by Ella Miles
I stand up to take my jacket off and see what I should do with my pants.
“Here, let me help you,” Carter says, grabbing my jacket.
Lily looks straight at me with a giant smile on her face. So, as much as I want to knee Carter in the balls for spilling scorching hot coffee all over me, I don’t. I pretend to smile and let Carter remove my jacket.
My hands wrap around my bare arms as I feel the pain of the burn all over. I should have worn a long-sleeved blouse instead of one without any sleeves. Maybe it would have protected me better from the burns.
“Oh my God! Victoria, are you all right? Your face and arms are bright red,” Lily says from across the table.
“I’m fine.”
I feel Carter’s hand touch my shoulder, and I jump. He moves his hand away for a second and then touches me softer, moving me to look at him. When he sees what I’m sure is my bright pink face and arms, he darts out of the room.
“Do you want me to get you a change of clothes or something?” Lily asks.
“No, I’m fine. Really. It’s just a little spilled coffee.”
Lily eyes my arms though, and I know it looks bad. But the pain is already subsiding, so it can’t actually be that bad.
Carter returns with a bowl of water and a washcloth. He sets the bowl on the table. “Put your wrist in the water.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m fine,” I say again, hating the attention I’m getting.
He ignores me and grabs my wrist. He sticks my wrist and forearm into the cool water. The burn on my arm soothes immediately. I voluntarily stick my other arm in. When I look down I realize that my arm is redder than I expected.
“Look at me,” Carter says.
I do.
His eyes narrow as he studies my face. He quickly puts the washcloth into the water, wrings it out, and then places it against my cheek. I wince and pull away from the cool water. He places his hand under my chin and gently turns it back toward him as he cautiously places the washcloth on my face.
I close my eyes at the initial sting and then open them as the cool cloth starts to calm my burn.
Carter intensely stares at me while he holds the washcloth to my face and then slowly pulls it away. I remove my hands from the water and shake them off.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine. No damage done.”
He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
I swallow hard, trying to push any feelings that are creeping up, the more he takes care of me.
“I’m fine,” I say for the millionth time, trying to convince myself more than him. “It barely hurt. My skin is just sensitive.”
I turn away from him before he does anything else to make my heart flutter. It’s just an act. He doesn’t really care if he hurt me. He never has before.
“Here’s some ointment to put on your burns, Victoria,” Lily says, handing me a tube.
“Thank you. Let’s get started with the meeting though,” I say, taking it from her.
Lily and Carter both look at me, still concerned. Lily rubs her ear while she exchanges glances with Carter like she is secretly passing a message to him that I don’t get to know.
I sigh. “I’m fine. I promise.”
I glance down at my phone to check the time. “I was hoping to share with you my thoughts on the plans first, but I suspect that our savior himself is here.”
Lily looks at me with wide eyes, and Carter just stares.
I get up and run out into the hall. I sigh with relief when I see him waiting for me.
“You came.”
Phillip, Lily’s ex-fiancé, nods. “You were very persistent that I get here. Are you okay?”
I bite my lip to keep from screaming. “Yes. Just a hot mess, as usual. Come on, let’s go inside, and I can share the plans with everyone.”
I grab his arm because I’m afraid he is going to run, and I lead him into the meeting room.
“Oh my God! Phillip, what are you doing here?” Lily says as she runs over and throws her arms around his neck.
To my surprise, Phillip hugs her back. I stand to the side, smiling, as I clasp my hands together and watch their reunion. I wasn’t sure that my crazy plan was going to work, but seeing how happy they are to see each other reassures me.
A knot in my stomach forms when I look over at Carter, though, who is unfazed by the interaction. I thought he would be concerned that I just won Lily over. But he doesn’t seem concerned; in fact, he seems amused.
“I came to help you. Victoria convinced me that you needed my help, so here I am,” Phillip says.
Lily has tears in her eyes, which makes me tear up a little as I see them reunite. Phillip has no reason to forgive Lily or to help her in any way. They were engaged when she cheated on him. But, despite all the pain she caused him, he still loves her. I know it. And this proves it.
Phillip links his fingers with Lily’s, and I about lose it. Such a simple gesture, but it’s beautiful to observe the two of them together.
“I’m so sorry,” Lily whispers.
As much as I want to stay and continue to grow envious as they reclaim their love for each other, I know I shouldn’t. I motion with my head for Carter to follow me out and give them some privacy, and to my surprise, he does without protest.
I grin and sink into the couch in the lobby, down the hallway from Lily’s office, as Carter leans against the wall.
“So, my plan is going even better than I thought.”
He frowns as he walks over and sits next to me. “What is your plan exactly?”
“My plan is to give Lily and Phillip a chance to make up for real and then put them on every TV show, radio show, and newspaper, showing the love they have for each other. Lily won’t hide her error, but she will make it clear that it was a mistake. Phillip will show forgiveness, and Lily will show her humility. They are a normal couple with real problems, just like everyone else.”
