by Jolie Day
“Oh...Well thank you for helping me out.” Elise wanted to catch his gaze, but she was afraid of making too much eye contact with a stranger. After the way that Alexandra had treated her she was concerned that anyone would be able to look at her face and read her secrets to the world.
“Eric Jespersen,” the man introduced himself, extending a hand across the table so that Elise could shake it.
“Elise Monet. It’s a pleasure,” said Elise as she accepted his shake. His hand was smooth to the touch, like he hadn’t done an ounce of physical labor in his life.
“Likewise,” said Eric. He had a charming smile. Elise briefly shared a look with him. His eyes were baby blue and as clear as crystal. They nearly shimmered when his lips turned upward in a genuine look of positivity. Overall he was a devilishly handsome man. His blond hair was swept back from his face, but a couple strands had fallen in front of one of his eyes. It was strange to see it this way, but it almost gave him a mischievous look. Eric wore a deep navy suit that was open in the front, exposing the full length of his golden tie and the tightness of his white dress shirt. When Elise’s eyes focused on this visible muscle definition through the cloth, she tried not to blush, immediately taking her eyes away. Eric was definitely a man of wealth, as the gold wristwatch he wore looked to be twice as expensive as the car that Elise had driven to the event center.
Goodness, could I really be admiring a man I just met here? Elise wondered while dragging her embarrassed gaze down to her plate setting. Is he married? Does he have someone? She stared at his fingers, seeing that his ring finger was devoid of any proof that he was committed to a relationship. God, what am I doing? She demanded in her head. Am I really that desperate that I would naturally think of marriage the minute I find interest in a man?
Honestly, it wasn’t that surprising. Elise and her friends used to giggle about changing their surnames to their crushes’ back in high school. Elise had never really grown out of that stage. She still liked to daydream, especially when a gorgeous man within her range of age was being kind to her. He didn’t have to be totally rich. That’s the last thing on my mind, really, she comprehended. Mom wants nothing but money, but I just want to find a guy who will love me.
Eric had gone back to skimming over something on the flashing screen of his phone, leaving Elise to stew in her thoughts for a couple minutes. Alexandra hadn’t come back, so Elise felt as though Eric had truly scared her off for good. She didn’t really feel bad about it. She had feared that Alexandra would have ruined her night if she stuck around and chatted any longer.
A husky man wearing a neat gray suit strode out from a hall, entering the room. He brushed off his lapels and stopped at the end of the table. He had closely cropped hair that was the same color of his suit across his temples, signifying his age. His eyes were small and dark, and he had a properly trimmed mustache over thin lips. This was Mr. Thane Rusnak. Elise didn’t recognize too many faces at the table, but she definitely recollected him. Despite barely knowing her, Rusnak always approached her after every dinner to compliment her outfit.
“Attention, my dear friends and associates,” Rusnak spoke up, silencing everyone along the table. “Welcome to the seventh annual Thane Rusnak Social Dinner. As you are all sure to know, that’s me.” He smiled like it was a joke, but nobody laughed. Before the quiet in the room could get awkward Rusnak continued. “Tonight I will be hosting for you all a wonderful array of delicacies from the east coast. We have one of my personal favorites...lobster bisque, for the appetizer. Following the appetizer will be three different dishes featuring delectable seafood from around the country. To finish it all off we have a wonderful three-tier rum cake, my personal favorite, for dessert tonight.” His closely set eyes roved around the room. “I see a number of familiar faces here, as well as a few new ones. Whether you are old or young, new or veteran, welcome. And with that, let the dinner begin.”
Rusnak took his seat at the end of the table and immediately fell into the low wash of chatter that started up again around the room. The servers bustled around the different chairs setting bowls of bisque on top of everyone’s charger plates. Elise picked up her spoon before hearing Eric across from her give a massive sigh. She looked up from her soup at the man who had just put away his phone as a server set a course down in front of him.
“Is everything alright?” she wondered curiously.
