So distracted with her thoughts that she forgot someone’s order and had to go back and get it. The bartender gave her a quizzical look, but she turned an indifferent shoulder to him. She surveyed the establishment and the few clientele scarred throughout tables. It hit her so hard she didn’t see it coming. She hated this job.
This wasn’t what she wanted for herself, never had been. Her dreams were to perform singing on stage in front of a live audience. The job provided her with such an opportunity, but she felt suddenly unfulfilled. She didn’t know what it was and she didn’t like the feeling. Women like her never got what they deserved.
She would break her date with Daniel. That was all there was to it. How could she do this to him? He deserved so much better. Lord, he was one of the great masterminds of his generation and here she was a struggling singer living off nothing but dreams. Yes, the best thing she could do for him, was to not go.
Even better, maybe it was best to end their relationship altogether. What had this weekend done to her? Believe that she could get a man as terrific as Daniel? Christ, the man shows a little kindness and she’s like Jell-O at his feet. No, she was best to end it now before she used trickery and manipulation to get her way. Sonya always got her way. No matter what the cost. This was a cost she would not allow. She had to let him go.
Her day dragged and until at last it was time to go home. She knew she should head straight to Daniel’s and tell him she didn’t want to see him anymore. But she couldn’t bring herself to it. So instead she hid away in her apartment with her headphones on as she listened to the chords of Tchaikovsky playing on her iPod. He knocked on her door shortly after she arrived, but she ignored it hoping he would think she wasn’t home.
Every day after that she grew more and more depressed and every day after work she locked herself in her apartment and refused to see him. She knew she had to tell him about Friday, but found herself incapable of doing so. It would hurt him. Not gravelly, but enough that she would feel horrible inside.
On Thursday night, he banged on her door yet again. If not harder. “Sonya, open up. I know you’re in there. I saw you come home.”
She contemplated ignoring him again, but knew she couldn’t put it off any longer. As she straightened her spine and took a deep breath, her mind worked fast trying to conjure an excuse to help lessen Daniel’s pain. Not able to put it off any longer, she unlocked the bolts and opened the door, taking a step back to allow him entrance.
He frowned heavily at her but stepped inside. “Have you been sick?”
She shook her head. “No.”
Then both her voice and expression became grave. She was not looking forward to the conversation she was about to embark on. “Daniel, we need to talk.”
He froze. “What about?”
“Us,” she said solemnly, not able to meet his eyes. She walked past him and led the way into her sitting room.
“Us?” He watched her with trepidation.
“Yes.” She sat down prim and straight on the sofa and gathered her composure before meeting his gaze once again. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”
There was a long silent pause in the room and Sonya feared looking him in the eye. She knew any relationship with him would never last. Perhaps she had foolishly believed otherwise after the weekend they shared. Daniel too, perhaps. They had gotten along so well. But men like Daniel did not end up with women like Sonya.
He gritted his teeth and said, “I didn’t realize we were seeing each other.”
His words smarted more than he could have ever imagined. They reinforced what she already knew. Then trying to appear unhurt, she nonchalantly explained, “I meant see in the actual meaning. I think we should end any relationship we have, even neighborly.”
Daniel still looked angry but she held her ground. “And why do you think that?”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and wondered how far she would have to go to hurt Daniel so that he would transfer his hurt to anger and place it squarely on her. “We’re just not good together. We’re too different.” She swallowed a painful lump that suddenly appeared before she continued. “You don’t belong in my world.”
His eyes burned of outrage and Sonya felt a piercing ache in her chest. “We seemed to be getting along fine on the weekend. Or was that all a sham?”
“A sham,” she confirmed. “But you already knew that. That was why I asked you to come.”
“Right.” He clenched his jaw and thrust his hands into his pockets. “Same reason why I asked you to come tomorrow.”
She shook her head. “I can’t go tomorrow.”
His face grew irate as he exploded, “Oh yes you are. We had a deal. I stuck to my end of the bargain and you’ll stick to yours."
“Daniel, I don’t think that’s a good—”
“I don’t give a damn what you think,” he bellowed. “Be ready at seven o’clock. If you’re not, I’ll come and dress you myself.”
She flinched at his anger and blinked in astonishment at his threat, but before she was given a chance to respond he stormed out of her apartment and slammed the door behind him.
Sonya gave a huge and weary sigh then collapsed back against the sofa. That did not go as planned. She knew it would be bad, but she didn’t realize just how bad. To top matters, she didn’t get herself out of tomorrow night’s banquet. Before even having done the bad deed, Sonya already felt she had betrayed him.
After work the following evening she went home and prepared for her evening with Daniel. She refused to refer to it as a date. She and Daniel did not date. That was impossible. They could be neighbors, yes, possibly friends, but never anything more.
Selecting her outfit with care, she didn’t want to upset Daniel over her choice of attire and follow through with his threat to drag her back to the bedroom and redress her. A shiver of delight sneaked its way into her conscious, which Sonya quickly stomped out. Thoughts like that were dangerous and belonged nowhere tonight.
