Julie knew not only everyone in the restaurant but Derrick himself gawked to the point of drooling. "Derrick put your eyes back in your head and your tongue back in your mouth."
"Be nice. Don't start tonight. I don't want to upset Stephen." Derrick whispered.
"You're worried about Stephen." She ground out her words through her clenched teeth. "Stephen looks like he will have a good night. His date looks like a sure thing but if you don't stop staring you won't have a good night."
"Julie, don't be rude." Derrick gulped down his scotch and slammed the glass on the bar. Everyone at the bar turned around to see where the noise came from. "Another." He motioned to the bartender.
Erica returned to where the three of them sat, and after about ten minutes of Stephen complimenting Erica on how beautiful she looked, Erica asked questions about Derrick and Julie.
Julie loved talking about their relationship, so she gladly laid out the entire scene starting with how they dated once before and how they met up again in London. Erica listened never letting Julie know that she intimately knew her boyfriend but all the while her heart tightened in her chest as Julie described her history with Derrick.
Derrick listened as Julie described a relationship unfamiliar to him. Love, dedication, and pining were some of her choice words. Phrases like 'meant to be', and 'fate stepped in' flowed from her lips. Derrick stared at Erica as Julie spoke about her relationship with him, Erica's jaw ticked as she clenched down on her teeth. He wanted so to tell her it wasn't like that but all he did was look at her hoping to communicate that through his eyes. The only problem, Erica wouldn't look at him.
When they sat down for dinner, the conversation covered more general topics that everyone could enjoy. Julie sat on one side of Derrick and Erica on the other, which was nice because when Erica spoke, Derrick stared at her without ever having to acknowledge Julie. Stephen spent the whole dinner hanging on every word Erica said. They shared stories of travel and books they've read. Derrick knew a lot about Erica, but it was nice hearing more about her varied interests and what she'd been up to the past year. During the meal, Derrick forgot that Julie sat next to him. Julie must have noticed it too because at more than once during the dinner she kicked him under the table.
After dinner, once outside, Stephen hailed a cab for Erica. They spoke off to the side then Erica said goodnight right before she took off in the cab. As Stephen walked towards Derrick and Julie, he proclaimed, "Wasn't that a great date? What an exciting girl and beautiful."
Derrick was glad Stephen had a nice time, but he didn't want him having a second date. He couldn't be sure, but Stephen seemed too safe for Erica, Derrick sensed no attraction between Erica and Stephen. Stephen would bore her after a few weeks.
Julie elbowed Derrick. "Take me home please.” Stephen floated on a blissful cloud so he didn't notice Julie's obnoxious behavior.
"I'm glad we could help. I'll see you tomorrow when I stop in at the office."
Another cab pulled up, and Julie and Derrick stepped in. Once Derrick closed the door, the bullets flew. "How could you embarrass me like that?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Any person watching you this evening would have thought you and Erica were in love."
"You're crazy! Apparently, Stephen didn't think that."
"Stephen's a moron. He was so captivated by her beauty he couldn't see anything else. If I had to hear him tell her one more time how beautiful she looked, I would’ve vomited in my mouth." She huffed. "And you, you couldn't keep your hands off her, you were so touchy-feely with her, and at one point you ate food off her plate!" She screamed.
Derrick had to think long and hard about the past three hours. He couldn't remember touching her, and he didn't remember eating food off her plate.
"You have nothing to say!" Her yelling threw her into a coughing fit. Between coughs, she continued to yell as the taxi driver glanced at Derrick in the rearview mirror. The guy's expression said it all. His look suggested they drive into Jersey and pull over on the turnpike and let this chick get lost in a landfill. "It was like it came natural to both of you. It was like you were in love in another time or place. It sickened me." Julie said between coughs.
Julie cried. "I've been there for you, and this is how you treat me? When that bitch broke your heart, I stayed with..." Julie stopped talking and threw fists.
"Julie, stop it." Derrick tried to grab her hands, but she flailed about too quickly.
