“Chris said that she was in Paris shopping. Can’t you track her spending?”
“I never thought of that. All I’ve been thinking about is you and that damn building I’m trying to purchase.”
“What do you want me to do? Feel sorry for you? I have a life and I can’t put it on hold until you decide to get your life in order,” I said to him.
“I need you so much that I can’t sleep at night,” he said. The sound of my door buzzer was loud. I never noticed it before. I’ve never been this close to the door when it rang. I turned and looked through the peep hole.
“Oh my God, it’s Andrew,” I whispered.
“What’s he doing here again?” Brandon gazed at me. “Don’t answer the door,” he whispered.
“I can’t do that.” I pulled away from Brandon and pulled the door and it swung open. I hadn’t locked it with the shock of seeing Brandon. “Brandon is leaving,” I said to Andrew.
“No, he should stay. I have something to say to him,” Andrew said smiling handing me a bouquet of red roses. I placed them to my nose, my eyes darting to Brandon. Andrew walked to the sofa and sat making himself at home as if we had been intimate. He had a smirk on his face.
“As you can tell I’m interested in Tyler. I have plans for her.”
Brandon looking nervous in his casual clothes pulled up a chair and sat across from him. I was the only one standing.
“I have plans for Tyler too,” Brandon said, his smile matching Andrew’s smirk. “I plan to ask her to marry me,” he returned the ball. That was news to me but I was interested. I wanted to see how long they would discuss me as if I wasn’t there.
“Well, what are you planning to do with Angela or have you disposed of the body?” Andrew said leaning forward. He wasn’t playing fair. Men with money never do.
“You have a few bodies buried and if you continue with this I will dig some up. And looking at your expression, I can bet you have quite a few lying around somewhere,” Brandon stated with a straight face, eyes fixed on Andrew, never changing his serious expression, crossing his arms and then tilting his head.
“There is no need for us to go through this, besides, it’s up to Tyler to decide,” Andrew said tapping his fingers nervously on the arm of the sofa.
“Decide what? I have only one decision to make—and that’s moving out of here.”
“I will put you up at my…” Brandon said and I intervened.
“You’re married. I’ve risked my integrity, job, and my name by continuing this relationship with you Brandon. It’s time it came to an end. I need you to leave. Leave me now.” It hurt so bad to have to talk to Brandon the way I had, but I saw no other way to get on with my life.
Brandon stood and his eyes had the sadness of a man who had lost everything. I had taken sides and for once he wasn’t the winner. He was a man that never lost anything and when he took a full breath and exhaled I suspect he wouldn’t go away without a fight.
Brandon had fought at the charity ball bare knuckles and all. He reminded me of my father. I wished he had met him.
“You should leave too Andrew.” I surprised him. He was expecting to hang around. He must have seen Brandon enter the building and therefore picked up flowers at the florist storefront below my apartment.
I walked to the door and opened it with my back and hand holding it. Brandon stepped out first and stood at the first step leading down the stairs. Andrew passed me and tried to kiss me and I leaned away from his kiss. “I’ll call you. Decide whether you will take my offer,” Andrew said to me.
Brandon heard Andrew. “What offer?”
“That doesn’t concern you Charles,” Andrew shouted before the elevator opened.
“Everything she does concerns me.” Brandon moved in Andrew’s direction and I walked and stood between them.
“I can’t have another one of your spectacles, Brandon. Leave now.” He turned and headed down the stairs without a word.
“You didn’t need to do that Tyler. I know Brandon well. He will think twice before he tangles with me. Andrew gave me a kiss on the cheek and walked into the elevator.
It took a few minutes before I could calm down. I exhaled. I fell exhausted in the bed and when I woke the cat was lying curled up near me. It was the sound coming from my smartphone. I reached over to pick up the phone. “Hello,” I said slow and groggy.
“My offer still stands. I can have you out of that apartment in the morning.”
