by Mia Ford
“Maybe, that’s just it Calvin, maybe I didn’t need your guidance. Maybe I didn’t need you to give me a better life. You didn’t approve of my business decisions any way,” she snapped and then there was silence between them.
Calvin was staring at her, with a sort of blank glazed expression in his eyes, while Veronica stared back at him with her shoulders heaving. She wasn’t exactly sure what he was going to say next.
He allowed the silence to extend between them for some time, before he cleared his throat and clenched his jaw.
“So, can I just put us out of this misery and ask you here and now if your answer is going to be no? I’m giving you the chance, Veronica, to get out of this easily,” Calvin said and Veronica suddenly felt like her mouth had run dry.
“Yes…I mean no. I mean, it’s going to be a no. I’m sorry Calvin,” she cried and felt hot tears pricking the backs of her eyelids as she tried to hold his gaze.
Calvin only nodded. Like he was expecting that very answer.
“Okay. Just one more thing, Veronica, before I get out of your hair. Are you sleeping with Frank Davenport?” Calvin asked, keeping his voice as steady and neutral as before.
As Veronica heard the words, she felt like she would rather dig a hole and jump in it herself, rather than face Calvin for one more second.
Veronica stared at Calvin in shock, speechless for a few moments. In her attempt to refuse Calvin’s delicately, she hadn’t once entertained the thought that he might have figured it out himself.
“I take it the answer to that is yes,” he said and Veronica tried hard to even her breathing. She wasn’t angry, she was only feeling guilt. Guilty because the man who had been her boyfriend for so long, who had done nothing truly evil himself…now knew about the fact that she had been unfaithful to him.
“How could you sleep with your boss, Veronica? I didn’t expect that from you. Is he the reason why you’re turning my proposal down?” Calvin asked, and took a few more angry steps towards her.
Veronica stepped away, afraid of him a little now. Never before had she felt the need to physically defend herself from Calvin, but now she wasn’t so sure. She couldn’t be certain what he might do in his rage.
“It just happened, Calvin. I didn’t plan for it,” she said meekly, but her voice only seemed to anger him more. Calvin’s eyes were rounded and fiery, the expression in his gaze seemed like he was ready to pounce on her at any moment.
“So what if you didn’t plan for it? How could you not even think of me?” he growled and Veronica felt a fat tear drop roll down her cheek. He was right. She had been selfish. She shouldn’t have slept with Frank while still in a relationship with Calvin. And she had kept it from him for so long.
“I’m sorry, Calvin,” she cried and he shook his head. He wasn’t buying it.
“I don’t care how sorry you are. You’re going to stop it right now and come home with me,” he said and she noticed the way he clenched his fists. Go home with him? She had just refused his proposal. She had just confessed that she was unfaithful to him. Why did he still want her?
“I can’t do that Calvin, I’m not ready to do that,” she said, still in a soft voice. He had backed her into a corner of the room now and she still wasn’t sure if he was going to physically hurt her.
“Why can’t you do that, Veronica? Because you think that Frank Davenport actually gives a shit about you? You’re a nanny to his kids. That’s all you are,” Calvin spat out and Veronica pressed her eyes close.
“Why do you want me anyway, Calvin? After all this. Why do you care? Why don’t you just leave me alone?” she asked, aware that she was screeching now. She could only hope that Ashley and Kaitlyn weren’t able to hear them fighting. The last thing she wanted was to scare or hurt them.
“I’m willing to forgive you,” Calvin said, through gritted teeth.
“I don’t want your forgiveness,” Veronica said and Calvin took in a deep breath. As though he was losing his patience with a small naughty child.
“Okay, look. I’ve been unfaithful to you in the past. I slept with Jeanine from work, a couple of months ago and I didn’t tell you about it. So we can call it even now, and just move on, okay?” he said and reached out to grab her hand.
Veronica pulled her hand away, her face aghast with rage.
“You slept with Jeanine? The girl we had over for dinner with your other colleagues?” Veronica asked, in utter disbelief. She didn’t have a clue. Calvin had managed to keep that under wraps very well.
He stared back at her now, silently.
“And you think that’s okay?” she spat out.
“You think sleeping with your boss is okay isn’t it?” he said, a sarcastic smile was lifting the corners of his mouth.
“No, I don’t think it is okay. I have been racked with guilt and I was going to tell you. I refused to marry you because my relationship with Frank actually means something. Whereas you, you had no intention of telling me. You had a one night stand with someone else and pretended like nothing happened for several months,” Veronica said, glaring at Calvin with her nostrils flared.
He rolled his eyes and looked away from her.
“It’s the same thing, Veronica. No matter which way you put it,” he said in a quiet voice.
“It’s not the same thing. Frank and I have feelings for each other. How many other girls have you had one night stands with?” she was yelling now, unconcerned about who could hear her.
Calvin’s silence said a lot about his answer. He had definitely slept with more women.
The door to the bedroom opened abruptly, and Veronica whipped her head around to find Frank entering.
