“Try me,” Chase countered. He reached over and topped my flute off with just a bit more champagne. “I want to know about you. Especially, if you’re going to be working for me. Banks is involved in a lot of pro bono work. Who knows? We might already have a mission for you. Charlie, Nolan’s wife, is in charge of a low-income housing project as we speak.”
I swallowed and shifted around on the seat. I’d never worn silk before – it was slippery and sensual and almost made me feel like I was wearing nothing at all. Glancing down, I noticed that the fabric clung to my body like a glove. That thought was enough to make me blush as I cleared my throat and took a long sip of champagne.
Fortification.
“I grew up poor,” I said in a rush. “In the Bronx. With an artist mother who didn’t really give a fuck about me. She used to leave me with the neighbors when she’d go party with her boyfriends. Sometimes she’d be gone for a week – sometimes a few months. And my father. Well, she had no idea.”
I glanced at Chase’s face, looking for the disdain I thought almost certainly would be reflected there. Instead, he looked sad. And thoughtful.
“Go on,” Chase said, pouring me a touch more champagne.
I took another quick, greedy drink, relishing the bubbles tickling the roof of my mouth. I should never have been so honest. Now, I wanted to knock on the glass, tell Diego to pull over and flee into the dead of night, regardless of the neighborhood. Moments of tense silence ensued until I couldn’t bare it anymore and I caved.
“I don’t really care about making tons of money,” I confessed. “Mostly … well, mostly I just want to help girls who come from a troubled childhood. It’s important, you know, when you grow up, and you don’t have the basic necessities. It makes it near to impossible to focus on school. It would have been easy to drop out and live on the streets. Sell drugs. Sell myself. But I want to be there for young women, to help encourage them to make the right decisions. To be the very best versions of themselves.”
Chase nodded but still didn’t speak. And his eyes. Those eyes held space and didn’t pity me, giving me the strength to keep going. Like he was some kind of hunky, human truth serum.
“After she died of an overdose, I fell into the system. It was horrible. As bad as you could imagine, it was worse,” I added, pulling a face and taking another sip of the frothy, creamy champagne. “It was traumatizing. Even in the best of homes, it was still intolerable. The state doesn’t pay foster parents well enough, and they don’t really give a shit. I mean, some of them do, obviously. My last foster mother was great. She was the one who encouraged me to apply for scholarships to Hunter. But she was the exception. I’ve never met another woman like her before in my life. If it wasn’t for her…”
“And you want to be that kind of woman?”
I sighed. “I don’t know that I want to be a foster mother, exactly, at least not right away. I don’t know that I’d be a good mom. But I do want to help kids in poverty. That’s what’s important to me. Not quarterly bonuses; not two weeks of sick time.”
“Oh, but those two weeks of sick time can come in handy,” he said with a shit-eating grin and a low whistle. “Every time you have a killer hangover, you just call in and pronto! On your way to feeling better immediately.”
I laughed and snorted. Didn’t he ever take anything seriously? I wondered if I could work for him. His playboy ways just didn’t sit well with me. I wasn’t one for blowing off work because I’d gone on a bender. “I’m sure.”
The limo pulled up in front of the Waldorf Astoria, and I couldn’t conceal a tremulous smile as one of the porters opened the door for me. Climbing out of the limo, I teetered on my heels as they hit the sidewalk. How many sips had I taken?
I smoothed the lines in my dress from sitting for so many minutes and looked up. The hotel was gorgeous – the outside was decorated with so many flowers that my head ached from inhaling the perfume. I’d never seen anything like it before in my life.
A fairytale.
Trina’s voice echoed through my addled brain. Chase stood next to me and offered me his arm. I hesitated for a second – then felt surprisingly bold and slipped my hand through the crook of his elbow. Although the touch didn’t come as a surprise, I could hardly contain the butterflies that swarmed through my body. Touching Chase was like touching a runway model. All that was missing were his Calvin’s ala David Beckham. I had to glance down a second time just to make sure he still had on his tux.
“Come on,” Chase said, tugging me forward. He grinned, and I fought the urge to touch his cheek. “We’re going to get our party on.”
