"Uh, wait a minute." Michael put his hands up helplessly. "You can’t use the office space for a private function."
"But it won’t be office space until the day after," Miranda pointed out, "and you won’t have to spend an extra penny."
Richard crossed his arms. "Okay, so what do I have to do to get an invite?"
"Richard!"
"What? Sounds like Zainab’s going to come."
"Spread the word about the costumes, for one," Miranda said excitedly.
"It will be Halloween, I don’t think that’ll be too hard."
"See?" Emily asked, pinching Richard’s cheek on the way out. "We want to make this work."
Richard followed Emily out. Michael cocked his head at Miranda. "And what do I have to do, other than make a very large investment, find an office space and tolerate your obnoxious friend?"
Miranda came right up to him, then walked her fingers up the length of his tie. "I am sure," she whispered, bringing her mouth right up to his, "that you’ll think of something." She smiled and pulled him into a kiss, but before he could do anything, she pulled back and turned around. "You can start by calling me tonight," she said over her shoulder as she walked out. Michael waited until Miranda was gone to let himself fall back on the wall.
~~~
Jessie knew Zainab’s schedule that week. She used the key she’d finagled from Emily and let herself in. She grabbed a cupcake, then spotted some of the leftover Pasta della California from the night before. Score, she thought. She was lucky any was leftover. And then it occurred to her. Zainab hadn’t been home last night to eat it.
Zainab came home an hour later to find Jessie sitting on the couch with Hellie watching Pucca. They were both giggling. Zainab sat on the couch with them. "Where’s the baby sitter?" Zainab asked at the commercial.
"I told her she could go. I don’t get as much of an opportunity to hang out with my favorite little girlfriend."
"Is that me?" Hellie asked.
"That’s you," Jessie said as she kissed the top of her head. "But now I need to talk to my other bestest girlfriend, so you need to stay here while we go into the kitchen, okay?"
"Why can’t you talk in here?" Hellie pouted.
"Because then you won’t be able to hear Pucca," Jessie said as the show came back on.
"Okay, bye!" Hellie said as she turned back to the TV.
"Is everything okay?" Zainab asked softly as soon as they stepped behind the glass doors. "Is the new therapist okay?"
"The—? Yeah, she’s fine. I got the referral from Michael’s guy, and then Richard did a background check and might even have done a DNA swab when he met her, so I think I’m good to go."
"And what about...Tom Bartolome?"
Jessie smiled wryly. "You mean my aunt’s brother? The man who raped and murdered my mother, and may very well have been threatening to do the same to Miranda? My father?"
"Yes, that is the Tom Bartolome I was thinking of."
"Aunt Lucy has about nineteen of the best lawyers in Europe and the US working on the case. He’ll go to prison in exchange for getting his assets back. I’ll let him have them as long as he agrees to rot in prison for the rest of his miserable life, but Lucy seems to feel like I should retain the assets on principle. Whatever. He can try whatever he wants. It doesn’t matter, because he’s not getting out."
"Jess, you know I’m here to talk about this whenever. At work, at home—just call me, I’ll meet you anywhere."
"Thanks," Jessie said evenly, "but that actually isn’t what I want to talk to you about."
"Jess, we’re not talking about Richard."
"Oh, I’ll say."
"Then what’s wrong?"
"I visited Hellie a couple of days ago. She wanted to dance with me. She started singing something, but I didn’t recognize it. I asked her to tell me what it was, and she said Auntie Zainab was singing a song the night before and dancing to it."
Zainab straightened up. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. Tell me, since when did you develop a taste for bossa nova?"
In the back of her mind, Zainab had pictured having this conversation with Emily or Mitch or Richard. She’d never even wanted to imagine having it with Jessie. "Jess, I’m sorry."
"He’s kind of bad news."
"I know what he did Jess, and I know especially what he did to you. I’m sorry, I’m not trying to hurt you."
