by Annie Jocoby
I blinked rapidly, but knew better than to say anything. Not being paid? What?????
I started to breathe heavily. I had to ask Nick about that. He told me that I would be paid $40,000 a year, which would be directly deposited into my account.
I stood up.
“Where are you going, pray tell? I’m not finished with you,” Portia asked, her beautiful blue eyes narrowing.
“I have other partners who need me to do projects for them,” I said. “I’m not supposed to spend more than an hour or two with any one partner while I’m learning.”
“Huh,” she said. “Something tells me that I’ll be able to find you in Nick’s office more often than not.” She crossed her arms. “Stay away from him. He’s a man-whore, you know. Dates supermodels,” she said, looking at her nails. “Gets into three-ways with them all the time. And not always just with women.”
Now, how does she know this? I just looked at her, and she shrugged. “What? This might be a city of 8 million people, but it’s a small town when it comes to high society gossip.”
“I don’t think that you should be spreading rumors around to interns about other senior partners,” I said.
“Whatever,” she said. “Go on, go do your work for your other partners, but I expect you to be here in this office tomorrow morning first thing.”
At that, I left.
But, as I steadily worked on the projects that other partners gave to me, Portia’s words rang in my ears. Dates supermodels. Gets into three-ways with them all the time. And not always just with women. The words ran through my mind over and over like a freight train. And I could feel the brick wall, which I put up after talking to Ryan, get strengthened with concrete and steel. Portia was probably full of shit, as she clearly had it in for Nick because of the fact that they slept together and he wanted nothing more to do with her. But what if she was telling the truth? I felt incredibly naïve that I ever thought that Nick was a decent guy who could possibly be the one that I was looking for. Anybody who looked like that, and who had that kind of money and prestige, was going to either have a blond supermodel wife, or was going to be a man-whore.
Looks like Nick falls into that second category.
And what was up with the fact that I was unpaid? Why would he lie to me like that? I started to panic about that, because no way could I afford to continue to work here if I was unpaid. I hope that I can get my bartending job back, I thought miserably.
On and on and on my mind raced, until Nick found me at my cubicle for lunch. “Time for lunch, honey,” he said. “Where would you like to go?” He had my coat and hat in his arms.
“Oh, thanks, Nick,” I said. “But I brown-bagged it today.” I held up my brown bag as proof. The lunch that I packed consisted of a small tuna salad in a can with crackers and several carrot sticks. I knew that I would end up starving, because I usually did, but I didn’t want to rely on Nick for lunch every day.
“Don’t be silly,” he said. “Let me see that bag.”
I tried to snatch it away, but he grabbed it and looked inside. “Scotty, there’s not enough food in here to sustain a two-year old. Come on, we’re going to lunch.”
I felt nervous that Portia would see us, which would give her more ammunition, but I grudgingly obliged.
We got outside the building and onto the busy street. “Do you like Thai?” he asked. “There’s a great Thai place a couple of blocks east, on Park.”
I nodded my head. “Yes, but I feel bad you buying me lunch every day.”
He put his arm around me. “It’s the least I can do,” he said, then leaned in and said, in a low voice, “for the woman I love.”
Then he looked behind him, I guess to make sure that there wasn’t anybody from the firm following closely behind us.
I tried, very hard, not to get my hopes up when Nick reiterated that he loved me. He couldn’t chip away at my brick wall, which was reinforced with concrete and steel. I wouldn’t let him.
But him having his arm around me made me feel so safe and secure….
Stop, Scotty. Man-whore, man-whore. Don’t ever forget that.
Possibly even a bisexual man-whore.
Over lunch, which consisted of Pad Thai with shrimp, which was delicious, by the way, I broached the subject of my not getting paid. I didn’t broach the subject of the three-ways with the supermodels, and the possibility of him being bisexual. That so was not my business anymore.
“So, Nick,” I said, “Portia let it slip that this internship was unpaid.”
“Portia. Are you working for her again?”
“Yeah. I think that you’re going to hear an earful from her about trying to get me off her service. But she gave me the earful today. I’m sure it’s your turn soon.”
Nick suddenly looked upset. I couldn’t tell if he was upset because I caught him in a lie, or because I was working for Portia against his wishes. Maybe both.
“So, you didn’t answer my question,” I said to the suddenly silent Nick. “I can’t afford to not get paid. I think that you know this.”
He nodded. “Of course, I know this,” he said. “Uh, I, uh, didn’t lie. I mean, I really wanted you for our firm, and I knew that you couldn’t afford to work for us. So, I, uh, arranged it so that your salary would, uh, come out of my personal account.”
I felt shocked. And more than a little belittled. And like a cheap whore. Well, no, I didn’t feel like a cheap whore, but I would have if Nick and I had actually started a sexual relationship.
“You’re paying me?” I asked. “Oh my god. I can’t believe this.”
“Listen, Scotty,” Nick said, taking my hands. “I see something in you. Professionally, I mean. I don’t think that it’s right that our firm doesn’t pay the interns. I never did. I guess that they figure that they have no problems getting top students to intern for free, because everybody wants those choice positions, but that doesn’t make it right. So, I did what I could to bring you on board. You aren’t a typical Columbia architectural student. You don’t come from wealthy parents, and I know that you struggle financially. So, that’s why I did it. Please believe me, I had no ulterior motives other than that.”