“I’m going to have to ask you to leave now, Calvin,” Frank said and crossed his hands in front of him. Beside Calvin, Frank towered above him and even though he was older, he appeared to be stronger and more muscular. Calvin looked up at him and then back to Veronica.
“So, this is how it’s going to be? Your new boyfriend is going to step in and kick me out of your room? After all these years?” he said, his words drawling and dripping with rage.
“All those years mean nothing after what you just told me. You’ve been cheating on me the whole time. I tried to do the right thing here and not get into a marriage based on lies,” Veronica yelled and Calvin only scoffed it off.
“Please, leave Calvin. I’m going to ask you politely this last time,” Frank’s deep calm voice cut through the air and now Calvin looked like he wasn’t going to take his chances.
“Goodbye, Veronica,” he said and she watched him in fuming silence as he walked to her dresser, picked up the box with her ring and left the room, sidestepping Frank on his way out.
When he shut the door behind him, Frank turned to look at her and she could tell that he had been worried.
“I’m so sorry that you had to witness this, the girls…” Veronica cried, but before she could cover her face with her hands, Frank had rushed towards her and taken her into his arms.
“Don’t worry about that. Are you okay?” he asked, trying to get her to look up at him.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit in shock. I didn’t expect him to just turn up here,” she said, wiping her damp cheeks with the backs of her hands.
“I heard loud voices and came up here. I didn’t want to intervene unless absolutely necessary. But I didn’t want him to hurt you either,” he said and drew her into his arms.
Veronica rested her head on his chest as she tried to catch her breath again. Frank remained as he was, with his arms around her, and gently rocked her from side to side.
“He’s been cheating on me. For years, Frank and I had no idea. I feel so foolish,” she burst into tears again, and now Frank wiped the tears away from her cheeks and continued to rock her. It comforted her, the rocking motion, and she laid her head on his chest again.
“He figured out about us, and wanted me to stop and just go back home with him,” she said, in a meek voice. Frank allowed a few sec
onds to pass before he said anything, almost as though he was allowing the words to sink into his mind.
“Your home is here, Veronica, with us,” he said and she looked up at him with her sparkling earnest eyes. He was right. There was nowhere else on Earth that she would rather call home.
“I don’t ever want to see him again,” she said, in a whimpering whisper.
“You don’t have to,” he replied and gently stroked her forehead, pushing her curls away from her face.
“I’m just glad you decided to stay,” he added and she couldn’t help but smile.
“I wouldn’t leave for anything. This is where I want to be,” Veronica admitted and Frank leaned in to kiss her. The kiss was soft and gentle, while they continued to sway in each other’s arms. Veronica felt like she could have stayed there forever, just rocking in his arms like that.
“And he took your ring away too!” he said abruptly and she looked up at him and rolled her eyes. The last thing she cared about was Calvin’s ring.
“But it’s a good thing that I have something to replace it with,” he said and gently pushed her away.
Veronica’s brows crossed in confusion as she watched Frank take out a red velvet box from the pocket of his pants. Unlike Calvin, he didn’t drop to his knee but remained standing over her, looking down at her with a warm smile spreading on his face.
Veronica felt like her breath was caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected him to propose. She hadn’t even expected him to formally commit. She was just happy knowing that she could be near him for a while.
“I’ve been carrying this around in my pocket for a few days, before you went for your date with him. After that I just wanted to give you a chance to decide for yourself, before putting you in the spot like this,” Frank said and Veronica couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“That is the most romantic proposal I’ve ever heard,” she said sarcastically and Frank smiled.
“What I really want to say is, that ever since I met you I knew that you were a woman who I respected and someone I could trust. The fact that I find you irresistible and I want to make love to you all the time, is just an additional bonus. I want my daughters to grow up around a woman like you, I can see the positive influence that you’ve had in their lives and in mine. My days are just nicer with you around. So, will you be my wife?” Frank ended this by popping open the box and presenting the ring to her. It was a pink diamond, cut out in the shape of a heart, studded with small rubies around it.
Veronica could do all she could to keep her gasp from being too loud. She stared at the sparkling ring in front of her and then back up at Frank’s face.
“There is nothing more that I want to do, Frank,” she said and before he had a chance to slip the ring on to her finger, Veronica had flung her arms around his neck and was kissing him.
When they parted they were both laughing. Frank finally slipped the ring on and she held her hand out to admire it.
“It’s gorgeous Frank. I can’t believe this. It’s all happening so fast,” she said, through her laughter. She still couldn’t stop giggling. Frank was smiling too and he reached for her hand and squeezed it.
“I’ve always believed in love at first sight. When I know, I just know. And with you I knew from the moment you walked into my office. And kissing you, making love to you only strengthened that belief,” he said and leaned forward to knock their foreheads together.
Veronica bit down on her lip as she looked at the man who was going to be her husband. She couldn’t help but blush, giggle and remind herself that this was all actually happening. She was going to be with Frank forever. Her deepest wishes were coming true. No matter what the world or her parents had to say about it.
“I love you, Frank,” she said to him, for the first time aloud.
“I love you, Veronica. I always will,” he said and pressed his hand on the back of her neck to draw her in closer.
