"No, really, I'll bring them in." Marly pulled them back.
"You're my guest…" Jasper reached out and tugged at the plates again. This was silly, but Marly wasn't used to being waited on. Maybe it was time to let someone else clean up.
Their eyes met.
"Fine," they both said at the same time and let go of the plates, which smashed on the floor at their feet.
Marly's hand flew to her mouth. "I'm so sorry!"
She bent down to try to pick up the mess, but she slid on some Alfredo sauce. Her feet went out from under her, and her arms cartwheeled in the air as she fell backwards. Her butt hit the hard concrete patio floor two seconds before her head.
She must have blacked out, because the next thing she knew, Jasper's face was hovering over hers, a concerned expression in his eyes.
"Marly, are you okay?"
She took a mental inventory of her body. Her butt hurt, and it felt wet. She had a slight headache starting, but otherwise, the only thing she was suffering from was acute embarrassment.
"I'm fine." She struggled up onto her elbows.
Jasper placed his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you shouldn't get up. I can call an ambulance."
An ambulance? That was the last thing she wanted. Maybe he was worried about a lawsuit and wanted to make sure he was covered, but she had work to do. She couldn't spend half the night in the emergency room.
"I'm fine. Really. I'm sorry about the mess."
"Don't worry about it. It's nothing. Are you sure you're okay?"
Marly squinted at Jasper. He seemed genuinely concerned. "I'm sure."
"You have sauce in your hair." He reached out and flicked at her hair then more gently tucked a strand behind her ear.
Maybe it was the shared passion for the project. Or maybe it was the concerned look in Jasper's eye. Or maybe it was the wine. But before Marly knew what she was doing, she'd reached up and kissed him.
Jasper's mind raced as his lips met Marly's. What the heck? He knew this was wrong on so many levels, but it felt right. In fact, it felt so right that his head was spinning.
Then he felt it. A slight tingle in his nose, growing stronger and stronger. Abruptly, he pulled himself away from Marly mid-kiss, throwing his head back and letting out a huge sneeze, with another two right behind it. His eyes started to water, and his throat felt scratchy. The citrus perfume. He was having an allergic reaction to Marly's perfume.
Marly sat completely still, looking totally horrified at what had just happened.
"I'm… I'm sorry, Jasper. I think I had a bit too much to drink. I should probably get going." Marly's apology was awkward as she fumbled around to stand up. She looked embarrassed beyond words.
"You don't have to say you're sorry." Jasper held his hand out to her to help her up. Was she apologizing for dropping the plates, falling on the patio, or for kissing him? He hoped it wasn't the latter. He had enjoyed the kiss. He wondered if he should tell her that citrus smells always make him sneeze, but before he could say anything, she spoke up.
"This is a mess." Marly looked down at the puddle of sauce, food, and broken dishes.
Jasper opened his mouth and closed it without saying anything. Did she mean kissing him was a mess? Or the Alfredo sauce strewn all over his terrace? He could tell she was uncomfortable. He wanted to ask her not to leave but wasn't sure she would stay. She looked as if she really wanted to leave.
Maybe she'd just had too much wine and regretted the kiss. Maybe she had a concussion and didn't know what she was doing. Maybe it was best to call it a night and forget all about it. He was mulling this over when a low grumbling sound floated across the terrace. Thunder.
They both looked off in the distance to see a bolt of white lightning light up the sky. The air had become thick with humidity.
"Well, I should go now before it starts to rain." Marly said, dabbing at an Alfredo stain on her shirt and then reaching to pick up one of the plates.
"I can clean this up," Jasper replied, still not wanting her to leave but also not wanting her to get caught in the rain.
Marly grabbed the laptop and mumbled, "Have a good night," before bolting away. As she crossed into his house and out the door, Jasper got the distinct impression she was trying not to break into a full-out run.
Marly spilled out of the elevator, into the lobby. Outside, it was starting to drizzle, and she was glad the laptop was protected, because she wasn't going to hail a cab and head home... she was walking straight to the hospital.
