One of a Kind

by Michelle Monkou

  Men came and went, never fulfilling her needs, never complementing or balancing her. She’d learned not to expect anyone to ever step into the role. In a way, she’d convinced herself that she didn’t need anyone permanent to fill the void.

  Family was out for that position. The Meadows clan could only be taken in small doses. In the past, it had been easier to avoid the usual drama with a distraction like her internship at Meadows Media, which she had had before coming on as a regular employee.

  She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her closed bedroom door. On the other side was a man whose job it was to fix her. In the process, his coaching strengthened what she knew to be deep inside herself. Maybe that’s why she’d fallen so hard for him. Her fingers curled into the sheet. The realization hit her with the impact of a pillow to the head, not hurtful, but with enough momentum to seize her breath and send her in a dizzying spin as she fell back onto the bed.

  Love. She loved Kent Fraser.

  “How’s the water?” he asked at the closed door.

  She sat up in case he came in. Everything had to appear normal. She had to act as though he had not reached the inner sanctum of her heart. To hand over her feelings was to surrender her independence, her ability to think straight. The women in, and close to, the Meadows family—Grace and Henry in particular—were stark examples of their handling and mishandling of love.

  “I’m now going in.” She stripped out of her clothes and reached for the thick plush robe that she was sure hadn’t been in her closet before.

  Off-white lit scented candles greeted her as she walked into the small bathroom. Candles decorated the surrounding surface, emitting the delicate scent of vanilla. Flickering flames provided a warm glow in the space. She didn’t know how many candles had been used for that effect. But it worked to add to a magical, ethereal scene that allowed her entry into its world.

  The invitation to sink into the warm water couldn’t be denied. She filled the remaining space in the tub with hot water, poured in a liberal dose of cleanser, and grabbed her spa pillow. Now for the music. And she’d be all set.

  “I’ve got your hot chocolate.” Kent knocked at the door.

  “Why are you spoiling me?”

  “Consider it a reward.”

  “For a job well done?” Dana slipped off her robe and stepped into the water. Her body sighed as much as she actually did as she sank under the suds. The R&B songs playing in the background helped her relax as the singer crooned about the one who got away. She adjusted the spa pillow and leaned back.

  “Aren’t you coming in?” she asked Kent.

  “No. I’m here to serve you.” He offered a small teacup of rich chocolate.

  “This is so decadent.”

  “I got the recipe when I was in Milan. They think our hot chocolate is revolting because it’s diluted with water or milk.”

  She sipped the mixture that looked thick enough to dunk strawberries in. Her taste buds exploded with the warm elixir. Its smooth texture and rich chocolate flavor made her want more.

  Kent kissed her, swiping the excess chocolate with his tongue. This small, helpful act wakened her longing. Not that it ever slept around Kent. Her body was always on heightened alert in his proximity.

  “You need to make this for me again.” Dana wiped the cup with her finger, feeding herself and then Kent. He sucked her finger clean and added a kiss on her mouth as a final touch.

  “Time to wash up.” He took the sponge from her and squeezed the shower gel on it. “Your arm?”

  She raised her arm for his attention. Each stroke across her skin sloughed away the exhaustion of the day. His arm slid against her as he continued to attend to her body. She leaned forward for her back’s turn. Heaven. He spared no inch of her skin.

  “I might need your services more often,” Dana moaned.

  “My pleasure.”

  The man definitely had the skills of a spa attendant. Her every muscle had been stroked into submission until she was completely relaxed.

  “Water is cooling. Do you want me to refresh it?”

  “No. I’m wiped out.” She bit back a yawn. Before she could gather the strength to push up out of the tub, he scooped her out. The water drained off her body. With little exertion, he walked to the bed and lowered her onto a towel that was laid out. He dried her off, applied lotion, and slipped on her pajamas.

  She reached up and pulled him down toward her. “Stay the night?”

  He kissed her, long and deep. “You need your rest. You’ve got another round of interviews. This time, keep your emotions low-key.”

  “I did fine.” She wasn’t being cocky, but she had managed to take charge of the interview. “And I didn’t need the media training.” She curled up against him, her leg thrown carelessly over his. “We can count this one as a practice run.”

  He cuddled next to her. She nestled in the crook of his arm. A state of drowsiness settled upon her. She hoped that he did decide to stay the night. He’d made it a sweet, romantic way to end her day.

  * * *

  Kent waited until Dana fell asleep. He listened to her breathing, waiting for it to grow deep and even. His pride had burst when he saw her on the TV. Her confidence had certainly grown in a short time.

  She wasn’t far from the possibility of falling into self-defeating traps, though. The interview questions would get more challenging, more personal, to incite a reaction from her. Working with Dana had tuned him in to what her triggers were. The minute the interviewer asked a question, he knew what Dana’s reaction would be. He’d hoped that an internal brake would have activated her restraint. That’s what he feared the most. That, in proving herself to him, to her family, and to the world, she would adopt an overly aggressive attitude to demand respect.

  She sighed in her sleep.

