Sweet Little Lies

by Michele Grant

  That shook me more than anything else. Now, not only would I have to learn to trust men again (not likely), I had to regain my trust in my own judgment. I clearly had to have missed something along the way. Right?

  “Hey, Christina!” Jeri called out from down the hallway, waving happily. Jeri was tall and thin with a razor-cut bob and pale, pale skin. She was all sharp angles and lines with the exception of huge green eyes, which she lined heavily. Though she didn’t look it, Jeri was the corporate cheerleader, bless her heart. I tabled my introspection for later … after I survived the shark tank that was an editorial meeting at Valiant. I pulled my shoulders back, pasted on my best it’s-all-good smile, and headed toward the conference room.

  The New York Valiant office was designed like an old-school newspaper office but sleeker: rows of desks with low glass separators, offices along the walls with glass enclosures, open pit areas at each end.The color scheme was very simplistic, all primary colors with emphasis on blue. I followed the low-pile navy carpet through rows of cubes, smiling at co-workers as I walked through.

  “Hey, Jeri,” I said cheerfully as I paused to drop my suitcase and carry-on in the visitors’ office. I nodded and waved at a couple of staff members before I stepped into the conference room.There were six women and two men gathered around the table. They all looked at me with varying degrees of curiosity.

  “How are you?” Janet asked in that tentative, super-concerned tone people use when they suspect someone is suffering from post-traumatic stress. Janet was blond, sleek, and always looked like someone from Vogue styled her every morning.

  Jeri, Janet, and Jennifer formed a semicircle at the head of the table. Jennifer was a light-skinned sister who resembled Vanessa Williams but dressed conservatively like Condoleezza Rice. Lisa sat to her left. Lisa had some sort of mixed-race heritage, was slightly overweight, wore her long wavy hair in a ponytail every day, and dressed straight out of the Banana Republic catalog.

  Our Web designer/IT guy, Thomas, sat next to her. He was short, perpetually orange from the self-tanning lotion he was clearly addicted to, which clashed terribly with his shock of orangish red hair and light blue eyes. Next was our advertising operations manager, my girl, Carey. Carey had that cool, earthy sister vibe about her. Only slightly taller than me, she had the same complexion, long natural hair, dangly earrings, and loose, flowing clothes. Carey and I had attended Berkeley together (so many years ago) and had met outside the football players’ dorm waiting on the same guy.We both dumped him and had been friends ever since.

  Across from Carey was our research editor, Brandon. Given half a minute, Brandon would explain why he was the answer to every single sister’s prayers. Brandon was a Morehouse alum and self-proclaimed chic geek.To his credit, he was a tall, fine brother but always admired himself before anyone else got a chance to. Staring at him adoringly was young Rita, perpetually tanned and talkative, with chestnut hair and hazel eyes and the figure only girls under twenty-five have with no effort. Rita was our resident floater, who acted as administrative assistant, writer, copy editor, travel department, and whatever else the Js dreamed up. Rita was already a high-strung sort, and she looked ready to hyperventilate at any moment.

  I decided the best approach was a direct cut to the chase. “Okay, everyone can stop looking at me like I’m going to break for the window and jump.Yes, my engagement went to hell in a handbasket, but believe me when I say I dodged a bullet there. Besides, the longer you guys keep looking at me, the longer it will take to get this meeting done. And I have a date tonight.”Yep, after spending all that time making sure Steven knew this wasn’t a date, I invoked the “d” word for my own protection.

  Everyone’s face relaxed instantly.“Wow.”“Way to get back on the horse.” “Oh, we’re so glad.”The chorus of glad tidings followed me as I took the empty seat between Carey and Brandon. Smiling so hard my jaw ached, I sat down and powered on my laptop.

  “So what’s up, New Yorkers?” I asked.

  Jennifer nodded.“Let’s get started.We have a lot to cover.”

  Four hours later, I was wiped out but exhilarated. Gratefully, I snatched a turkey sandwich from the deli tray they were passing around. I had missed breakfast and we’d had no breaks in the meeting.

