Cuddling with two people that are both nearly a full foot taller than you is a bit of a chore, not that it wasn’t incredibly sweet to wake up with my head on Jon’s shoulder and Patrick’s arm around my waist as he sidled up behind me, but it was slightly awkward to maneuver. Not to mention that between the two of them I felt like I was cuddling in a furnace made of muscle, chest hair, and pillow hogs.
By the end of the weekend though I was more than happy to be on the jet heading back to NYC, and to my own bed. Not that sharing wasn’t delightful and all, but I really wanted to sleep alone for a change. To my astonishment, Morgan flew back with us and would be staying with Jon for a week or so, however long the G and W case called for. I privately took both my Doms aside and informed them that I would not be touching Morgan again, it just wasn’t my cup of tea unless I knew him better or trusted him more. Neither seemed put off by this and happily agreed to keep our arrangement between the three of us until I asked for something more.
Monday morning came too fast for my liking, Friday came much slower, and when it did it came with absolutely nothing for me to do. I did everything I could in Jon’s office before he finally got fed up with my fidgeting and sent me down to Patrick’s office. The two of them didn’t seem to be fond of my restlessness on a slow Friday afternoon.
“Lydia,” Patrick said exasperatedly. “What are you doing?”
I rolled my eyes. “What does it look like? I’m fixing your bookshelf.”
“It’s fine the way it is.”
“It’s still out of order,” I protested. I was almost finished rearranging it anyway, now he had to let me finish.
There was a long, beleaguered sigh from behind me followed by the sounds of the chair sliding out. “Lunch,” he ordered, turning me to face him. “I don’t care where, I don’t care how much, just go get lunch and bring me back some.”
I frowned at him. “You’re annoyed…”
He rubbed his face as he spoke, “I’m not annoyed, I’m just developing a migraine from your endless fidgeting. There’s a difference.”
I snorted and went to grab my purse, Patrick caught my hand and spun me around just before I got to the door. He cupped my chin and pulled me in until our lips were almost touching, barely millimetres apart. “I love you,” he murmured, amber eyes blazing.
“I love you, too,” I whispered, my eyes fluttering shut as he kissed me softly.
I pulled away and blew him a kiss as I shut the door. In the hall, I took a deep breath and practically ran to the elevator. Pulling out my phone I texted Allie to see if she wanted to meet for lunch.
It was raining out as I got to the street but it didn’t bother me as I popped the umbrella open and strolled with ease. Everything felt so surreal lately, a calm valley before the storm as Allie’s mom would say. I noticed small tensions in the office but whatever it was must not have been too bad since Patrick seemed fine with it. Every time I saw him after a meeting, he looked a little flustered but quickly brushed it off as it was nothing, and since Japan had gone off without a hitch, I had to assume everything was still fine.
I closed my umbrella and bounded up the steps into a small sandwich shop, a hipster joint with horrific prices that made me cringe, but I knew the guys liked it so I figured I’d go somewhere we would all agree on. Plus I had a company expense card, who gave a shit how much I spent on lunch for billionaires?
“Dia!”
I spun around and surveyed the shop; in the back booth I spotted Vicki, her hair was pulled into a sleek, high ponytail, her lips heavily glossed, and wearing a simple peasant top with skinny jeans, couture but simple and understated. Beside her was the antithesis to both – Maritza. I felt her gaze searing into me, the glacial blue of her eyes was like a homing beacon about to tear me apart. I swallowed and waved at them, content to get out of the shop as fast as possible without looking like I was avoiding anyone.
“Come sit with us,” Vicki called excitedly.
I gave a good imitation of a human smile as I nodded and held up my hand, indicating I’d be another minute or so. My heart was pounding as I ordered lunch and paid, I could still feel Jon’s daughter watching me intensely. I slowly weaved my way between the tables toward them, keeping my fake smile plastered on as I sat down across from the two women.
Vicki grinned and took a sip of her pop before greeting me, “Hey! It’s good to see you again, Allie said you just got back from Washington.” She paused and gestured dramatically to Maritza. “This is Mari, we’ve been tight for like ever.”
