by LeCoeur, Ami
"So what're these conditions? I mean, why would he bother to offer you a job? Especially if he owns everything?"
I took a deep breath. "I’m working for Antonio to pay off Dad’s debt. He told me if I came to work for him I could earn back the mortgage, and then the house would be ours again—if I stuck it out for the next four years. But, oh Maria, I wasn’t supposed to…”
Maria’s hand found mine and held it tight. “To fall in love with him?” her voice was soft and there was sympathy in her eyes.
Tears started trailing down my face as her words hit my heart. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with a man whose “business meetings” involved terrible people and dangerous plans. A man who ran hot and cold. A man who made me tremble every time he touched me, but worse, made me question my own values and morals. A man who had insisted Naomi was only part of his past, then abandoned me the moment she reappeared.
I squeezed Maria’s hand tighter, wanting nothing more than to lay my head in her lap and tell her everything.
But how could I do that? How could I risk taking away that wonderful smile she'd had on her face last night when she showed me her sketches? How could I deny her the chance of being able to use her legs again? I'd give almost anything to make that happen, but, how could I continue on with this charade?
“I don’t think I can stand to work for him anymore, Maria,” I managed.
“Ange, I know Dad’s situation has put a lot of pressure on you over the years, and I’m grateful to you for everything you’ve done and how hard you’ve worked. You’ve always been so dedicated when it comes to keeping your word—even with the not-so-great jobs.” Maria patted my leg. "But… you made an agreement."
I stared at her. Agreement? She had no idea…. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as I shook my head.
"Oh, Sis, don't start! You don't know how hard it would be to face him. Every day."
“Why? Because things didn’t turn out the way you planned? I can’t help you if you don’t share why you’re this upset.”
I don’t say a word, just sat there, staring at the wall.
"Ange, unless he’s done something awful you haven’t told me about, is it possible you’re over-reacting a bit? And if you are over-reacting, then please stop for a moment and reconsider, because it's your word. It's your honor. Regardless of who's on the other end of the agreement. As hard as it might be to face this man, you have a… an obligation. And you've never shirked your obligations before."
I knew she was right, but I didn't want to hear it. I just wanted to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head.
She went on. “I know you. You’ll beat yourself up forever if you simply walk away. You’ve never given up on anything in your life.”
That was true, and maybe she was right. Maybe I was overreacting. After all, he and I had made no promises to each other. Maybe my inexperience in the world was just screwing me up.
She pushed my limp hair off my forehead. “I get that this … 'relationship' ... with your boss might be really hard to deal with, or even create some chaos with the everyday stuff, but I think you’ve got to set aside your personal feelings and do what you’ve agreed to do. And I don't mean just to save the house."
I listened to her words numbly and then resentment began to rear its ugly head. It felt like everything was on me to fix this. To make right what Dad had done wrong. For a moment, I felt anger and self-pity rising in me, bitterness that Maria was so willing to lay all of Dad’s debt on me when I was the one who'd been working to take care of us both.
But just as soon as the thought struck me, I realized how selfish it was, and it quickly vanished. I knew that, were things different—if I’d been the one in the accident—Maria would have been the first one to step up and take care of me, just as she always had.
“You can do this, Ange,” Maria said, wrapping an arm around me and pulling my head down onto her shoulder. “No matter where things stand between you and Antonio personally, you have to think of this as a business arrangement. And you have to honor your agreements. That’s what the folks always taught us. And, it's what you've always done.”
“I know,” I said. Sister Maria, my conscience.
“Look at the bright side. Continuing to work for him gets you away from him sooner.”
I looked at her as if she’d grown two heads and she laughed.
“If you were making minimum wage, it would take you ages to pay him back. But, with this job and salary, you’ll be done with it sooner and then you can really put him behind you. If… that’s what you still want by then.”
She was right, of course. When had my sister gotten so world-wise and smart? I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I just wished I had a few extra days to recover. It would probably be too much to hope that he would be gone at least for a few more days. At least that way I could get my bearings before I had to face him.
“I doubt he'd let me out of the contract anyway," I sighed. "Give me about twenty minutes to see if I can repair these puffy eyes—and whatever other damage I don't want to show.”
“No problem,” Maria smiled. “I’ll warm up breakfast.”
Chapter Seven
If there was one good thing I’d learned from my mom, it was to never be late for a scheduled appointment. Unless you were trying to make a point, I reminded myself, thinking back to that very first day when I'd met Antonio Mancini. Being late was a sign of disrespect. It forced others to compensate for your tardiness.
The expectation was so ingratiated in me that the guilt of showing up at the store three hours late was almost palpable. It just added to my general discomfort and relative fear about being in the store at all. And, I prayed I wouldn't run into Antonio.
As luck would have it, I ran into his General instead. The first person I saw when I slid in through the glass doors was Priscilla.
Well, no escaping it now. “I’m so sorry I’m late,” I told her, masking my face with what I hoped was a charming smile.
She simply tilted her head and raised her perfectly arched brow at me. The unforgettable expression could mean anything from utter disappointment to grudging approval. I was pretty sure where I stood on that scale right at this moment.