“Now, let’s go tell the girls!” Frank said and Veronica was laughing again. She was going to have that happy family after all.
There are more bonus stories ahead…..just look what you want to read next via the Table of Contents (TOC)
Office Romance Collection
BOOK 1: OFFICE ROMANCE
Blurb
Belle Freedman is a wide-eyed enthusiastic small-town girl, who has just landed an internship at the biggest ad agency on the East Coast. Her new boyfriend, Jesse, has followed her to New York so that they can chase their dreams together…to make it big in the Big Apple. Belle believes she has it all, a kind boyfriend and a brand new job.
When she has a chance encounter with a stranger on the elevator, things begin to start changing in her world. Devon Rymer is not only one of the partners at the ad agency, but he is also well into his forties, single and the hottest man Belle has ever laid eyes on. Suddenly, the world she thought was perfect, doesn’t seem so perfect any more.
Belle wants Devon. He is irresistibly handsome and strong, but she has a boyfriend, and a job to keep.
Belle
Belle stood staring at herself in the full length mirror at the corner of their studio apartment. She had spent hours laboring over the right look. First day at the new job. She had butterflies in her stomach and she drew in a deep breath to steady herself. Behind her, Jesse, her boyfriend, was flipping pancakes in the section of the apartment that they called the “kitchen”.
Through the reflection in the mirror, Belle could see Jesse at the stove. His longish blond hair was ruffled and he was still in his boxer shorts with no shirt on. Belle watched him in silence for a few moments. His slender pale frame, the concave shape of his stomach…she had always thought he was the “cutest” boy ever since she’d known him. And now he was her boyfriend!
“How do I look?” Bell asked, flipping around to face him. Jesse looked up and fixed his eyes on her with a bored expression. He was always grumpy in the mornings, that was something that Belle recently discovered about him, ever since they started living together.
“You look great. Stop fretting,” he said and started stacking the pancakes on two plates. Belle tried to be in a cheerful mood, even though the nervousness was wrecking her on the inside. She didn’t want Jesse to feel worse than he already did about his own situation.
She had been offered a position, even if that was as an intern, but it was a job nonetheless. Jesse was yet to find a job or internship of any kind. They had already been in New York for over three months and it was going to get harder and harder to pay the bills if he didn’t find some kind of employment soon. Belle’s meager internship stipend wouldn’t even cover the rent they were paying.
She walked over to the small table beside the stove where Jesse had started setting their breakfast. Belle took a chair and he took the one across from her. She could see that he hadn’t shaved in days, and she had lost track of how many times she had tried to politely suggest that he take a shower.
“What are you going to do with your day?” she asked, digging a fork into the pancakes. She heard Jesse take in a deep breath and looked up at him. He looked offended that she had asked him that.
“If you’re trying to subtly hint that I should go out there and look for a job, I’m going to do that any way. You don’t have to mother me,” he snapped at her and she fell silent.
“I was just making conversation. You don’t have to do anything,” she mumbled, already kicking herself that she had even bothered to ask.
Jesse’s mood swings were unpredictable. Some mornings he woke up feeling energetic and excited about going hunting for jobs, and on other days he was grumpy and touchy about it. Belle was hoping that he would feel inspired today so that he could uplift her mood too for her first day.
They ate their pancakes in relative silence for a few more minutes.
“Well, have a great first day,” Jesse said suddenly and stood up. Taking his half finished pancakes, he shoved the remains into the bin beside the stove.
“What’s w
rong?” Belle asked, stopping her chewing.
“Nothing. I’m going back to bed for a few hours. It’s only eight,” Jesse said distractedly. Belle gulped, trying to control her heart from racing out of her chest. She wished she could do something to ease his frustration. She watched as Jesse crossed the room and fell on to the mattress on the floor and rolled over to his side.
He hadn’t even offered her a kiss goodbye or a hug. She finished her food in silence, throwing nervous glances at the man she had a crush on for so long. She wasn’t sure if she had done something to upset him, or what she could do to make him feel better. For now, she was getting late for work so she stood up from the chair.
“I’m off, Jesse. Hope you have a nice day. I love you,” Belle said as she grabbed her purse off the floor near the door. Jesse made no movement, but had his face pressed into his pillow. She heard a muffled goodbye and opened the door.
She closed the door gently behind her and took the steps two at a time as she rushed outside. This was too much to handle. Her first day at a job and also Jesse’s mood swings. She wasn’t sure what bothered her more.
Jesse had been her middle school crush, back in their hometown. They went to the same State college, and her feelings for him returned. It wasn’t until the last year, when they happened to bump into each other at a house party, that they actually started talking and went on a few official dates. When Belle told him that she was moving to New York, Jesse declared that he loved her and would move with her.
So they had officially been a couple for no more than three months, since they moved to New York. No more dates at restaurants, or going for movies or sharing milkshakes. Real life and real responsibilities had come tumbling down on them, when they were least prepared for it. While Belle had a plan for her professional life, Jesse had none and so the hunt had begun and he kept hitting a brick wall.