She'd kissed Jasper! What had she been thinking? Too bad the kiss had been amazing, and if what she'd sensed was right, Jasper had felt the same way.
Marly loved her mother. She could not fall for Jasper... the very man whom she may have to betray in order to give her mother a chance at life.
Or could she? Earlier, she'd had an idea on how she might be able to satisfy Tanner with new designs and get the money for her mother's operation without betraying Jasper. She was almost sure she could pull it off, but she needed to see those original designs first.
But even if she could pull it off, was Jasper really interested in her? She didn't have a good track record with men, and it still hurt to think of how Derek had betrayed her. Jasper would probably do the same thing. But even so, she still liked the job.
She glanced down at the laptop in her hand. The laptop would give her access, and then all she needed was time. But first, a quick visit to see her mom. She picked up the pace. Too bad she would have to walk past Draconia to get to the hospital, but it couldn't be helped.
Marly turned her blazer collar up around her ears and kept her head down as she headed out of the lobby.
15
Veronica pursed her lips as she hurried down the sidewalk after work. She loved New York, and the fact she could walk to work was wonderful, except on days like today when it was raining.
Everyone and their brother used cabs on days like this, so she knew better than to wait for one. Between the wait and added traffic, it was faster for her to walk, although she wasn't thrilled that her new Valentino shoes were getting wet.
It was humid out, too, and even with her umbrella shielding her hair from the rain, she knew it would start to frizz. She hated that. There was nothing worse than bad hair.
She slowed down as she approached Jasper's building, a move she did every time she passed. More than once, she had just "happened" to bump into him as she was walking by. She looked into the lobby for him and stopped dead in her tracks.
"Watch it!" a woman walking behind her yelled as she bumped into her umbrella.
Veronica started to walk again slowly, timing her pace perfectly so that she would be at the front door of the building when the person stepped outside.
"Marly? Wow. What a surprise! Bumping into you here!" Veronica smiled sarcastically. "Let me guess, there was an urgent suppertime meeting at Jasper's apartment I didn't know about?"
Veronica felt almost giddy at the look on Marly's face. She'd been caught red-handed! Then her giddiness evaporated. This meant that Marly and Jasper really were having a fling. Could it be a coincidence that Marly was here?
Her eyes fell on the laptop in Marly's hand. It was the new one she'd had IT set up yesterday. She'd assumed it had been for Jasper, as it was an expensive model with all the latest software and applications... had it been for Marly?
If so, that might explain why she was here. She'd had to pick it up. Veronica felt her confidence flounder as she tried to remember Jasper's instructions on where to send the computer.
The truth was she'd hardly been able to focus on his instructions—her brain had been on a sugar high after gorging on a package of M&M's. She hoped she hadn't screwed up by delivering it to Jasper's home, but if she had, it was all Marly's fault—she was the reason Veronica ate the M&M's in the first place!
Her heart skipped as she saw the look on Marly's face turn from guilty to pissed off. Marly took a step closer, causing Veronica to back up. The woman looked deran
ged, especially with the way her hair was sticking up and the rain dripping down her face.
"Who the hell do you think you are, Veronica?" Marly got right up in her face, poking at her with her index finger. "You've treated me like shit since the day I started working at Draconia, and I have been nothing but nice to you. News flash: not everything Jasper does is based off of the calendar you manage for him. And also, you hanging around outside his place after work is hmm … what's the word I am looking for… pathetic and borderline stalker-like. So take your scrawny ass and frizzy hair out of my face. Have a great night!" And with that, Marly turned and walked away.
Veronica stood, speechless, listening to the rain splatter from her umbrella onto the pavement. Who the hell did Marly West think she was? She would show her, that was for sure.
It was time to fast-track her plan to figure out what Marly had been doing with Tanner Durcotte and expose her to the whole company. She had gone too far now.
