Page 12

Chapter twelve

T he weekend came and went. Vic had played tennis with his family and ran each day with Chase, who was becoming one of his closest friends. He spent the afternoons at the office trying to avoid Paris while putting in extra effort at his job. In the evenings, he watched movies and drank a few beers. So that he wasn’t drinking alone, he called Chase over to hang out in silence. Paris disappeared over to Mya’s every night, which made things feel a little less hectic.

“Good morning,” said Chase as Vic opened the door to his apartment. “I brought you an orange juice and a croissant. I thought you might want some food before your appointment. Today’s meeting will be quick because the board has other things going on, so most likely they won’t roll out the treats,” he noted. Chase looked Vic up and down. “You aren’t dressed. What have you been doing?”

Chase worried the previous night's drinks may have been a bad idea, and that he should have redirected Vic's actions to something more constructive. He was feeling invested in their budding friendship and Vic's future, which were unexpected feelings for him. He was a friendly person who kept to himself outside of work. Most of his friends were women, though he rarely allowed anyone to get too close. He had endured much discrimination in high school and college, which had led him to hours upon hours of therapy. He was stronger and more confident because of it.

“Sorry,” he replied. “I woke up late.” In reality, Vic had fallen asleep on the couch and never made it to his bed, so he was still wearing the shorts he’d worn the previous day and no shirt.

“Well, kudos on the abs,” said Chase. “I can’t seem to get myself to work on my core as much as I should.” He followed Vic inside and took a seat while Vic located his clothes.

“It takes discipline,” replied Vic from the hallway. He was wrestling his way into a polo shirt as he spoke. “What do you think will happen at the meeting today?” he asked.

“Nothing concerning. I don’t think the board has any reason to be displeased.” He was leafing through Paris’s mail while Vic slid his feet into his shoes. “That girl gets a lot of junk mail,” he commented.

“Put that down,” barked Vic. “That’s not yours. I don’t need another reason for Paris to bite my head off,” he added.

Chase released the envelopes and got to his feet. “Ready?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Chase dropped Vic at the main entrance to the clinic. “I’ll be in one of the parking spots to the left of the door when you’re done.”

“Okay, see you in a bit.” He pulled himself out of the car and trudged up to the doors. He hoped the board saw this as a genuine effort on his part.

Ninety minutes later, Vic returned to Chase’s car, feeling slightly lighter than when he’d arrived.

“So, how’d it go?” asked Chase.

“We didn’t get far, but I’m relieved to find that this guy is pretty easy to talk to. I spent a good chunk of time filling out paperwork, but of the conversation we had, I think this might prove helpful.”

“That’s great news,” replied Chase. “See, not all counselors are quacks.” He laughed.

“Yeah. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was fairly painless for a first session. I told him about Brody’s death, the demotions, and how I’m trying to rectify my situation. He found it all quite amusing. I thought for sure he’d give me a load of shrink mumbo jumbo, but he had well thought out responses.”

Chase felt as though a weight had lifted from his shoulders. “I’m glad to hear you’re making progress. This is something positive that I can let your father know about. Your parents will be pleased. Anyway, let’s get a move on. We need to make that meeting, and we’re definitely cutting it close, though I doubt they’ll fault us on our reason for being tardy.”

In the boardroom, Paris was seated long before anyone else arrived. She enjoyed the quiet of the empty space and reveled in the idea that she could simply sit and be present in the solitude. Standing, she wandered to the window and opened the blinds to look out over the complex.

In front of the main ADG building sat a beautiful park, which accommodated several of the company’s annual events. The park had a pond, several relaxation benches, and was home to hundreds of exotic-looking flowers, palm trees, colorful rocks, and strategically placed animal sculptures, which more than made up for the lack of grass in the vicinity. Around the perimeter of the park stood the rec center, a shopping center, and four sets of condos, each in different shades of blue and green.

The complex was home to many employees and their families. Paris had grown up in this place, and she felt a sense of pride as she surveyed her family’s empire.

