Page 67 of New Girl in the City
Chapter Sixteen
Iwas frowning at my computer screen. My fingers moved of their own accord because it wasn’t the email that had me frowning. The work was expected, and the end was in sight. I should be smiling knowing that I had another week, max, of busting my ass to finish a new round of press releases for Arlington Press’s new book tour that summer. No it wasn’t the work. It was me.
Or rather it was my feelings.
“Didn’t even make it past the week,” I mumbled to myself, still typing, my eyes not seeing the work in front of me. I was somewhere else, more specifically, I was lost in that familiar blue green color that I had only ever seen in Liam’s eyes. That color I adored—no loved.
My fingers lifted from the keyboard for a split second before I pushed through and lowered them once more. God, he had gorgeous eyes. I loved his eyes. Once more I winced. There was that damn word again.
Love.
“Who am I? What have I done with Melinda?” I shook my head and stared at the unfinished communication in front of me. I was nearly done but right now, right now I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that I hadn’t even made it a full week without moving straight from more than liking and right into love.
It was Friday. That meant it had been a short four days since I’d had the realization that I was falling hard and fast for Liam. This pretty innocuous Friday that was bright and sunny, a Friday when I’d had the best apple pie for lunch, courtesy of Claudia. In her mind, she had a lot to make up for, and I had been reaping the benefits with a new culinary treat every day that week. It wasn’t true. She had zero things to make up for, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to accept each and every last thing she brought me.
After day three, Liam had even started expecting his fair share of what he was calling the “food loot.” I smiled, remembering him holding out his hand on Thursday for that day's takeout bag. It has been pizza. Tons and tons of pizza, with a whole bouquet of fruit. Like the kind you dipped in chocolate and stuck on skewers.
“Chocolate strawberries. I can work with that later,” he mused, giving the bag a thoughtful look.
“Work with it how?” I asked, tipping my head back to look at him.
He moved forward, coming into my space where I was standing beside the town car and leaned down until we were eye to eye. “You’re just gonna have to use your imagination, Princess.” He winked at me and felt it. I couldn’t wait to use my imagination, though it hadn’t been able to hold up to reality that night, when Liam had laid me out on my tiny kitchen table, the chocolate strawberries in hand.
It has been a damn good night.
I sighed, looking back on the computer screen in front of me. A few more clicks, another header and this would be done. All I had to do was focus, which meant that there was room for zero distractions. I could do this. I was practically a Zen master when it came to focusing and getting work done.
Game on.
My fingers were flying over the keyboard. The listserv completed. Then I was on to the next task. Logistics for the upcoming book tour, which meant a lot of calls, a lot of cross checking. While I couldn’t get to all of it today, I could at least get my ducks in a row for work on Monday. My focus had narrowed successfully, and I was just on the second item on my list when a knock at the doorway broke through my focus.
I looked up and instantly wished I hadn’t. It was Madison.
“Can I come in for a minute?” she asked.
I debated on saying no. I was swamped, and I was currently trying to figure out where I was going to find 1700 small velvet swag bags in the color of emerald green with golden tassels in time for the first event. I also didn’t much feel like having a one-on-one talk with someone who had accused me of taking advantage of my boyfriend.
I didn’t, though, because my time in New York had been about nothing but growth. That didn’t mean growth didn’t suck. I waved her in and gave her as natural of a smile as I could, while making a mental note to keep my office door closed more after this conversation.
Madison entered my office before she glanced back at the door, looking unsure. She looked tense, body pulled tight and shoulders up by her ears. Whatever it was that she had to say, it wasn’t going to be easy for her. I didn’t feel at ease about it either, but even still I nodded at the door.
“Go ahead and close it if that makes you more comfortable?” I offered.
She blew out a relieved sigh and nodded at me. “Thank you, I just---I think I need to for this.”
“Sure thing.” I kept my voice even and leaned back in my chair, pushing back from my desk. “Please sit,” I said. I decided that while growth sucked and didn’t feel great, I was still capable of doing it. I was the older of us, I knew I had it in me. I was going to do my best to help guide this conversation as well as I was able to.
“I don’t know what it is that you want to talk to me about, but I do know that it doesn't have to be hard, or ugly.”
Her head lifted slightly, eyes on mine and she moved towards the chair, sinking into it. “You’re being nice to me again. You’ve been nothing but nice to me since I met you.”
I shrugged. “I’m trying to be who I needed when I was your age,” I told her truthfully.
“I don’t think I deserve that kindness. After what I said to you--” her voice broke off and she clasped her hands in front of her with a grimace. “I was out of line. I’m so sorry.”
We were both silent for a beat and then I leaned forward in my chair, elbows going to my desk. “It wasn’t great. I'll say that.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said again, voice thick with emotion. “I just jumped to conclusions. And after you heard me out and didn’t judge me on what I did with Luke, too. There are so many people who would have thought I was,” she stopped and looked out the window before her eyes hit mine again, “that I was a certain type of woman, and I’m not that way.”