Chapter Seven
Chastity
The inside of the Waldorf Astoria took my very breath away. I stared in stunned silence. Every surface glittered, shone or sparkled. Multiple surfaces were covered in beautiful white peonies, each bloom as big as my face. I felt so dazzled that I had to suck in breaths. A brown paper bag would be good right about now. Chase put one hand on the small of my back and guided me into a room labeled Bull & Bear Bar. I gasped as soon as I looked inside.
“Oh my god,” I squeaked. “This is where they filmed Sex and the City!”
Chase slapped a hand over his face and snorted. “I’ve made a horrible mistake. You’re going to turn all Carrie Bradshaw on me now and demand a trip to Bergdorf’s.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Maybe The Gap. Nothing worse than that, I promise.”
“I can deal with that.” He grinned and rose one of those perfect arches into the air. “Come on. Come meet Nolan and Charlie.”
My mouth went dry as I followed Chase across the room. One of the most beautiful men I’d ever seen leaned against the bar, his arm wrapped around a lovely girl in an elegant Diane von Furstenberg sheath dress.
“Hey, Nolan.”
“Chase,” Nolan replied, staring at me on his friend’s arm.
I watched as the two men pulled each other into one of those aggressive, manly half-hugs that involved more back slapping than the scorer of the winning touchdown. The two could have been brothers – Nolan had brown hair that was just a touch too long for someone in his position. His brown eyes twinkled with some secret joke as he erupted into deep laughter.
I felt like a dirty Kleenex flittering down the sidewalk. Finally, Chase turned toward me.
“Nolan, this is Chastity.” He winked, and I blushed scarlet. “You won’t be able to guess her last name. Trust me.”
Oh god. Not that. Anything but that. I’d been the butt of off-color jokes since the dawn of time. Not here in the perfection of The Waldorf.
Nolan rolled his eyes as Charlie sipped on a glass of red wine.
“I hate guessing games,” he replied. “Just tell me.”
Chase raised his eyebrows and gave them his trademark waggle. His grin tugged his mouth so wide I thought his lips might crack.
“It’s Sexe.”
“Sexy.” Nolan snorted and turned to clasp my hand in his. “Of course it is. Chase, quit yanking my chain, you dipshit pain in my ass. You’re starting to make me wonder why I begged you to stay here in the city and work in sales. Chastity, I’m pleased to meet you. Maybe sometime over the course of the evening, I’ll find out your real name.”
I blushed brighter than ever as I replied. “Unfortunately, it’s true. It was my artist mother’s idea of a joke. And there’s an ‘e’ on the end of Sexe, so it’s not really that bad. It’s German.”
Chase shook his head. “You can’t make that shit up, Nolan. Even me.”
“Chase, don’t be rude.” The girl who had been standing next to Nolan stepped up and wrapped her slender arm around his waist. She looked only a few years older than me, with shiny hair in an elegant updo and the biggest canary-yellow engagement ring I’d ever seen. The diamond was so big that it grazed her knuckle. When she caught me staring, she laughed.
“I know, trust me,” she said. “I never thought it would be my style, either. And alas, I didn’t pick it. I would
have gone with something far less ostentatious. I’m Charlie, Nolan’s wife. Nice to meet you.”
Once we shook hands, I knew that we could be friends. Charlie had that down-to-earth, easy grace that I loved in another woman. No pretentions at all in spite of her status and massive bank account.
“Congratulations,” I told her. “Chase told me that you and Nolan had a whirlwind romance, and now you’re married.”
“You could call it that,” she said with a long-suffering eye roll. “If you count a fake engagement whirlwind.” She laughed again, but as soon as she looked up at Nolan I could tell how much she adored him. “And how did you meet Chase?”
Oh, god. Not that too. I can’t take two painful subjects in the same night.
“We met by accident,” Chase said smoothly before I had a chance to embarrass myself. “In an elevator.”
“Well, sometimes that’s the best, isn’t it?” Charlie smiled at me encouragingly. “Come get a drink with me. These guys go crazy if they don’t get a chance to bromance every few days. And trust me, we don’t want to bear witness to their antics. It will give us a chance to get to know each other.”