“The view still gets me too,” said Nicola, walking over to stand next to her daughter. Reaching out, she brushed Paris’s hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. “What's your favorite part?”

“I love the entire view, but if I had to pick one thing, it’d be the flowers.”

“Ah, yes,” replied her mother. “I especially love their fragrance on a warm summer night’s breeze.”

“Yes! A party in the park wouldn’t be complete without that scent,” said Paris.

Nicola eyed her tentatively. “Sweetheart, how are you doing?”

“When this whole situation began, I wasn’t okay,” she admitted. “I didn’t think I’d ever be okay again, but somehow, amidst the craziness of the past few weeks, I feel as if I’m finding myself again. I think the biggest breakthrough for me was rekindling my relationship with Mya. I should have never taken my pain out on her. It felt like I was outside of my body, watching the destruction. I couldn't seem to stop. When I found out she’d been in the accident, it snapped me back to—” Paris couldn't continue.

Nicola put her arms around her daughter and gave her a gentle squeeze. She understood the pain Paris was in. “You’re strong like your father and me both. Remember though, it’s always okay to admit you need help. It broke my heart when you quit speaking to Mya, but I knew you’d eventually come around. Why don’t we have brunch this weekend? You can bring Mya. It would be nice to spend time with you both outside of work.”

“Sure,” said Paris. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d eaten a meal with her family, separate from work events.

“Morning, ladies,” called Mikel as he and Dom walked into the room, followed closely by Jessamine, Cristo, and a not-so-happy-looking Mya.

Mya saw Paris by the window and immediately went to her. “How are you?” she asked, her eyes darting to Cristo. She’d received a call from him early that morning requesting her presence at a client dinner that evening. She had no desire to go but couldn’t manage to say no.

“I’m well. The day’s off to a decent start.” Looking at her friend, she again saw the anxiety in her expression. “How about you?”

“Okay, I guess.” Mya turned away, and Paris watched her take a seat. She placed herself at the opposite side of the room from Cristo, who was intently staring her friend down. She wanted to corner Cristo and demand he tell her what he’d done to her, but she knew that would only upset Mya further.

“Sorry, we’re a little late,” said Vic, breaking into Paris’s thoughts. “We had an appointment prior to this one, and it ran longer than anticipated.”

Dom looked at his son. “No harm, we’re talking seconds, really.” Chase had told him exactly where they would be that morning, and Dom had been quite pleased to hear that his son had finally taken a solid step forward in dealing with his anger and grief. Standing, he took a closer look at Vic and Paris. “We’re pleased with your work this past week, and we’d like to offer you one of the Palm Condos as a reward, or if you like, each your own.”

“I’ll take my own,” Paris chimed. Vic turned and looked at her in disbelief. He knew she was irritated with their last conversation, but he didn’t think she’d cut him out of her life again. Vic stopped himself from shaking his head in disappointment. He didn’t want the board to read into the situation, so he spoke up and spun her statement in a more positive direction. “Yeah, we could use a little extra space for spending time with friends and such.”

Paris looked at Vic in return. His response surprised her, but it pleased her that he didn’t make a scene.

“Okay, we can do that,” said Mikel. Dom nodded in agreement. “We’ll have your things moved today while you’re at work. Mya and Chase, you may assist the movers in separating the items out and then show Vic and Paris to their new places this evening.”

“Great job last week,” said Jessamine. “Keep up the good work, and things will be back to normal before you know it.”

“That’s it for today,” added Nicola. “Enjoy the week.” She smiled warmly. Paris nodded at her and followed Mya out of the room. Vic and Chase paraded out behind them.

Fifteen minutes later, Paris stood in the entryway to Tom's office, watching him sort through client files. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yeah, come on in,” he said, dazzling her with his smile. “Close the door.” Paris stepped forward and swung the door shut behind her. Tom stood and met her halfway. Reaching out, he brushed back her hair and grabbed her chin lightly. “My God, Paris, you get lovelier and lovelier every day,” he charmed.

Looking up at him, she froze in place. Her heartbeat quickened, and she realized she was holding her breath. “Thanks,” she replied breathlessly.