He glanced at her while picking up his own spoon. “Oh, everything will be fine in time. I was just informed that I have two meetings back to back tomorrow afternoon, and I’m wishing I hadn’t signed up to go to them.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” she sympathized, although she really had no idea what it was like to attend any kind of meeting. She stirred her spoon around in the bisque. “What do you do for a living?” she asked.
“I’m actually in the middle of trying to sell my business in marketing,” said Eric. “I want to have the extra money to retire early, but an associate of mine is being difficult, and won’t let me sell.”
“Why does he have a right to decide what you do?” Elise couldn’t help but ask. “If it’s your company, don’t you get to decide?”
Eric smiled at this. “You make a good point there. Unfortunately he has a hand in my business just as much as I do. You could say he’s kind of my rationalizer. He glosses over all of my decisions with a mind of logic before telling me whether or not they are good ones to make.”
“And he doesn’t think you selling the company is a logical decision?”
“Unfortunately, no. I’m looking to actually sell it to him, as he knows the company inside and out, but he requests that I make an offer to Rusnak first.”
“Why Rusnak?” Elise wondered. She hesitated. “Sorry. I’m asking a lot of questions. To be honest you’re the first person at one of these events who’s actually said something kind to me.”
Eric chuckled in an airy manner. He stirred his own bisque around. “I don’t mind the questions, Ms. Monet. Rusnak wants my business badly. He likes to stick a limb in almost any company that comes his way that might be available. He’s approached me with a few different money offers for it already over the last couple of years, but the most I’ve told him is that I’ll think on it. I just have such a difficult time deciding to give my company over to such a greedy individual.”
All of this talk about offers and businesses was a bit confusing to Elise. In a way it almost sounded like a different language, but she tried her best to understand what was going on. She wanted to be a part of all this, especially if she was supposed to immerse herself in the wealthy culture anyway.
“It sounds like you have a bit of a bind on your hands,” Elise commented before finally taking a bite of her bisque. It was outrageously spicy, but she tried to keep a straight face as she swallowed.
“It’s rather inconvenient,” Eric commented. He still hadn’t tried the soup. Elise watched him twirl his spoon around in the substance continuously. “I wish I could find someone to shake Rusnak off my heels and have him uninterested in the company, because I know for a fact that is the first thing he is going to approach me about tonight after dinner.”
“Is that why you’re not eating?”
Eric looked up at her in surprise and dropped his spoon to the edge of his soup bowl. “Ah...I suppose it is. Honestly, I’m not so sure why I came here in the first place tonight. Perhaps to try and find someone who can make me a bigger offer than what Rusnak is trying to give.”
“I’m afraid I can’t be of much help there,” Elise admitted.
“Ah, no one perhaps in your family who could possibly buy my company?” he half joked. “I fully understand, and I would never impose something like that onto you.” He straightened from playing with his soup and focused on her fully.
“So how about you, Ms. Monet? How come you’re here tonight?”
Elise felt a sudden heat close about her like dangerous demon’s claws. It gripped at her head and squeezed a cold sweat from her bro
w. What was she supposed to say? Make up a story! Quickly! He can’t know that you’re poor!
“I...” Elise couldn’t do it. She couldn’t think up a story on the spot. She tried desperately to recall the story she had made up last year when someone asked her, but it just wasn’t coming to her.
“You don’t have to explain it if you don’t wish to,” Eric spoke up to break the silence. “I just thought I’d ask. Most people are here for business reasons, but I was just curious about yours.”
“Well, it’s nothing bad,” Elise started to blather. She wasn’t even sure why she was trying to stick up for herself. She didn’t need to. “I just...”
“Really, you don’t have to say it,” Eric stated, raising his hand to stop Elise. “I’m not one of those guys who jumps to conclusions. And I’m especially not one of those people who try to read another person by their name only.”
Elise smiled lightly to him, and he returned the look.
