by Chiah Wilder
Victoria cleared her throat. “I just spotted Jackie. It was great seeing you again Trace, and Carolyn, I’ll see you at the committee meeting next Tuesday.” She smiled at me and I could see apprehension for me etched on her face. I scraped a hand through my hair and looked enviously at her as she walked away. Oh how I wished I was going with her instead of being made to feel guilty about loving Trace.
“Well…?” Mr. Linder prodded.
“Uh…no. I didn’t—”
“Cierra still works at Velocity,” Trace said, grasping my shoulder even tighter. “And we’re dating. I know what you’re going to say, but this isn’t just an office romance.”
“Thomas. This isn’t the time or place to talk about the office or some silly policy,” Trace’s grandmother said as she came up to us. “I think it’s fabulous to see how happy Trace is, and Cierra seems like a lovely young lady. Anyway, this is a party.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me away from Trace. “I’m going to steal Cierra away for a bit. There are a lot of people I want her to meet.”
Before either of us said anything, Lucille whisked me away, and I could barely keep up with her in my high-heeled sandals. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the look of displeasure on Mr. Linder’s face and Trace’s chin jutted out in defiance, and I was happy Lucille had saved me from the tongue lashing I was sure Trace was going to get.
The afternoon flew by and I was exhausted from meeting and talking with all of the guests. At one point, Trace had taken me on a tour of the house and it was stunning with all of the beautiful arched windows, spacious rooms, movie theater, gym and sports courts, sparkling pool, lush landscape, and a two-story guest house with its own private pool. I couldn’t imagine living in such a large house. The guest house was bigger than the house I grew up in, and I tried picturing a young Trace running down the long hallways, annoying the hell out of the servants. He’d shown me his favorite room in the house—the library, and with its dark woods, large fireplace, and volumes of wonderful books, I could see why he loved it so much.
We stayed a couple of hours longer after the last guest had left, and Lucille took out the family albums and, over the protests and groans from Trace, showed me his pictures from birth until just a few months before. It was priceless. Spending the afternoon with his family was wonderful even if his mother didn’t seem all that crazy about me and Mr. Linder periodically threw dirty looks at the two of us. Many of the earlier pictures of Trace also had Ryan in them, and my heart grew heavy when Lucille paused at those photos with her gaze fixed on Ryan.
I honestly couldn’t fathom anyone doing what Ryan had done to his family, especially since they loved him so much. I understood that he may have felt like a fish out of water since he wasn’t a blood relative, but to feign a kidnapping, steal the money, and let the people who cared about him think he was dead all those years was despicable. In my mind, he was an evil and cruel person. There were so many people who would’ve killed to have a family like Trace’s, yet Ryan couldn’t see or appreciate them.
“You about ready to go?” Trace asked, pulling me out of my reverie. A soft glow bathed his face as the sun began its descent over the ocean.
“Yeah. I’m beat. I never thought a garden party would wear me out so much.”
He chuckled. “I think the several glasses of champagne may have contributed to that.”
We said our goodbyes to his grandparents—his mother had left a few hours before, and headed back to the city. When we arrived at my place, Trace came up and changed out of his suit. We still had our separate homes, but I had a bunch of clothes and toiletries at his place and he had the same at mine. I wasn’t ready to move in full time with him, and he understood that.
As we cuddled on the couch, watching a mindless show, I took his hand in mine and brought it to my lips. “I enjoyed meeting your family. I don’t think your mom was crazy about me, but your grandmother and I seemed to have clicked.”
“Don’t let my mom bother you. She’s very protective of me. Ever since my dad died, Ryan and I were her world. Then when Ryan went missing, all her attention was focused on me. She thinks every woman is after my money. When she sees we’re in it for the long haul and that we are really in love, she’ll embrace you.”
“I hope so. Did your grandfather chew your ass out good about our relationship?”
