by Lacy Kinsley
Chip had long since brought her water and tea when she wandered out looking for the bathroom. She took her time looking at pictures on the wall as she made her way back. Then, out of sheer boredom, she began to thumb through the fabric on the shelves. After that she looked through some of the books and an hour later she was becoming impatient. He was wasting her time. Veronica looked out the window and watched people enter the park, and wished she were there. It was a nice day, and a walk in the park sounded like a perfect idea.
“It’s a nice view, don’t you think?” Veronica turned around and stared as the man with the broken his nose entered the room—the very man she’d talked with on the plane. Veronica stared at him in shock. She watched him walk to the window and point out a tall building in the skyline. “And that is my apartment.” He looked at her and smiled. “So, I heard you stayed in Paris after all.”
“You’re William Berks! I broke William Berks’s nose!” She said in disbelief.
“Punch me and I bleed.” He said with a smile. “So you stayed in Paris. Did you see the Eiffel Tower?”
“You’re William Berks!” She repeated. She wouldn’t believe it until he said it.
“Yes, but call me William or Will. I don’t mind either one, but everyone calls me William for some reason. You can dare to be different, and call me Will.” He said.
“But . . . you’re not old! You’re thirty!” She guessed.
“I’ll be thirty in three weeks. And you’re what, twenty–five?” He asked.
“Twenty–three.” She said.
“So, clearly, talent doesn’t have an age.” He smiled. “Are you hungry? We could go out to lunch before we start?”
“You just ate with Claudia Slavic, didn’t you?” She asked.
“I met with Mrs. Slate over breakfast, yes, to discuss my website, but all I had was coffee. I already ate when I woke up at six to lift weights. And when I lift weights I get hungry. It’s a bizarre phenomenon that sometimes happens, but nevertheless I still get hungry. So, are you?” He asked.
“Not really. I drank coffee this morning. And I had lots of water while I waited for you.” She said.
“Yeah, sorry I took longer than I hoped.” He apologized.
She stared at him. Suddenly she was confused. “So—sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m still not sure what I’m doing here. I thought you were joking when you said you were going to ask my boss for time off so I could make your shoes or I would have told you it wasn’t necessary. Well, I didn’t think it was possible anyway . . . . Besides you asked for two weeks, when it will only take one. As I said, I’ll make them on my time off.”
“You have officially freaked my boss out that you want to hire me. And as much as I appreciate you making my boss nervous enough to offer me a raise and tell me I’m his ‘jewel’, I don’t think I can stay here to make you a pair of shoes. I’ve already missed a week of work and I have a lot to do!” She picked up her purse.
“And what if I do want to hire you?” He asked. “What would you say? Are you interested in hearing me out?”
“I’d say you couldn’t afford me. Marcus told me he’ll top whatever you offer me, I get free clothes all the time and I like it there. I’ve spent almost five years at Saxton Hip and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. My life is there. I love it there.” She asserted.
“I’ll give you your own line of Veronica Mitchell shoes, a clothing allowance, two weeks off (guaranteed) every year, you can make your own schedule, and I’ll give you a salary that will top his with a four year contract.” He said.
“My own line.” She murmured. She had never thought about it before. It shocked her that he would even suggest it. Veronica had always been satisfied with making shoes and not caring that the name Yutan was always before her initials. It felt comfortable and satisfying that her shoes were being worn by thousands of people, and she had a boss who loved her designs. She had job security and worked hard to get where she was. Working with Marcus was fulfilling her dream; she was making shoes. That was all she wanted until he mentioned her own line. It was strange she had never considered the idea. “With my name instead of yours?” She asked, clarifying.
“It’s what you should be doing, Veronica. And I don’t want you to make only men’s shoes, either. I don’t make shoes. They are an art all in themselves, and I tell my clientele that.” He added, “I’m sure I can help you open your own shoe store and be a silent partner. It’s a good business investment. This would be your office for now.” He added, “I saw your other office and it’s not that great. You can’t love it that much there. Not as much as you rave, anyway.”
His words sounded too good to be true and she knew there had to be a catch. However, she did recognize one big flaw right away. “I don’t think I could do that to Marcus.” She disclosed honestly. But the idea of her shoe line was almost too tempting. “He helped me get my foot in the door. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for him.”
“Come on, Veronica. You have talent—real talent. I’ve seen it and so has Marcus, but you don’t need either of us to make great shoes. All you need is a nudge in the right direction. You should be designing your own shoes—for you. You said it yourself, you don’t want his new offer, and all you want is to make shoes. I’m the stepping–stone for that, at least that’s what I’m offering. I can teach you business sense as you work for me, beside me, and you’ll design shoes. In four years you should have your own successful store, and that’s when I’ll completely cut myself off from you. It’s not the first time I’ve done this either.” He paused before saying, “I can bring you out of the shell Marcus has kept you in.”
Veronica stared at him and thought. It took her a while to say, “I don’t want to run a business. I have no business sense. All I want is to make shoes and when Marcus realizes that, he’ll give my old job back.” Veronica said.
“And if he doesn’t?” He asked.
