"Uh-oh. Shit," Sarah said.
"What? What's uh-oh?" Marly asked.
"Well, remember when Veronica told me I had to do errands earlier? One of them was dropping a laptop off at Jasper's. It was a new Mac," Sarah said.
"How do you know it was mine? I assumed IT would have just brought it to me and hooked it up."
"They get stupid when Jasper calls them directly. All nervous and stuff. They probably dropped it off up here because they wanted him to know they had done it, and then Veronica didn't get the message it was for you and assumed it was for Jasper's home," Sarah said, slowing down at the end. "Or did she?"
"Did she what? Sarah, between you and me, I feel like she doesn't like me and is trying to screw me over or something," Marly confided.
"It wouldn't surprise me if she was. But this would look bad on her, not you. Although she will probably throw the IT guys under the bus and say they didn't tell her it was yours."
"So now what do I do? I wanted to work from home tonight, and my other laptop isn't able to sign on to any of the servers now because they must have killed the access from it when they enabled access on the new one." Marly was irritated. When Jasper had said she'd get access to all the designs, it was like a ray of hope. She needed to bust ass if she was going to put her plan into action, and she needed to do it tonight. She couldn't believe that such an established company had so many screwups. Or maybe it was just her bad luck.
"Well, let me see, and I will call you back in a few minutes, okay?"
"Okay." Marly chewed her bottom lip, tapping her fingers on her desk as she waited for Sarah's call back. There wasn't much else she could do.
The phone rang, causing her to jump. It was Sarah.
"Okay, I was right, and it is at Jasper's. He's furious. Not at you, but at Veronica and the IT peeps. But he said you can come get it now."
Marly's eyes widened. "Huh? Get it where?"
"Jasper's. You know he lives in the building right next door, right? In the penthouse."
Marly took a deep breath. At his house? She couldn't go there! But she needed that laptop now. And besides, she was a professional with a job to do. What was the big deal about going to the boss's house? He'd probably just shove the laptop out the door at her. Or have his butler do it.
"I didn't know that, but I guess it makes sense. You mean the one directly next to us on the left? So do I just go there and head to the penthouse? Does he know I'm coming?" She hoped she didn't sound childlike or insecure, even though she was feeling both.
Sarah laughed. "Why do you sound scared? It's just Jasper. Yes, the one on the left. Yeah, I will tell him you are on your way. No big deal."
Sarah hung up, and Marly stared at the phone. Was she really going to have to go to Jasper's penthouse? She had no choice. She had to go get the laptop. But even while part of her didn't want to go, a little jolt of excitement ran through another part of her. Especially when she thought about how his blue eyes weren't always cold and the kind way he'd read to those children at the hospital.
Jasper Kenney wasn't always a corporate shark. And she couldn't help but feel as if they had some kind of connection. It turned her insides to mush.
She grabbed her purse and headed on her way, not even stopping in the ladies' room to check herself out. What did it matter how she looked? She couldn't indulge in any schoolgirl fantasies about Jasper. Her mother's life depended on it.
14
The lobby at 2010 Park Place made Marly feel like a midget. It was gargantuan, with open hallways that looked down at the marble-lined walls and floors from twenty stories up. Glass elevators stopped at different levels, the people getting in and out in various states of attire.
It was more like the lobby of an upscale hotel than an apartment building, which was exactly what Marly had always thought it was. There was even a doorman to let her in and a concierge desk. She looked uncertainly at the front desk. Should she announce that she was here to visit Jasper?
"Excuse me, miss, can I help you?" a friendly voice asked her from behind.
Marly turned to find an older gentleman in a suit standing there.
"Oh, hello. No, I am just visiting someone. Jasper Kenney," Marly replied.
"Oh! Of course. You must be Marly. Mr. Kenney is expecting you. I'm Robert. Let me show you to Mr. Kenney's apartment."
He walked Marly over past the bank of glass elevators, around a corner to another single elevator. Above it read Penthouse Access Only. He inserted a key card, and the door opened up.
