It was several long seconds before Mallory answered. “No.”
“Me neither, which is why I have to go.”
“Wait, Brooks. I’ll walk with you.” She reached out a hand to touch Brooklyn’s arm, but she effectively sidestepped the touch. The look of helplessness on Mallory’s face was too much. She didn’t want anyone feeling sorry for her, and she certainly didn’t need to be taken care of. By anyone.
“I just need to do this on my own for a while.” She backed away from Mallory, who nodded solemnly, before turning and losing herself on the crowded sidewalk. As she walked aimlessly, she took comfort in the nameless faces that enveloped her. People she expected very little from, but people who didn’t have the power to hurt her either.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as night cloaked the city. Couples strolled past, hand in hand, en route to dinner or home after a long day.
Good for them, she thought, battling the gut-wrenching pain that accompanied the truth. Good for them.
*
The day was coming to a close, and Jessica was going crazy wondering how the big day had gone for Brooklyn. Her text messages hadn’t been answered. She’d left a voice mail too, but perhaps Brooklyn had gone out with her friends after the presentation and hadn’t heard her phone.
She grabbed her office receiver and dialed five for Bentley. “Do I have any messages?”
“Three. I forwarded them to your inbox.”
“Personal?”
“Nope.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
She swiveled in her chair and watched for a few minutes as the lights of the city began to flare in contrast to the darkening sky. It was beautiful, and she let it wash over her a minute.
She paid more attention to those kinds of things now.
And that understanding made her smile.
She thought back on the afternoon. Brooklyn had looked surprised to see Jessica exiting the boardroom. She wanted to stop and explain why, fill her in on how strange the whole day leading up to the meeting had seemed. But at the same time, she also knew it wasn’t the time to treat Brooklyn like her girlfriend. And while she hadn’t planned to attend the final pitch session, something about the way Tina was acting that morning had worried her. The normally confident account executive seemed nervous and unsettled. Something was up, and Jessica had decided to tag along just in case she needed to take the reins.
In good news, everything had gone swimmingly, and the Foster team seemed really interested in their concept. It was odd to root for herself at the same time she was rooting for Brooklyn, but as complicated as it seemed, that’s exactly what she was doing.
She tried Brooklyn’s phone again. Maybe she’d be free to join her and Ashton for dinner. They planned to try the new sushi place across the street from their building, be adventurous.
But again, her call rolled straight to voice mail.
*
Two days later and Brooklyn was on automatic pilot. She went through her day checking the boxes, answering e-mails, smiling at her friends’ jokes, but the world just looked gray. Winter had lost its charm, and she just wanted the holidays firmly in her rearview mirror. Leave the turkeys and the fa-la-la-la-la to someone else. Seriously.
She felt foolish.
Embarrassed.
And no matter how many times Sam told her it was all right, or Hunter explained that she didn’t have anything to apologize for, it didn’t make a difference. This was all her doing. They’d warned her about the complications of involving herself with a competitor, and she’d scoffed. And whether they landed the account or not couldn’t take the place of the guilt she felt.
But that was just the surface-level stuff.
Those feelings didn’t touch what hurt the most. She’d opened herself up to Jessica, trusted her with parts of herself she’d never trusted to anyone. And that’s what gutted her most. The betrayal. No matter how happy she’d been just days prior, nothing was worth what she was feeling now. She’d take it all back if she could. An all-consuming emptiness haunted the place where her heart had been. And what’s worse was her mind hadn’t caught up. She still found herself reaching for the phone to call Jess at the end of her day, or somehow worked her into the weekend plans. God, it felt like the rug had been pulled out from under her in another cruel blow from the universe.
Never again, she told herself. Lesson learned once and for all.
She glanced warily at the clock. It was after eight p.m. and she rarely worked this late. Mallory generally closed the place down, but today Brooklyn might edge her out. “Hey, you,” Mal said, coming around to her desk and perching on the side of it. “Wanna grab dinner in midtown? I’m starving.”
“Can’t. Going to the gym.”
“At night?”
“What can I say? I’m suddenly a fan of two-a-days. I might try a yoga class next week.”
Mallory nodded and offered an encouraging smile. “Trying to outdo me.”
“Please. Like that’s even possible.” She tried to seem playful but wasn’t sure how successful she’d been. She grabbed her attaché and slipped it onto her shoulder. “See you tomorrow. Don’t work too late.”
“Brooks?”
She turned back reluctantly. Lately she craved time on her own and the comfort that independence afforded her. People kept getting in the way. Walls were in place and weren’t about to come down. “Yeah?”
“You okay?”
“I will be.” She was convinced of this. She’d survived worse times. Hunger. Loneliness. Even the occasional smack across the face. She could survive a broken heart. She could also lie to herself rather effectively when necessary.
*
Jessica knocked on Brooklyn’s door a second time and waited. No answer. She glanced up and down the hallway for any sign of someone she knew. She was at a loss. Something was definitely wrong.
In the past they’d gone days without seeing each other, but not without talking. Brooklyn hadn’t returned her phone calls or answered her text messages. Either she was purposefully avoiding her or had been abducted. And since no one at Savvy had contacted her, she was imagining it was the former. More determined and worried than ever, she returned to the building’s rather no-frills lobby and scanned the directory for the Savvy offices. After riding up to the sixth floor, she didn’t bother knocking.