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll see you in the morning.” And I fell back into a wonderful sleep. I can’t remember when I’ve had such a restful sleep.
“I woke late the next morning. I jumped up forgetting that I hadn’t fed the cat or put water out for him. I slogged to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I glanced down, there lay a dead mouse and the cat throwing it around.
It suddenly occurred to me that I was the dead mouse and Brandon and Andrew were tossing me around. What did they want with me that they couldn’t get from any of the other girls that were clamoring to get into their beds?
I knew Brandon’s reputation with the girls, but what was Andrew’s thing? I decided to contact Chris. I slipped on a pair of gray sweats, but before I could comb my hair and put lip gloss on, my bell rang.
Rushing to the door and hoping there wasn’t another event like last night, I slowly opened it. “We’re here to move you.”
“What? I’m not moving.”
“Miss, here are the forms with orders to move your belongings from this address and here’s the address we’re taking them to.” I glanced at the order and then it hit me. I agreed to take Andrew’s offer. I remember now, I was half awake. I considered protesting but who am I fooling. I needed to get out of this rat trap and what better reason than to do it now.
“The furniture stays here,” I said. “Everything else goes.”
“The cat?” The large balding guy said pointing. He wore a blue work shirt with sweat marks under each arm. My eyes glanced at the cat who had rushed to protect his morning meal. He had dragged his prey into the living area and was playing with it.
I looked up at the man and said, “No. He came with the apartment and he stays.”
“I know what you mean. My wife left me with her cat.”
“It’s not like that,” I said trying to reassure him that I wasn’t that kind of girl. Before I could stop him from judging me, he was on the conversation about his wife dumping him for someone else. He assumed that I was getting out before my husband returned. I tried to console him, when tears pooled in his eyes at the mention of his wife, for the umpteenth time.
A job of moving out a few things went on for hours with me denying, consoling, reassuring, and offering water and snacks to the crew on this hot summer day.
Chapter 29
The owner of the moving company, Rizzoli and sons, whom I had developed a relationship with, suddenly changed and started calling me Miss when I arrived at Andrew’s apartment. It was a penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park. I climbed out of the mover’s truck and the doorman greeted me with a smile. He called someone to show me the apartment. But it is what it is, a fucking penthouse. Not just anywhere, it overlooked Central Park.
“Rizzoli?”
“Yes Miss.”
“Please don’t call me Miss.” I saw his judgmental eyes and I couldn’t stand it. I hoped my father wouldn’t take it the same way. I hoped he understood that it was a gift. Two years rent free. No obligations. Who was I kidding? I made up my mind that I wouldn’t tell him anything because who knows what he would say?
“I have to be professional, Miss,” Rizzoli said to me jarring me into reality.
“You weren’t being professional when we were at that dump in the Village. You called me Tyler,” I said, my feelings a little hurt. I liked him and now because he thinks I’m rich, or leaving my husband for a rich guy, he’s looking at me differently.
“Where do you want these clothes, Miss?” I had given up. If he wanted to call me Miss so be it.
“Put them in the closet in the bedroom.”
“There are four bedrooms,” His helpers said sticking their head around the corner and shouting.
“Then put them in the largest or smallest one I don’t care,” I said.
All my worldly goods were deposited into a closet in this mansion in the sky, and in that closet, still room to fit a king-size bed. “Wait. I have a tip,” I yelled.
“Don’t worry Miss, it’s all taken care of.” He took a few steps to the door and turned, “if I can give you advice, me being a man and all, and much older, been around the block a few times…don’t let him buy you. It never ends well.” And Rizzoli shook his head closed the door.
I sank into the plush white sofa, stretched my arms and then I noticed that it was quiet and the view—spectacular. The panoramic glass afforded me the luxury of standing in the clouds. They were so close I knew I could touch them. Finally peace.
I must have fallen asleep because I didn’t hear the buzzer, and then a key in the door.