He gestured for her to step in and followed her into the mahogany-paneled elevator, pressing the P button.
"This is a gorgeous building," Marly said.
"Yes, it is. Thank you. It was renovated about ten years ago. It used to be offices. Now it's all apartments—technically townhomes. Luxury townhomes," Robert said.
"Have you worked here long?" Marly asked even though his sense of pride in the building told her that he had.
"Oh, yes. I've worked for the Kenney family for almost thirty years now. I started here in this building and never left," Robert said with a smile.
"Is this building owned by the Kenneys? I didn't realize that."
"Yes, ma'am. Well, technically, they sold the building to individuals who purchased the townhouses. But they own a portion of it as well as maintain it and still run it—the concierge services and the like. It's like a small city inside here," Robert explained as the elevator came to a stop. He again inserted his card, and the doors opened up.
Robert stepped out, holding the elevator door for Marly. They were in a hallway, which had two large plush leather chairs on either side of a double set of doors. Robert rang a buzzer, and after several seconds, Jasper appeared.
He was wearing a blue T-shirt that hugged his muscular chest, showed off his biceps, and deepened his sky-blue eyes. His hair was slightly messy, as if he'd been running his hands through it. The entire look was a deep departure from his usual stuffy-CEO look, and when he cracked that dimpled smile, Marly's heart flipped over.
Stop it—you're just here to get a laptop.
"Miss West is here, sir. Can I get you anything?" Robert asked Jasper.
"Thank you, Robert. No. No, we will be fine. Go enjoy the Yankees game." Jasper grinned at Robert and winked. Robert smiled, shook Marly's hand, and headed back onto the elevator.
Jasper's place was exactly how Marly had imagined it would be. Huge. Floor-to-ceiling windows. Very contemporary furniture—white leather, mostly. Black tiled floors, probably granite. There was an outdoor patio that looked as if it ran the entire length of the apartment. It also had an outdoor fireplace, the kind that had the rocks in it and ran with the flick of a switch. Marly found herself gaping at the extravagance.
"What?" Jasper asked her as he walked toward the patio.
"Hmm? Oh, nothing." Jesus, she sounded like a bimbo.
"You think my place is ridiculous, don't you? Pretentious?" Jasper looked at her intently as if he really cared what she thought. Did he? With his hands shoved in his pockets, he reminded her of a little boy looking for her approval.
Marly's heartbeat picked up speed at the notion that he might care what she thought. No, that was crazy. He'd probably entertained gorgeous supermodels in this same penthouse. Why would he care what she thought?
"No! Not at all. This is gorgeous. I just…well, it suits you well." Marly didn't know what to say. She didn't want to come off as rude. And she wasn't trying to be. It was an amazing place. It just was a little over the top for her tastes.
"Now maybe you see why I said me having a car was a bit ridiculous. It's a five-minute walk to work."
Marly laughed. "Oh, yeah. Well, I guess you still need to get around, and I'm sure get away at times, too." Marly wondered where her laptop was. She didn't spot it anywhere, and the place was so clean it would have stood out.
"When Sarah called me to say you would be by to pick up your laptop, she also reminded me she had stuffed my fridge with
some of her latest food creations. If you aren't in a rush, I thought we could perhaps have a working dinner? I know it's last minute, but I'm eager to start on the fall line for your plus size and thought we could go over a few things now, as the next few weeks I will be traveling and out of the office a lot."
Jasper's demeanor was nonchalant, which put Marly at ease. This really was just going to be all business, which suited her just fine, despite the jab in her heart when he said he would be traveling and out of the office a lot. What was up with that?
She was in a hurry to get going so she could get the designs for Tanner but didn't want to seem suspicious to Jasper. What budding designer would turn down a working dinner with the CEO? No one. One more hour wouldn't hurt, she supposed.
"Sounds good to me, as long as you're okay with me throwing ideas out versus having them down for you to look at. I didn't have access to my files most of the day because of this laptop snafu." Marly was surprised at herself for being so cool and collected. She really wanted to get that laptop home, alone, but didn't want to be rude. Plus, she had to admit part of her couldn't resist Jasper's dinner invitation.