Marly stormed toward the hospital, oblivious to the rain dripping down her collar and soaking her neck. She couldn't believe she'd yelled at Veronica like that. But the girl had it coming. Still, she knew Veronica could make life miserable for her at Draconia, but heck, she was already doing that.
Marly was extra pissed that Veronica's snide remarks had zapped out the last remaining bit of happiness she'd had from her kiss with Jasper. The weight of her mother's illness and what might happen if she was caught passing designs to Tanner already dampened her happiness, and now Veronica came along to steal the rest of it.
Who was Veronica St. James to question her, anyway? She'd dealt with Veronica's type for years, always bullied by them and allowing it. She was almost thirty. It was time she stood up for herself. Which was why she'd lost it and yelled at her.
Marly's lips curled in a smile as she remembered the startled look on Veronica's face. She hadn't been expecting Marly to fight back. Bullies like her never did. Plus, Marly knew that when she called Veronica's hair frizzy it probably ruined her week, as it was always perfect, and today the rain had really done a number on it. Ha!
A Darth Vader ringtone blasted from her purse, and Marly's smile snapped into a frown.
Tanner.
What the hell did he want? She fished the phone out and looked at the display, her heart crashing against her chest when she read it.
I know the designs you gave me are old. Give me the REAL designs By TOMORROW at 3 PM or the deal is off.
16
Marly threw her phone into her purse, pivoted on her heel, and rushed back toward the Draconia building. The rain pelted down, forming her unruly hair into tight curls. The text she had just read from Tanner demanding she get him the designs the next day capped off her sour mood. She wouldn't even have time to visit her mother at the hospital.
What if her mother took a turn for the worse and she wasn't there?
She stormed through the lobby of Draconia. Since it was after hours, the lobby was practically empty, but she kept her head down anyway. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She hurried to the ladies' room to try and freshen up.
Her hair was in long, tight ringlets that were plastered to her head, thanks to the rain. She secured it in a loose bun and wiped the eyeliner that had smudged under her eyes. What was the point? Most everyone had gone home. No one was here to see what she looked like.
As she slid into the safe haven of her cube, anxiety overwhelmed her. She wasn't a bad person, but what she was about to do was unforgivable. Certainly Jasper would never forgive her. Then again, they'd only shared one nice kiss—so what?
Something tugged at her. It wasn't just the kiss. She'd felt a connection with him that she'd never felt before. They were from such different worlds, but when they'd been going over the designs, it didn't feel that way. They'd been in sync. But what did it matter? Her mother was more important.
Chocolate. She needed chocolate to soothe her nerves. She grabbed some dollar bills from her purse and then headed to the vending machine in the little alcove outside the café.
The vending machine had a lot of choices. Most of it was junk food—chips and candy. She noticed two empty rows where the M&M's usually were. Someone must really have an M&M issue. She hesitated for a minute. The fat girl inside her was pushing her to buy as much junk as she could. She stopped, reminding herself that she had come a long way with her weight loss, and she needed to lay off the crappy food unless she wanted to gain the fifty pounds back.
At the bottom of the machine sat a sparkly row of peppermint patties. She opted for one of those. The minty smell would be refreshing, and they were low in calories compared to everything else. The machine gobbled up her dollar bill, and nothing happened.
Marly glanced at the price again to make sure it wasn't more than one dollar. It wasn't. She hit the button several times, then the change return. Nothing. Her blood started to boil. She inserted another dollar bill. Still nothing, aside from the whirring of the machine as if it were laughing at her.
"Come on!" she yelled at the machine, pushing the top in hopes it would jar the peppermint patty loose somehow. It didn't.
"Stupid piece of shit!" she yelled as tears started to well up in her eyes. She pushed the machine harder, causing it to rock back with a thud. Still the peppermint patty remained in its slot. She pushed again and again, her sobs starting to grow louder as the machine rocked precariously against the wall.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Marly?! Are you okay?" Sarah's voice came from behind her as Marly started to crumble into a ball.