“I looked up and before me stood Andrew. My eyes grew large.
“No, I promised you that the apartment would be yours.” I looked at him and didn’t say a word. “Here are your keys and a bottle of Champaign. He opened the door, and when I thought he would leave, he pushed a cart in with two glasses and a tin of caviar and crackers. He reached into his pocket and used the corkscrew to uncork the bottle.
I opened the tin of caviar and with a small spoon spread it on the crackers as he poured the wine. One day Chris forced it on me and surprisingly I liked the smell and taste of those fish eggs.
We sat down and quietly took in the breathtaking view. “Never have I seen something like this before.”
“You should see my apartment in Paris.” And he smiled with a seductive grin. What a handsome man I thought, and he wants me.
When I downed three glasses of Champaign, Andrew leaned over and kissed me on the lips. The kiss was soft and gentle a little less than the one before. It was a shy kiss not like the heated ones I experienced with Brandon. He placed his hands to my face and said, “Can I take you to dinner tomorrow after work?”
“Yes. That’s the least I can do,” I said to him. He was a perfect gentleman. I wanted to see more of this man. He stood and walked to the door. And I followed him.
He turned, “Tell me to stay.”
“I can’t do that,” I said.
“Is it Brandon?”
“Yes, somewhat. But not all has to do with him.” He put his finger over my mouth.
“You don’t have to explain to me. When you’re ready, I’ll be here. Besides I want to take you to Paris.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him on his lips. He was so handsome, good-natured, and sweet that I could see myself falling in love with him but not now. I wasn’t ready. I still had to extricate Brandon from my mind and body.
“Can we take it slow? I don’t know you. I want to know this man in front of me.”
“Then prepare yourself for a proper world wind romance. The flowers will never stop until you say you have had enough. Or that you will marry me. Can you handle a man falling in love with you at first sight, where you will find it hard to breathe?”
“I don’t know,” I said with a chuckle. “It might be fun.”
“Well you have never had Andrew Blake fall madly in love. I don’t think you can handle it.”
“You let me be the judge of that,” I said to him. He smiled with those gorgeous white teeth, I didn’t want to let him go. He was so much fun. But I pushed him out of the door anyway.
“If you need me, I sometimes stay at the apartment building across from this one.”
“You own that building? I can see it from this apartment,” I said.
I wasn’t too concerned. Andrew knew his boundaries and respected them, and he wouldn’t over step them as long as I didn’t sleep with him. I would take it slow. Not like I did with Brandon.
Before closing the door I smiled and through him a kiss. I turned in excitement around and around like a girl in a field of clover.
I walked in a dreamlike state to the bedroom. “Oh my,” I thought. I will wake up with a view of the clouds every morning. At least for a few years.
All the fun and excitement came to an end. Tomorrow was reality. I had to go to work. After all I wasn’t marrying a billionaire and I wasn’t even engaged to one. I opened the closet to prepare my clothes for work. I stood in amazement. Andrew placed rows and rows of suits and shoes, gowns and everything I could think of to dress in.
I rushed to find my phone in my faux designer handbag. I hit his number. “I was expecting a call from you. You found the clothes,” he said laughing.
“I can’t keep them.”
“Well what do you want me to do with them? I can’t wear them they’re not my size,” And he laughed.
“We can discuss it tomorrow. I have a business partner with me. I have to go. Wear the blue suit tomorrow.” Before I could ask which blue suit, because there were so many, he hung up the phone.
***
It sunk in that I lived in a penthouse apartment with no noise and no rent. I took a cab to work instead of the subway. I felt better because I had Brandon out of my life. I wasn’t afraid that he would show up at work and cause problems. It was a relief not to see my picture plastered in the daily papers. I tried to keep a low profile and work without calling attention to myself.
