The Interview_New York & Los Angeles

by Sandi Lynn

  “Hi, how can I help you?” the delightful redhead behind the counter asked.

  “I need a place to hide out for a few moments. Perhaps behind that door?” I pointed.

  “Excuse me?” She shot me a look of confusion.

  “I’m on a mission, and in about ten minutes, two people will walk into this coffee house and their destiny will be sealed. I can’t let them see me, but I have to know they met before I leave.”

  “Oh my God.” The redhead placed her hand over her heart. “That is so romantic. Come over here.” She waved her hand.

  “Thank you.” I smiled as she opened the door for me.

  I looked at my watch. It was nine fifty-five. I stood behind the door, leaving it open a crack so I could see when Craig and Maddy walked in. The bell above the shop door lightly dinged and Maddy walked inside and up to the counter. After ordering a cup of coffee, she took a seat at a small round table with two chairs.

  Ten o’clock on the dot and Craig walked into the coffee house. He looked around and his eyes locked on Maddy’s.

  “Aren’t you the owner of Rosie’s?” she asked.

  I could see the nervousness rise up in him as he tucked his hands into his pants pockets.

  “Yes, I am. Craig Pines.” He extended his hand.

  “Maddy Burkhart. I just love your restaurant. I dine there frequently.” She lightly smiled.

  “Yes, of course. I’ve seen you there. You sit at the same table every time you come in. I’m meeting someone here, so I’m going to grab a cup of coffee. Can I get you something?” he asked, and my heart melted.

  “Thank you, but I’m all set.” Maddy smiled as she held up her cup.

  Craig gave her a slight nod and walked up to the counter. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he sent me a text message.

  “I’m at the coffee house. Where are you?”

  Thank God I had my ringer turned off. He grabbed his coffee from the counter and walked over to Maddy.

  “My friend is late,” he spoke as he looked at his watch.

  “So is mine.” She smiled. “Why don’t you have a seat while you wait for your friend.” Maddy gestured to the empty chair across from her.

  “Don’t mind if I do. Thank you.”

  The redhead carefully opened the door and I stood to the side, so they wouldn’t see me.

  “That’s them, isn’t it?” she asked with excitement.

  “Yes. That’s them.” I smiled.

  “Good job.” She patted my shoulder before walking out.

  I stood there, staring out as Maddy and Craig talked, smiled, and laughed. Craig was so absorbed in his conversation with her that he didn’t check his phone once to see if I had messaged him back. In fact, it seemed the two of them forgot they were supposed to be meeting me. I grabbed my suitcase with a smile and walked out the back door to the alley and came up around the corner from the coffee house. Luckily enough, there was an Uber nearby that picked me up and drove me to the airport.

  Bella’s Swan Lake performance was in three days, which gave me enough time to get that interview with Wyatt Coleman. Before walking up to the ticket counter, I headed over to a quiet spot and phoned Coleman Enterprises.

  “Wyatt Coleman’s office, Tamara speaking. How may I help you?”

  “Hello, Tamara. My name is Laurel Holloway and I would like to speak with Mr. Coleman.”

  “I’m sorry, Miss Holloway, but Mr. Coleman is out of town.”

  “Oh. Do you know when he’ll be back?”

  “He’s expected back Sunday night. Is there something I can help you with?”

  “I’m with the Seattle Times and I would like to interview Mr. Coleman for a magazine article.”

  “I’m sorry, but Mr. Coleman doesn’t do interviews.”

  I sighed as I rolled my eyes. “Of course, he doesn’t. Thank you.”

  I ended the call and looked up at the ceiling.

  “Really?”

  I needed to think as I walked around, tapping my phone against my forehead. Suddenly, it rang, and Craig’s name appeared on the screen.

  “Hey there, big guy,” I answered. “Miss me already?”

  “You could have at least said goodbye,” he spoke.

  “And make it harder than it had to be?”

  “I know what you did, Laurel.”

  “How did it go?” I nervously asked.