I took a deep breath, and drank from my water. “Have you done that for others?”
“Yes,” he said, although I had the feeling that he was lying about that. “When there are top students who would thrive in our firm, but can’t afford to work for free, I pay them out of my salary.”
“But the other partners don’t know about this?”
“No. And I would appreciate it if you would keep it that way.”
I nodded my head. No way would I do something to get him into trouble. “Uh, I hate to ask this, but how can you afford that? I mean, that gets expensive after a little while, doesn’t it?”
His face softened and he took my hands. “Scotty. I’m a very wealthy man.”
Well, I knew that. Property-wise, I knew that, at least in looking at his loft and his artwork. I didn’t know how liquid he was, but I guessed that he probably had a lot of cash as well. But it still didn’t sit right with me that he would be paying me out of his personal account.
He looked like he was holding his breath. “Please don’t leave the firm,” he said. “I’m sorry for deceiving you, but I had the best of intentions.”
I was thinking about the situation while I ate my food. On the one hand, it felt plenty weird to be working for a firm and only getting paid from Nick’s account. On the other hand, aside from my run-ins with Portia, I was really enjoying working for this firm. The other partners were so helpful and kind, and I was already acquiring a few mentors who would be glad to help guide my career. I felt myself blossoming there, so I really didn’t want to leave.
And there was the fact that I was madly in love with this blue-eyed man who was looking at me with equal doses panic and love right that very minute. It rankled that he deceived me, but he really did it with a good heart, so I couldn’t be angry.
I t
ook a deep breath. “No, Nick, I’m not going to leave. I wish you would have told me, though.”
He looked visibly relieved. “I’m sorry, Scotty. I didn’t think that you would take the position if you knew. I had a hard enough time convincing you as it is.”
“I do have to admit that I feel a little…cheap. But, you’re right, I couldn’t afford to work for the firm unpaid, so, at the same time, I’m really grateful to you.” I paused. “I owe you a ton.”
“You don’t owe me a thing,” he said. “You’re really something special, so I’m glad to do anything for you. And I mean absolutely anything.”
“Thanks, but I feel that I do owe you.” Then I smiled. “Who knows, maybe one day when I become the next Zaha Hadid, and I make my own millions, I can pay you back.”
He smiled too. “You’re talented enough to become the next Zaha Hadid, so I don’t doubt that you will make your own millions. But you really do not owe me a thing.”
We chatted a bit more, and I tried very hard not to ask him about Portia’s man-whore comments. I felt myself, once again, getting sucked into the feeling that Nick was the man of my dreams. The one who would protect me and love me and finally give me the sense of permanence and stability that I had craved my entire life.
But I tamped down that feeling as we walked back into the office. I still wasn’t ready to let him get too close.
He was way too dangerous.
Chapter 31
Nick
Ok, I thought as I walked along with Scotty back to our building, it’s time to take the bull by the horns. No more pussy-footing around with Portia. Scotty doesn’t come right out and tell me how Portia is treating her, but I know Portia, and I know that she probably was treating her like crap. And why Portia felt the need to say anything to her about her not getting paid was beyond me.
I also didn’t appreciate Portia going over my head and demanding that Scotty work for her. I had no idea why Portia would do this, unless she wanted Scotty to torment. Other interns had refused to work for her before, and it was never a problem. To my knowledge, she never forced anybody else to work for her. So, she must be forcing Scotty to work for her because she wants to make Scotty’s life hell, so that she will quit.
Over my dead fucking body.
After I said my goodbyes to Scotty, I made my way to Portia’s office. Her grandfather was one of the founders of this firm, so her name, Anson, was one of the firm names – Anson, White and Stroker. Because she was a huge rainmaker and because she was eye-candy, no doubt about it, the men around here were either afraid to cross her or didn’t want to.
I was neither. I won the AIA Gold Medal three times, and the Pritzker once. The Pritzker is considered to be the Nobel Prize of architecture. Only one other architect at the firm could boast as much. So what if Portia was one of the most important partners, in terms of revenue? I was heavily recruited to this firm, and my coming to work here was a big fucking deal.
I could take her.
I got to her office and knocked on the open door. Her face lit up. “Nick. What a pleasant surprise.” She slinked over to me. “What can I do for you?”
I took a deep breath. “Why do you hate her?”
“Who?”
“Scotty. Why do you hate her?”
She looked disappointed, but said nothing. She sat back down behind her desk and motioned to the chair in front of it. I sat down, and crossed my arms in front of me.
She looked me right in the eye. “I hate her because you love her.”
What does that supposed to mean? It never once occurred to me that Portia might actually like me. I figured that I was nothing but a conquest for her.
“Listen, Portia. I’m going to tell you one time. Leave her alone. You didn’t get the hint when I took her off your service. So, I need to make it more clear for you. She’s my intern, I was the one who brought her aboard, and I won’t have you fucking with her. Got that?”