“We’ve met,” the other girl said icily.
She didn’t say anything else and I burned with embarrassment as Vicki frowned at her and glanced at me in confusion. “It’s nothing,” I answered her unasked question. “Just a guy. I didn’t know you came to the city often though, Allie said you lived in New Jersey.”
“She didn’t tell you?” Vicki shrugged and smiled apologetically. “I guess it is meant to be a surprise after all, but I inherited some property in the city from my nana and Allie and I were thinking about making things more serious. We’re testing it a few nights a week to see how it goes for now.”
Holy shit dude. They barely knew each other, and they were moving in? I was shocked at Allie; we had basically known Vicki for the same amount of time and I couldn’t fathom thinking that was a good idea. I wouldn’t judge her out loud, if that was what she wanted then I would support them unconditionally. Maybe while internally thinking about how bad I thought the idea was, but I wouldn’t voice it out loud.
“Aw, that’s so great for you guys,” I replied easily. “Where’s the apartment?”
“East 52nd Street, near your boyfriend’s apartment,” she answered. Suddenly she turned, beaming as Maritza. “Ohmigod, her boyfriend’s apartment is even swankier than my nana’s, and he has this massive collection of—”
“Of movies,” I interrupted quickly. “A really great collection of films.”
Vicki glanced at me in confusion, the other woman just glared at her half-eaten sandwich. “Am I missing something?” Vicki asked slowly.
I took a deep breath but was stopped from saying anything as the clerk brought my bags of food to the table. I thanked him eagerly and it took every ounce of control to not grab them and run for the door. “I’m dating her father,” I said as quietly and evenly as possible, trying not to cringe as I said the words out loud.
The colour drained out of Vicki’s face, her almost cream coloured skin going alabaster gray. I stared down at my receipts; the room was mostly quiet with the song over the radio dying out while we all sat there in suffocating silence.
“I’m just going to go pay for this,” she murmured and quickly scuttled away from the table.
I nodded and watched her go, feeling the hostility radiating off Maritza in deadly waves. When I glanced at the other girl she was watching me intently again, her face devoid of emotion.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted, my eyes watering to my frustration. “I don’t know what else I can say, and I don’t want you to hate me forever, but I never thought I’d be in this position and I don’t know how to make this less weird.”
She continued staring for so long I didn’t think she was going to speak at all until she did, “How long?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “Three months? Almost four now.”
Maritza sighed and sat back in the plush booth seat. “I’m not mad at you,” she told me quietly. “He and mama have been on the brink of getting back together for forever now, but that stopped a few months ago. I thought it was just a fight they had behind closed doors again, but then I saw you in his kitchen…”
“No, no, no,” I protested, horrified. “Jesus, Maritza, I had no idea what was going on with them and I would never try and interfere with that. You have to believe I’m not that shitty.”
She didn’t say anything but I wanted to believe that her gaze softened – the same way her father’s did with the blue warming into a darker shade. My chair jostled and I realized that Vicki had returned. I smiled and pulled her in for a quick goodbye hug.
“I have to get back to work but we should get together again,” I said, pretending nothing was amiss. “A housewarming party maybe.”
Her eyes lit up. “Yes! We have to now; I’ll talk to Allie and we can all plan something together.”
She kissed my cheek, I gathered up my bags and made my way out of the restaurant without trying to look too eager to get away from the women. The rain was coming down harder now, obscuring my view halfway down the block and creating massive, unavoidable puddles. I could almost hear thunder in the distance, it made me shiver and pull the windbreaker tight around me.
Bower & Rosing’s loomed in the distance, the glass and steel building rising high against the skyline and reflecting the gray clouds back at me. The dominating architecture was intimidating, almost scary in the rapidly darkening light. Like it would topple down on top of me. Like Patrick’s apartment building. I shook my head at the eerie thoughts and made my way through the lobby, stopping to wave at the receptionist.
“They’re up in Mr. Harris’ office,” Jessa called to me as I reached the elevators.
“Thanks!”
I stepped into the elevator and pulled out my phone to see a text from Patrick.
1:43 PM
In Jon’s office, come alone. Preferably without the panties I know you’re wearing.