The rather striking office was open and trendy, and seemed to match its inhabitants quite accurately. But the space seemed deserted tonight, with the exception of Mallory, who turned at her desk as the door slid open.
“Hey,” Jessica said. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I can’t seem to get ahold of Brooklyn.”
Mallory stood and regarded her calmly. “No. I would imagine you couldn’t.”
Okay, what the hell did that mean? “You’re kind of freaking me out right now. Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. Or she will be. What is it you want, Jessica? You’ve done enough, wouldn’t you say? Mission accomplished and all?”
“Okay, you’re going to have to explain whatever’s upset all of you. Is this about Foster? Have you heard something I haven’t?” Maybe they’d been given the account and she hadn’t been notified.
Mallory shook her head and returned to her desk as if she refused to dedicate much of her attention to Jessica. “Let’s start with, you stole our work and presented it as your own. Sound familiar now?”
She took a minute with the accusation because it was a big one. And it wasn’t even close to accurate. “Okay, where did that come from?”
“The storyboards you left behind after your presentation. They were near duplicates of ours. Surely you knew we’d see them.”
Jessica retraced the series of events in an attempt to decode what Mallory was saying. Royce Foster had asked them to leave the storyboards for further reflection. That part was true. She’d seen no problem leaving the artwork. Tina hadn’t been wild about the idea.
“Right. And you’re saying they were similar to yours?”
<
br /> “That’s an understatement.”
“Can I see them?” Mallory stared at her blandly. “Please, Mallory. This is kind of important.”
Mallory sighed and turned to her computer as Jessica came to stand behind her. After clicking through a number of windows, Mallory produced a series of images in Photoshop. Jessica studied them, and a heavy feeling of dread washed over her. They weren’t identical, but the similarities were striking. The close-up of the first bride’s face, the bubbles in the drink.
She straightened. “I don’t have an explanation. I didn’t do this.”
Mallory turned to face her. “Then who did?”
“I don’t know. The idea for the wedding was Tina’s. It came late in the game. We were originally focused on a tropical-vacation theme. Fun in the sun. ”
“Until Brooklyn brought her laptop to your office. Then suddenly a new concept appeared. Am I close?”
And then it all clicked into place. She stared at Mallory. Brooklyn’s bag. The laptop. She closed her eyes as the horrible understanding knocked her back a few steps. “Can I sit down?” But she didn’t exactly wait for a response and sank into the nearest chair. It was Brooklyn’s desk, she realized, recognizing the handwriting on the Post-its along the bottom of the computer monitor. Somehow it felt wrong to be sitting there now.
“You okay?”
“It had to be Tina,” she said half to Mallory and half to herself. “My account executive. She’s the one who took Brooklyn’s coat and bag that day. Brooklyn even commented on it. Tina was also acting super keyed up the morning of the presentation. And she didn’t want to leave those storyboards behind.” Jessica shook her head. “I knew she was cutthroat, but I had no idea.”
Mallory was watching her with obvious interest. “I’m shocked at what I’m about to say. And understand that I mean really shocked. But I think…I believe you.”
Jessica looked up at her, her composure breaking a bit at the unlikely show of support. “I promise I’m telling the truth. I wouldn’t have done this to her. To any of you. I know I’ve made some less-than-scrupulous calls in the past, but this wasn’t one of them.”
“I think I get that.” She leaned against Brooklyn’s desk. “So now what?”
Jessica fished in her bag for her phone. “I call over to Foster and bow out, explain what happened, and tell them the concept was yours.” She started to dial.
Mallory extended a hand. “There’s no reason to do that. Royce called thirty minutes ago to congratulate us. The account is going to Savvy.”
Jessica sat back in her chair and exhaled slowly. “Thank God.” And then she moved on to bigger matters. “Where can I find her? Because I need to, Mallory.”
“Let me talk to her first.”
Chapter Twenty
Jessica handed the double mocha to Ashton and accepted the black coffee from the Starbucks barista in exchange for her credit card.
“This is awesome,” Ashton said, going in for a second sip. “How have I gone this long without coffee in my life?”
Jessica raised one shoulder. “I didn’t think kids drank coffee. Are you sure it’s okay that I bought you some?”
Ashton passed her a look. “I’m hardly a typical kid. Plus, you’ve met my mother, yes?”
“Touché. I talked to her briefly this morning.”
They sipped and strolled casually down Thirty-fourth Street, window-shopping after the shopping excursion to beef up Ashton’s winter wardrobe, Jessica’s treat.
“You did. What about?”
“You. She wanted to make sure you were doing all right. She mentioned your father in Colorado. He wants to reconnect.”
“Right.”
“So you and he have talked?”
“About moving in with him? Yeah. He offered. Kind of out of nowhere. I haven’t talked to the guy in years.”
“And how do you feel about that?”
Ashton shrugged. “Mom’s got another couple of months, and I can’t keep putting you out.”