“Your plan won’t work.”
“Are you crazy? Did you not see the two of them together? Their love is infectious.”
“No, Phillip is too nice. He’s not strong enough. He’s a schoolteacher, not a powerful businessman. He’s not seen as an equal to her. And, because of that, their love will never be seen as real. It will be clear that the only reason he’s forgiven her is because she is way out of his league. Everyone will suspect that she is sleeping with hotter, more attractive men behind Phillip’s back.”
“You’re wrong. You’re just upset that Lily is going to love my plan, and you are going to be out of a job soon.” I fold my arms across my chest and wince when I hit my burns a little too hard.
“Are you okay?”
I nod.
Carter takes my hand that has a burn on top of it. He lowers his lips and softly kisses the burn.
My eyes widen, and my breathing stops. It’s just a stupid kiss on the hand, but it’s one of the sweetest things a man has ever done for me. I don’t understand how he could be so cruel one second and then so sweet the next.
He grins. “You don’t trust me, do you?”
I shake my head.
“You shouldn’t. Just like the people of North Carolina wouldn’t trust Lily if she went back to her fiancé.”
I frown. “You and Lily are different. You’re an ass, and she’s…”
He laughs. “She’s a bitch.”
I freeze when he calls Lily that. “I thought you liked her.”
“Of course I like her. Lily and I are a lot alike, which is how I know your plan will never work.”
He grins, and I know he has something up his sleeve. Something he isn’t telling me.
I jump as a loud thump happens down the hallway.
“What was that?” I ask.
Carter frowns as he looks toward Lily’s office. He starts jogging down the hallway, and I follow, not having a clue as to what is going on.
“Oh my God,” I say and cover my mouth with my hands when I se
e two men fighting, covered in blood.
Lily is screaming for them to stop, and Carter is trying to figure out how to break them up without getting hurt himself.
Finally, Carter grabs hold of Phillip and pulls him away from the other man.
“What is going on?” I ask, looking from Phillip to the other man before it becomes clear who the other man is. I recognize the other man from the sex tape with Lily.
“What are you doing here?” Lily asks Jacob.
“I’m here for you. Your PR team asked me to come, so here I am. I’ll do whatever you want to make this easier on you,” Jacob says.
I turn to Carter, who is still holding Phillip back, realizing what he did. I brought Phillip, and he brought Jacob. We couldn’t have fucked this up more if we had tried.
“Get the fuck out of here, you asshole! Lily is my fiancée!” Phillip shouts.
Jacob laughs. “I think that ended the second she got into my bed and agreed to be filmed.”
Phillip tries to break free of Carter’s arms, but he holds him back.
“Tell him to leave, Lily!” Phillip shouts.
But Lily can’t say anything right now. Her tears are flowing down her cheeks, but otherwise, she’s frozen. She has no idea how to handle this. This is the exact situation that Carter and I were hired to avoid.
“Escort Phillip out, Carter,” I say.
Carter begins walking Phillip out of the building while I grab onto Jacob’s arm and guide him out the back exit. I can hear Phillip fighting with Carter behind me, but to my surprise, Jacob doesn’t fight me.
When I get him all the way outside, I ask, “What are you really doing here? You don’t want to be involved in this, do you?”
Jacob shrugs. “Carter made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“Money?”
“Something like that.”
“Leave Lily alone.”
“You don’t have to worry about me. I get paid either way.”
I frown and sulk back inside. That was a disaster. I walk back into the meeting room, just behind Carter.
“I’m so sorry, Lily. Victoria and I should have talked before we took action, and—”
“Shut your mouth,” Lily says firmly.
I freeze, and so does Carter, who is sitting at the table in front of me.
“You two fucked up! Now, there is no way Phillip will take me back, and Jacob is too worked up to do anything you ask. I’m going to go get a massage and have lunch with a friend to try to get over my heartbreak at what just happened. You two have until I get back to come up with a plan together to fix this, or you’re both fired.” Lily walks calmly out of the room, leaving Carter and me alone.
I take a deep breath. This is not my fault, I repeat to myself over and over again. This is Carter’s fault.
My eyes dart to him sitting calmly at the table. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. I’m going to be out of a job if I don’t fix this.
I walk over and sit down on the opposite side of the table. I need to keep Carter at a distance if I’m going to have any control over the situation.
“You’re mad,” Carter says.
“Yeah, I’m mad. What were you thinking?”
He smirks. “I was thinking that I had years of experience in fixing people’s problems, and I made a good living from doing it, so I should be the one who made the decisions.”
I raise an eyebrow. “And you think that I don’t have experience?”
“I know you don’t have experience.”
“I’ve been working in this industry, same as you.”
“And what do you have to show for it? You lost your job; you didn’t get promoted.”
I frown. I hate him. I should just quit. But I won’t give him the satisfaction of winning.
“Let’s just figure out a solution to the mess you created.”