I was reluctant to leave Chase’s side – just standing next to him made me feel safe for some strange reason. Like nothing bad could happen to me as long as his eyes remained on me. But as soon as I glanced over my shoulder, I knew that Charlie was right – Nolan and Chase had their heads together, laughing about something like schoolboys.
“You’ll never figure it out,” she said sarcastically as we walked toward the bar. “I’ve tried to understand many, many times. But those two could laugh about anything. Hell, I have a feeling that’s exactly what they do sometimes.”
Charlie ordered us two glasses of wine. As she passed mine over, I couldn’t help but notice that it seemed almost overfilled. I had to start pacing myself since I’d already had too much champagne. I took a sip. The wine was delicious – tart and fruity without being overly sweet.
“So,” Charlie said. “Are you still in school? What are you planning to do afterwards?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I replied. “Chase offered me a paid internship at Banks Realty for the time being, but I want to go into social work and work with underprivileged girls.”
“That’s smart,” she said with a nod. “I used to think about doing that. But I went to law school instead. Now, I get to do all my good works with Grantham Bank’s money. So what could be better than that?” She sipped her wine and giggled. “Don’t look now. But Chase can’t take his eyes off you. I’ve never seen him like this. He has a black and gloomy past according to Nolan.”
My cheeks flushed for what felt like the hundredth time that night as I glanced over my shoulder, pretending to look at the back of my dress. As I did, my eyes locked with Chase’s. He stood across the room, talking to Nolan and a couple of other men, but his eyes locked with mine. And they smoldered with what I could only hope was lust.
“He’s probably just talking about something with Nolan,” I replied, sipping my wine. The effects of the alcohol were hitting me hard. Who knew classy wine would hit me harder than Two Buck Chuck from Trader Joe’s.
“He’s not,” Charlie said. She winked at me. “They’re talking about you. Nolan and I always know when he’s up to something. The two of them take the partners in crime label to a whole other level. Wanna go over and make sure?”
Charlie wrapped her arm around mine before I could give an answer and guided me across the room toward Nolan and Chase. Chase looked up at me and our eyes locked, and to my horror, I ran straight into a man who came whirling around a group of laughing people. I gasped as I felt the silk of my dress turn cold and wet.
“Sorry,” the man said and headed on his way.
“Damn!” I blurted before I could clamp my offending mouth shut. I stopped dead in my tracks, almost afraid to look down. Glancing helplessly at Charlie, I blinked so the tears that had pricked my eyes wouldn’t spill over to further humiliate me. “What do I do?”
“Go to the ladies’ room,” Charlie said quickly. Her voice was low and confidential as she swept me with her eyes. “I’ll tell them you’ll be right out. Your dress is black – the stain won’t show if you wash it out right away. At my own engagement party, a mean girl deliberately spilled on my blush pink designer dress, so I’ve been there. It’s not the end of the world.”
Embarrassed, I stumbled off in the direction of the restrooms. I walked as quickly as I could – which was somehow harder than I’d expected in my four-inch heels – and kept my head down. Just as I spied the double doors, I felt my shoe slip on the marble floor. I let out a cry of surprise as my legs slid apart in a painful split and yelped. A strong hand gripped my arm.
“Whoa, there,” a smooth, deep voice said. “I’ve got you. Don’t you worry now, young lady.”
I frowned. The voice was somehow familiar. I racked my brain but couldn’t place it.
“Thanks,” I muttered, clinging to the man’s massive bicep while managing to stand upright. When I looked into the face of my rescuer, I felt more confused than ever. He was older, but still one of the foxiest men I’d ever seen: dark hair artfully shot through with silver and white, a nice tan, deep, wide-set eyes. “Do I know you?”
The man smiled at me, showing his even white teeth. Very George Hamilton. I almost wished I was thirty years older.
“I don’t think so,” he purred. “And I don’t think my wife would like that very much. But then again, she doesn’t like much of anything.”
I blushed. “Oh, no, I’m sorry,” I said, rushing to fill the uncomfortable silence. “I didn’t mean anything by the question. It’s just, your voice … and I’m so flustered. I was rushing to the ladies’ room because wine spilled on my dress.”