  He liked watching her sleep. Her face was calm. Her problems didn’t seem to weigh as heavily on her as when she was awake and her brow was knit with deep creases.

  “I will do whatever is in my power to help you get this job,” he told her drowsing form. He’d do so with the limited time that he had, with the board meeting in less than a month and Grace’s expected final announcement bestowing the CEO title on Dana.

  He didn’t know why Grace had not come down on them with red-hot anger after the television interview. And he knew that she wasn’t playing spectator on the sidelines.

  No, he was being judged by Grace. What the rules were, he didn’t know. More importantly, was he capable of doing the right thing, for Dana and for Grace? He could only go by his ability to read people and staying in tune to their needs.

  Chapter 13

  “The mother of all interviewers wants to talk to you.” Leona danced around with the information.

  “How many more of these I have to do?” Dana stretched her back. She’d love a massage and wished that Kent was around. He’d gone back to England to prepare for his upcoming leadership summit. The idea of seeing him on his home turf dulled the edges of disappointment at her empty bed for the past few evenings.

  “The annual meeting is in two weeks. Hang in there.”

  “The announcement is expected to be made. Grace is going quiet on me. Haven’t seen much of her.”

  “You have got to understand that the upcoming weeks are just as difficult for her, maybe more so. It’s like another child that has grown up and she must move on.”

  “Are you her defender for life? What are you going to do once she’s retired? Are you interested in a job here?”

  “No. I have been with your grandmother for fifteen years. The job came to me at a time when I needed something solid. Grace had a knack for taking in the broken and mending them.”

  Dana looked up to see if Leona referred to her. No, instead she had drifted back to that time when Grace had been an
employer, but also a mentor.

  Grace, Kent, Dana—they were all broken in some form.

  “Does Grace want me to do the interview?” Dana asked.

  “She’s not voicing her opinions. I think that Henry has stepped in to make sure she goes through with everything, including taking her helicopter hover-mode out of range.”

  “The old girl must be panicked.” The idea didn’t bring any humor with it. Her grandmother also had to face her future, the next phase where she had to come to terms with moving aside—and staying there—until her last breath.

  “I do think that you should conduct the interview. That’s mega-news. Wait until you’re back from the summit. It’ll be your exclamation that you aren’t second best.”

  “I am.” Dana leaned in and whispered, “I cannot replace Grace. She was the best.”

  “She was the best for the times when she led and within the context of her history. You have more avenues to either create a niche or to enhance the big services. And you can be the best at that. So, don’t ever say you’re not. Besides, they will eat you alive if you do.”

  “I used to think that I wanted to be like my mother. Pretty. Happy. Sailing through the world in a bubble of good cheer and certain self-indulgent madness.”

  “Elaine could have been a part of Meadows Media, if she wanted.”

  “I wouldn’t have thought so. But I’ve come to realize that my mother did many things and took many of the actions that she did to dispel any notion that she had the intelligence to be a part of the company. She knew that saying no wouldn’t save her from enlistment.”

  Leona said nothing.

  “It didn’t save me,” Dana admitted.

  “You were about thirteen when we first met.”

  “I gave Grace so much hell.” Dana had apologized many times to her grandmother for being so spiteful. She’d felt so betrayed by those who were supposed to love her.

  “It was nothing more than Grace probably did at your age. I keep telling you that you’re alike.” Leona chuckled. “You’ve got the brain, but you’ve also got grit.”

  “Grit.” Dana had gotten so used to seeing Leona that she couldn’t fathom not having her around. Grace’s personal assistant had seen it all, heard it all. She had filled the space between her mother’s absence and Grace’s passion. Everything Leona said came with a certain sadness that, like everyone else, she was also moving on with life, taking that turn to the next phase to travel the world at a leisurely pace.

  “That’s what it took to build and keep this company for so many years. And it’s what it’ll take to go full steam into the twenty-first century.”

  Dana didn’t doubt the grit part. But one day, Grace would be gone. Whether she had ruled by fear or from respect, she held the family in its place. Right now the gates were rattling, for they smelled fresh meat. Those who felt overlooked wanted to make a play. Those who didn’t care, but didn’t have a voice, wanted to be heard. Her cousins hadn’t ever called her this much for any girls’ night.

  “My world is changing.” Dana glanced at her email inbox that blinked almost every second with messages. Her phone never stopped ringing. Her office now had a small closet for clothes, as she was usually either headed off to impromptu meetings or hopping a flight to one of the company’s subsidiaries.

  “That’s why you are the future.”

  “Gosh, that sounds trite.”

  Leona shrugged. “It’s the truth. Listen to your gut.”

  Dana leaned back in her chair. She stretched out her legs on the desk and crossed them. Her gut was a greedy machine. Her ego wanted Meadows Media. Her heart wanted Kent. The race was on and she hated to think that only one could win. She hated to consider that she’d have to choose.

  “I’ll do the interview, but with Grace.” Dana looked at Leona. “Like you said, let’s make this the exclamation point.”

  “I’ll check with her.”