“He will!” She protested. “I’m pretty good at showing him he’s wrong without saying it. It’s a matter of time until he stops putting his books on my desk. I can spend two or three hours on it in the meantime.”
“It’s a waste of time, if that isn’t what you want. You’re too talented to do his dirty work!” He stressed. He waited for her to respond, but Veronica didn’t. She couldn’t make any decision like that right away, and wasn’t about to. He saw her change in posture and her resolve to not say another word. “Okay, you have a partner go in with you to do the business side of your company. You make the shoes.”
“I don’t think so, Mr. Berks.” She said stubbornly.
“William.” He corrected her and smiled. He looked at her for a moment and then the business man in him softened, and he said, “Well, I think we should go out to lunch. Get your stuff. I’ll drive.”
“What?” Veronica looked at him—another surprising twist in his always captivating and charismatic conversations. He certainly wasn’t boring. However, she was apprehensive. It wasn’t like her to go out to lunch with a perfect stranger. She did nothing rash. If she were smart, she would be either working on his shoes, or going back to Saxton Hip and catching up. Her pile of work was mounting. He walked to the threshold of the door, and smiled waiting for her. His eye was almost healed. He had friendly green eyes when he smiled. She didn’t know why, but she hung her purse over her shoulder and followed him.
CHAPTER FIVE
He took her to a sushi bar, in his new sports car. It still smelled like leather, and the radio was playing songs she recognized on the top fifty charts. She kept her purse on her lap, and answered questions to his small talk, but not well, because her eye was almost always on his hand, which rested on the stick shift. His hand was very close to her leg. He even kept touching her with each shift of the gear, and every time he apologized. The last time it happened he added, “It’s a small car. I think I need to trade it in for something else because it’s cramped.”
Veronica was glad to get out of his ca
r. She never spoke well when nervous, most of the time she was quiet until they drew her out by asking her a question. It was part of her upbringing to be quiet, but he on the other hand spoke easily. And it was always a relief to find people who talked a lot. One of the reasons Kimmy and her hit it off from the beginning; Kimmy talked easily, too.
They sat at the bar, and he ordered Sake and a mix of everything on menu they called The Platter. He poured her a small cup, and then filled his before taking a few sips. “So tell me about yourself. I want to know everything.” He said. “Start with your family.”
It wasn’t the interview question she thought it would be. She looked at him and smiled. “Oh! You’re serious!”
“Yeah. You know, your parents, siblings. Humor me, I’m curious.” He admitted.
“Okay.” She thought. “Well, I’m the only child of Bill and Emily Mitchell. They live outside New York.”
“Do you see them much?” He asked.
“No, Christmas—if that. As I mentioned before I’m an only child and I was alone a lot growing up. I felt like a third wheel around them, and I never outgrew that. So, I don’t see them much I’m afraid.” She said.
“So, I bet you want a big family of your own now. Most people who grew up as an only child do.” He said. He smiled.
“Big? No. I might have two. But I’m twenty–three, and I don’t have time to date let alone get married and have kids. I’m too busy working to even think about dating.” She said.
“Work has nothing to do with it. You probably don’t want to right now. You haven’t found anyone. Work never has anything to do with it. It’s an excuse. I’m busy, and I make time. But then I’m not the best example. I haven’t gone on more than one or two dates with the same person since college, except one. Don’t get me wrong I don’t have commitment issues.” He laughed. “Although, if I’m being honest one of my girlfriends cheated on me, and ever since then I’ve been pretty good at weeding them out.” Veronica apologized. “No, it was years ago. I should have known better. ‘I should have asked to marry her, but she didn’t think I wanted to, and consequently she decided it was time to move on.’ At least I think those were her last words to me.” He shrugged. “Did you ever think you’d marry or come close to it?”
“Kids and now marriage, this conversation is getting personal.” She laughed and eyed him funny. “I usually never talk about this, but I’ll answer, then we should talk about something generic or I’ll get uncomfortable. I like my shell—like you said.”
“No, you don’t have to tell me. I don’t want you uncomfortable!” He stressed and waved a dismissive hand.
“No, I’ll answer it. But don’t think too poorly of me. The answer is yes. In college I thought about marrying this guy, all the time! That was the sad part, because I was so in love with him for over a year (obsessed over him really—it was ridiculous),” she laughed, “but then when I finally had enough guts to ask him out and we started dating I realized how terrible we were together. It was nothing. Less than nothing.”
“Wait! You didn’t know him?” He asked surprised. “Sorry, I thought you were more . . . guarded.”
“Oh, no, I am. I’m shy, hesitant to meet people or be vulnerable, and I’m a very private person. But I did know him. We had classes together, and worked together a lot.” She said. “But I didn’t know him completely until we started dating. You know what I mean.”
“Not really. I’m a pretty good judge of character. I can usually peg a person by the first few meetings. People are all the same. Either they’re decent or immoral. They’re manipulative or selfless. They’re a gossip or keep to themselves. They only see your money or don’t care about it. As long as you stay away from warning signs there isn’t anything to fear.” He said. “I’ll bet you knew in the beginning what you ended up not liking about this guy in the end.”