“I guess I’m still running on cruise ship time,” I said, hoping the lie didn’t sound as weak as it felt.
“I assume your timing will improve tomorrow, Miss Tilson,” Priscilla said in that chilly tone of hers that left no doubt of her feelings and no room for rebuttal.
She turned back to the desk without further comment, effectively dismissing me. Hell of a way to start my first day back, I thought as my cheeks flared.
“Wait, Priscilla,” I said, reaching into my bag. “I brought you something.” I took out the small box of perfume and the decadent chocolate. I’d picked out a refined, austere scent and the Cacao Grenada chocolate for my no-nonsense boss with her straight to-the-point personality.
I stood there, my hand outstretched, praying that my peace offering would be accepted.
“I hope you like them.”
Her brow rose, and for a moment, I thought she was going to reprimand me further. But instead, I saw what could only have been a smile pull at the corner of her glistening, perfectly made up lips. “This is a bit unexpected,” she said, eyeing me as if to see if there was a catch.
“We visited some wonderful factories and distilleries and learned about the manufacturing processes as well as the people of the islands. It was fascinating to see the items in various processes of being made. I really wanted to share at least a small part of it with the people I’ve really come to appreciate, even though I’ve only known you for a short while.”
Priscilla regarded me for a moment longer. Beneath the weight of her stare, I worried that she would think me insincere, just trying to gain favor, or covering for my tardiness. The silly thing was, I really meant what I said.
Priscilla was almost single handedly the reason I had done so well. In the short time I’
d worked under her wing, I’d learned so much. When I’d started this job, I had no idea what to expect, having little experience in sales and no experience about the fashion industry beyond what the magazines suggested I should be wearing each season.
But, thanks to Priscilla’s guidance, I'd kind of found my way. I even secured a new line of designs from a pair of gifted, young, up and coming designers from Europe.
And, no matter how it had turned out, I'd taken the leap and gone on a two-week Caribbean cruise with Antonio. I'd mingled with politicians, even been wined and dined, flirted with, and finally bedded by the owner of the Empire…
“I just wanted to say thank you,” I added with a smile. "I could hardly have learned so much in such a short time without you."
“Well,” Priscilla began, “this is very kind of you, Angela.”
I breathed a little more easily when she used my first name. Hopefully, that meant I was forgiven. Now to make it through the rest of the day without a mishap.
“Angela!” came a gleeful voice behind me.
I turned to see Nevia heading toward me, her blue eyes bright with a smile. She threw her arms around me the moment she got close enough. Over her shoulder, I spotted a few of the other clerks heading my way, each wearing happy smiles.
A few moments later, Nevia was snapping off pieces of the Espresso flavored dark chocolate I’d bought for her and sharing it with our co-workers.
“I have more,” I said, scooping a handful of the smaller bars out of my purse and spreading them across the counter.
The ladies squealed, reaching for the delicious chocolate and playfully elbowing each other out of the way. Their exuberance and enthusiasm was positively contagious.
Note to self: Chocolate is a big hit with the staff!
I sighed. Too bad I had to give up my fantasy of dripping the warm, rich chocolate onto one gorgeous executive's chest while I slowly licked it off. But the way things were looking, that chance would never come anyway.
Priscilla’s cool voice caught my thoughts before they headed down a path where I’d rather not go. “Did you bring your portfolio in with you, Angela?”
As usual, she was all business, even in the midst of the other girls’ elation and delighted “mmms”.
I hadn't even thought about my promise to bring in a sample of my photography. I'd been busy "in the moment" with all the new things I'd experienced on the trip. And besides, Priscilla hadn’t specified a deadline for when she wanted to see my work. But, I suppose I should have gotten things organized sooner.
“I’m sorry, I haven’t had a chance to put anything together,” I said.
Despite how well I’d been working with Priscilla and how pleased she was with me, it was as though these past two weeks away had reset our relationship. Now, I felt like a child who’d failed to hand in her homework on time.
Not that Priscilla was treating me any differently. I just couldn’t help feeling self-conscious under her gaze. I was more than just a little concerned that she might suspect what was going on with Antonio—her boss as well as mine—and was judging me for my indiscretions.
“I did take a lot of great pictures while I was away. Could I show you those?”
“Oh, can we see them, too?” Nevia piped up and the other girls joined in around mouthfuls of chocolate.
“That will do,” Priscilla said and stepped out from behind the counter. “I will remind you ladies that this is a place of business,” she said, letting her gaze fall on each of us. We all smiled sheepishly.
“Fortunately, we do not appear to be busy for the next few moments.”
With that she walked away. The five of us exchanged glances and raised eyebrows as we realized she’d given us permission to have fun for a little bit longer.
I breathed a sigh of relief. As uncomfortable as I'd anticipated my return to the store was going to be, it was turning out okay. So far.
A sense of dread still tickled the back of my mind, reminding me that Antonio was likely in this very building, maybe just a few floors away. But, for the moment, being here, surrounded by friends and having something to do, was way better than lying in bed feeling sorry for myself.