  “We’re going on a date tomorrow night.”

  “Aw, Craig. I’m so happy to hear that.”

  “Turns out she loves to surf.”

  “Bonus points.” I laughed as tears stung my eyes.

  “Yeah. For sure. Where are you headed?”

  “New York. To see my sister dance in Swan Lake.”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  “Not really. My whole dysfunctional family will be there.”

  “Including the pool boy?” I heard a subtle laugh escape him.

  “It wouldn’t surprise me.”

  “When is the ballet?”

  “Saturday night. Before then, I have to try and snag one last interview with another single millionaire under the age of thirty-five.”

  “Uh-oh. That could be dangerous,” he spoke.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “I wasn’t talking about you. I was referring to him. This guy doesn’t know what’s coming his way.” He laughed. “Thank you, Laurel, for everything. Please keep in touch. I’m really going to miss you.”

  “You big softie. Stop it.” A single tear fell down my cheek. “You keep in touch as well. I want a play by play of your date with Maddy. I’ll miss you too. But we do have Facetime, so I’m counting on seeing your handsome face appear on my phone screen.”

  “Definitely,” he spoke. “Have a safe flight to New York.”

  “Thanks, Craig. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  I ended the call and lowered my phone to my chest with a hint of sadness. I was going to miss him. Just as I was about to phone Eric, his face appeared on my screen.

  “I was just going to call you,” I answered with a smile.

  “Where are you?” he asked as his neck strained to view my surrounding area. “Is that the airport?”

  “Yes, and I’m headed to New York. I was hoping to get the interview either today or tomorrow. But, when I called Coleman Enterprises, his secretary said he’s out of town until Sunday. Oh, and he doesn’t do interviews.”

  “I know he doesn’t, but you’ll get one. That’s why I sent you.”

  “I’m just going to spend a few days in New York and see my sister perform. I’ll finish the article on Craig Pines and make a plan to get that interview on Monday.”

  “Sounds like a plan, Laurel, but this is taking a lot longer than I thought. You spent too much time in L.A.”

  “You got your interview, didn’t you?”

  “I won’t rest until I see it.”

  “I’ll work on it on the plane, Eric. Have to go now. I need to get to my gate. Bye.” I hit the end button.

  Chapter Thirteen

  New York Bound

  Walking up to the ticket counter, I purchased my ticket and had enough time to grab a coffee before boarding the plane. As I was standing in line, my eye scanned the man in front of me from head to toe. He was about six feet three inches tall, well-groomed short brownish blond hair, and dressed in a tailored, expensive-as-shit black designer suit. Clean musky and earthy scents infiltrated the space between us. My pheromones were running wild and I desperately needed to see the rest of him. I was betting my life his eyes were dark and mysterious.

  It was his turn as he ordered a small regular coffee with a splash of almond milk. I was next.

  “What can I get for you?” the barista asked.

  “A long black Americano with a double shot of espresso, please.”

  I handed the barista some cash and stepped to the side, next to sexy man who was now standing with his back still turned, talking on his phone. His coffee was ready, but he didn’t hear it being called, so I gra
bbed it from the counter and tapped him on the shoulder. The moment he turned around, I swallowed hard at the beautiful green eyes that stared back at me.

  “This is yours.” I smiled.

  “Hold on, Charles. Thank you,” he spoke while he stared into my eyes as he took the cup from my hand.

  My coffee was called, so I grabbed it from the counter, and when I turned back around, he was gone. Shit. Oh well, at least I had a fleeting moment of godly sexiness in front of my eyes. Sighing, I grabbed my carryon and headed to the restroom before boarding the plane. By the time I was finished and arrived at my gate, they had already called first class. Quickly running up, I handed my ticket to the attendant and stepped onto the passenger boarding bridge. Once I reached the plane, I glanced at my ticket for my seat number. I gulped when I turned the corner and saw godly sexiness sitting across from seat 3C, his beautiful green eyes looking at me. Five glorious hours of having the privilege to stare at that fine man made this flight all that much more worth it.