“No. I didn’t.” She said. She smiled, but flushed. It was strange how easily it was to talk to him, but at the same time he was pushing her from her comfort zone. She would never breathe a word about this normally, but she found herself saying, “He did drugs and was abusive. I didn’t know that, at first, but it didn’t take me long to figure it out, and even less time to get out of the relationship. He didn’t actually hit me. He was too high and missed. But I’m sure he would have—eventually. It was the first time I ever saw him like that, and it was the last. I told him it was over, and since it was only two weeks into our relationship, he didn’t seem that hurt. So, you see it isn’t anything worth talking about. It was nothing more than a mistake.”
“Looking back on it I should have seen the signs when I was getting to know him, but when it comes to relationships I’m rather naive. I was very sheltered growing up. I never had my mom to talk to or give me advice. I still don’t.” She cleared her throat, “And I can’t believe I’m telling you all this. It’s embarrassing to have to admit I’m naive.”
“I listen. I think that’s why people tell me things. That and I’m an extrovert. I’ve always had a lot of friends.” He added, “But I stand corrected—not all relationships end from something that can be seen in the beginning.”
“I think you’re right. I can see how you wouldn’t go on more than two dates. You would know after that if you got along, and more dates would be a waste of time.” She said. “Maybe that was why Marcus Yutan hinted you’re a womanizer.”
“Ouch! He said that?” William sat back his chair. Veronica couldn’t believe the words slipped through her lips. Things like that happened when she was nervous. She blurts out things that pop in her head with no regard to how it’s perceived when she’s nervous, and she told him that.
She finished by saying, “Maybe if I didn’t break your nose . . .”
“What do you think? Do I seem like one to you?” He interrupted her.
“I hardly know.” She acknowledged quickly.
“I don’t sleep with women I’m not monogamous with.” He declared blatantly. “I can count on one hand all the women I’ve slept with.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.” She said, flushing pink. He laughed under his breath.
He ordered water, drank thirstily, and then asked, “So how have you managed never to step foot on a boat. That’s almost weird.”
“I’ve been on ferries.” She added, “My parents hate the ocean, and I’ve never been around the water much until recently. I swim at Flex Gym all the time now. Okay, more like twice a week if I have time. And it’s more of a dog paddle than swimming.”
“Wow, you’re an Olympian. That’s impressive.” He smiled. “I work out or swim in my building. It’s usually pretty empty in the morning. I like it deserted. Actually, I’m going to do a triathlon in a week, before my birthday. I’m training right now.”
“A triathlon? Are you crazy? I couldn’t swim two miles let alone swim, bike and run.” She laughed, “Do you have a great high from working out, or a love of pain?”
“No. I just want to.” He added, “Once.”
“You’re crazy.” She teased.
“Maybe a little.” He laughed under his breath.
“So is your family here?” She asked him curiously.
“No. My sister is in Philadelphia. She’s married, and has twin girls, Cleo and Claudette. They are three, and her life! She loves them, and she’s a great mom. Her husband, Devin, is a lawyer and like all lawyers he’s a total dirt bag. I used to be close with my sister until she married him.” He paused, “Anyway, my parents are in Texas and still living in the house I was raised in. They’ve been married thirty–seven years now and going strong. They mostly travel these days, but they’re always home for Thanksgiving or Christmas which is when I usually see them.”
“Why is her husband a jerk, if you don’t mind me asking?” Veronica asked.
“Not at all. It’s everything really; everything about him I don’t like. He’s cheating on her, and Nora doesn’t want to hear it.” He added, “It was hard to hear her cry when he skipped town for t
he weekend when he got a new mistress, but she doesn’t cry anymore which is even sadder. He constantly says inappropriate crap—he’s uncouth. I don’t know what she sees in him. I don’t know why she is still married to him. It’s a mystery!”
“He sounds like a jerk.” She said.
“So have you had sushi before? I can see you like it.” He said.
“Yeah. I’m brave about some things. Sushi is one of them.” She said. “I’ve had sushi in every place I’ve traveled to which means I’ve had sushi in the Big Apple, New York City, Empire City, The City so Nice, They Named It Twice, and The Capital of The World. Well, I can’t say that now, because I didn’t have time to find a sushi bar in Paris, and I couldn’t speak enough French to find anything. It was kind of a fiasco staying the extra two days.”
He laughed before saying, “You’re timidity is endearing. You should have called my room and I would’ve taken you around. I would have definitely taken you out to sushi if you asked.”
“No. I would’ve bothered you.” She said and waved a hand. “And I would have looked like an idiot. I’m still trying to recover from breaking your nose. That was terrible!”
“Bother me?” He laughed. “Yeah, you’re really annoying, hard to talk to, and not at all pleasant to look at. I would have been tortured for hours. Thanks for saving me the visit.”
“You’re teasing me!” She accused.
“Yes.” He admitted. He pushed his plate away, and turned his chair toward her.
“You’re done?” She asked him.
“Yeah.” He said. “I’ll wait for you though.”
“No. I’m fine.” She took one last bite of sushi before saying, “Let’s go.”