He holds up a finger and then walks out without saying anything to me. It’s annoying that he doesn’t tell me what he is doing. But it gives me a chance to compose myself and calm down. We won’t be any good to Lily if we spend the whole time arguing. I have to find a way to push through my feelings and be civil with him. No more fighting.
Carter walks back in a few minutes later, carrying a large coffee cup in his hand. I glare at him for getting himself a coffee after he spilled mine all over me.
I realize what I’m doing and close my eyes. He’s just goading you. Don’t let him do it.
I open my eyes, and he isn’t standing across the table from me. He’s leaning over me as he places the coffee cup in front of me.
“A peace offering,” he says before sitting in the seat next to me.
I smile. “Let’s get to work.”
He holds my gaze for far too long before he says, “Where do you want to start?”
I don’t know why he’s being so nice to me. It’s either from guilt from spilling coffee on me or ruining my plans for Lily, but whatever the reason, I’m not going to waste the moment.
6
Carter
I fucked up.
Not by convincing Jacob to come here today. I know that my instincts were correct. That Jacob would have been the best way to get the public back on Lily’s side.
I fucked up by letting myself feel anything toward Victoria. I don’t have feelings. Ever. I’m ruthless and uncaring. It’s why I’m so good at my job. I never care about my clients. I just do what’s best for them even if they hate me at the time. They always thank me afterward.
And, now that I’ve let myself care about Victoria, I don’t know how to shut it off. I don’t even feel anything that loving. I just feel guilt and concern. I’ve hurt Victoria countless times. But today was the first time that I didn’t like it. I didn’t like seeing her in physical pain. I didn’t like the emotions it evoked in either of us.
“Carter, are you listening to me?”
I blink, trying to come back to the real world instead of the world of torture I have created for myself in my head. A world where I want Victoria, but I can’t have her.
“To every word.”
She frowns. “Then, what was I saying?”
“You said, ‘Carter, are you listening to me?’”
She can’t stifle the tiniest of grins from her lips. It makes me happy to see her smile.
“Before that.”
“That you feel the best way to move forward is to show Lily as a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a man by her side. Don’t paint the men as monsters but not as saints either. Just do one interview with another strong, independent woman who will want to address the sex tape but then will focus on the issues that Lily wants to tackle as a senator instead of doing dozens of interviews, like the plan was before.”
She clears her throat. “You were listening.”
“I have an impeccable memory. Anything I hear or see, I will remember.”
She sips her coffee to keep from yawning. I know she stayed up all night, preparing for this. She’s smarter than I gave her credit for. Most of her ideas are spot-on, and she has a backup in mind for every scenario. If we didn’t hate each other so much, I would offer her a job. But her exhaustion is going to lead to mistakes. She might think she has the same level of experience as me, but having to spend all night formulating a plan shows me just how little experience she actually has. She’s talented, but she needs someone to harness that talent.
“What do you think?”
I lean forward in my chair until I’m close enough to smell the coffee mixed with her perfume. “I don’t think you care what I think.”
She leans forward in her chair as well. “What do you think?”
“I think your ideas are good.”
“Just good?”
I grin. “Better than good. But you have some flaws that you still need to work out.”
“Yeah? And what are those?”
“You haven’t slept in two days, so you aren’t thinking clearly.”
“What are the flaws in my plan?”
>
“You’ll figure them out after a good night’s rest.”
She rolls her eyes. “Tell me now. We already screwed up once with Lily. We can’t do that again. We are supposed to be working together to ensure that we don’t mess this up anymore. That means, there can’t be any secrets. We have to tell each other everything.”
I lean back in my chair as I rub the back of my neck. She watches me.
“I’ll make sure that we don’t fuck up again. My reputation is on the line, too. But I want to help you grow. And you will never grow if I just tell you what you fucked up. I’ll guide you, but you have to figure it out for yourself.”
“Why are you trying to help me?”
I get up out of my chair and walk over to get my laptop. Then, I plug the projector into it. I’m trying to help her because I don’t know how to turn my emotions off now that I’ve turned them on. I don’t know why, but I actually enjoy listening to her voice. She talks so confidently about what she wants. It’s nice, hearing her. It’s nice, being near her.
“It’s because you feel guilty for spilling coffee on me, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s because, when I see someone with talent, I can’t help but nourish that talent.”
“Was that a compliment?”
Victoria bites her lip, and I ache to have that lip in my mouth. I don’t know what’s come over me, but right now, my brain is obsessed with her.
Lily chooses that moment to walk back into the room. I knew she was coming back soon. She’s been gone for hours, and I have an instinct when it comes to clients. This isn’t the first time a client has walked out on me.
“Do you have a plan, or am I firing you both?” Lily asks. She folds her arms across her chest, and her face is stiff and rigid. Gone are the tears from earlier. Gone is the anger. She’s all business now.
I can feel the nerves oozing off of Victoria as she sits at the table. She has a thorough plan, but I know it makes her nervous not to have visuals and a written plan for Lily. She wants to look as professional as she can. She thought she would have more time.