"It was she! That girl was your Erica. I can't believe I didn't put the two together. You son of a bitch, you humiliated me tonight. You two played innocent like you were strangers meeting for the first time. Wait until I tell Stephen."
"Don't you dare? I have to work with him. Don't you dare! I'll end this all right now if you even consider saying anything to him."
"If you end this now, I'll definitely say something to him."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Nope, just stating facts. And here's another fact, I'm pregnant."
Chapter 7
Three Months Later
Derrick sat in the back of the taxi. He couldn't wait to get home. Finishing up his work in London made for a long couple of days, and he felt relief and exhaustion when he boarded the plane. New York was his home now. His firm set him up in a beautiful apartment on Central Park East. The condition when relocating for the company was they take care of all the moving details. Derrick saw pictures and had his assistant order furniture, had it delivered and arranged so that he could come back and everything would be ready for him.
He'd have only the weekend to relax and then right back to work on Monday in his new large corner office perched up high with a great view of the city.
The taxi dropped him off at the curb with his bags. The doorman ran out to help. "We've been expecting you, Mr. Anderson." He picked up suitcases, one for each hand. "Your assistant called this morning. Everything is ready for you."
"Please, call me Derrick."
"Okay, Okay, Derrick and my name is Ralph."
"Very good, Ralph. Thanks for your help." Derrick slipped him a twenty as Ralph loaded his bags onto the elevator. The elevator doors closed and Derrick relaxed back onto the wall of the elevator. Coming home felt bittersweet.
Derrick never called Erica after seeing her on the blind date because of Julie's announcement. He needed to get his thoughts together, and he felt it would be unfair to drag Erica into the middle of the baby drama. Three weeks later, Julie announced it was a false alarm. Derrick knew Julie used the pregnancy as manipulation; he suspected she lied. She was never pregnant, though she never admitted it. He still believed it and her lie left a strain on their relationship.
Derrick stayed with her because he hadn't had time to break up with her. The London office kept him busy, so he pushed off dealing with Julie and because she begged him. Her exact words, "please don't leave me. We've invested so much time into our relationship. Please, let's give it another try. Let's see how things go when we settle in New York. Please."
A week before he returned to New York, he called her and agreed to give it another try but only after he laid down rules.
The first rule, there was no talk of marriage. The second rule, Julie would NOT be living with Derrick.
He hated admitting it, but right now Julie was good for him. He needed someone to organize his life, and she mastered it. She became more like his assistant than his girlfriend, but in her eyes, she played the dutiful girlfriend. She also knew how to play the perfect date for all the dinners he had to attend with partners and clients.
Derrick spent the weekend alone, relaxing. Sunday night crept up. Derrick had to be at the restaurant by eight, but he ran late. He picked up his phone and sent a text:
I'm running late. I'll be there asap- D.
He placed his phone down and finished getting ready. Once downstairs, Ralph jumped up to hail him a cab. Derrick stood on the sidewalk next to Ralph as the cab pulled up alongside the curb. Ralph op
ened the door, and Derrick stepped in.
"38th Avenue, please."
The cabbie took off into the swarm of traffic. Derrick watched the strange people and bright lights of the city as the cab swerved in and out of traffic. His thoughts went to that night with Erica when she threw out all inhibitions and straddled him in the back seat of a New York City taxi. Derrick stared at the back of the cabbie's head as thoughts of the week with her rushed through his mind. Derrick knew cab rides would forever remind him of her.
Derrick paid the cabbie and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He looked around and saw the restaurant across the street. A twenty-something-year-old hostess greeted him upon entering. She smiled up at Derrick.
"Do you have reservations?" She asked.
"I do, under Anderson." Derrick looked around and didn't see her anywhere.
The bar was empty except for a man sitting at the end with the bartender, the owner Derrick assumed.
"Your table is ready but would you rather sit at the bar while you wait for your guest?"
"Yes." Derrick took a seat at the bar and perused the bottles of liquor on the wall.
As suspected, the man at the bar introduced himself as the owner and offered to buy Derrick a drink. "Thank you. I'll have a Hendrick's martini."