"I can't. I just can't anymore." Marly sputtered the words out in between sobs. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, and definitely not in a public area at work. Thank God no one was around.
Sarah helped Marly stand up.
"Here, let's go sit and talk over there," Sarah said calmly, pointing to a small empty area that had a couch and chairs.
They walked over to it, Marly sniffling as she did so and wiping her eyes. She must look like hell. How did she keep getting herself into these ridiculous situations?
She sat down in one of the chairs, and Sarah sat across from her on the couch with a horrified look on her face. Marly started to laugh. Slowly then almost hysterically. Sarah soon followed, laughing so hard she couldn't catch her breath.
"Are you that upset that you couldn't get your food that you cried?!" Sarah said in between laughing. This only made Marly laugh harder.
"I can't even begin to tell you what's going on, Sarah. And yes, I really wanted that goddamn peppermint patty!" She was laughing still as she said this.
"What's going on? If you need to talk to someone, I'm here for you," Sarah said sincerely. Marly knew she could trust her.
"Thanks. I guess after what just happened, I need to talk to someone. I just… well… I don't want to put you in an awkward position."
Sarah cocked her head. "How would you put me in an awkward position?"
Marly glanced behind her to make sure no one was there and leaned forward. She was ready to finally tell someone everything she'd been dealing with. Her mother's cancer, Tanner, the designs, even how she'd just kissed Jasper. What the hell. She had nothing more to lose.
17
Sarah sat back on the couch, sympathy brimming in her eyes at what Marly had just told her. "Wow. I don't even know what to say. I'm so sorry about your mom."
Marly cringed. She felt better now that she'd unburdened herself, but now she was nervous she'd said too much. "I shouldn't have told you about kissing Jasper. I mean, it's not something I'm proud of. And to top things off, as I was leaving Jasper's tonight, Veronica was right outside his building, and we exchanged some nasty words. So I am sure she will have it in for me now more than ever."
Sarah laughed. "It's okay that you told me. Really. Any idiot could see that you and Jasper have chemistry."
"It was just one kiss. Nothing more is going to happen. Besides, he probably has a string of beautiful women waiting for him," Ma
rly said.
"Nope. He hardly ever dates," Sarah said. "I could totally see you two together, but that means we have to fix this design issue with Durcotte. I can't believe what a jerk he is. And don't worry about Veronica. She's all bark and no bite."
Marly looked down at the floor. She wasn't the conniving thief that Tanner had asked her to be. But stealing the fall designs from Draconia for Tanner's company was the only chance she had at getting the money to save her mother's life. She had no other choice. He had her backed into a corner.
"Sarah, I hope you know I would never steal designs unless it was a life-or-death situation. I just can't watch my mom die without doing everything I can to save her. I have no idea how I'm going to do it, and I know once I do, I'll have to quit working here."
Marly was close to tears again. The impending doom of failing to provide Tanner with the rest of the drawings weighed heavily on her mind. She was going to have to find the real designs in the database somehow. She would never be able to learn how to use the design editing software to make fake designs as she had planned by Tanner's deadline.
"I know you wouldn't. I'm really sorry about your mom. I can't even begin to imagine what that's like." Sarah's eyes started to mist up. "My parents live in Seattle. I don't see them often, but I talk to my mom almost every day. I can't imagine not being able to do that… especially with my brother being in the mess he's in."
Sarah's brother was in a mess? Marly had been so focused on her own problems that she hadn't noticed her new friend had problems of her own. "What's going on with your brother?"
Sarah waved her hand in the air. "Never mind about that. It's not important. But what is important is that I think I know how to get Tanner what he asked for in a way that will probably let you keep your job. Let me help you." She looked at Marly with a mischievous smile.
"No. Sarah, I can't drag you into this. Thank you for wanting to help, but this is my mess and I need to get myself out of it. I would never want you to jeopardize your job here."
In Over Her Head (Corporate Chaos Series Book 1) Page 9