Jessica steered them to a bench in front of Macy’s and they took a seat. “Here’s the thing. You’re not putting me out. You happen to be exceptionally good company. You do your homework. You run around with your friends, but you’re always home when I ask you to be. I like having you around. You’re an amazing kid.”
Ashton was staring at the sidewalk, but when she raised her gaze, a smile pulled at the ends of her mouth. “You think so?”
It wasn’t something she heard a lot, Jessica realized, and she instantly wanted to shake the people responsible for that. “Not a doubt in my mind. And while it might be nice to explore Colorado, ski, get to know your dad more, you’re also more than welcome to stay with me. I’m by no means an amazing cook, but I think I can manage a passable Thanksgiving dinner. We can go down and watch the parade that morning. I can get us some pretty decent seats too.”
Ashton’s arms were around her before she realized it. She hugged her back and held on, doing her best to swallow the emotion that threatened. Ashton needed her, and she would be there for her for however long she needed.
Ashton released her and they watched the shoppers brush past each other, bags in hand. “You’re different lately,” Ashton said.
Jessica tossed her a look. “In what way?”
“I don’t know. Less serious.” She gestured around them. “You’re out doing stuff, enjoying yourself. Not staring at papers and files. It’s, I don’t know, pretty cool.”
Jessica smiled. “Well, a few key people are responsible for that shift.” She touched Ashton pointedly on the nose.
“Speaking of key people, where’s Brooklyn? I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“Me neither. It’s been close to two weeks. We’re having dinner tonight, though. Some things happened that I need to sort out with her.”
“Uh-oh. Her fault or yours?”
“Mine, I guess. And I need to make it right.”
“Women like flowers.”
“Brooklyn’s not exactly traditional.”
“Then a candy bar.”
“Really?”
“Buy her some Peanut M&Ms and Mountain Dew. You can’t lose.”
Jessica had to laugh. “Noted. I think I’m coming to you for any and all dating advice.”
“Well, duh.”
They spent the next twenty minutes taking in the whimsical Christmas windows at Macy’s. They took photos with the Christmas trees, gingerbread houses, Santa Claus, and his many elves and reindeer. While it was hard to get excited about the impending holidays until things were right again with Brooklyn, a part of her hoped that by the night’s end, they would be.
Because it was everything.
*
Brooklyn exhaled slowly. She didn’t know what she’d say when she saw Jessica. If the right words would come. She’d thought about it in detail on the car ride over but was coming up short and hoping she’d somehow know when the moment was upon her. She pulled into a no-parking zone, confident no one would notice, but upon further reflection moved her car to the garage three blocks down.
Perhaps she was maturing after all.
She’d let Jessica select the restaurant, which was one she’d never been to. She checked her watch under the lamplight as she approached Casellula in Hell’s Kitchen. Only ten minutes late, due to the parking escapade. It could be worse. She caught sight of herself in the reflection of a nearby window she passed, adjusting her black sweater and pulling her white coat tighter around her against the cold. The streets were bustling the way they always were on Friday night, full of theatergoers dashing to make curtain and locals trekking their way to hipster nightspots. She was trying to push down her nerves, but it was hard, because there were things she needed to say tonight, and they wouldn’t be easy for her.
She and Jessica hadn’t seen each other since before the presentation from hell. Yes, Savvy had landed the account, but the damage had been vast and this dinner felt uneven as a result. How were they supposed to behave t
o one another?
Brooklyn took the steps to the door of the restaurant and surveyed the place upon entering. It was tiny. Maybe ten tables or so dotted the dimly lit room surrounded by high ceilings and exposed brick. Jessica was sitting by the window appearing as uneasy as she felt. Brooklyn sucked in a breath at the image of her, so soft yet so complicated. It was what drew her to Jessica innately.
Her hair was partially pulled back. She was wearing jeans she’d tucked into stylish boots and a green cashmere sweater. Her eyes met Brooklyn’s and held on. And whatever questions Brooklyn had were answered in that moment.
Jessica stood as she approached but made no move to touch her. It was probably best, given the uncertain nature of their meeting. “Hi. I’m glad you came.”
“Me too.”
They sat, a distance looming between them. Brooklyn studied the menu of small plates, but it was just for show. Her appetite had left her days ago.
“Wine?” Jessica indicated the bottle on the table.
“Sure.”
“I know you’re upset,” Jessica said quietly. “You have every right to be.”
She nodded, accepting the glass Jessica poured for her. And then, “Mallory believes you didn’t know. That it was our concept.”
“What about you?” Jessica asked, leaning back in her chair.
It was an important question and one she’d asked herself a million times. “I believe you too. Now.”
“Now. What convinced you?” Jessica tilted her head to the side, and the candle from the table flickered a glow across her face.
“To be honest, I don’t think I was sure until I walked in the door tonight. When I saw you in front of me, I remembered who you were. You wouldn’t have done this.”
Jessica felt the world lift from her shoulders. Everything could be okay again if Brooklyn truly felt that way. She reached across the table and threaded her fingers through Brooklyn’s and exhaled. “You don’t understand what it’s been like these past couple of weeks. Not knowing how you were doing, what you must be thinking of me.”
Kiss the Girl Page 28