She waited for him to climb back into the limo, and for the car to pull slowly ahead before she yanked on her suitcase and trudged across the uneven sidewalk home. A lump built in her throat, squeezed at her chest until her emotions threatened to explode. She knew it was the right thing, to end this before it got too out of control.
Vince didn’t want a relationship. He’d been clear about that from the start. She hadn’t wanted one either, not really. Though, it had been wonderful having someone who genuinely seemed to like spending time with her. Andrew had been hard, untalkative, and not at all the man she’d fallen in love with. Vince, while a no-nonsense kind of man, had shown her more passion and caring than Andrew ever had.
Shit, she was really going to miss him.
Marissa waited for the limo to finally turn the corner of the street, before she picked up her pace and raced up the driveway as quickly as she could. It was freezing out, and all she wanted to do now was slip into her fuzzy pajamas, crawl into bed and go to sleep.
The house was dark, except for the outside light. Shelia knew she was coming home tonight and had left it on for her. As quietly as she could manage, Marissa opened the door and crept down the stairs to her apartment.
There, taped to the middle of her door was a collections notice.
She was too tired to be upset about it, and simply pulled the paper off as she unlocked it and went inside.
Chapter 17
An entire week had passed since New York, and Vince was no closer to accomplishing his task of getting Marissa out of his mind. Or selling GreenPro, for that matter. Both Caroline and Nate had given him a wide berth since his return, only coming into his office when they absolutely needed to. Even then, they had kept conversations short and to the point.
Possibly, maybe that might have something to do with his snapping at them.
But really, they were being a pain in his ass. What did they expect?
The financial report he’d been staring at finally snapped into focus for him, and he quickly noted the amendments he needed to address in their next board meeting. His fingers flew across the keyboard, making the necessary changes. The more engrossed he got, the more his body relaxed. It felt good to be doing something productive.
He wasn’t exactly certain how much time had passed, when he heard someone clear their throat. Nate was standing in the doorway, looking pointedly at his phone. “It’s nearly seven o’clock. Did you want to get out of here and get a beer?”
“Is it?” The ache in his back and neck confirmed he’d been at this a while now. “Yeah, let’s go.”
As they went, Nate waved and said goodnight to several staff who were getting packed up for the night. Vince tried to remember their names, but he had few dealings with them, preferring to let Nate handle the daily operations of the firm. “You going to say goodnight to the janitor too?”
“Yes, if I see her. She might be late coming in tonight. Her son had a school concert and he was lead sax for one of the pieces.”
Vince stopped walking and stared at him.
“What? Candace’s a great janitor.” Nate shrugged. “I’m here late most nights when she comes in. After a few months, you tend to engage in conversations.”
“I don’t.” Marissa did the same thing as Nate. No one was beneath her notice. “I should probably get better about engaging with people.”
“Yes, you should.” Nate shoved his hands in his pockets. “Come on. I need to get a few drinks into you so you’ll finally tell me what the hell has climbed up your ass.”
Vince groaned. “None of your goddamned business.”
“I’m your PR guy. Everything you do is my business. The very definition of in this together.” He came over to Vince and pulled him toward the elevator. “There’s a great microbrewery that just opened up half a block from here. I’ve been wanting to try it.”
“Fine.” It wasn’t fine. Very little had been since he’d received Marissa’s text letting him know that she’d safely gotten inside. But as far as Nate and Caroline were concerned, his little adventure with her was over and done with, never to be repeated again.
He’d texted Marissa only once since their departure. It was Monday morning when he suspected she was heading out to class. Instead, she informed him that she’d been at work for two hours already and couldn’t talk to him. Vince wasn’t certain if she meant she couldn’t talk to him then, or wasn’t going to speak to him again.
The latter of those two options was what had bothered him most.
Nate wasn’t much for small talk, but when he was out to get something, he could yammer away with the best of them. For the next hour, the two of them chatted about work, clients, the names of the employees Nate felt Vince should get to know, and exactly how hoppy a good IPA should be.
Nate took a long sip of his pint. “I want to be able to taste the bitterness from the moment the beer hits my tongue. But after a few seconds, it should dissipate. A good disappearing magic trick, that’s how I want my hops.”
“I prefer reds. I’m not big on hops.” He was big on the truffle fries they’d ordered to go along with their drinks, and shoved another one into his mouth. “We need to order more of these.”
“I was under the impression you preferred blondes.” Nate leaned back in his seat, holding his glass to his chest. “At least, that’s what Caroline said.”
It took Vince’s brain a moment to catch what he was implying. “We went to New York and had a good time. That was it.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so. You did this whole thing as a way of getting back at your dad. Don’t bother denying it.”
“I stepped in and saved her from Geoff. Plus, it made things easier for me, having someone sane with me while I tried to negotiate with that asshole Simon Berry.” Vince still hadn’t heard back from him on whether or not he was interested in GreenPro. With each day that passed, he was less certain he ever would. “It didn’t matter in the end. Dad showed up in New York and made things worse by his presence. I doubt Simon will buy it now, and I know Dad will use this as an excuse to make life harder.”