  Dana didn’t move after Leona left. The impact of what she had said still reverberated. What to do with the company in the twenty-first century? Already she had a few ideas. She wished Kent was around to knock around the scenarios.

  “Dana, I’ve brought a package for you.” Sasha stood in the doorway, grinning so wide that her eyes looked closed.

  Dana stood to take the unexpected delivery. The mail run had already been done for the morning. “Why didn’t you open it?”

  “It’s not mine to open,” Sasha said and walked out of the room still wearing that smile.

  The package sat on her desk unopened for several minutes. Finally, she pulled it close. There was no return address. Still, she was sure Sasha knew who’d sent it. She’d hoped that a return address would have revealed Kent as the sender. Disappointment stung.

  In short order, she broke the seal around the box. The potent, concentrated scent of vanilla hit her nose. Yes, this was a gift that was meant for her to open. She continued opening the box. A dozen candles of various shapes, all vanilla-scented, were in the box.

  A small white envelope lay on the top with her name neatly written on it. She set down the box, zeroing in on the note.

  A reminder that I am always thinking of you— Kent

  The vanilla scent covered the small note. With eyes closed, she held it to her nose. What she wouldn’t give for a vanilla-infused bath and a wonderful back rub afterward. Taking her time, she removed each candle from the box and placed them around her office. She wanted them to surround her. No matter which direction she turned, she wanted to see them.

  Not one day had gone by when she didn’t wear the pearls Kent had given her. Some days, she wore them around her neck. Others, she wound them around her wrist like a fashionable bracelet. Once she’d even worn them in her hair, looped around her ponytail holder. In some ways, she treated the jewelry like an engagement ring.

  She looked at her naked finger and closed her hand. Wishful thinking never got her anywhere. Like all the other secrets and private wishes she had stored over the years, she managed to squeeze in one more.

  Kent, to have and to hold.

  “Till death do us part,” she wished. With a sigh, she took the note and slipped it in her drawer.

  Time to get back to work.

  * * *

  “Kent, I don’t need a washing machine.” Despite her reservations, his mother circled the washer-dryer set and opened the washer lid.

  There was no mistaking the satisfactory nod as she inspected the depth of the tub, the various knobs, even the little drawer mechanism for the specialized detergent and clothes softener. The dryer earned more than a nod. Her smile emanated as she checked the list of attributes the manufacturer claimed.

  “It’s yours.” He turned to the salesman to give him the information.

  “I can’t. I really don’t need a new one. Your stepfather already bought one.”

  “Not as good as this.”

  She looked back at the duo. “You’re right that it’s not as good. But it’s what I need.” She turned to the salesman who sensed that he wasn’t about to make a sale. “Thank you, young man.”

  He stalked off with shoulders rigid and no backwardly hopeful glance.

  His mother shook her head and turned to him. “Now, it’s time I get home.”

  Kent sulked all the way to her house. He couldn’t understand her growing reluctance to accept anything from him. Alister didn’t help either, making it difficult for her to take his gifts.

  “I still don’t understand.” He’d parked in front of the house. Rather than go in and stay for dinner, he’d prefer to head home to his empty flat. Right now he was too irritable to hide his hurt and frustration. While he felt that his stepfather deserved to know how much he hated that he’d brainwashed his mother, he didn’t want to create a spectacle in front of his step-siblings, who managed t
o look up to him, unlike their father.

  “Why did you marry him? You didn’t need to marry him to get out of the estates. I would have gotten us out. I was this close.”

  “Is that what you think?” She’d opened the door. Now she sat back in the seat and pulled the door closed. The car’s interior light revealed her shock. By the time it got dark again, she seemed rigid and eerily calm.

  “Mum, you and I were a team. We got past the big bad wolf.” He made an attempt to lighten the mood.

  “Yes, we did. And still life was hard. But I met Alister and I fell in love when I didn’t think I had any chance of ever feeling that need to hope, trust and care again.” She cupped his face. Passing cars’ headlights caught the tears hovering on her lids. “But I did. I fell in love with a man who had no pretense about him. He was a mechanic and will be that until he can’t work.” She turned toward the house. “We have many things. And we don’t have quite a few. What we do have is love.”

  Kent didn’t want to see his mother cry. He had spent too many years doing that. Even after she had divorced his father, she continued to be sad. He’d never felt so useless. What could he do? He had spent his days thinking how he could get them out of the estate flats and into a family home with him and her, the survivors. That was his job, as man of the house.

  He’d set about his new job by working harder than the rest. He studied harder and focused. His goal had never changed. When his mother introduced him to Alister, he barely regarded him as a threat, or even anyone worth remembering. He was a plain mechanic with a divorce and kids under his belt.

  Kent had warned his mother that Alister was only coming after her for a live-in babysitter. It was the only time that she’d banished him from her presence. He’d apologized, still confused by her divided loyalty.

  “And I don’t need money.” His mother had learned to outmaneuver his logic. “I truly am doing fine. I know it’s not the big castle-style house that you wanted to buy for me. I know that Alister is not Prince Charming on the grand horse. Those were your dreams, son. None of it matters when you’re in love.”