She donned the little blue dress then set about styling her hair and applying her makeup. Tchaikovsky played from the portable from the other room hoping to relax her nerves and sooth her disposition. The last thing she wanted was another fight with Daniel, yet it was the precise thing she needed. It would be best if she was in control of her emotions and the situation she’d fear wouldn’t get out of hand.
At precisely seven Daniel banged on her door. Simply from his knock, she knew his mood had not improved. She opened the door and stilled. On the opposite side of her threshold he looked spectacular in a black tux and crisp shirt and Sonya was surprised at the sudden lack of oxygen in her lungs. He smelled wonderfully of musk and after-shave and she felt herself swaying unconsciously toward him.
His face, however, was unsmiling as he looked down at her. “Are you ready?”
She nodded, then turned and slipped her feet into the sandals on the shoe rack before snatching up her purse and following him out of the apartment. He didn’t even look her way, and she had the disturbing thought that he wasn’t pleased with her. But she already saw that coming. Tried to prevent it, but he demanded she keep her end of their deal.
They didn’t say a word as they loaded the elevator and rode it down to the ground floor. In the lobby they would have sailed through it but were stopped by Mrs. Sterling who was also passing through in the opposite direction.
“Good evening, Daniel.” She glanced behind him and sneered openly at Sonya without acknowledging her.
Feeling spiteful and wanting to vent, Sonya sneered back. At the least, it lifted her spirits some.
“Good evening, Mrs. Sterling.” Daniel continued to say something and caught Sonya’s attention. “I’m sorry to hear about Fufu.”
“Thank you Daniel, I appreciate that.” The older woman’s face looked downcast as she raised a hand to her face as if to prevent a burst of tears.
“What happened?” Sonya couldn’t resist asking.
Mrs. Sterling glared
at her. “He passed away the other night.”
Sonya was struck by an unexpected sense of sorrow. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
But the woman didn’t give her an inch. “I know what kind of girl you are Sonya Elliott and you don’t give a rat’s ass about my Fufu.”
Taken aback, she looked at the older woman and realized she was right. She didn’t. For a split second, she felt compassion but in one sentence Mrs. Sterling had snatched it away. “As a matter-of-fact I do feel sorry at the loss of your dog, but not at his loss. Anything would be better than living with an old cranky pent up coot—”
“How dare you?” The old woman cried, clutching a hand to her chest as if on the verge of a heart attack. Then turning to Daniel for his reaction, she demanded, “How can you associate with such riffraff, Daniel, you are better than that. This girl is rude and insensitive and—”
“Yes, yes, I know. However, she was trying to offer her condolences, which you snubbed without hesitation.” He nodded in understanding and took the older woman’s arm and led her to the elevator. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re on a date.”
“Daniel!” Mrs. Sterling cried with disgust then threw them an indignant shrug before boarding the elevator and disappearing.
He released a weary breath and ran his hand through his neatly combed hair. The movement caused some strands to stand up where they didn’t belong. Sonya had an overwhelming urge to reach up and fix it. She clenched her fists and kept them firmly at her side.
“Let’s go.” He grabbed her arm and propelled her towards the exit.
She wrenched her arm free, not appreciating being manhandled. “I can manage, thank you.”
“Just don’t think you can try and lose me.” His grey eyes were dark as he looked down at her. “After tonight, you may have your wish and never see me again.”
Something lashed across the inside of her chest and Sonya literally lifted her hand as if to calm it. She was seeing another part of Daniel she hadn’t seen before. At least not in this extreme. He was angry. Irate, to be exact and he was far from happy with her. He probably wanted the night to end as quickly as possible so that he never had to deal with her again.
Her jaw quivered as she slid into the passenger seat and waited for him to fill the driver’s side. Considering his anger, he drove with care and deliberation not exceeding the speed limit once. At the banquet hall, butterflies fluttered in the pit of her stomach. They reminded her of the jitters she received before going on stage for the first time. This was just another performance.
For Daniel’s sake, she needed to pull it off. The last thing she wanted was to embarrass him in front of his peers. As they walked up the flight of stairs toward the entrance, she tugged on the hem of her dress and wished she owned one that hung a little lower than her thighs. For the first time, she felt like a tart and had a sudden fear that the high society in the hall they were about to enter, would her with Daniel and think the only date he could get was a whore.
She halted in her steps causing Daniel to stop a few steps ahead. Frowning, he looked aback at her. “Come on.”
Sonya shook her head with a sincere trace of fear in her voice. He paused, then looked at her with surprise and slight confusion. “What’s wrong?”
“Daniel, I can’t do this.” She pleaded with him to understand. “I don’t belong in a place like this.”
He frowned and looked back at the building not seeing what she saw. “I don’t understand.”
Exasperated, she gestured toward her dress. “Look at me.”
His eyes were forced to travel down the length of her body, then back up. They remained blank. “You look fine.”
She wanted to cry in despair. Fine. Pretty. Those were the kind of words he used to describe her. With a start, she realized she wanted him to tell her she looked beautiful and that he was very proud to have her with him at his side tonight, but instead she watched as he turned his back and started toward the hall once again.
