CHAPTER 14
Present Day
Friday went by rather smoothly. Spencer wasn’t in the office, but he had given Brenda instructions to have me shred papers all day. It was a mind-numbingly boring job but way better than planting thorny roses or cleaning floors on hands and knees in a designer business suit.
I was supposed to meet Jen for lunch, and I wanted to tell her about everything that had happened. Now more than ever, I needed someone in my corner, and I was certain she could help me get my I’m-so-going-to-slay-my-Dark-Knight attitude back. However, she ended up canceling last minute because her apartment had flooded when one of her pipes broke. So instead, I sat on a park bench and felt sorry for myself as I ate a buttload of Twinkies and drank diet soda.
Once I left the office at 5:00 p.m., I headed to the gym. I needed some serious stress-relief from these past few days and took my frustration out on the treadmill and weights.
After a long, hot shower, I headed back home and ate chicken alfredo. I was relaxing to a glass of red wine, watching a rerun of one of my favorite sitcoms, when my phone pinged with a text message. It was from Spencer.
Tomorrow is the charity event at the Seattle Opera House. Make sure you have a formal designer gown and high heels. Since it is clear that you have no sense of style, I have made arrangements for Brenda to help you. Also, have your make-up and hair professionally done. Your roots are in desperate need of bleaching. I need you to look as good as possible and fit in with the elites.
Finally, a job assignment I might enjoy. My phone pinged in with another message from Spencer.
I’ll pick you up at 7:00 p.m. sharp.
I was confused for a moment. Was I going to be his date? Didn’t he have a girlfriend? Whatever. I was done trying to figure the man out. What I was going to focus on was looking as drop dear gorgeous as I could.
The next morning, Brenda showed up at my apartment at 9:00 a.m. She seemed to be a someone who knew something or another about designer dresses. We ended up at a fancy department store and I quickly discovered that my hunch was right. Brenda knew everything about designer gowns and designer everything and quickly picked out a dozen dresses for me to try on.
I tried on all of them, but she said they weren’t good enough for a charity event Spencer was involved in. Finally, dress number 13 was the magic fit. It was a sky-blue piece with Swarovski crystals, a spaghetti strap V-neck top and a low scoop back. The slit in the narrow skirt reached mid-thigh and the skirt went all the way to the floor. It was the most beautiful dress I’d ever seen. But the dress wasn’t even the best part of the outfit. When I saw the crystal studded Louboutin pumps I immediately fell in love. I mean, when you know a shoe is right for you, that’s it. I’m sure Spencer wouldn’t balk at the $1,190 price tag. He was very clear that he wanted me to look amazing, and boy oh boy were these shoes amazing. Cinderella’s glass slippers had nothing on them.
After we’d picked out jewelry, we stopped for lunch at Café Limone. Jen was working today, so I got to catch up a bit with her about her life, which wasn’t really any different than before. I didn’t bring up what a shitstorm these past few days had been for me. I didn’t feel Brenda needed to know how I was trying to outmaneuver our boss. Jen, however, knew something was up with me and she said she’d call me later.
I finally headed home at 3:00 p.m., and once I’d climbed the three flights of stairs to my floor, I saw that there was a huge bouquet of flowers waiting for me. I opened the card and read it.
Ellie,
I know we haven’t exactly been on good terms lately, but I wanted to see if you’d come to Iceland with me next week. Call me, babe!
Paul
I didn’t even open the flower packaging to see what kind of flowers he got for me. I descended the three flights of stairs, went out back, and disposed of the flowers in the dumpster.
* * *
There was a knock at my door at exactly 7:00 p.m. I assumed it was the chauffeur coming to pick me up. Before answering, I glanced in the mirror one last time.
Stella, the hairdresser/cosmetologist I had been to, had done an amazing job. Everything about me was as flawless as could be. My eyes sparkled, my lips were plump and shiny, my skin was glowing, and my hair was newly bleached, wavy, shiny and sleek, half of it pulled back, a rhinestone hair comb securing it.
I had also invested in a purse, a rhinestone one, that matched my dress perfectly. Looking in the mirror, I hardly recognized myself. It was as if some girl on the cover of Vogue was staring back at me. And somehow I just knew that tonight would be the night that would change the tides.
When I opened the door, Spencer’s chauffeur was waiting for me.
“My, you look lovely tonight,” he said with a respectful nod.
“Thank you,” I replied. I decided to take off my Louboutins before descending the stairs because these heels were a whopping 4 inches. History had taught me that anything else was madness. Once at the bottom, I pulled my shoes back on and walked as gracefully as I could out to the white limousine waiting by the curb. The chauffeur opened my door. Inside and directly in front of me, sat Spencer. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a black bowtie, matching his brilliant dark eyes.
Wow. Just… wow. Hit with abundant masculinity, all I could do was manage to stare. He stared back at me but said nothing. However, he didn’t need to use words to communicate what was on his mind. The magnetism between us was there in full force, making me slightly dazed where I stood.
My heart rate excelled when he squinted as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was as if he was suddenly spellbound by me and couldn’t look away. I wasn’t certain whether I liked the way he looked at me or not, but one thing was for certain: My entire body went limp, surrendering to Spencer, and all I was really thinking about was how amazing it would feel to be with him in the most intimate way.
The silver cufflinks on his tuxedo winked at me as I moved into the limousine, and it was then that I noticed two others inside.
One was the Victoria’s Secret girl I’d seen with Spencer in his suite at Hotel Seattle, the other a musclebound hunk who I thought looked familiar but couldn’t really place.
“Remember Mike?” Spencer asked, nodding toward him.
Wait, what? Mike, the guy who gave me the creeps? Mike, the guy who started some stupid rumor about me? The nerve! Mike looked like he had gained about twice his weight since last I saw him, not in fat, but in muscle. I recalled he used to be so scrawny and wirey and now he was a musclebound hunk who looked like he was trying to compensate for something.
Fast as lightning, it dawned on me that I wasn’t going to be Spencer’s date. Spencer was with his girlfriend. Which meant only one thing…
I wanted to bolt out of the limousine and I almost did. Just then, I reminded myself that this was a game.
Play his game. Beat him at his own game.
But how? I knew Spencer wanted me… his hungry gaze was evidence of that. I knew he’d not like it if I flirted with Mike, if I threw myself at him, if I was just happy-go-lucky all evening.
“Oh, yes,” I said. “I’m sorry, Mike. You just look so....” I sat next to him and hugged him for a long while. “You just look… wow. You have really changed. All that muscle.” I gasped as I squeezed his bulging bicep and gave him as flirtatious look as I could. “It’s so good to see you again.”
Mike tensed a little bit at first, but then quickly caught on and placed a hand on my waist. Easy buster.
Once I pulled out of the hug, I glanced back at Spencer. His eyes were blacker than soot and although his expression was one of perfect composure and refined elegance, I could feel his energy shift. He didn’t like this. No, not one bit.
Good.
His plan was backfiring on him.
Game on.
“And we haven’t officially met but I do remember you. I’m sorry I was so rude before. Perhaps Spencer could introduce us?” I gestured to the woman who had moved closer to Spencer.
“This is Emma,” Spencer said.
“Emma. Yes, now I remember. It’s such a pleasure. I’ve heard all about you,” I said with as warm a smile I could as I held out my hand. She took it and we shook.
“You have?” she asked.
“Oh, yes. And you are such a lovely couple, I must say,” I said.
She glanced at him sideways but said nothing.
Spencer didn’t reply either, only banged on the window that separated us from the chauffeur. “Let’s go.”