I blushed and tried to hold back the sudden giggle in my throat. Just as I was typing out a reply and the doors were almost closed, a hand caught between them and the elevator buzzed angrily as it opened. I glanced up in surprise and noticed both Morgan and the nameless douchebag pushing their way in. Seriously, I see you all the time, what’s your name? I still wasn’t going to ask, definitely not in front of the Greek god that was Morgan.
“Miss Lydia, I haven’t seen you much,” Morgan said chipperly. “Not even when you were in Washington.” He smiled at me and I could see the teasing glint in his eyes.
My hands went clammy and I smiled tight-lipped in return. “Just been busy, you know how it is.”
Nameless douchebag laughed haughtily. “I didn’t realize grabbing lunch was such a rigorous task.”
I rolled my eyes and stared straight ahead, he wasn’t worth it and I wasn’t in the mood for games with him. The elevator stayed silent for the rest of the ride, the awkwardness of the encounter hanging in the air. I began to grow anxious the higher we went, especially once I realized that they hadn’t touched any of the buttons.
I quickly pulled my phone out just before we reached the top and fired off a text to the men.
1:47 PM Me
Morgan and someone else is coming up with me.
1:47 PM Jon
Who?
1:48 PM Me
I don’t know his name.
1:48 PM Patrick
Just a thought, but maybe you should know his name considering you know literally everyone else’s name. You even know the janitor's name.
I knew the janitorial staff names because they were nice and I used to stay late when Jon needed me, it wasn’t weird. It took all my control not to text back something snide. As it was, I huffed and tucked my phone away, tossing my hair over my shoulder as I stepped out into the hall in front of the guys. Every step I took was purposeful; my heels clicking more loudly than necessary in the hall. I don’t know why I was so irritated with the two of them, but nameless douchebag had been an ass to me since Patrick and I went public, and Morgan just never spoke to me unless he had to.
I threw open the frosted glass door and let them catch it, the plastic bags on my arms swinging lightly. Jon had opened his office door and I caught a small box sitting on my chair in the outer office foyer. I mentally made a note to check that out when no one was looking. As I entered his office Patrick was lounging against the massive desk near the back centre of the room, Jon relaxing in his high-back exec chair, both acting as unnatural as possible and I knew they had just stashed away toys in a panic.
“Morrison, you’ll need to step out,” nameless douchebag said as they came in behind me.
I spun on my heel, anger sparking through me immediately at his nonchalant orders. I glanced from him to Patrick, the older man held my gaze for a moment. It was obvious something was going on that I wasn’t in the loop about and I wasn’t sure which infuriated more; the acquiescing nod from Patrick or the smirk on douchebag’s face.
Pettiness made me stalk over to Jon’s desk, I set the bags down and ignored the watchful eyes in the room.
“I ran into Maritza,” I told him conversationally. “You need to talk to her. She seemed upset.” I held his gaze, my nails clicking against the lacquered wood for emphasis.
Jon glanced over my shoulder to Patrick and frowned before meeting my eyes. Understanding touched his features, he knew good and well that I was trying to annoy the other man, and I went about the fastest route to do it.
“Thank you, Miss Morrison,” he replied evenly. “I’ll make sure I call her later, please send me a reminder after you finish client check-in.”
You spineless asshole. My jaw clenched and it took me a moment to compose myself, smiling sourly at him as I turned and stalked out of the office, refusing to look at any of them. I closed the door as gently as I could and proceeded to flip it off exaggeratedly. I didn’t know what was going on, and clearly, I wasn’t supposed to know.
I sat down at my computer and pulled out my sandwich, resigning myself to putting aside my pettiness so I wasn’t bringing in too much of our personal issues to work. I would still tear strips off them later for allowing someone the same rank to boss me around. I turned the box one of them had left on my chair around in my hand, the smooth, satiny finish felt amazing. Carefully I opened the lid, a silver card with black embossed writing sat inside.
Park Imperial at 230 West 56th Street. 7 PM, July 10th. J.H. + P.R. A small heart outline punctuated the end and just like that, any anger inside me was gone.