Jessie smiled. Only Zainab and Hellie ever saw Jessie’s gentle smile. "I know. And you’re not. I’m not worried about me, believe it or not. I’m worried about you."
"Don’t."
"What the Hell are you thinking? I know Richard screwed you over and believe me I accost him about it every chance I get, but why Teague?"
"I like him."
"Why?"
"I don’t know." Zainab took a deep breath. "He’s good to talk to."
"Oh sure—because he knows you so well. He has a complete dossier on all of us. Jesus, he makes Michael look disinterested and well-adjusted by comparison."
"He went over the line. I know that. I’m not going to defend him because what he did was indefensible."
Jessie pursed her lips. "And that doesn’t worry you at all?"
"No." Zainab sighed and looked at the counter. "Jess, this isn’t...what I had with Richard. It’s something else. It’s something I like and it’s something I want to do, but I don’t have the same expectations."
"You had too few with Richard, and I don’t feel good about you having fewer with Teague. He’ll take advantage of you."
Zainab looked back, and Jessie smiled when she saw her face. "No, he won’t. No one takes advantage of me anymore."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
Jessie sighed. "That’s all I needed to hear then."
Zainab looked at her for a moment. "So...what does this mean?"
"As far as you and me? It doesn’t change anything. I’m not going to say anything to Richard, because I don’t think he has a right to know." Jessie bobbed her head a little bit. "I’m also not going to say anything to Emily, because...I don’t need the drama."
"Thank you."
"But you need to ask yourself how long you want to keep this a secret."
Zainab was about to say something when Hellie whined from the living room. "Pucca’s over!"
CHAPTER 13
The end of the month party was less than a week away. Jessie pretended to be annoyed that she was being pressured into service to do the bulk of the coordinating, but once they gave her free reign over the music, she was giving orders like a dictator. Zainab’s main duty was to make sure that as many of her friends—and everyone else’s—came as possible. Emily knew the place would most probably be filled. They all decided that they wanted to wear coordinating costumes, and at Miranda’s insistence they finally agreed on eighteenth-century royal dress, no masks.
Emily and Miranda gratefully left the party-planning to Jessie and Zainab. They had some other things to do. On Tuesday morning, as they were helping the engineers pack up, Emily ran out to take a call. Michael scowled as she passed by him, then smiled at Miranda. "Alone at last."
"I think Carlos and Jordan will probably beg to differ."
"Yeah, but they’re not your watchdogs."
"I don’t need protecting."
"That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you."
"So," she said, still smiling. "What did you decide on? For Halloween? It is in two days."
"I’ve decided I definitely want the treat, not the trick. Then again—"
"Fine, don’t tell me. And then if I don’t recognize you, don’t get all bent out of shape if I don’t dance with you."
"You were going to dance with me?"
"Yes!" Emily shouted triumphantly as she flew down the basement stairs. "Thunderbirds are go!"
"God damn long enough!" Miranda said, putting her box down and running to meet Emily. Michael scowled again, then went back to helping Carlos and Jordan pack up.
The next day, Michael waited until seven before he left. He was hoping he could get Miranda to have dinner with him. He went up to the room and knocked on the door. Emily answered. "Yes?" she said flatly.
"Sorry," he managed through gritted teeth. "I thought this was Miranda’s night to work late."
"It is," Emily said, pulling her coat tight. "I was just leaving."
"Where is she then?"
"She had a dinner meeting."
"A dinner meeting?" Michael said, blinking very fast. "No one said anything to me."
"I’m pretty sure this doesn’t come under day-to-day operations."
"Hmm, you’re probably right. As always."
"Thanks."
"Who’s the meeting with?"
Emily sighed. So much for a surprise."Ari Schonenfeld. He’s the director of strategic partnerships for the fourth largest solar power company in Israel."
"Oh." Michael was so surprised that he forgot to be angry, but just for a moment. "And where did they go?" Michael frowned when Emily answered. "Great, I know the place."