I worked hard and kept long hours until everyone cleared the bank except the security guard and then he and I walked out together at seven p.m. True to his word, Andrew waited for me in his limo. Stepping out of the door of the bank, Spencer ran into me holding what looked like two cups of coffee. “What are you doing here? Oh don’t answer. I don’t feel like hearing lies come from my once good friend,” I said. “This is the second time this has happened. Once is a coincidence, twice is a plan.”
“It’s good to see you too,” he said. I reluctantly gave him a hug and walked to the car where the driver waited for me to enter.
Spencer yelled, “What do you want me to tell Mr. Charles?” I looked and said, “Tell Brandon I’m a big girl now and I wish him the best.” I got into the limo and slid next to the handsome Andrew Blake with his expensive European black suit and tieless white shirt.
“I see you wore the suit I asked you to wear,” Andrew said smiling with approval.
“My clothes weren’t appropriate for work and play.”
“Oh, so you’re planning on playing with me. I like that. It’s been a long time since I had a playmate. Do you have any ideas?”
“I think we should eat and discuss that later,” I said.
“Very well. My place or a restaurant?”
“Restaurant?”
The windows were dark and the ride appeared unusually long. I fell asleep just that fast. I woke embarrassed to the sound of a plane’s engine. “Where am I?”
“You’re on my jet.”
“I can’t be I was just in your limo.”
“I know. I carried you in with the help of my driver.”
“What are you planning on doing with me?”
“It’s not what you think. You’re too old to sell abroad, besides I want you for myself,” he said laughing and enjoying the joke I was yet to catch on to.
“My father will pay you ransom,” I said with a serious face.
“Does he have a million dollars? I hear that’s what you’re worth,” Andrew said with a straight face.
“He can work out a payment agreement,” I said frantic.
He burst into a big laugh. He couldn’t stop laughing. “Did you think I would do anything against your will? I promised to take you to Paris.”
“What about my job.”
“I do business with that bank and I informed the manager that I had property to see in Paris, and I needed your expert opinion on a fair price.”
“I wouldn’t know a fair price on a building in Paris or New York.”
“Don�
�t worry you don’t need to know anything. I won’t tell if you don’t. We’re eating at this restaurant and fly home tonight. With the jet lag you should be ready for work in two days, maybe three.” I had heard of jet lag but wasn’t quite sure. Chris said you couldn’t explain it to someone they had to experience it.
Chapter 30
We arrived at a private airstrip in Paris near the Charles de Gaulle Airport. Stepping off the jet, I glanced over and there was Brandon’s jet. I checked again and it had Charles written on the side. Is that all the rich did was fly around the world wasting fuel and impressing woman?
We entered the limo and I sat quietly until we drove to Paris and stopped at the Hotel de Crillon. “What’s in there?” I asked.
“The L’Obelisque. It has a world famous restaurant. I think you’ll enjoy the food.” In the morning we can walk to the Champs-Elysees and the Louvre.”
“You said nothing about staying overnight.”
“I know, but what’s the point of going to Paris if you can’t see the Louvre?
His eyes pleaded and I capitulated. “Then we’re home the next day?” I asked.
“I promise,” he said to me. Yet he promised me before. I shudder to think what promises he planned on breaking. When we walked through the door of the magnificent and opulent hotel, he said:
“One more thing.” Oh I knew something was coming. “We’re staying at the Ritz Paris.”
“Is it far?”
“No.” He must have seen a sigh of relief cross my bemused face, as I watched all the sights and caught the sounds of the hotel. I scarcely heard him or remember asking an important question.
He spoke to the employees in French but I heard the concierge ask if he wanted his usual table, to which he responded, “Yes.” I hadn’t used my French I took in high school but it came back as soon as I heard it spoken.
During desert I got my biggest surprise. Andrew proved to be much more than I expected and he relish adventure. I was falling hard for him when I gazed up into the eyes of Brandon and Angela. Angela held on to Brandon when she met my eyes and as they strolled pass our table, she glanced at me and came to an abrupt stop.
One Desire Page 18