Chapter Eight
The rest of the day had gone by slowly, but without any undue stress. My co-workers prodded me for details of the cruise, and I obliged. On several levels, it was fun to relive the experience. Or at least the ones I was willing to discuss.
They'd begged for photos, so the next day I brought in a flash drive filled with several of my favorite pictures from the trip. Not wanting to get on Priscilla's bad side, I kept my sharing to lunch and on my breaks.
“You seriously got stranded in a volcano?” Nevia asked, wide-eyed as I shared my photos and my tale.
I laughed. “Not in a volcano, just on the volcano tour. Our van went off the road on our way back to port. That was the really scary part. But we all managed to hold on and the whole thing was over pretty quick. Nobody was hurt—thank goodness—even though those buses don't have seatbelts. I did worry about getting back to the ship in time, but even that was taken care of. The hotel they put us up in before they flew us to the next port was luxurious!” Besides, I thought, my "reunion" with Antonio had almost made the whole thing worth it.
Janice from the shoe department nudged me with an elbow. “So any hot guys down on the pool deck?”
“Well, we did share a table with three cute college grads one night, but mostly it was just older couples and newlyweds on honeymoon,” I said, flipping to the next picture on the computer screen. "But there was still some nice eye-candy around." Including Antonio, even though he never had time to hang out at the pool.
I’d selected several images from the island visits. A lot of them were landscapes and buildings, some featuring the islanders in bright and colorful contrast to the gray stone. I had a few pictures of couples on the cruise, but nothing posed.
"Oh," pouted Janice. "I was hoping you had a sweet island romance you could share with us."
If you only knew, I thought, sure that my cheeks were suddenly very red.
"It wasn't that kind of trip, Janice. My time was taken up with other duties… like scouting out locations for showcasing Carlo and Poula's designs. I only wish there'd been more romance."
"Well, a girl can dream can't she?" Janice laughed as she headed back out onto the floor.
Yes, a girl could certainly dream. Regardless of how things actually turned out. I sighed, relieved that lunch break was over so I could go find something else to occupy my mind. The photos had brought back too many memories—some were still too raw to think about while I was here. In his store. Where he might show up at any minute.
Chapter Nine
"Angela, please take this to Mr. Mancini's office," Priscilla held out a stack of papers.
Damn! The last thing I wanted was to run into Antonio. I still wasn't sure how I would react, or what I might end up saying to him.
"What is it?" Priscilla asked impatiently.
"Mmm, sorry," I replied. No need to get her hackles up two days in a row. I took a deep breath and set my shoulders as I reached for the folders. Time to beard the lion in his den, I thought.
Maybe I'll get lucky and he won't be there, I hoped as I rode up the elevator. The doors opened way too quickly, giving me only a moment to regain my composure before stepping out.
"Hilary," I smiled as Mancini's secretary turned toward the sound of the elevator doors opening.
"Angela Tilson, you look well rested. Was it a good trip?"
Uh Oh. "Oh, very adventurous. I'm sure your boss has clued you in."
"Not likely," she laughed. "He's pretty private with the details of his life."
Really? Well, that was something, anyway. "Priscilla asked me to bring these up to him." I pointed at the files in my hand.
"Oh, the weekly projections. Thanks, I'll take those. He's … um … busy at the moment."
It was clear from the scowl on her face that whatever he
was "busy" with wasn't to her liking.
Suddenly the door flew open and Naomi stepped out, laughing that sharp laugh of hers as she turned to face the outer office. "Tony, you are just too much!"
When she spotted me, her eyes narrowed and she turned back to Antonio, who was stepping through the doorway. "Let's go for lunch first, at our favorite little shop," she purred as she placed her hand on his chest.
He smiled down at her. "Whatever you say."
I watched them in stony silence. Naomi turned back towards me and Hilary. "If Donatelli calls while we're out, tell him it's going to be a loooong lunch," she said to Hilary, fluttering her eyelashes back up at Antonio.
His eyes darkened as he noticed me standing there. Then a hooded expression dropped almost immediately after.
"Are those for me, Hilary?" he asked, indicating the file folders I'd just given her.
"Yes, Mr. Mancini. The weeklies from Priscilla."
"Fine. Just put them on my desk, I'll look at them after we get back. Angela," he said, nodding in my direction as they left, his hand firmly in the middle of Naomi's back, guiding her expertly into the elevator.
I didn't dare turn to look at them, holding my breath until I heard the doors slick shut.
"Useless woman," Hilary shook her head in disgust. "I don't know why she keeps showing up in his life. I thought they were done a long time ago."
I'm sure I must have had the "deer in the headlights" look on my face. As soon as I'd heard Naomi's voice, my stomach had clenched into a tight little knot that wasn’t going to release any time soon.
"Honey, are you okay?" Hilary's concern broke through my paralysis. "You look like you need a drink of water."
I sat down suddenly in the leather bound chair, forcing myself to breathe. In. Out. In. Out. I'd dreaded seeing Antonio, but I was totally not expecting to have to face my rival.
"No, I'm okay," I said weakly. "I just felt faint for a moment. Let me catch my breath."