Emily narrowed her eyes. "That’s good, but you should also know that Miranda and I have been on the phone day and night for the last ten days trying to arrange this—"
"Thanks for all your due diligence," he said curtly as he walked down the stairs and out the door.
Emily stamped her foot in frustration. She made two calls, but neither were picked up. She looked at her watch. She had to get home to Hellie, and there was nothing she could do.
Michael arrived at the restaurant on foot ten minutes later. He saw Miranda in a very close-fitting—one might almost say slinky—black dress sitting next to an attractive tan man with very light brown hair. Michael felt his fingertips and ears tingle as he watched Miranda smile and laugh as she listened to him.
He hung up his coat, then walked over to their table. Miranda jumped when she noticed him. "Michael! I mean, Ari, please, let me introduce you to Michael Abbot, our business manager. Michael, this is Ari Schonenfeld—"
"Yes, Emily told me all about him," he said, not looking at Miranda. He held out his hand. Ari had mischievous blue eyes and somewhat thin lips that seemed verged on the edge of a joke. He also seemed to be as tall and strong as Michael was, and with a very strong grip.
"Please join us," Ari said in a deep, lyrical voice.
"I think I will," Michael said, smiling at Miranda. "I’m sorry to make you repeat yourself, but could you just refresh me on some of the details of your company again?"
Ari pleasantly described the history of their company dating back to the Seventies, and that they were looking to expand into vehicles. "And I must say, if nothing else, I am extremely impressed with the persistence of your team. They literally would not take no for an answer."
"Well," Miranda smiled, "you have to admit that you probably wouldn’t have come if you hadn’t realized that you went to school with my cousin Shmuel."
"Sam. Miranda," Ari said as he tapped her knee. "I keep telling you, you’re the only one who calls him that. Everyone else calls him Sam."
"Sorry," Miranda smiled, trying not to notice Michael’s nostrils flaring. "But my grandfather always called him Shmuel, so I thought I was supposed to as well."
"Ah, Dov Harel was a wonderful man, and very lucky to have such a large family. He’d be very proud of you today."
"I hope so," Miranda said softly.
Michael was about to say something when Richard stepped into his field of vision. "Michael? Miranda didn’t tell me you were joining us."
Michael went white, then pink. Miranda sighed. "Last minute thing," she said to Richard. "Emily thought he might be able to help us pitch to Ari."
"Oh, of course," Richard said. "I see. Well, glad you’re here then."
"But perhaps unnecessary," Ari said as he drank his espresso. "Because I doubt I could be more impressed until I have seen the prototypes."
"Any time after tomorrow," Richard smiled.
"Why, what happens tomorrow?"
Miranda looked at Michael. "Michael was good enough to get us an incredible deal on new working space, but it won’t be ready until the day after tomorrow."
"But," Richard said, leaning back ever so slightly, "Miranda and Emily thought we needed a little a celebration, so we’ll actually be in the space tomorrow night. We’d love to have you if you’re free."
Ari raised his eyebrow at Miranda. "An intimate get-together?"
"Actually, no," Michael said, leaning forward. "I’m pretty sure the guest list is up to about ninety at this point, but what’s one more? Please, come tomorrow, meet everyone."
Miranda froze her smile on her face. "We’d love you to come, Ari. But no one gets in without a costume."
"Well, now I am intrigued and I must come."
"Excellent!" Richard said. "I’ll give you a call tomorrow morning and I’ll see what I can arrange as far as giving you a preview of our prototype."
"I cannot wait. But now, Richard, I believe you said that you could help me back to my hotel?"
"Absolutely. Let me just get the check—"
"I’ve got that," Michael said with a smile. "Miranda can catch me up on anything I’ve missed."
"Joy," Miranda muttered as she sipped her coffee. She and Michael said goodnight to Ari and Richard. She smiled until she was sure they were safely out of the restaurant, then she turned to Michael, who didn’t look happy either.
"What is the matter with you?"
"Me? You looked like you were ready to go back to his hotel with him, and you’re certainly dressed for it."