“You’ll sell GreenPro, make your money, and finally be rid of your dad. Of that I have no doubt.” He took another sip and cocked his head as though he was trying to look into Vince’s brain. “Caroline said your girl was night and day from women you’ve dated in the past. I think she might have even liked her.”
If Caroline liked Marissa, then perhaps the end of the world was coming. “Caroline thinks any woman who isn’t Thea is awesome.”
“Well, she’s a practical sort.” The smile slipped from Nate’s face. “I heard she’s dating one of the Matheson boys. Thea, not Caroline.”
The Mathesons owned the second largest grocery store chain in Canada. The sons were all rich, good looking, and loved the spotlight. Exactly the type of man Thea would be drawn to. “Good for her. I hope she can finally find some happiness.” More importantly, he hoped she’d finally stay away from him.
“I’m sure she’ll find what she’s looking for there. The two of you were never a good match. Now, this other girl…what’s her name?”
“Marissa.”
“Right, Marissa. She might be better suited for you.”
God save him from matchmaking friends. “You do remember how we met, right? I was being serious when I said this was nothing more than a business arrangement. She lived up to her end of the bargain.”
“Then you’ll just have to make arrangements for her to attend another event with you.” Nate shrugged and finished his beer. “I’m sure the reason for her signing up for the site hasn’t changed. We have more than a few parties that need our presence. Give her a call. See if she’ll come.”
Vince hadn’t considered that it would be as easy as how Nate was making it sound. While she hadn’t come right out and said that she didn’t want to see him again after New York, there’
d been something in her demeanor when they’d said goodbye that had given him the impression that it was an ending and not a see you soon.
“I think her experience with my dad and Simon Berry was more than enough to put her off of lifestyles of the rich and obnoxious. Not to mention the asshole who took her picture. I’ve never seen someone that freaked out before.”
“Please, I’ve seen you talk people into deals that they didn’t even know they wanted. I have no doubt you could change her mind in a heartbeat.”
“What kind of man does that make me? If she doesn’t want to see me again, or go out again and I force her hand, then I’m no better than my father.” Yes, he wanted to see Marissa again, but it had to be because she wanted to and not because she felt pressured.
“Call her.” Nate flagged the waiter down and ordered them another round. “Worst case she tells you to fuck off. You won’t know unless you give it a shot.”
Vince touched his cell phone in his pocket before Nate had even finished speaking. He had her phone number, though to this point he’d only ever texted her. It really couldn’t hurt. She was probably working or studying and he’d no doubt get her voice mail. He’d leave a message and then the ball would be in her court.
What harm could there be in trying?
He pointed at Nate as he pulled his phone out. “Do I need to go somewhere else?”
“Nope. I promise to be good.” Though there was a look in his eyes that Vince didn’t exactly trust.
“Fucker. I’ll be back.” Vince stood, snatching the last of the truffle fries before heading for the door.
The evening air had turned cold the last two nights, making the contrast between it and the warmth in the bar startling. He didn’t plan to be out here long. Pressing Marissa’s contact, he waited as several bar hoppers passed by, laughing and having fun. She could be out right now with her friends. What did he actually know about her life beyond the few bits and pieces she’d shared with him? Nothing.
The line kept ringing and for a moment, he braced for the inevitable message to pop up. He was mildly surprised when he heard the click and her voice echoed through to him. “Hello?”
Something was quite clearly wrong. “It’s Vince.”
“Who?”
His mouth fell open. She couldn’t have forgotten who he was. Was he about to get the brush off? Shit, Nate would never let him live that down. But before he could answer, he heard her yelling at someone.
“What the hell are you doing? Leave that there and I’ll pack it. Just…please stop.”
That didn’t sound right. “What’s going on? Marissa?”
The pause on the other end was punctuated by the sound of her heavy breathing. “Vince?”
“Yes. What’s happening and how can I help?”
“There was a flood…why are you calling me?”
He didn’t know much about her living arrangements, but a flood was never good by anyone’s standards. “I wanted to check in and make sure you were doing okay. Clearly you’re not.”
“I’m fine. No, please just leave the dresses. I’ll go through those.” She sounded as close to tears as he’d ever heard her.
“I’m coming over.”
“What? No.” He heard her thumping up some stairs and the noise in the background dying out. “No, please don’t. I’m fine. My landlady had a burst pipe upstairs and neither of us were home. It’s a…we’re saving what we can so they can start the cleanup.”
God, she sounded tired. Vince turned and marched back inside to the table, grabbing his jacket and waving Nate off as he stood. “Give me an address and I can be there in thirty minutes.”
“Vince—”
He stopped dead in his tracks. There was nothing he could do if she refused his offer. This was a situation he couldn’t buy his way out of. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a breath. “You sound like you need help. You also sound like you could use a friend. I can be both of those things for you. No strings attached.”
The seconds ticked by until finally, he heard a small sob. “I’ll text you the address.”