“I called you over here to give you the files for this week. All new events, but with clients you’ve already worked with. The board still wants you to focus on a couple of files at a time, but in gratitude for our dinner the other night, here are three more, as before.”

“Thanks,” she replied, grabbing the files from his hand. She didn’t know what to think. Why would the board only want her to have two clients at a time? She wanted to ask her father, but she didn’t want to sound ungrateful.

“How about lunch at noon?” he suggested. “I hear they have your favorite chicken salad sandwich at the café today.”

Paris never turned down the chicken salad. He was right. It was her favorite. “Definitely. I’ll meet you there,” she replied as she exited his office. She disguised her anger with a smile. How could she prove herself when she was receiving so little work?

Back in her own office, she picked up the phone and dialed Vic. She needed to talk to someone who would understand.

“Hi, Paris, what's up?” he asked with disinterest.

“Tom gave me three files again,” she expelled. “I’m so frustrated. He says the board instructed him to only allow me to have a couple. How many did you get this week?”

“Angela gave me eight files. Like I said before, he’s screwing with you,” admonished Vic. “Ask your father. I bet you anything he says Tom’s lying.”

“Why would he lie? What good would it do for him to lie to me?” she demanded. “What kind of statement does that make about me if I have to run to my father for validation?”

“This is your career we're talking about. Clarity is essential in this situation. Tom probably wants you out of the way so he can have your clients. Or maybe he’s using you for sex!” barked Vic. He was sure someone outside his office had heard him. He made a mental note to tone it down. Luckily, Angela and Tom's offices were further down the hall, and most of the people outside were interns.

“He wouldn’t need to give me any files if that’s all he wanted!” she spat back.

“Good, why don’t you give in to him, then?” replied Vic through gritted teeth.

“Yeah, maybe I will,” said Paris, slamming the phone down in Vic’s ear. Stupid man, she thought.

Vic was still holding the phone in his hand. “Damn that woman!” he said as he set the phone back on its cradle. How na?ve could she be? He realized Tom was after something, but whether it was Paris herself or something else, he couldn’t say. He knew the concept would eat at his mind for the rest of the day.

At lunch, Paris sat and listened to Tom as he told stories about past clients and the crazy requests they made during event planning. The most ostentatious request was when one particular client decided he wanted to arrive at his event in a sleigh pulled by two polar bears. Tom spent two hours trying to explain how it would be wrong to bring polar bears to Nevada and that even if they could bring them to Nevada, they most likely couldn’t train them to pull a sleigh in time for the event. There was also the possibility that the polar bears could act out and maim one, or several, of the guests. The client stormed out of the office, but Tom won him over with a secondary option.

Paris listened actively and laughed on cue. She found his stories to be interesting at the very least. She was amazed that he wanted to spend his free time with her. At the end of lunch, he leaned in toward her and said, “Your lips are the perfect shade of pink,” and suddenly, grabbing her neck, he pulled her in for a mouth-devouring kiss. She was so stunned she didn’t move. When he pulled away, she stared at him in awe. “That was nice,” he said with a smile. “Now, shall we get back to work?” With that, he stood up and pulled her out of her seat. “You paying for lunch since I paid last time?” he asked casually and then walked away, leaving her speechless.

Paris dug out her wallet. Nothing was free at ADG. You had to earn it. The only people who ate for free were the board. At least she received a discount of fifty percent, being the owner’s daughter and all. She threw down some cash and a tip, then headed back toward her office. Her mind was spinning from the day’s developments.

Across the café, Molly had witnessed the kiss between Paris and Tom. Her head was swimming with excitement about the news she’d be able to bring to Mya. Like a fly on the wall, she observed their entire interaction. She wasn’t out to hurt Paris, but she’d agreed to bring any pertinent information forward, and this, she felt, was pertinent information, even if it was about Paris. From what she knew of Tom, she didn’t think his sudden interest in Paris was at all a coincidence, but she would let the others weigh in before she completed her condemnation.