Soon the appetizer dishes were picked up and replaced a minute later with plates full of all sorts of different morsels. This time Elise participated in the meal with the others. She and Eric had quieted from their earlier discussion. She liked him but fought to try to think of a way to talk to him more without seeming clingy or desperate for attention. She vaguely listened to the lull of calm discussion passing around the table while eating, but wasn’t much of a fan of it all. The night had already seemed long, and yet it had only just started.
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a fan of oysters,” Eric spoke up. Elise watched him as he pushed two oyster shells over to the side of his plate using his fork.
She smiled, glancing at her own plate. She had done the same. “Too much of a fishy taste for me, honestly.”
“Agreed, and not the prettiest sea creature to eat. I’m personally a fan of snapper.”
“I’m not really a seafood person in general,” said Elise. “I don’t mind crab, but I’ve never liked fish.”
“Ah, what a shame. I make a mean snapper dish back at home,” Eric chuckled.
Elise smiled but pulled her brow inward with a frown. “Are you implying something, Mr. Jespersen?”
He stared at her for a moment before flashing a wider smile than hers. “I might have been hinting something, yes.”
She couldn’t help but be engulfed by the butterflies that suddenly rose in her stomach. Here was the perfect guy...civil, slightly flirtatious, protective, and charming. Elise couldn’t ask for a better chance to date someone.
“I think I might be up to accepting what you’re hinting,” said Elise.
“That’s wonderful! I’ll make arrangements for tomorrow night then. How does six sound?”
“That sounds perfect.”
Elise spent the rest of the meal happily chatting with Eric. She learned about his favorite things to do, learned about the massive estate that he owned, and learned that he even had horse stables.
“I’m a bit of an old world hobbyist,” he told her. “I like to take my horses out on long trips on Sundays and just ride the day away, especially through spring and early summer, where the mornings are still cool and the sun isn’t so merciless.”
Elise found this romantic. “How many horses do you have?”
“Four right now. I have a personal rancher who takes care of three of them for me, but I tend to my own horse, Hermes, on my own. I sort of inherited the ranch from my grandfather, and so I combined my two fields and built a manor onto the existing land that he had given me.”
“It sounds like your estate keeps you fairly busy,” said Elise. “What with maintaining it and such, even if you do have help.”
Eric shrugged. “To be honest I don’t actually spend enough time around there. Not as much as I would like, anyway. I take too much time trying to manage my business. I’d like to just call it quits and remain home. Go on vacation perhaps.”
The dessert was brought out a little while later. Although Elise wasn’t a fan of rum cake either, she found it a little more enjoyable in the company of Eric. They talked about more of their likes and dislikes, and the entire time Eric didn’t once ask her about her personal life. He let her do the talking when she wanted to, and kept to his promise that he wouldn’t pry.
Once dessert was over some of the guests took their leave. Rusnak hung around the front of the table speaking to some higher-looking businessmen. Eric waited until Elise rose from her seat before doing the same. He walked around the table and shook her hand again. “Well, it was a pleasure spending the evening with you, Ms. Monet.”
“Taking off already?” she wondered.
He nodded. “Unfortunately I’ve got a couple phone calls to make about the meetings tomorrow. Where can I look to pick you up?”
“Ah, tomorrow, yes! I’ll...” Elise quickly tried to think of someplace she could visit. “I’ll be at the local library around then. You can find me there.”
Eric grinned and nodded. “Then it sounds like a plan. I will pick you up at five-thirty tomorrow evening. Goodnight, Ms. Monet.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Jespersen.”
“You can just call me Eric if you’d like,” he offered.
Elise returned his smile. “Then feel free to call me Elise.”
With his eyes twinkling, Eric nodded at her and turned away, leaving the event room. She watched his tall figure stride out the open doors, and then she sighed wistfully. She liked Eric very much, and actually looked forward to going home and telling her mother about the date she had set up with him.
*****
“Elise Monet! There’s that beautiful girl!”