"Sorry about that. There was some mix-up with IT and Veronica. Let's eat outside." Jasper motioned toward the patio.
"Okay. How about you get my laptop so I can write as we discuss ideas, and I'll grab the food."
"Deal. The kitchen is over there. Feel free to snoop around," Jasper said as he headed down a hallway, Marly assumed to get her laptop.
The townhouse was open concept, so she couldn't really miss the gourmet kitchen, which opened up into the living room. The two were separated by a granite-topped breakfast bar. The dark-mahogany cabinets complemented sparkling stainless steel appliances.
Opening the fridge, she saw the containers Sarah had left him. They were all labeled with delicious-sounding entrees. She wasn't sure what Jasper wanted and didn't want to yell across the townhouse to ask, so she decided to heat up a few dishes and they could pick at them. Shrimp Alfredo, steak in garlic sauce, green beans with slivered almonds, homemade rosemary bread.
The smells made her mouth water. She rummaged in the cabinets for platters and plates, placing the two main dishes on a large platter then cutting the steak into pieces. She put the green beans in a bowl and placed the bread on another platter, adding some butter to it. She grabbed the main platter and bread and headed outside, where Jasper was already sitting. He stood up to open the door for her.
"Wow. That smells great," he said.
"Here, you take these, and I'll grab the rest." Marly handed him the platters then headed back inside for the green beans, plates, and silverware.
She placed everything on the glass patio table and sat down in the cushioned bamboo chair.
"Drinks. We need drinks. Is white wine okay? Water? Soda?" Jasper asked.
Marly thought back to the last time they had had a drink together. She hoped she wasn't going to spill something on him again.
"White wine would be fine, and a glass of water also, if you don't mind."
Jasper went inside to get the drinks, giving Marly a chance to appreciate her surroundings. It was a beautiful summer night in New York, a gentle breeze blowing the air enough to make it almost time to wear a light sweater. She could hear the muffled traffic down below, but it was far enough away so as to create a background noise, which was more pleasant than the annoyance it would be on the street level.
The patio was about thirty feet wide and fifty feet long, a solid concrete slab. It had oversized couches that were shaped in an "L" configuration, with a large coffee table in front made out of slate. There was a separate seating area around the fireplace. The entire patio was full of various flowers in floor vases and lush green bushes in giant pots, giving it the feeling that you were in a backyard instead of the top of a twenty-story building.
Jasper walked back out onto the patio, a bottle of wine and two glasses in one hand and water in the other. He set them down on the table and poured Marly some wine.
"Before we start, I have to mention something." Jasper's tone turned serious.
Marly's stomach clenched. Did he know what she was up to with Tanner?
"This food that Sarah has been making, do you know anything about it? I mean, it's delicious. I didn't know she was such a good cook until recently." Jasper put a heaping serving of the shrimp Alfredo on his plate.
Marly breathed a sigh of relief.
"She's going to culinary arts school. You didn't know? So she's been making up all kinds of variations of food lately for her classes. I agree with you that they are delicious," Marly explained to him, taking a small portion of the steak. She would have loved a giant slab of it but was determined to stay on her diet. Fifty pounds down, and twenty more to go.
"Hmm. Not sure I knew that. I know I should. She's had a few jobs, and it's hard to keep up. Great girl, though," Jasper said as he worked his way through his food. He had a healthy appetite and apparently wasn't "all knowing" since he didn't realize Sarah was going to culinary school. For some reason, that put Marly at ease. Jasper was human, just like everyone else.
She liked this side of him. He was more relaxed, casual. More like a friend than the boss at the office. Better not get too comfortable, her inner voice warned.
They finished eating, and Jasper suggested they move to the area by the fireplace as he handed Marly her laptop.
"Wow. Thanks. This is really more than I needed." Marly couldn't hide her excitement. It was a top-of-the-line Mac. Better than what anyone else in the office had.