Waiting until Paris was out of sight, Molly hurried down the hall toward Mya’s office, but when she arrived, Mya was out attending to other business and not expected back until one or two that afternoon. Not able to contain the shiny new information she had obtained, she went straight to Vic, who was on a very heated call when she knocked.

“Just a moment,” he said, covering the phone receiver.

“I’ll wait outside until you’re finished,” replied Molly, to which Vic nodded.

Stepping around the corner, she tried not to listen, which was difficult. She heard him say, “I don’t care if you have to hike a mountain to get them. They need to be at this event, so figure it out. You promised it wouldn’t be an issue, and I’m holding you to your word.” He slammed the phone down, causing Molly’s heart to race.

“Molly,” Vic called. “You may come in now.”

Molly stepped forward. “Are you sure this is a good time?” she asked. She didn’t want to be on his bad side. She’d heard many stories about Dom's son. His temper was legendary.

“Yeah, it’s fine. What brings you to this part of the building?”

“I thought you should know; I saw Paris and Tom at lunch today in the café. They were kissing,” she blurted. “Paris and Mya wanted me to let them know if anything questionable was happening or if anyone was out to hurt you or Paris. Since this involves Paris, I thought I’d bring it to Mya, but she wasn’t available, so I’m coming to you instead. Something feels off. Tom’s all about business. I think he’s trying to seduce Paris for a reason outside of caring for her. He’s dated a couple of other women who work here and the only reason I know is because one was a friend of mine. He kept it quiet and outside of work. Why would he change that now?”

“I tried to warn her. She doesn’t listen. Her rose-colored glasses are wearing on my last nerve.” Pausing a moment, he exhaled. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“Anytime,” said Molly. “I need to get back upstairs. Let me know if you need anything else.”

After she left, Vic picked up the phone again and dialed Paris.

“What do you want?” she hissed into the receiver, her cheeks reddening.

“I want you to know that I think you’re being an idiot, and you should watch your back. You’re playing right into what Tom wants.”

“Are you spying on me now?” she demanded.

“No. Molly saw the two of you at lunch and was concerned. She said you were getting awfully close. She doesn't think Tom's feelings are genuine, either.”

“Right. I’m sure Molly said that.”

“In a matter of speaking, she did. I wouldn’t lie to you. She said you were kissing.”

“Whatever. You’re just upset that someone is taking an interest in me,” Paris replied, hanging up the phone.

“Why won’t this nightmare end!” boomed Vic, causing the intern passing by his door to jump, then pick up her pace to move out of his line of sight.

At four-thirty, Mya called Paris to a brief meeting. Walking through the door, Paris’s blood pressure spiked when she saw Vic and Chase.

“What’s she doing here?” asked Vic. Everyone could see the contempt in his eyes.

“Shut your yaps and listen,” said Chase. “We’re dealing with a situation which, unfortunately, needs to be discussed.” Turning his attention to Paris, he asked, “Are you seeing Tom?”

“We’ve shared a couple of meals. That’s all,” she hissed. “I don’t know why this is anyone’s business?”

“Paris, Vic and Molly might be right. Tom might be using you. You need to entertain the concept, even though you’ve had feelings for him for a long time,” stated Mya.

Rolling her eyes, Paris asked, “What’s his motive?”

“He may be trying to get you out of the way so he can go after the company,” said Chase. “All we’re saying is, be careful and watch your back,” said Mya.

“And stop jabbing each other every chance you get,” added Chase. “If you can’t work together, the board will demote you again. Do you want that to happen?”

Paris felt as if she was being scolded by her father. “Fine. I’ll watch my back, but I’m not talking to him unless I have to,” she replied. Even she realized her response was juvenile. Her face reddened with embarrassment.

“Come on. What happened?” asked Mya. “Why are you at each other’s throats? If this has to do with our weekend away, figure it out and deal with it. You’re two major cogs in the ADG machine. If you can’t work together, it could mean the downfall of ADG.”

Nodding, Chase said, “I agree one-hundred percent. This is no time to fall apart.”