  As I sat down, I looked over at my seat buddy, the young woman sitting next to me, and noticed her red swollen eyes. She’d either been crying or had one hell of a hangover. My eyes diverted over to the man across the aisle who was typing away on his phone. The captain came on the overhead and prepared us for takeoff. As the plane took off down the runway, I thought about how I still hadn’t told my sister that I was coming in early. I was torn if I wanted to stay at her place or get a hotel room. Her place would be better since I was paying for this part of my New York trip myself.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Once we were up in the air, I took out my laptop, connected to Wi-Fi, and sent Bella a message.

  “Hey baby sister, I’m on a plane to New York as I’m writing this. I needed to fly in a couple days early. Can I crash at your place?”

  “Hey, sis. Actually, Mom, Dad, and Alfie just got here a couple of hours ago. Mom and Dad are in the spare bedroom and Alfie is on the couch. So, if you don’t mind taking the floor, it’s totally cool that you crash here.”

  What the fuck? Why the hell were my mom, dad, and Alfie already there? Change of plans.

  “Hey, it’s all cool. I’ll get a hotel room or an Airbnb.”

  “Are you sure? It’ll be really good to have you here with us.”

  “I’m sure. I’ll see you soon.”

  I googled Airbnb in New York City and the first one that popped up looked amazing. The best part, it was only $199 a night for a one-bedroom, two-private-bathroom loft in Manhattan. The pictures looked too good to be true. I clicked on the contact form and asked if it was still available. I nervously waited for a response as I scrolled through the pictures.

  “Apartment hunting?” The godly sexy man smirked.

  For the love of God, my stomach started to flutter as my legs tightened.

  “Airbnb,” I responded.

  “I take it you’re not from New York?”

  “No. Seattle. I’m flying in to see my sister dance in Swan Lake.”

  “Interesting.” The corners of his mouth slightly curved upwards. “And you didn’t think to book something sooner?”

  “Actually, I didn’t. I was just in Los Angeles for business and I wasn’t a hundred percent sure I was leaving until this morning.”

  Why the hell was I telling a complete stranger all this? That’s right. He was sexy as fuck and I wanted to keep the conversation with him going for as long as I could.

  Suddenly, a reply came back from the owner of the Airbnb, Carol.

  “Hi Laurel. You’re in luck. We did have it rented out for the next few days, but the renter had to cancel. If you’re interested, it’s yours. How many nights did you need it for?”

  “Excellent. I’ll need it for four nights and I’ll be checking out Sunday morning.”

  “All I’ll need is your credit card information and it’s yours.”

  I pulled my card from my wallet and typed in the number.

  “Great. I’ll text you the address and my phone number. Just give me a call when you get into the city and I’ll meet you at the apartment.”

  “Thank you, Carol.”

  “Yes!” I exclaimed. Maybe a little too loudly.

  “Good news?” the sexy godly man asked.

  “The Airbnb I inquired about is available.” I smiled.

  “Pity. I was hoping you wouldn’t find a place and you could stay with me.” He winked.

  Holy shit, I think I just orgasmed.

  “Then you should have said something sooner.” I arched my brow.

  His mouth flowed into a full smile as he let out a chuckle. “Damn. I’m always a little too late. If you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.”

  “Me too.” I smirked.

  Damn. This guy was totally turning me on. I needed to focus on finishing up my article about Craig. As I was writing and doing some editing, I heard subtle sniffles coming from my seat buddy. When I glanced over at her, she was quietly crying while looking out the window of the plane. Damn it.

  “Are you okay?” I asked as I lightly placed my hand on her arm.

  “No. I’m not.” She wiped her eyes.

  “Would you like to talk about it? I’m a really good listener.”

  “No. I can’t.” She cried harder.

  “Okay.” I turned back to my laptop.

  The last thing I needed while trying to work was this chick crying her eyes out next to me. It was bad enough I was distracted by the man across the aisle, who was working but would steal small glances here and there.