  The meeting was fast paced and information filled.Thanks to some savvy partnership agreements, Valiant Publications was about to expand in a major way. The influx of cash would mean updated Web design with server storage to match.All the fun ideas we had tossed around for the past three years to increase readership could actually get serious consideration.We were going to add staff, which meant all of us could quit wearing multiple hats and there would be more than three of us in the West Coast office.

  I was relieved. It looked like the gamble I took three years ago by accepting a job with Valiant instead of going to one of the more established publications was going to pay off.At least something in my life was working out the way I’d hoped. Okay, enough of that. I picked up my turkey on wheat with swiss and took a bite, tuning back in just in time for Jennifer to say, “So Lisa will be moving to San Francisco and she will share management of our West Coast operations with Christina.”

  I choked and reached for my water, taking a large swig. My eyes met Lisa’s across the table and she looked just as pleased as I was… not so much.

  The Js looked back and forth between the two of us. Janet asked,“Is that going to be a problem?”

  “Absolutely not,” I stated with as much ebullience as I could muster. I raised a brow at Lisa, daring her to say the same.

  “Well, if you all think that Christina can’t handle it alone, what with her emotional upheaval and all—of course I’m happy to bolster her up.”

  Jeri spoke before I could rise to the bait.“Christina hardly needs bolstering and you know it, Lisa.Truth is, we’re hoping to expand into TV down the line, so we have more than enough to keep both of you occupied for a while.You two will play nice, won’t you?”

  I smiled innocently.“I don’t know any other way to play.”

  “Great. So that’s settled,” Jennifer said. “Let’s go over content and advertising for the next few weeks.”

  One more hour later I was definitely fading. My energy was dipping below the reserve level when Janet called my name. “Christina, do you have your outline for the Halo Records article with you?”

  Clicking a few keys, I said, “Just sent it to you along with my research and interview schedule.”

  Brandon spoke up. “Look at you—I see you’re going to Yung T’s record launch party tomorrow night. That’s the hottest ticket in town. Gotta date? You know I’ll take one for the team if you need me to pinch-hit.” Yeah, Brandon had the tendency to come across condescending and a little icky from time to time.

  I rolled my eyes.“Depends on how tonight’s date goes.You can keep your bat sheathed for now, thanks.” Everyone but Brandon laughed. He shot an irritated glance in my direction.

  “And on that note…meeting adjourned,” Jennifer said.

  Thank God. I could not wait to get to the hotel room, spin twice in the shower and dive face-first into the bed. It seemed like forever and a day since I catnapped against Steven’s shoulder. Smiling slightly thinking about it, I walked into the visitors’ office to get my suitcase. Carey was right behind me and closed the door.

  “Okay, spill.What the hell happened with Jay, and who is tonight’s rebound date? When did you find time to pick up a date in New York? And most importantly …how are you?” She flung her arms out in a come-to-mama gesture.

  Laughing, I leaned into her and we shared a squeeze. I backed up and perched on the edge of the desk with a sigh. “Girl, I don’t have the energy to explain the Jay /David debacle to you right now.”

  “Jay/ David?”

  “Um-hmm. Seems he’s either one or the other. Maybe neither—who knows? Oh, I know who knows—his wife and his two kids: Dina and Daisy!”

  “The hell?”

  “Again, I
’ll have to catch you up at brunch on Sunday. But I think I’ll be taking some time off from men.”

  “Another of the famed Christina man-hiatus thingies?”

  Okay, I might have sworn to take man breaks before…and they never seemed to work out.“This time I mean it.”

  “I hear you talking. How is the family taking it?”

  “Joanna has gone all high-strung matriarch on me. Collin and Clarke threatened to kick his ass.”

  “I can’t see Clarke kicking anyone’s ass. It might wrinkle his Italian silk.”

  I had to snort out a laugh. Her description was dead-on accurate. Clarke Brinsley did not rumble.And for some reason, he and Carey had never gotten along. “Okay—well, he would’ve hired the best in the business to kick his ass, then.”

  “There you go.What’s the story on tonight’s date?”

