in the living room then went to bed. We normally made love or fucked like animals, but Tony just lied there. I sensed the hostility radiating through him so I stayed on my side of the bed and didn’t touch him. I had never felt more distant with him.
The next morning, I went to work at my new studio. Orlando and Theresa were already there, their excitement bubbling. The studio was cluttered with fabrics and supplies. We hadn’t had the time to organize anything. Theresa and Orlando did most of that while I got to work, creating new designs that Victoria could feature for me. I kept thinking about what I should get Tony for his birthday but I couldn’t conjure an idea. What did you buy someone who already had everything? I decided to make him something instead.
I took a thick fabric from the bottom of a box and made a scarf. It contained the colors of the Rangers, the logo right across the middle. Tony didn’t seem like someone who wore scarfs, even in the chilling winter of New York, but I knew he would appreciate it. He might wear it to the games if I was there.
When my workday was over, I bought groceries and cooked dinner. His gift was placed in an unadorned box on the table. I made lasagna because I knew it was his favorite. It drifted across the apartment and filled my nose with the smell of oregano and garlic.
He came over fifteen minutes late, which was unusual for him. He was always punctual.
“Hey,” I said as I kissed him.
“Hey.” His kiss was weak.
I didn’t acknowledge his birthday like he asked, but I could still sense the depression in his body. I felt like he didn’t even want to be there. He turned on the TV and watched a college game. Normally he offered to help in the kitchen. Today, he was in another world.
“What did you do today?” I asked.
“Nothing interesting,” he said plainly. “You?”
“I worked.”
“How are you liking it?”
“I love it. It’s weird to be your own boss.”
He nodded. “It’s the best.”
I set the table. “Come eat.”
He turned off the TV and sat across from me. “It smells good.”
“I hope it tastes good too.”
We ate quietly. The box sat in the middle of the table. Tony didn’t look at it or question it. He ate two servings and demolished the garlic bread. I assumed that meant he enjoyed it. When he was done, I slid the box toward him. “I got this for you.”
He glared at me. “What did I say?”
“You told me not to acknowledge your birthday. I’m not. I just found something I thought you’d like.”
He didn’t grab it.
“Tony, please.”
He sighed then opened it. When he held up the scarf, he stared at it for a long time. “Did you make this?”
I nodded.
A small smile stretched his lips. “That was—very sweet.”
“I hope you like it.”
“I love it.” He turned his gaze onto me, his eyes a little brighter than they were before. He rose from his chair then kissed me on the lips. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll wear it to every game.” He returned it to the box and placed it on the table.
I cleaned up the dishes and he tried to help me.
“No,” I said. “Go sit down.”
He didn’t argue with me and went into the living room.
After I was done, I sat beside him. “Is there anything you’d like to do?”
“No.”
His sour mood had returned.
“Tony, why are you acting like this?”
He sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Now or ever?”
“Ever.”
I rubbed his arm. “I thought we told each other everything.”
He turned off the TV and tossed the remote on the couch. “Every year, my sister cooks me dinner. Mom, Dad, and Beatriz and Hank come over and we spend the evening playing board games and talking. It’s been a tradition since I can remember.”
I felt my heart fall. “I’m so sorry.”
Tony was silent.
“Did she call?”
“No.”
I rubbed his arm, not sure what to do.
“I miss her,” he whispered. “I miss my family.”
I forced the words from my mouth. “We can break up and—”
“No.”
I stared at his face.
“Janet is wrong. She needs to realize that and apologize.”
“But you—”
“No,” he said. “I won’t change my mind. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t difficult for me. I pick on my sister but she’s my closest friend. I tell her everything. I’ve wanted to talk to her so much this past month, tell her what’s going on in my life. You don’t realize how much you need someone until they are gone. Scott gives me reports about her, but it isn’t the same. I haven’t heard from her once. It’s like she disappeared.”
This was killing me. I hated being separated from Janet, but seeing Tony this miserable over it just made me feel worse. I felt like I was breaking up a family. This was all my fault. If I wasn’t selfish, I would just end the relationship. Family was more important than I was. But no, I was a very selfish person, caring more about keeping my boyfriend than doing what was right for him.
His phone rang in his pocket but he didn’t answer it. Instead, he stared at the blank screen. When it rang again, he sighed. He dug it from his pocket and looked at the screen. It was Victoria. He answered it.
“Hello?” He paused for a moment, listening to her speak. “Thank you.”
I assumed she called to wish him Happy Birthday. A text message would suffice. She didn’t need to call him. I really hated her. She wanted to keep Tony all to herself. I didn’t understand why she was helping with my career or why she gave me that letter, trusting me implicitly, but I knew there was a reason.
“What letter?”
Fuck.
“No, Cassie didn’t give me anything.”
This was going to be bad.
“I’ll talk to her.” He hung up.
My heart was beating so fast I thought it would stop. I was caught red-handed.
“Cassie, Victoria just told me she gave you a letter a couple of days ago. Why didn’t you give it to me?”
“Uh, I forgot.”
“Well, can I have it now?”
I was cornered. There was no way out. “Tony, I—I don’t have it.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
“Because it was shredded.”
“I’m not following,” he said. “Why did you destroy something she wanted me to have?”
“Because she wants to get back together with you.”
Tony stared at me, his eyes starting to turn dark. “How do you know this?”
“I read it…”
He stood up and paced around the room. “So, she gave you a letter to give to me, and you decided to open it, read it, and then destroy it without telling me?”
I avoided his look.
“Answer me.”
“I—I was just scared that she wanted to get back together with you.”
“What does it matter?” he snapped. “That’
s not an excuse. I can’t believe you would go through my stuff like that. And you had no right to destroy it!”
“I’m sorry! Orlando is the one who shredded it. I was going to give it to you but he took it away.”
“You still could have told me,” he said.
“I tried, but…I was scared how you’d react.”
“And you really thought it would be better if I found out like this?”
“In the letter she said she would never mention it again.”
His eyes shined with anger. “So you were never going to tell me? Wow.”
“I’m sorry! I just didn’t want to lose you.”
“How can you not trust me?” he snapped. “I told you I loved you. I gave you thirty million dollars! What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Danny…I just don’t want to go through that again.”
He kicked my coffee table on its side. Everything on the surface crashed to the ground. “Is that supposed to justify it? I’m sorry that your ex cheated on you, I really am, but how dare you assume that I would do the same.” He shook his head, clenching his fists. “This is unacceptable.”
“I’m sorry…”
“You said that already.”
“I mean it.”
“Fuck you, Cassie. You were pissed when I lied to you, even though I didn’t, and you did the same thing but a million times worse. You’re a fucking hypocrite.”
I felt my eyes water. I blinked my eyes so the tears wouldn’t fall.
“Now I don’t trust you.”
“I love you so much,” I whispered. “I just didn’t want to lose you.”
“I ended the relationship with Victoria because I didn’t love her. Why would I go back to her? That makes no fucking sense. You just dug your own grave, Cassie.”
My heart clenched painfully. “What does that mean…?”
He stared at the ground, putting his hands on his hips.
“Tony?”
He still didn’t speak.
“Please don’t leave me.”
Tony walked to the door then opened it.
“Wait! Please don’t go.”
“I need space right now.” He didn’t turn around.
I was growing desperate. I didn’t want him to leave. When I thought about Victoria, my brain started to hurt. Why did she ask him about the letter if she said she wouldn’t? None of it made sense. Then it hit me. “I know what she’s doing.”