The bartender placed his drink in front of him and walked away. Derrick took a long sip as he pulled his cell from the inside pocket of his sport's coat to check his messages. One message, she was on her way.
Settling in with his drink, he let his thoughts drift back to that week, again. Derrick knew coming back to New York would remind him of her, but thoughts of her were always bittersweet. Deep in thought, he startled when she came up behind him.
"Hi you, want to see my tits?"
Derrick whipped around. His mouth dropped open, and he felt most of his blood leave his body and pool around his cock. She stood tall and beautiful, and she looked taller than usual. First, he scanned her face in disbelief then his eyes roamed her body. She wore a short black fitted dress with five-inch corset heels. He went hard at the sight of her.
"I can't believe you're here." He wanted to touch her, but an invisible force stopped him.
Erica moved towards him but stopped when she realized he offered no open-armed greeting. "It's so good to see you. When did you get back?" She asked.
"Friday." He said.
"Where are you staying?" She moved closer to him.
"I have an apartment... Central Park East." He stepped back as he answered her. Erica hadn't changed. Well, not entirely true, she looked sexier. He ached to touch her, to feel his lips on hers but he held back.
"Nice, so you're living in New York for good." Erica tried to play this serendipitous meeting off like it meant nothing to her.
Before he could respond that mousy brown haired girl from three months ago came up to the bar. "Derrick, who's this?"
Erica turned around to face the girl. The girl had a puss on her face. A smile would add much improvement to her face Erica thought.
Erica didn't give Derrick a chance to answer. "Julie, nice to see you again." Erica extended her hand.
Julie's expression pulled no punches. Everyone, even the owner of the restaurant looked uneasy; they could feel her wrath. If only he could get his wits about him, he could square this up.
"Where's Stephen? Or did you lose another one?" Julie stuck the dagger in thoroughly. "It wouldn't surprise me. You and my boyfriend pulled a fast one on us that night, but Karma's a bitch, huh?"
Derrick shifted in place as he ran his hand through his hair. Erica stared at Derrick, and he stared back but said nothing. He didn't want to hurt her. Running into her like this with his girlfriend's anger beating down on her flooded him with guilt. He knew Julie could be cruel and Erica didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of her cruelty.
The heaviness in Erica's chest made it hard to breathe. Her eyes prickled and tears crept up, but she held them back.
Julie tried to disperse this little reunion as fast as she could. "Derrick, I'm starving. Let's eat."
"Yes." Derrick cleared his throat. "Erica, it was great seeing you and have a good night." Derrick stood up, and Julie grabbed his hand while he reached for his drink with the other.
"Yeah, it was like déjà vu. Enjoy your meal." Her voice trembled, but Derrick and Julie were half way to their table, so they didn't notice.
Erica sat down at the bar and ordered a glass of wine while she waited for Rebecca. Sitting alone, letting what just happened simmer, Erica's resentment towards Derrick brewed. He should have acted like a man and stood up to that bitch or at least show kindness to Erica. She tried to make sense of his behavior. She assumed Derrick wanted to avoid a fight. Erica thought about it. If that girl acted cruel to a stranger, could you imagine what fighting with her must be like? Derrick probably weighed his options and decided if he wanted peace, he must stay silent.
Erica filled Rebecca at the moment she arrived at the restaurant. "Derrick and that girl are here." Erica kept her voice low.
"Here, as in this restaurant?" Rebecca scanned the room.
Erica shook her head. "Should we leave?" She asked.
"No way. He's the one that will suffer knowing you're in the room." Rebecca took a sip of her drink as she waved down the bartender. "Can we see menus, please?"
"I don't think he's suffering." Erica kept her voice low. "He's moved on."
"Erica, honey, he's a dick. He should have called you to tell you he dated someone and he should have called you three months ago after that blind date with that Stephen guy."
"He owed me nothing. We didn't have a relationship. We had sex, nothing more."
"Bullshit! You gave him you and that shit is platinum." Rebecca finished her first drink and ordered her second.