Elise was abruptly shaken from her enchanting reverie about Eric by the booming sound of one of the most familiar voices she had heard that night. She turned around quickly from the door to face Rusnak. He stood with his hands in his pockets. Two people he had been talking to turned away to chat elsewhere, leaving Elise and Rusnak alone.
“H-Hello, Mr. Rusnak,” Elise greeted, trying to keep her voice level. It came out much quieter than she’d hoped.
“Come here, sweetheart.” Rusnak draped his arm around her shoulders. She stiffened from the contact, but was left to move with him as he guided her toward the doors leading out into the main hallway. The pet name bothered her greatly.
“How did you enjoy dinner tonight?”
“It was great, sir. Very delicious. The cooks that you hire every year always do an excellent job.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he gloated. He led her out to the main entrance and across it. “You know I’ve been speaking with your mother.”
Elise looked at him in confusion. “When?”
“Just recently. She told me about the situation the two of you are in. I know about how badly the two of you need money, Elise.”
Elise halted, forcing Rusnak to stop walking as well. She gave him a concerned look. “What did my mother say, exactly?”
“Nothing you need to worry about, sweetheart. I made a deal with her already. I’ll give your family the money you need.”
Elise frowned. “You will?”
He nodded with a greasy smile. “In exchange for the money, I get to have you by my side.”
Elise pulled away from his arm immediately, stepping back. They had made it out of the entrance hall and into a new one on the other side of the center. It was darker and wasn’t populated by any visitors. “My mother never told me about that exchange.”
“She wouldn’t have wanted to throw you off guard, honey.”
“Stop calling me things. I’m not interested, Mr. Rusnak.”
Rusnak wouldn’t have it. He approached her and gripped her shoulders, pushing her up against the center wall. Elise shrank back from his hold as she watched him lick his lips.
“I’ve wanted you for some time now, Elise. I’ll save your family from debt. I’ll give you whatever you want. All you have to do is be mine.”
“No! Stop it!” Elise struggled to shake his hands off of her. “Let go of me! I
don’t want that at all!”
“This isn’t about what you want, Elise. It’s about what your mother wants. And what I want.”
She pushed his hands off. “I’m not some child anymore! I can make my own decisions about how I want to live, and you’re not touching me again!”
Elise began to walk back toward the event center entrance, but Rusnak whipped his hand out and seized the back of her dress. “Like hell I’m not! I’m paying for you! I get to have you!”
Her dress ripped from his grasp, the collar tearing out. Buttons popped from the back where she had meticulously done up her clothing, and she heard the white lace snap and fray from his furious fingertips. Elise began to scream, but the man slapped his hand over her mouth to silence her. Thinking quickly, yet terrified, Elise opened her jaws and bit down hard on the man’s forefinger. He shouted in alarm, letting go just enough for her to jerk out of his grasp and race for the exit.
“You bitch! Get back here!” he called, but Elise was already on her way across the entry hall. She tripped in her heel and felt it break under her foot, so she kicked both of her shoes off and continued to sprint away, terrified of the big man behind her. She had no idea if he was following her or not, but she didn’t dare look. Elise threw her weight into the glass doors and pushed them open, racing down the walkway toward her car. She was barely aware of her purse still hanging on her shoulder, and was honestly surprised that it hadn’t somehow been lost by her panicked escape.
Elise was only a yard from her vehicle when her toe caught on an upward-tilted stone in the walkway, and she tripped. As she dropped to her knees and caught herself with her hands, she let the tears run down her face.
Her mother had practically sold her? All this time Elise’s mother had dressed her up, prepped her, and encouraged her just so that filthy Thane Rusnak could stick his grimy fingers all over her body. She felt disgusted and dirty. She had gone into the party with high hopes that she would meet someone worthwhile, and then had come out realizing that the man had already been picked out for her. Her mother was choking her dreams just to get a wad of cash from practically a stranger. Elise wasn’t sure what to do now. She didn’t want to go home, and she didn’t want to turn around and face Rusnak.