"You don't have to thank me. To be honest, I was embarrassed when I saw your laptop at the meeting, and it made me realize our IT department hasn't exactly been keeping up with technology. I know it costs money, but it's worth the expense." Jasper settled into a chair.
"Well, this will be a huge help to me with the designs. And since we are on such a short timeline, I need all the help I can get." Marly sat down across from the fireplace and logged on to the laptop.
"Marly, don't take this the wrong way, but the way you dress is exactly why I know you will make this new line a success. You clearly know how to accentuate the positive," Jasper said.
Marly looked up from her screen, unsure of how to respond. Was he flirting? Or was this normal talk, since they were in the fashion industry? It must be normal talk. But what if it wasn't?
"Thanks. I try," she mumbled, wanting to smack herself as soon as she said it. She sounded so stupid and immature.
She grabbed her wine glass and knocked back the contents. Jasper poured her more.
"So let's brainstorm this new line." Jasper moved to the chair next to Marly, causing her heartbeat to kick up a notch. This was ridiculous. She couldn't get all hot and bothered when Jasper was around, or she'd never be able to work with the man.
For the next hour, Marly focused on telling Jasper about her vision for the new plus-size line. He seemed genuinely interested. He even kicked in some ideas of his own, and they were great ideas, too. Apparently, he wasn't just a CEO—he had an artistic eye for design too. Marly incorporated the ideas on the fly and then added some of her own tweaks on top. It was fun, like designing with a friend, and for a while she forgot that Jasper was the CEO and she was the lowly clerk… and about her extracurricular activities with Tanner.
Jasper seemed just as excited, too, and that made her even more excited. Before she knew it, the sun had gone down, and a chill crept into the air. Clouds had rolled in. Marly excused herself so she could grab her blazer.
"No need for your blazer. That's an easy fix," Jasper said, standing up and flicking a switch on the fireplace.
"Thanks. This is all so beautiful. You must spend a lot of time out here."
"I wish. Actually, this is the first time I have been out here in months. I just never take the time to enjoy it, especially lately with sales dwindling." Jasper poured them both more wine. "I don't usually worry too much about the other fashion houses, but I'm starting to. Mostly Th
eorim. Tanner has something up his sleeve. I can sense it."
Marly's heart skidded. Maybe Jasper was on to her. Maybe he'd called her here on the pretext of going over the new line in order to see what she knew and then confront her. But why would he go to this trouble? Feeding her dinner? Giving her wine? No, he had no idea of her treachery.
"Is Tanner the CEO?" she asked innocently.
"Yes. They're our main competitor... well, you probably know that, right?" Jasper asked, sounding concerned.
"Oh, I know, I just don't really pay attention to the people other than the designers. I did all that research on them, remember? The sales figures. Anyway, we will have an awesome fall line, so don't worry." Marly kept her voice light despite the fact that her heart was pounding and she felt like an asshole pretending not to know who Tanner Durcotte was.
Jasper trusted her, and she was going to screw him over. She had no choice, but she knew it would end her job at Draconia. And her friendship with Jasper… if that was what it was. Too bad she actually loved what she was doing, and felt she was kicking ass doing it. She would be blacklisted from the industry when word got around about what she'd done.
"You look as worried as I am," Jasper said to her, laughing. "You have put my mind at ease, though, Marly. I trust you with this new line."
Hearing that made Marly feel worse, not better. A pang of guilt pierced her heart.
"Thanks. I should get going now. I have some work to do in my office before I head home." Marly was starting to feel a little buzz from the wine, and she didn't want it to affect her decisions.
Working out here on the patio with the fire was too close for comfort. Marly desperately wanted to get away before she lost her resolve about giving Tanner the designs. She couldn't let her mother down.
"I'll help you clean up." Marly shot up from her chair and started gathering the glasses and plates from the table.
"No. Let me do that." Jasper tugged at the plates in her hand.
In Over Her Head (Corporate Chaos Series Book 1) Page 8