He laughed. “He’s a feisty one. He was so fucking mad, but I didn’t back down once. I don’t want you to think he was angry with you. He laid the whole thing on me. Grandpa really likes you a lot, but he was incensed that I’d ignored the policy he’d put in place.”
“What did you tell him?”
He kissed my temple. “That I didn’t expect to fall in love, especially with someone at Velocity, but it happened and there was no way I was sorry about it.” Love curled up and around me and I nestled closer to him. “We went round and round about it, and I finally told him it was a done deal. There was no way I was ever going to leave you alone. I reminded him how he felt about my grandmother when he was my age.”
“Did that piss him off more?”
“No. I think it struck a note with him. He then told me we have to come clean at work and not let rumors circulate about us. I’m pretty sure there’s some going around even though we’ve been careful to stay apart at work.”
Thinking about the intimate encounters we’d had at the office the previous week, I nodded. “I’m positive there’re rumors about us, but I don’t care.” And I didn’t really. In the beginning, we tried to be as professional as we could and not let our passion for each other get in the way of either of us actually getting our jobs done. Mostly, that involved avoiding the heck out of each other, but we failed miserably. It just seemed like every time we were in the same room together we couldn’t keep a lid on our passion. I was pretty sure at least a few of my colleagues in the advertising department had figured out something was happening between us as I continually found excuses to head upstairs and “drop stuff off” in his office for half an hour at a time, but they kept their mouths shut and no one dared challenge Trace on the nature of our relationship. I hadn’t breathed a word to anyone except Sofie, and she’d die before she’d say anything.
“Well, I’ve decided to quash all that. We’re not going to hide in the dark anymore. I’m also going to get rid of the no fraternization policy. It doesn’t make sense to keep people apart if they feel something for each other.”
“And Mr. Linder is good with that?”
“Not exactly, but he needs to learn to trust me. I’m at the helm now, and some of the policies and practices will be changed. He just needs to let go of the reins a bit more, but he is getting there.”
I rested my head against his chest and wrapped my arm around him. I never thought I’d ever fall so deeply and completely in love with any man. I’d begun to reconcile myself to the fact that I may never find the right man to complement me in a loving and healthy relationship. We’d come a long way from that night at Beta when I viewed him as nothing but an arrogant, selfish, asshole. How wrong I was.
Trace came into my life and swept me up in a whirlwind and I was hooked. I didn’t just love Trace, I was in love with him, and that was something I’d never experienced before. I felt more at home with him than I’d ever felt in my entire life. And when I was feeling the blues or was cranky beyond reason, Trace still loved me completely, no matter what. We never grew tired of each other’s company; we just loved being together. And even if we didn’t fill the silence, we were content just being together. After all this time, I’d found a man who loved me for who I was.
Trace caressed my back and I scooted down and lay my head on his lap. He meant the world to me, and as he stroked my hair, my eyelids grew heavy and sleep began to overtake me. I snuggled deeper into his lap, loving the way he made me feel so warm and cozy. And in that moment, I just knew we’d always be together. He was my soulmate. I used to think it was corny when I’d hear people say that, but now, I knew exactly what they meant. Tra
ce and I were connected through love, desire, friendship, and respect.
With him on my mind and in my heart, I slipped off to sleep.
Epilogue
Cierra
Two months later
The squabble of seagulls flying overhead clashed with the beats of “Thunder” by Imagine Dragons as I sipped a spicy Bloody Mary and looked out at the gently rippling waves. The briny air curled around me and I tilted my head back, welcoming the sun’s early afternoon rays.
I was meeting Sofie at the Ocean Café for lunch and she was running late. Working together didn’t allow a lot of time to sit and talk for any significant amount of time, so I’d been looking forward to getting together with her for the past week.
Ocean Café was one of those small restaurants locals usually went to, and I’d been a fan ever since I stumbled onto it on one of my exploration walks when I’d first arrived in San Francisco. The seafood was fresh, simple, and delicious, and the front row view of the ocean was unbeatable. And the Bloody Marys and blackberry margaritas were the best in the city.