Vic nodded as well. He knew Mya and Chase were right, but Paris had become oddly quiet. She shut down at some point during Mya’s speech. What had happened? He had shown his interest. He knew they were playing with fire by getting into bed together, but he hadn’t expected this outcome. Looking at her, he still felt drawn, despite his anger and resentment at how she was acting. Conceding, he said, “Paris, please. I know we’re going through something, but please. We need to be careful. We need to back each other. Mya and Chase are right.”

“I’m sorry,” replied Paris. “I have to go. I can’t do this right now.” She felt deflated. She turned and exited the room. She couldn’t stand to stay another moment under their scrutiny. She needed to walk away from the anger and embarrassment.

“Paris!” called Mya. Paris turned to look at her. She practically ran to keep up. “I haven’t given you the keys to your new condo,” she said, holding them out. “Your parents decided to put you in the Lotus building. Twelfth floor, unit 1. New condos.”

“Where’s Vic located?”

“He’ll be in unit 3 at the opposite end and corner of the floor. I have even more exciting news. The board, as a bonus for Chase and me, moved us to the same floor. I’ll be in unit 2 and Chase in unit 4. I know you’re upset right now, but I think this will be a good thing. At least they put him in the farthest unit, away from you. Hopefully, that’ll give you a little comfort.”

“I’d be happier if he was on a different floor or in a separate building, but on a positive note, I’m excited to see the new units,” she replied, grabbing the keys from Mya’s outstretched hand.

Grinning, Mya said, “Let’s go check them out!”

Mya knew Paris was going through a rough patch. She hoped her friend would figure things out sooner than later. For the moment, she’d let their conversation mellow. She knew her friend was at her threshold, and she didn’t want to push her too far, too fast. It took a lot of strength for her to not ask Paris about whatever she had witnessed at the cabin. She didn’t want to talk about Cristo, so she wouldn’t press Paris about Vic.

The walk to the Lotus building was short. It was located two buildings over from corporate, compared to several blocks to her previous residence. Her old condo, from prior to the demotion, was located in the building between Lotus and corporate.

“Here we are,” said Mya. “Are you ready?”

“I think so,” replied Paris. She stepped forward and unlocked the door. Swinging it open, she paused, her jaw dropping. The unit was filled with her own furniture. It was also quite a bit larger than her old place, with a sprawling balcony.

Stepping onto the balcony, she saw a beautiful new wicker all-weather cushioned patio set arranged in an L around a table with lava rocks in the center. Jumping up and down, she pointed at the lava rocks. She’d always wanted a tabletop fireplace. Across from the patio set sat a large hot tub. The view she had was of the park below. She could smell the flowers on the warm evening breeze. She knew this was her mother’s little touch.

“Your parents have been planning this move for quite some time. Do you love it?” asked Mya.

“It's perfect. Let’s see the rest.” Walking back inside, she inspected the living room, which was open to the kitchen and breakfast bar. Her kitchen now held a wine fridge and beautiful frosted glass front cabinets. It had bright, cheery white wood, black stainless-steel appliances, and black granite countertops, with a black, white, and steel backsplash. The black and white looked stunning together. The island in the center had four steel-looking bar stools on the far side and a gas cooktop on the inner. Paris ran her fingers over the granite countertop. She’d always wanted a black and white color scheme in her kitchen. Her parents had actually listened to her random ramblings from three years earlier.

Looking out over the living room, she had her beautiful white settee and a large black faux fur rug, which was new, along with her other furniture from her old place. There were new pillows on all the furniture, which brought a little color into the room. They were in shades of blue-green, grey, and black. Just a pop of color, as her mother would say.

“Let’s look at the bathroom,” said Mya. She was already halfway across the room. Paris followed her. Peering inside, they saw a white marble vanity, the usual stool, and a waterfall shower with dark gray marble tile, which also matched the floor. The walls were a light grey and decorated with a couple of large tropical flower prints, which Paris recognized immediately. Looking closer, she saw Brody’s signature in the bottom right corner. Thick, black, ornate frames surrounded the photos. The rugs and towels were all blue-green, which looked great with the flower prints she knew Cristo had gifted. Paris couldn’t stop smiling.