  “Oh, it’s not a date. It’s dinner with my delivery guy.”

  “I’m sorry, did you just say deliveryman? What is Christina Bougie Brinsley doing dating the deliveryman? Is it that bad out there?”

  Pursing my lips, I shot her my patented you-are-so-not-funny look.“There’s nothing wrong with dating the delivery-man, snob. But he’s not my delivery guy anymore. He’s a graduate student at Columbia. Anyway, it’s just dinner. No date. I really just said that to quell the poor-Christina looks I was getting.”

  “Grad student? Go cougar, get your prowl on. How old is he?”

  “He’s twenty-six.”

  She treated me to her I-don’t-believe-a-word-you-are-saying look.“What is grad student’s name?”

  “Steven.”Twinkly, sparkly Steven.

  “Um-hmm. If you could see what your face just did when you said his name.”

  “What did it do?”

  “It went all soft.This is a date.”

  “It’s not a date! I’m just getting out of a doozy of a relationship, if you recall.”

  “Oh, I recall.”

  “All right then. It’s just dinner.”

  “Got it.This makes sense.You’re having dinner on a Friday night with a young man who makes your face go fuzzy and it’s not a date. How long have you known this guy?”

  “Seriously—he was my package-delivery guy for close to a year.”

  “And all he was delivering was boxes and envelopes, right? He wasn’t slipping you an afternoon express every once in a while?”

  I laughed. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Carey Elizabeth Jaymes.Yes, he delivered mail-sanctioned packages.That is all. He happened to be on the same red-eye last night.We were gonna go grab breakfast, but the meeting was called so we rain-checked for dinner.”

  “Dinner on a Friday night in Manhattan with a young man? Less than ten days after what was apparently a disastrous implosion of your engagement to Dina and Daisy’s daddy? Christina Violet Tempest Brinsley:This is a date.”

  I threw my hands up. I clearly wasn’t going to convince her.“Think what you like. I’ve got to go get some sleep.”

  “Yeah, beauty sleep so you look all sexy for your hot date tonight.”

  “Carey!”

  She grinned evilly.“Huh?”

  I shook my head and leaned forward to hug her again.“It’s so great to see you.We’re still on for Sunday?”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Bring your new man. Oh, you probably don’t want to talk about the Jay thing in front of him.”

  “He saw the whole thing go down. But he’s not my young man, so I won’t be seeing him again after tonight.”With that I grabbed up my stuff, swerved around her, and started wheeling out the door. Quickly.

  “He what?! But how? Now you know I need details.” Carey was racing along, chasing behind me to the elevator as I waved and said my see-you-laters to the team.“I’m not going to be able to wait until Sunday!”

  “What’s on Sunday?” Lisa called out as we whizzed by.We both ignored her.

  Finally I reached the elevator and pushed the DOWN button. “You’re going to have to, unless you want to come out with me tomorrow—but I know how Bryan plans your weekends down to the minute.” Bryan had been Carey’s boyfriend for over six years now. He was a bit of a control freak and seemed disinclined to formalize their relationship beyond moving in and planning their every moment.

  Carey’s smiled faded a little bit.“Okay, we’ll talk Sunday.”

  Concerned, I put my hand on her arm.“Are you okay? Are you and Bryan okay?”

  “We are exactly the same.”

  “Oh.”The elevator dinged.“Listen, I can call off this dinner if you want to come to the hotel and have a room service slumber party tonight?”

  She pushed me toward the elevator.“What? Have you miss out on the non-date date with the hot delivery guy?”

  “Who told you he was hot?” I stepped on the elevator and turned around.

  She threw back her head with laughter.“You just did. Have a good time.”

  With that, the elevator doors closed.

  6

  Is This Still Not a Date?

  Steven—Friday, August 14, 8:32 p.m.

  Iswitched my weight from foot to foot as I waited for Christina to come down to the hotel lobby.When I called up to her room, she said she’d be right down. I kept my eyes on the elevator doors but hadn’t seen her. But there was this one woman …an absolute knockout.And then I froze.