“Thirty minutes.” He waited for her to hang up first, before jogging back to the office and his car.
* * * *
There was a cleaning service parked in the driveway when he finally arrived, forcing him to park on the street. He didn’t see Marissa sitting on the steps, wrapped in a thick woolen sweater, until he was half-way around the van. Dried tear streaks shone on her face from the overhead light of the back porch. She looked small, tired, and scared.
He’d been working on a speech on his way over. It had been all noble sounding, putting him in the best light as well as his willingness to be her savior. The second he saw her there, he knew every syllable of it was stupid and selfish. Forgetting everything, he climbed up the stairs and sat down beside her.
Marissa didn’t say anything. She took a deep breath that shuddered slightly on the exhale and rested her head against the side of his arm.
The voices of men were easily heard from inside. Vince couldn’t imagine what the mess was like inside, but whenever water was involved, he knew it wouldn’t be pleasant. If their tone of voice was anything to go by, it was even worse than what he’d initially assumed.
“I just got home an hour and a half ago.” She sounded exhausted. “Shelia isn’t even home. She’s away on a business trip. I don’t know what happened, but my apartment is soaked. The pipe above my living room exploded. It could have been going for hours.”
“Shit.” He wrapped his arm around her. “Shelia is your landlady?”
“Yup.” Another sigh. “She’s also a hoarder. The repair guys are freaking out because there’s also water upstairs and everything is soaked. Lots of paper and boxes and—” she swallowed hard, “—and they don’t have enough people to clear things out. They can’t make the repairs until that’s done. And there are some health concerns because of mold, so they won’t actually touch anything because Shelia isn’t here. They’re in a holding pattern.”
With each word she said, Vince’s temper threatened to explode. He had to keep his emotions in check if he was going to be the help she needed. “Has Shelia been contacted?”
“Yes. She’s out of the province, but she’s booked a flight home first thing in the morning.”
“Have they shut the water off?”
“Yup.”
“Then there’s nothing else you can do tonight.” He got to his feet and started up the stairs. “I’ll get your things and then you can come with me.”
He knew it was more a comment on her current emotional condition than anything, when she didn’t protest. “Thank you.”
Vince had seen a wide variety of conditions over the years. His business would swoop in and save a failing company or business, fix it up financially and physically, before selling it and moving on. Nothing he’d ever seen in his life could have prepared him for what he saw the moment he stepped into the house.
At one point, it might have been considered quaint. The older home was stretched to bursting with garbage. Perhaps the contents meant something to the resident, but no one on the outside looking in would have any idea what any of this was. Vince had neither the time nor the patience to give the contents much thought. Instead, he found the crew supervisor and told them to come back in the morning. He then made his way to the basement apartment that Marissa called home.
How could she choose to live in this place? The must and mold was too strong for it to be the result of the water damage, meaning she’d been living in these horrendous conditions for a while. No wonder she’d refused to give him her address before now. She was no doubt scared he’d try and swoop in and fix everything.
Exactly as he was doing right now.
Pushing those thoughts away, he slogged through the water to her bedroom, grabbed a backpack that was on her bed and filled
it with whatever clothing he could find. The dresses she’d worn to New York were laid out on the bed, the silk and sequins soaked in dank water.
The sight pushed him over the edge. He took what he’d gathered and marched up the stairs. He could barely look at her as he exploded from the porch. If she was upset by his mood, she didn’t show it. Instead, she stood as he walked past, trailing behind him to his car. She didn’t speak when she climbed into the passenger seat, nor when he tossed her backpack into the rear seat.
Vince slammed his door shut, forcing himself to relax before starting the car. He had too many thoughts and feelings racing around him to speak coherently. She didn’t seem to be in any better condition. Looking over, he saw that she had his present, still wrapped, firmly in her grasp. At least that didn’t get ruined, one bright spot to the evening. He took a breath, started the car and took her to the once place he knew she’d be safe.
His home.
Chapter 18
Marissa had heard about people being shell-shocked after a personal misfortune. Families being torn apart from floods, fires, and other disasters. She’d always assumed she’d be able to handle something like that if it crept up in her life. Maybe she would have been able to deal with a home flood if it wasn’t one more in a string of disasters that had infected her life.
Lights and shadows passed over Vince’s face as he drove. She wasn’t exactly certain she knew where they were going—a hotel or something she assumed—but she knew wherever it was, he’d be sure she was good for the night. She wasn’t even certain why he’d called her tonight. She didn’t think she’d hear from him again, let alone see him walk up the broken driveway to come to her rescue.
“Why did you call me?” Her voice sounded rough, even to her own ears. “You normally text.”
“I’m glad I didn’t.” His fingers flexed on the steering wheel. “I was checking to see if you wanted to go to another event with me.” His tone was clipped, his annoyance clear.
Why would she think he’d be happy to be in this situation? He’d wanted to set up another date, such as they were. The last thing he’d want to involve himself in was in the disaster that was her life. He was rich and successful. She was a business arrangement. That’s all they would ever be to one another.
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