“I love it,” said Mya. “You can really tell they went out of their way to make you feel at home.”

“Yeah. I didn’t think my parents were listening when I spoke of my dream condo.”

“I didn’t either,” she laughed. “I guess we were both wrong.”

Moving on to her new master suite, she found the room to be spacious. The entire condo, except for the bathrooms, had grey wood floors. Her new bedroom had a large white faux fur area rug. The bed had a beautiful down comforter with a pink duvet emblazoned with the Eiffel tower and other French-inspired images. The bed also contained four feather pillows. Two of which had shams matching her new bedspread.

Across the room, Paris threw open two slatted doors to reveal a large walk-in closet, which contained all her clothing and accessories, including built-in racks to show off her many pairs of shoes, and drawers to house her jewelry, watches, sunglasses, and any other item she needed to stow. Everything was hung neatly and easy to access. The closet's center held a large round bench with a purple plush tufted seat, which opened up to reveal several cozy blankets in blue-green, purple, and white and ranged from down to cashmere. Paris was thrilled. She loved her blankets.

Exiting the closet, she moved on to a second white-slatted door, which upon opening, revealed a large beautiful private bath with her own waterfall therapy shower and an oversized whirlpool tub with a window overlooking the park. The vanity was white and grey marble and held two sinks. The cabinet below the vanity was a beautiful grey wood, reminiscent of driftwood. The mirror above the vanity matched the cabinet. Paris immediately fell in love. There was even a built-in closet with plenty of shelves to hold towels and whatever else she wanted to store.

Exiting the bathroom, there was a second bedroom next door. This particular bedroom was decorated in Navy and white and had a large oak desk with a brand-new laptop and printer. There were even photos of her family, including Alli, hanging on the wall. “Wow, I didn’t expect any of this.”

“It’s quite exceptional,” said Mya. Looking over at Paris, she saw tears streaking her face.

“It’s so perfect,” she whispered.

Reaching for her friend, Mya pulled her into a hug. “You have made so much progress, and you are a huge asset to the company. You deserve this. Your parents want you to know that this is yours as long as you keep up the good work. This is their way of saying they believe in you. I believe in you too.”

“I’m not sure I actually deserve any of this.”

“Act like you do,” Mya replied with the shake of her finger. “Anyway, I have to go. I'm heading to a dinner meeting this evening at Cristo’s request.”

“Why?” asked Paris. “That's not normal, is it?”

“I don’t care to discuss it at this time,” Mya replied. “Watch your own bobber,” she said with a half smile.

“I know you think you’re being cute, but that doesn’t change my concern,” said Paris. “Before you go, what are the other condos like?”

“Chase and I have smaller balconies with loungers and a table and chair set—no hot tub. My apartment is navy blue, tan, and brown. Chase’s is in greys and blues. Our bathrooms are similar. So are the bedrooms. We have whirlpool tubs, but I’m sure a certain bestie will invite me over to sit in her hot tub. All of it’s a similar style, but size and colors vary. Vic’s place is just like yours, but his patio has a built-in grilling area and a small gas fire pit with Adirondack chairs surrounding it. The colors and décor, of course, are different as well. Oh, and his cabinets are solid mahogany without glass. Chase’s are the same style, but mine are like yours.”

“Cool,” replied Paris. “Okay, you can go, I guess.”

“We’ll chat later,” she said as she headed for the door. As Mya exited, she called over her shoulder. “Paris, I love you like a sister. Never forget.”

Paris smiled at Mya’s statement, then wandered back through her new home and flopped down on her settee. Her heart felt lighter because of the new apartment, but her brain reverted to thoughts about Vic and the situation with Tom. Feeling conflicted, she didn’t know who to trust.

“Good evening, Mya. You look lovely,” said Cristo. As requested, Mya presented herself

in a short black cocktail dress, short black gloves, black and white stiletto heels, and carried a black and white Gucci clutch, which Cristo had sent to her office as a gift earlier that day. She wore her straight red hair puffed and gathered at the back of her head with a silver floral clip.