Dispirited, she followed with reluctance. When they reached the top he stopped and waited for her to catch up then held the door for her to proceed. Her footsteps faltered, trying to prolong her entrance. Once inside, she froze as the lobby was cluttered with a few distinguished gentlemen in tuxedos deep in conversation. Men like Daniel, Sonya thought.
He took her elbow in his hand and propelled her in the direction of the doors where the majority of noise was coming from. As she neared closer and closer she felt an overwhelming urge to run. She could hear their voices. They would be full of scorn and ridicule. Like Mrs. Sterling. The old woman was right. Sonya wasn’t the decent type of woman one took to an important event like this.
They had just entered the room when a huge man with a flushed balding head approached them with a hand outstretched to greet Daniel. In the other hand, he held a tumbler precariously. “Daniel, old boy, glad you made it.”
“Frank.” He smiled and took the man’s hand.
“Thought you might make a show.” He pivoted his large head around as if looking for someone. “I brought my daughter, Aimee. You remember her, she graduated from her program and landed a job down at the Institute you work at. Was hoping you could help her settle in and provide a friendly face?”
“I would be happy to assist her in any way I can.” He sounded professional before he turned around and slipped an arm around Sonya’s waist and propelled her forward. “I would like to introduce my fiancée.”
She froze. Fiancée? They never said anything about that. Oh Lord, she suddenly felt very queasy.
The big man turned around in surprise and eyed Sonya standing beside Daniel. “Fiancée? I didn’t realize you were getting married.”
“We haven’t set a date yet.” Daniel lied so easily she was surprised at how sincere he sounded.
Then as if remembering his manners, the big man broke out into a smile and extended his hand to her. “Nice to meet you. What did you say the name was?”
“Sonya Elliott.” Daniel provided, for which she was relieved since her throat had a huge frog stuck in it.
Again the man examined her. This time from head to toe in an open and brass manner. “Well, she certainly is a looker.” Then giving the younger man a playful punch in the arm, added, “Where’d you go and find someone like that?”
Sonya’s insides coiled and she thought the nausea she felt earlier would come hurling from her stomach. Her worst fears were realized. The man knew her for the fraud she was and knew she didn’t belong.
“We’re also neighbors,” Daniel supplied.
“I see.” The man continued to study her with scrutiny and she was only too happy when Daniel turned her aside.
“If you’ll excuse us, Frank, I think we’ll mingle a little more since we’ve just arrived.”
“Of course.” The big man bowed his head in farewell and watched as they walked away.
Daniel kept his arm about her waist, which Sonya was grateful. Her thin dress provided little coverage in the cool room and the warmth of his body was heaven sent. Now if only she had something cool to place across her forehead.
“Daniel.” Another man greeted them with zest and looked on Sonya with open admiration. “And who is this lovely creature you have brought tonight?”
“Sonya Elliott.” Daniel made the introduction, however, this time omitting the fiancée part.
This bit of information led Sonya to believe it was the bigger man and the daughter he subtly referred to was the reason Daniel had dragged her along. These more important men he didn’t attempt to imply that he had any kind of relationship with her.
The man broke into a grin and held out his hand to Sonya. She accepted it and was taken aback when the older gentleman turned it around and pressed a kiss on the top of her hand. “Such beauty. To be in such presence is humbling.”
“Thank you.” Flabbergasted, she simply looked on his bent head.
Then straightening he said, “Daniel is a remarkable young man. He’s done wonders for
the Institute.”
She shot Daniel an arched brow and waited for the introductions. “This is Professor Webster. He’s the head dean at the Institute I’m working at, and a past lecturer in my university days.”
Her mouth dropped in surprise. She had no idea Daniel was a consultant at the very Institute in which he received his honors program. More and more she was discovering things about Daniel she had never known before. But that was dangerous. The more she got to know him, the harder it would be when they parted.
Sonya felt her insides twist, for she knew it was already too late. Leaving Daniel would be the hardest thing she did.
A live orchestra began to play at one end of the banquet hall and caught Professor Webster’s attention. Turning to Sonya, he implored, “Would you do me the honors and share a dance with me. It would look so good to my peers if they saw a beautiful woman in my arms.”
The smile that formed on her lips was the first natural one of the evening. “Such charm.”
“Ah, she talks.” The professor beamed and held out her hand. “And such sweet music to the ears.”
Then turning to Daniel, asked, “You don’t mind if I take this lovely vision away from you for a short time?”
“By all means.” He held up his hand to allow them to proceed and if Sonya wasn’t mistaken, glowed with pride.
She glided onto the dance floor and enjoyed her waltz with Professor Webster. It was a classic dance that she had taught herself years ago in the privacy of her bathroom mirror. There was something about the dance that was mysterious and romantic and she had been determined to learn it even if she never had the opportunity to use it.
Her partner was a smooth dancer as well as talker and Sonya was pleased to discover the older man had a disposition to equal her own. His sense of humor was sharp and witty, and she found herself laughing in spite of herself. With every spin she felt her muscles relax and nerves unwind.
Misunderstood: In Love with the Nerd (The Miss Series Book 2) Page 16