Her body language became as defensive as mine. “You never addressed my last comment. I see the way that you look at her. You’re banging her, and you’re in love with her.”
“I’m not banging her,” I said, not addressing the second part of her previous statement.
My evasiveness was not lost on her. “I said two things,” she said. “You’re banging her and you’re in love with her. You didn’t address the second thing.”
I drew a breath. “Leave her alone, Portia. I mean it.” I suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. Claustrophobic, even. My feelings for Scotty were obvious to Portia. Perhaps it was as obvious to the others in the firm? That wouldn’t be good. To say the least.
But, no, probably not. Men are pretty obtuse when it comes to things like that. Women always had intuitions and gut feelings that turned out to be right, more often than not. And Portia was smarter than most women. Of course she figured it out.
She narrowed her eyes. “Be careful, O’Hara. You don’t want to start a war here. You will lose. I promise you that.”
“Oh, yeah? I don’t think so.” But, even as I said it, I knew that I was only partially bluffing. Yeah, I was important to this firm, but so was she. Who was more important, I really didn’t know.
I only knew that I had to protect Scotty from this woman, no matter the cost.
We were at an impasse. Both of us just sat there, staring at one another. She was trying to dominate me, apparently, and I was doing the same to her.
Finally Portia spoke. “Well, Nick, we’ll just have to see who prevails here. Between you and me, I do think that Scotty has a lot of talent. I would never tell anybody else that, though. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want her gone, because I do. And I always get what I want. Especially here. Fair warning.”
I tried to find a way out of this trap in my head. I was gambling with Scotty’s future, here, by antagonizing Portia. That wasn’t fair. If Portia wanted her gone, and I clearly wanted her to stay, I had no idea who the partners would side with. And Scotty was nothing more than a disposable intern to them. Fungible, almost. It would certainly be easy just to throw her overboard simply because Queen Portia wanted them to.
Would I have to resort to kissing Portia’s ass in order for Scotty to stay? That wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to bash that beautiful face of hers into the wall. Which was out of the question, of course, but fighting Portia for Scotty wasn’t. But it probably wasn’t the most prudent course of action. And if my calculation was incorrect, Scotty would the one who would lose.
Finally, I just took a deep breath. “Ok, Portia, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for barging in here. Uh, if I could help you out in any way on your Penske project, please let me know.”
She sat back, her posture much more open and less defensive. “Actually, Nick,” she said softly, “I don’t really need any help with my projects. I’ve been trying to figure you out, though. I’ll admit, you’ve been the first man who has rejected me. It hurts and intrigues at the same time. I simply can’t figure out what you want with that waif, when you can have a real woman.”
I looked at her, trying to decide if she was being manipulative or genuine. I wish I had Ryan’s skill in reading people. Because she was all but admitting that she had feelings for me that I never figured would enter into the equation. But if she did have feelings for me, then my love for Scotty just made everything infinitely more complicated here.
My mind was turning on how to respond to her. Finally, I just decided that some flattery was in order. “Portia, you’re a beautiful and desirable woman. Trust, the right guy is out there for you. I don’t believe that I am that right guy, though.”
She looked down and didn’t say anything for a few minutes. Then she looked up. “Do you think that I’m too much of a ballbreaker?”
Oh, Jesus, how do I finesse this? Getting involved with Scotty was making me into something that I wasn’t, and that was a schmoozer. Before I met Scotty, I pretty much told everybody everything that was on my mind. If they liked it, great. If they di
dn’t, tough shit. So, if Scotty’s future wasn’t at stake here, I would have come right out and told Portia that she was, in fact, a ballbreaker. But, antagonizing her wasn’t a good idea, so I simply said “no, not at all. You’re a passionate woman and a hard-charger. If you were a man, you would be revered for those traits.” Then I smiled, feeling proud of that answer.
It did seem to work. Portia’s ego seemed to be at least somewhat sated. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m aggressive, but I’m only considered a bitch because of my gender.” She nodded. “Well, I feel better now, Nick.”
“Good,” I said. Then I wondered if I should bring up Scotty again. It might raise her hackles some more, or it might clear the air. Again, I didn’t quite know how to handle the situation, but I went with my first instinct. “So, about Scotty. Are we cool, here?”
She looked at me with a bit of a blank look. “Cool in what way?”
“She can continue to work here without you harassing her?”
Portia snorted. “Like hell. No, Nick, I want that girl gone. And I’ll find a way to make that happen. So don’t get too used to having her around.”
I bit my tongue and stopped myself from doing violence on this woman. I had never laid a hand on a female before, ever, but I had never been more tempted to do so then right at that very moment. “Ok, then, Portia. You leave me no choice. You try to get her fired, and we’ll see who the firm chooses between me and you.” Then I threw her own words back at her. “Fair warning.”
And, at that, I got up and left Portia’s office.
Chapter 32
A week went by, rather quietly, as far as the Portia and Scotty situation. Portia actually backed off and left Scotty alone. How long that truce would last was anybody’s guess, but I held my breath and hoped that Portia finally thought better of trying to railroad Scotty out of a job. Probably not. She probably was biding her time like a tiger stalking her prey, but, regardless, this rather peaceful interlude was most welcome.