I stood there like a pathetic schoolgirl that had just been chastised by her favorite teacher as I gestured to the wet spot. The handsome stranger’s eyes swept my body, but then he broke out into another grin.
“I’m only kidding,” the man replied. I had the sense he was looking at me with more interest than before. “If you know me, it’s only because my wife, Anne, is the one throwing this party. My son, Nolan, was recently married.”
My lips formed a small oval of surprise. Had we been outside, a bug might have flown inside. “You’re … you’re Mr. Grantham Banks.”
“Guilty as charged.” Mr. Banks smiled a wolfish grin. As a scantily clad waitress bustled by with a tray of champagne, he plucked two glasses and handed one to me. “And you are?”
“Um, Chastity,” I said quickly, my hand outstretched to clasp his in an official shake. His grip was warm and firm. I liked the man already. For a billionaire, he seemed pretty down-to-earth. “I’m here with Chase Bradenton. He’s offered me an internship with Banks Realty, and he wanted me to get acquainted with everyone.”
“Well,” Mr. Banks said in a conspiratorial tone, sipping his champagne. I mimicked him and was surprised to discover that I could barely register the alcohol anymore. The champagne tasted like sweet juice, dripping down my throat. “I’m sure you’re quite valuable then. Chase has been an asset to the sales team as well as keeping Nolan in line.”
“I’m just a college kid,” I stammered, unsure of what to say. Unsure of myself. One wrong word or move in front of this man could guarantee I never even get the chance at a business career. My mind raced with the prospect of how many people I could help if any of this worked out. “I don’t even have a degree yet. I don’t know why Chase is so interested.”
Mr. Banks smiled, this time through tight lips. There was a glint in his eye that I couldn’t quite understand. “I’m sure Chase has his reasons. Besides, I’ve always known you to be quite capable.”
My brow knit in confusion. Before I could ask what he meant, a gorgeous young woman in a navy silk cocktail dress latched onto Mr. Banks and pulled him away. I stared after them for a second, my heart pounding in my chest. Then, I felt an unpleasant drip down my leg and remembered
why I needed to visit the ladies room in the first place. I was supposed to be cleaning myself up while Charlie distracted Chase and Nolan.
Thankfully, the bathroom loomed a few feet away. It was the poshest place I’d ever seen. There was actually an attendant, with Chanel and Tom Ford cosmetics on the counter and a silver tray of cotton swabs and single-use applicators. I gaped at myself in the mirror. My red cheeks, mussed up hair, and grimace looked like I’d just wandered in from the Discount Happy Hour. But I couldn’t stop myself from grinning. Because I knew that I wasn’t at the Discount Happy Hour. I was at the high falutin’ Waldorf Astoria for the very first time.
The attendant didn’t even make eye contact with me as I stepped up to the sink, stretched the fabric as far as it could go and wrung out the skirt in the basin. The sight of the silk wrinkling made me cringe, but I knew that Charlie was right – as long as I washed it out quickly, the stain probably wouldn’t show. You’re such a klutz, I thought as I stared at myself in the mirror. Lucky that you picked something black.
The bathroom door swung open, and a girl who looked to be around my age waltzed in. She had light brown hair parted on the side, glasses, and a body-skimming jersey dress. When she saw what I was doing at the sink, she raced over.
“Oh my god, let me guess, the wine? I’ve done it so many times myself. It’s easy to get overwhelmed at these things.” She beamed up at me. “I’m Angela. I intern at Banks Realty.” She squinted. “And I haven’t seen you before. What do you do there? Oh, let me guess. You’re not an intern, you’re a friend of the Banks family?”
I laughed – at first politely, but after a few seconds in her company, it turned into a genuine fit of the giggles. Angela was the first real-looking and behaving person I’d seen all night. Even Charlie, Nolan’s smart new wife, had a precision and coolness that didn’t just magically appear at one’s first work function. Let alone one at the Waldorf. It was a relief to be standing with someone who could have just as easily been a fellow Hunter student.
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