“Sorry I’m late,” Sofie said as she pulled out the wrought iron chair.
“No worries. I’ve just been enjoying my drink and watching the surfers. I still can’t imagine how they can stay on their boards. Amazing.”
“When I was in high school, my boyfriend lived for surfing, and he’d get so mad because I just couldn’t do it. I swallowed more sea water than anything else. After we broke up, I never put my feet on another surf board.” Sofie waved the waiter over. “I’ll have a blackberry margarita.”
“They have the best ones ever,” I said.
“That’s why I suggested coming here. I’ve been dying for one.” Opening her purse, she took out a pair of sunglasses. “Do you think you and Trace can join us next weekend?”
I shook my head. Sofie had invited us to go along with her and Colin to the Renaissance Festival in Hollister. “Trace planned a weekend getaway for us in Carmel. It was supposed to be a surprise, but when I told him I was going to go with you and Colin, he had to tell me. He was so bummed about it. It was cute.”
Sofie giggled. “I can’t picture him as being cute.”
“Well he is outside of work. Maybe in a couple of weekends the four of us can go out dancing.”
“I’d love to. Let’s plan on it for sure. I just read that Carmel is the third most romantic getaway in the country. I bet he got a suite with a Jacuzzi tub.”
“I hope so.” I smiled as tingles of excitement shot through me—Friday couldn’t come soon enough.
The waiter put Sofie’s drink in front of her and took our orders: seafood cobb salad for me and lobster risotto for Sofie. I ordered another drink, and we settled back and caught up on what was going on with our lives outside of the office.
“I bumped into Kelsey a couple of nights ago. She was at the fundraiser for the pet shelter,” Sofie said as she scooped up some rice on her fork.
“Chardonnay on the Bay? Yeah, Kelsey loves that event. There’re a lot of rich, single men who go to it. I haven’t spoken to her since that day in the office with Trace. Wow… that seems like a lifetime ago.”
“After the horrible things she said about you behind your back, I’d never speak to her again either. And to think you were friends all those years.”
“I know. After all of that went down, I felt real shitty about it. I mean Kels and I hung out a lot, and I thought we were good friends. But when I think back on our friendship it seemed like I was the one making concessions all the time. Whatever Kelsey wanted to do we did it. And if she said she didn’t like someone, then I wasn’t supposed to either. If I did, she acted like I was a traitor. I guess I didn’t want to argue, so I just went with it. There were restaurants and bars that she didn’t want to go back to because none of the guys flirted with her. I mean it was crazy and I just accepted all of it. Of course I’d go back to the banned restaurants and bars with other friends, but I made sure Kelsey didn’t know about it. Nuts, huh?”
“Sometimes it’s easier to just go along with a friend’s quirks than to challenge them.”
“I guess. I’ll admit it was starting to wear thin. I still can’t believe how she lied about Trace and tried to convince me that he was a total jerk.”
“She didn’t want to tell you she cheated on him, and she was scared to death that you and he would get together. I mean, it was so obvious that you two were attracted to each other.”
I laughed then popped a morsel of crab in my mouth. “Did Kelsey ask about me?”
Sofie shook her head. “Not a word. She acted like I was her long lost friend. I was polite, but I only talked to her for a few minutes. She kept telling me she had her eyes on Langston Mitchell.”
“Of course she did. He’s from one of the wealthiest families in the city. I hope she finds what she’s looking for.” I took another sip of my drink.
“She’s looking for a rich man to give her everything she wants while turning a blind eye to her indiscretions,” Sofie said.
I nodded in agreement, and at that moment I felt sorry for Kelsey because she was so busy looking for a man who could give her material things that she was missing out on the richest gift of all—a real connection of heart, body, and soul.
“I wish things wouldn’t have ended on such a sour note. We did have some fun times.”
“That’s what makes it harder when you lose a friend,” Sofie said.