"Step up from a bikini, don’t you think?"
"You knew that was a joke—"
"Remind me of the punch line?" Silence. "Right, because that wasn’t a joke, it was a game. It’s always a game. You are always playing—"
"I am not playing!" Michael said so loudly that everyone turned to look at them.
Miranda stood up. "Thanks for getting dinner."
She was three minutes down the street when she heard Michael running after her. She stopped and turned, unwilling to be part of a chase. "What?"
"When are you going to stop running away from me?"
"When are you going to stop acting like a teenager?"
"That’s why you’ve been avoiding me?"
"Avoiding you?" Sometimes she was convinced he was crazy. "How the Hell have I been avoiding you? When have I had the opportunity? I get to see you five days a week, thank you very much."
"And you hide behind Emily, or Richard or some guy from Israel. And I see you at Richard’s house, but not mine. Certainly not yours." His face softened. "And I don’t get it. I thought we’d agreed on something not too long ago."
"We did, and then you sprang this on me."
"Why is it so bad that in the process of helping one of your favorite people in the world—and by the way, you know he needs the help—that we get to see each other?"
"Because," she said as if it were obvious. "Because you’re scaring me," she said plaintively. "Because I am overwhelmed. And that’s not a good thing."
"What do you want?"
"I want the man I married," she said softly. "I want the man who loved me and knew I loved him. I want the man who changed and stopped being cruel. Who didn’t look at me like I was a game."
"You sent that guy away."
"I didn’t want to," she said, shaking her head. "I thought I had to."
"How can I prove to you that I’m still him?"
"Not by getting shot. Not by stalking me. Not by being jealous. Not by trying to break me down. You know you can do that."
"What do you want?" he repeated.
"Honesty," she said wearily. "Why is that so hard?"
"You'd be even more afraid of me."
"Try me."
"I love you and you're my whole world. Your my first thought in the morning and the last one at night. And I want you to be the first thing I see every morning and the last thing I see before I go to sleep."
>
"I love you too. You know that."
"So come home with me tonight," he said, stroking her hair.
She looked up a moment later and shook her head, smiling. "Not tonight—"
"Why am I not surprised?" he said, kissing her anyway.
"Because you need your strength to help with the packing tomorrow."
"You know, there are four other able-bodied men, plus you and Emily. And did I mention the injury?"
"Oh, but you are so big and strong," she said, gently biting his chin. "The team is counting on you. Since you worked so hard to get here, you don’t want to disappoint them, right?"
"Fine," he said, kissing her again, "but then you have to let me give you a ride home. I insist."
CHAPTER 14
Emily heard Miranda humming to herself when she got in that night. She waved to Emily and Zainab, and then went to her room and closed the door. "Yeah, so I guess the dinner went well," Emily said after a moment.
"Bet that’s not the only thing that went well."
"Eww!" Emily said before she threw a pillow at Zainab.
Emily agreed to let Mitch take Hellie to his office daycare Halloween party for children after he promised—several times—that he would take her home by ten. Good, she thought, now I don’t have to worry about not inviting him to my party. But that thought didn’t make her as happy as she wanted it to.
Miranda and Emily arrived at work extra early so they could help with the packing and cut out early to help set up. While they both knew Zainab and Jessie were a competent team, they agreed that Jessie’s playlist might need some last-minute pruning. Plus, they wanted some time to get ready.
"So...Zainab’s coming?" Richard asked, trying to sound ultra-casual as he put tape on boxes.
"She’d better be," Emily nodded, "or we’re pretty much screwed since she and Jessie are doing the setup."
"Right," he shrugged. "And is she coming alone?"
"Forty-five of her closest friends will be coming with her, or so I’m told."
"Are any of them special friends?"
"This is so not cool."
"What? I know she’s seeing someone, because if she weren’t then you’d have been able to answer me when I asked you before if she was. So fine, she’s seeing someone, she’s allowed. I just want to know if this person is coming to the party tonight, is that so wrong?"
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