"What's wrong with you tonight?" Erica watched as she put the empty glass down in front of her.
"Tonight, I denounce men," Rebecca grumbled.
"You don't mean that. We love them and the more they keep us on our toes, the more we love them." Erica looked at the menu. "Did you fight with Tom?"
"Yes and he's a bastard and I don't want to talk about it. So let's eat, drink, and devise a plan to get your man back."
"He's not my man. He's Julie's, man. I will leave that one alone. Besides, I'm just a distraction; I'm not right for him. She said so. He said so. I need no more convincing."
"She's an insecure, jealous bitch." Rebecca in rare form turned off her brain's filter.
A few hours past and in usual fashion, Erica had a good time despite Derrick being only about twenty feet from where she sat at the bar.
Derrick, well, he decided no joy could come of this evening except seeing her. She looked beautiful even as he watched tears well in Erica's eyes, he thought about only her as he tried to swallow the food he ate. He couldn’t even taste anything. He couldn't focus on anything in front of him. Julie acted as if nothing was wrong eating her dinner and keeping the conversation going but she knew better.
In London, Derrick made the mistake of getting drunk and spilling his guts about Erica to Julie. He and Julie weren't together at the time. That happened after his conversation with Erica about her shirt/ dress and the date Rebecca planned.
He used Julie as a sounding board and Julie used it to demonize Erica. She manipulated the perfect opportunity burying Erica by listing all the reasons Erica wasn't right for him. Julie swooped in and saddled up to Derrick, and in no time they were a couple, again.
The hiccup in Julie's plan; meeting Erica in person three months ago.
After that night, Julie found out everything about Erica and Derrick's feelings for each other. The accurate way Derrick described Erica during his drunken pity party back in London sent eerie chills up Julie's spine. Erica's features were stunning. Sexy and beautiful, smart and laid back, and sweet yet sassy, she had everything any man would want.
Sitting across from Derrick, Julie could feel the heat radiating off his body. And, that heat burned
not for her, but for the girl sitting at the bar.
Julie understood this problem would not go away easily. She knew the only way to get rid of Erica would be to force Erica to walk away. Seeing Derrick fidget in his seat throughout their entire meal told Julie it was not over for him. Julie knew this relationship based on one week and one week only could be labeled a crush, at best.
And a crush, Julie could easily dissolve.
The service was quick, so there was never an opportunity to linger over their meal. They ate, and Derrick paid the bill. On Derrick's way out, he stopped at the bar to say goodbye while Julie visited the ladies room. "Erica, it was great seeing you. I'm sorry I couldn't sit and catch up with you, but Julie hadn't seen me in three months so..."
"Oh please, don't apologize. I understand. Good Luck... with everything." Erica held her hand out, but instead, Derrick took her in an embrace.
"Erica, I just wish... I wish..." Julie came into view before Derrick could finish his thought. Erica heard Rebecca cough and understood the warning signal.
"Good night Derrick. Take care." Erica pulled away to make the situation easier for him. Derrick reluctantly stepped back. He turned to look at Julie who stood a few feet away from them.
"So are we done here?" Julie asked as she approached Derrick.
Derrick looked at Erica, and she responded as she stared into Derrick's eyes. "Yes, we're done here."
Julie took Derrick's hand, but before they reached the door, she turned back towards Erica. "What are you doing next weekend?"
"I haven't thought that far in advance," Erica replied.
"Derrick and I are having a housewarming party. You and your friend should come." Julie's saccharine voice sent shivers up Erica's spine.
"Maybe."
"Derrick will send a text with our address."
Derrick stood shocked. What was Julie up to? "Correction. My address, not our address." Derrick pointedly responded as Julie retreated.
Erica extended the softest thank you and she smiled though her eyes read something different. The indescribable pain Derrick felt seeing Erica defeated sent off a warning flare. He loved Erica. He wanted to dump Julie at the curb and take Erica home, hold her until things were back where they were before he left for London.
The In-Between Girl Page 10