  I did not recognize Christina when she first got off the elevator. I had seen Christina in business suits and sweats (and that last bathrobe incident). Never had I seen her look like this. She had on a short, light green sleeveless dress that fit everywhere it was supposed to. Showed off incredibly smooth brown skin and long legs. She had on high-heeled shoes with her toes peeking out. Her long black hair was curly; her lips were glossy and tinted a purple-pink color. Something pretty twinkled on her ears and throat. My mouth went dry and then so wet I had to swallow. I had thought she was a cute girl. She was a beautiful woman.A really beautiful woman.

  She walked toward me with a brow raised. “What is the matter with you? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  I tried to regain some composure.“Like what?”

  “Like you’ve never seen me before.”

  I ran my eyes up and down her once more.“I’ve never seen you look like this.You look amazing.”

  She grinned.“I clean up well, and thank you.”

  “That’s putting it mildly.”

  She took a moment and looked me over. I knew I was on point.Tailored tan slacks, crisp white shirt, white linen jacket. She nodded.“You know you look good, youngster.”

  I smiled. “I’m a youngster now, hmm? Okay, I see you. Is this still not a date?”

  “Definitely not a date.” She was firm.

  “Even though you have on the pumps and gloss?” I couldn’t resist teasing her.

  “I’m being polite. When you called, you said to dress for someplace nice. I didn’t want to shame you.”

  “I so very much appreciate your efforts on my behalf. Shall we go?” I gestured toward the revolving doors.

  “Have a great evening, folks!” the doorman called out as we stepped out into the hot and humid night. I was really going to miss my mild Bay Area weather.

  “Thanks!” I answered, and turned left. “Do you mind walking? It’s not very far.”

  “Sure, why not?” she said easily.

  As we stepped forward, I moved her to the inside so I was closer to the street and reached for her hand to clasp it in mine. She stopped dead in her tracks. I looked over.“What?”

  “That was a very datelike thing you just did. Taking the street side and holding my hand.”

  I glanced at our linked fingers.“Christina, how many times do I have to tell you? I am a gentleman.And I’m not trying to date you.” I really wouldn’t mind sleeping with her; but as prickly as she was—no way would I make that move. I couldn’t blame her. But she was mighty skittish. I definitely didn’t notice her releasing my hand either.

  She squeezed my h
and for a quick second. “Still not a date.”

  I squeezed back and we continued walking. “Got it. No date here.And a good thing, too.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Oh, if this was a date you’d be in trouble tonight, Ms. Brinsley.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Most definitely. I’d be trying out some of my best moves on you.”

  She snorted.“What makes you think I’m interested in seeing your moves, Mr.Williams?”

  “You don’t wear a dress like that and shoes like those without expecting a brother to pant a little, try a little sumthin’. C’mon now.”

  “Are you panting a little?”

  “Just a little.You know I’m smooth with mine.”

  “Those smooth moves, do they work for you?”

  “More often than you’d think.”

  She sent me a side-eye.“I’ll just bet. Good thing, then.”

  “Like I said. I’m a gentleman. Man of my word and all.”

  “You’re a rare breed.”

  “I thought you knew.”

  Christina laughed.“Ha! You talk a good game, I’ll give you that.”

  “Again, I thought you knew.”

  “I actually don’t know you at all.”

  I slid her a glance. “I thought you wanted to keep it that way.”

  “Excellent point.”

  For someone who proclaimed not to be on a date, she sure looked the part and did the flirty banter well. We walked in companionable silence the rest of the way to the restaurant. Cutting past the people waiting outside, I went straight to the maître d’ station.“Williams, party of two.”

  “Right this way, sir. Madam. Is this your first time at Pesca?”

  Christina said yes as I said no. He led us to a booth on the side wall and seated us. Handing us the menus, he snatched the Reserved sign and snapped his fingers. A large bottle of San Pellegrino water was placed on the table. “Your server, Jason, will be out momentarily to get your drink orders and answer any questions about the menu. Chef David has asked to be informed when you arrived, so I’ll go tell him now. Enjoy.”