  “I saw my boyfriend with another girl,” my seat buddy blurted out. “He just moved to L.A. for his job and in a few months when I was finished with school, I was going to move out there with him. I wanted to surprise him with a visit, so I didn’t tell him I was coming.”

  “Let me guess, you found them in bed together?”

  “No, but I saw them outside his apartment kissing when the cab driver pulled up. I was so sick to my stomach that I told the cab driver to take me back to the airport. I don’t know what to do,” she sobbed.

  “Did you text him or call him after you saw them?”

  “No. I can’t. I hate him right now and I might say something I will regret.”

  “Listen, sweetie. The fact is that he’s seeing another woman. There’s nothing you can say right now that you’ll regret. How long have the two of you been dating?”

  “Six months.”

  “Six months isn’t a long time. He did you a favor. It’s better that you found out now instead of next year, or worse yet, when you moved there to be with him. Guys are assholes,” I voiced a little too loudly.

  The sexy godly man across the aisle loudly cleared his throat. When I looked over at him, he looked at me with an arch in his brow. I shrugged and continued talking with my seat buddy.

  “Were you ever cheated on?” she asked.

  “As a matter of fact, I was, and it hurts. I know what you’re feeling and going through. I promise you it will get better. If you want my advice, send him a break up text. Don’t give him the satisfaction of you knowing that he’s cheating. You have the power now, and the only person who can make you feel better is you. And whatever you do, don’t give him an explanation of why you’re breaking up. If you want to really get him, tell him you met someone else. He doesn’t deserve you. You’re a young beautiful girl, and there are so many men out there that would be honored to call you their girlfriend. Don’t waste your energy on some douchebag who has to put his dick into every vagina he meets just to make himself feel less insecure.”

  “It hurts so much.” She sniffled.

  “I know it does.” I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “But there’s a lesson behind every broken heart. Each pain is a new opportunity to love yourself even more. Don’t ever depend on someone else to give you what you can give yourself, and that’s respect.”

  “You’re right. He was a loser anyway. I can do so much better than him.”

  “That’s right, sister! He
doesn’t deserve you.”

  “Thank you—”

  “Laurel,” I softly spoke.

  “I’m Renee. I’m sorry for spilling all my problems like that.”

  “Please.” I smiled. “I was the one who asked, and I was more than happy to listen. Sometimes, it’s easier to talk to a stranger.”

  “Yeah. You’re right. I’ll let you get back to work. I think I’m going to take a nap.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Concentrating on my article was hard with sexy godly man sitting across from me. Shit, what I wouldn’t give to see what kind of package he was sporting under that sexy designer suit. There was definitely some sexual chemistry between us. I could see the hunger in his eyes when he looked at me. Believe me, I was no stranger when it came to that look.

  The plane landed, and I was finally in New York. I gave Renee a hug and told her to stay strong.

  “After you.” The sexy godly man smiled as he gestured me to exit my seat first.

  “Thank you.” I seductively grinned.

  I felt the placement of his hand on my lower back and I began to tremble. As soon as we exited the plane, he lightly grabbed my arm.

  “This way,” he spoke as he led me to the left.

  “I’m sorry, but what are you doing and where are we going?”

  “There’s no denying that we both want to fuck each other. So, we need to do it and get it out of our systems.”

  “Excuse me?” I turned to him as I silently smiled. “I don’t even know your name.”

  “Names don’t matter when two people are physically attracted to each other,” he spoke as he opened the door to a family restroom, then locked it once we were inside. “Plus, we’ll never see each other again.”

  He placed his hands on my face while his mouth meshed with mine for a moment.

  “Take your dress off,” he demanded. “I want to see if my imagination is on point.” He smirked.

  “Well, I have an imagination too, so you first.” I gestured with my hand.

  “That’s not how it works, sweetheart.”

  I stood there, my head cocked to the side as the pulsating vibration down below was screaming at me to just do what he said.