“When we were younger, finding a guy and getting married didn’t seem all that important. Kelsey dated a ton in college and after, but once she got it into her head that she needed to settle down and have a man support her, we started growing apart. I couldn’t pinpoint what was going on and I thought it was me being too focused on work. But when I think of it, Kelsey used to try and undermine my confidence a lot.”
“Sounds like it was time for you to move away from the friendship. Things always work out the way they’re supposed to.” Sofie ran her fingers up and down the stem of her glass.
“I just knew you’d say that at some point today. You’re the eternal optimist.” I chuckled.
“It’s better than being a pessimist. Life’s too short and wonderful to walk around with a black cloud over your head.”
For the next couple of hours, we drank, ate, talked, and laughed, and I realized how different my friendship with Sofie was compared to what it was with Kelsey. Sofie was non-judgmental, witty, and sincere in wanting the best for me as much as I wanted for her.
After we paid the bill, we walked over to the small parking lot.
“Have a good time at the Renaissance Festival,” I said as I opened the car door then tossed my purse on the passenger seat.
“I will. Colin’s looking forward to it and so am I. I’m jealous that you’re going to Carmel. You’ll have to tell me all about it. If it’s as fabulous as I think it’s going to be, I’ll have to go there with Colin.”
“I’ll let you know some of the details.” I smiled broadly. “What’re you going to do with your week off?”
“Laundry, shopping, cleaning my apartment, all the stuff that gets shoved to the back burner because of work. Colin said that we may sneak away early and leave on Wednesday instead of Thursday. Maybe we can grab a quick dinner on Tuesday?”
“I’m too swamped with the Besher account. But we’ll definitely go out for dinner the following week. I want to hear all about your trip too.”
“If we don’t talk before you leave have a great and sexy time with our boss.” She laughed.
It still felt funny going out with the boss of the company. When we were outside of work, I never thought about it, but when I was at Velocity, it still seemed strange. Some of the people disapproved of our relationship, but most of them were cool and didn’t treat me any differently than they did before Trace and I got together.
“You have fun too. Later.” I slipped into the car and drove away.
The rush of air swirled around as we made our way down Highway 1 to Ca
rmel. The early fall wind had a nip to it, and I tugged the scarf tighter against my neck. Driving down the coast was spectacular with views of the rugged coastline sprinkled with rocky outcroppings and ghostly cypress trees. As the road hugged the coast, foaming waves crashed against the white sands of the steep beaches below.
I glanced over at Trace, who was focused on the winding road, and tilted forward and kissed his cheek. He turned to me and stroked my cheek, smiling, and then fixed his eyes back on the road. As I watched him, a warm, funny sensation went through me. I loved him more than I ever thought it was possible to love a man. I leaned over and rested my head on his shoulder. He kissed the side of my head softly, and I sighed contentedly, knowing that he was mine and I was his.
Only a two and a half hour drive from San Francisco, we arrived in Carmel well before evening. We pulled up in front of a Mediterranean-style boutique inn that was tucked into the heart of Carmel Plaza. Its white-washed adobe walls, arched doorways, and twinkling white lights decorating the trees that surrounded it, made it seem magical.
“You like it?” Trace asked as he took the baggage from the trunk.
“It’s beautiful,” I gushed as I gave him a quick kiss.
After checking in, Trace opened the door to our suite and the sparkling waters of the Pacific greeted us from the opened French doors that led out to a large balcony. Camellias, wildflowers, cut grass, and the ocean blended together to give the breeze its unique scent—salty, with a hint of fruity freshness.
The bellman showed us around the enormous room, and when he pointed out the large marble bathroom, I laughed when I saw the Jacuzzi tub. Trace wound his arms around my waist and nuzzled my neck. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, really. It’s just that I was hoping there’d be a Jacuzzi tub.” I leaned back into him.
“I can’t wait to get you in it,” he breathed into my ear.
“Is there anything I can get for you?” the bellman asked.
“We’re good,” Trace replied as he handed him a twenty.