Mya barely acknowledged Cristo as she climbed into the backseat of his long white stretch limo. Cristo climbed in behind her, and his driver closed them in. Scooting over, he situated himself across from her. “Would you like something to drink?”

“No. I’m good.” She watched him tentatively. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a green vest. His short blonde hair was spiked as usual. He noticed her staring. “I chose the green to match your eyes,” he admitted.

That particular bit of information made Mya feel slightly uncomfortable. What were they doing? “You know I don’t want to be here, right?” she asked. “We haven’t discussed things properly. I told you I wouldn’t be joining you for these intimate meetings. This goes against who I am.”

“Come on now,” he said with a light air. “Of course, you don’t mean that. We’ve worked together for many years and always without an issue. This is just a silly game between us.” He grinned. “I’m the cat. You’re the mouse. You say no, but you really mean yes. We do this all the time, you and I.”

“No, Cristo, we don’t. This is something entirely different. I can’t be with you the way you want me to,” she added and frowned back at him. “This is crossing a line.”

“This is our thing,” he replied adamantly. “Stop playing with me!” he snapped, and then more softly, “This is our thing.” Mya thought his final statement was more to convince himself. She shook her head at him. “I need you to be on your best behavior,” he stated. “I need you to present yourself like a debutante, and hang on my every word because I need this client to see me in an adoring relationship, or they’ll leave the company. I assured them that I had an amazing partner and that she’d dazzle them. Please, just make me proud,” he begged. “This is simply a different type of game, okay?”

Arriving at the restaurant, Cristo and Mya exited the car and proceeded inside. Her arm in his, he guided her to the table, and pulling out her chair, he helped her get settled. The client was not yet there but would arrive at any moment. Cristo ordered himself a glass of sparkling wine, and Mya a sparkling water with strawberries and lemon.

Theresa and Marco Perez arrived five minutes later. They were a beautiful couple who clearly adored one another. They’d chosen a dinner meeting to further plan a quinceanera for their daughter, Amrita, which is why they wanted someone family-oriented heading up their account. Cristo had conveniently told them that he and Mya were expecting their first child. Mrs. Perez was ecstatic, and much to Mya’s dismay, the remainder of her evening was filled with all forms of ‘baby talk’ while the men discussed money and the different aspects of the party.

At the close of dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Perez thanked Cristo and Mya for a fantastic evening from the bottom of their hearts. Mrs. Perez added that she was pleased to have met Mya and that Mya would be an exceptional mother. Once the couple was out of sight, Mya could feel her face redden as she followed Cristo from the restaurant. She felt like a fraud.

“How could you do this to me?” she demanded. “How could you do this to them or the company? Lying to clients. You’ve stooped to a new low, Cristo.”

“You were wonderful this evening,” he replied, ignoring her angry outburst. “The evening went as anticipated.”

“This is not a game I want to be a part of.” It was possible she was angrier than warranted. But pretending they were together and with child? What was he thinking?

“You’re being dramatic,” he replied confidently. “There’s no harm in a little white lie now and then.”

“Cristo, this isn’t a white lie. It’s a major lie. Do you get that? It’s straight-up a lie.”

Cristo slid closer to her and reached for her hand. She yanked it away and scooted further from him. “Don’t be like that,” he said and moved closer. “I know you want this. I can feel that you do,” he said with confidence.

Mya wondered if he’d suffered a recent brain trauma. “Don’t you dare come any closer,” she replied. They were not a couple. He had no right to put her in such a compromised position.

“Or what?” he asked coyly. Reaching out, he touched her face.

“Apples!” she declared and slapped his hand away.

Cristo’s expression changed to shock. “You’re serious? Fine. You win.” He scooted away from her and said nothing the rest of the ride home, a distant look in his eyes and a frown creasing his lips.

Mya could see the hurt, but all she wanted was for him to leave her alone. The situation made her stomach churn. She’d made her feelings known, and he had applied extra pressure. Now the lines were blurred.