Chapter 13
Erica
As I walk out of Marco’s office, I feel eyes on me.
What’s left of the employees of our office shoot me curious looks as I head to my cubicle to start on the hefty to-do list that I have just been given.
It feels like I’m just starting out again, helping George get things up and running, except it’s Marco and it comes with a much more generous pay.
I successfully get to my cubicle without anyone asking any questions, though they know I haven’t been laid off.
I’m not sure how they’ll react to my promotion, given half the employees got the boot last week.
It makes me sad as I look around the emptied office, knowing it will no longer be where I clock in each day.
Everything is changing, and it’s all because of Marco, someone I stupidly thought I knew.
I wonder if I made the right choice in signing the contract this morning.
I had spent all weekend going over it, debating whether it was the right move.
If I did sign it, I’d be giving into The Shark as he gets everything he wants, which he seems to always do.
It felt like I was betraying George, betraying myself, and everything I loved.
But then I looked at my empty inbox, knowing I had no job offers or interviews lined up.
I was out of options, and this morning, as Josie climbed onto my lap and looked at me with her big brown eyes, I knew the answer was clear. I had to sign.
There is a knock on my cubicle wall and Jose, one of the editors, pops his head in.
“Hey, Erica,” he says, giving me a weak smile.
“Hey, Jose,” I say, tucking the to-do list under some papers on my desk.
“Feels funny in here, doesn’t it?” he asks, looking around.
“It practically echoes in here with the lack of people,” I mutter.
“I see you’ve stayed though.”
“You too.” I manage a smile.
“Do you get to keep your column?” he asks.
I know he’s prying to see what this morning’s meeting with Marco was about. I feel unease creep up, not sure I’m ready for this conversation and having to explain a promotion in the thick of the hell we’ve found ourselves in.
“Mhmm,” I say, looking at the papers on my desk to look busy.
“Word is you’re his assistant or something now…” he says, raising a brow.
So the office already knows, and he’s just confirming it.
“I’m not his assistant. He just asked me to help him with the acquisition. It’s really no big deal.” I shrug.
Jose gives me a look, one that’s mixed with betrayal and confusion. I try to ignore it because it’s the same feelings I already have swarming around inside me.
“I should get back to it,” I say.
He nods and raps his knuckles on the wall of my cubicle before disappearing.
I know he’s about to go share the news with the rest of the office.
Jose is known as the office gossip. It’s no wonder everyone sent him in to find out what’s going on.
They would have found out soon anyway. I try not to feel guilty about it.
I tell myself I got the job because I’ve earned it.
I got the promotion I hoped for a year ago, and I plan to prove to everyone that I deserve it.
I pull out the to-do list from the stack of papers and begin working my way through it.
I contact the leasing agent for the building and set up a meeting to break our lease.
I call the moving company and persuade them to start tomorrow by offering them a free month’s ad space in the paper.
I schedule cleaners to come in after the move to get the space ready for the next tenant.
By the time I’m finished, it’s lunchtime, and my head is swimming.
I grab my purse and head for the elevators, hoping Marco doesn’t notice me as I pass by his office. But it’s as if he’s been waiting for me because he calls my name right as I take my first step past his doorway.
“Yes?” I ask, raising a brow.
“Are you off to lunch?” he asks.
“Yes, if that’s okay. I’m almost through the list you gave me…”
He waves me off as he takes a sip of coffee.
“I don’t doubt it. I just thought I would join you.” He stands up from his desk.
“F-for lunch?” I stammer.
“Yes, I have some more things I would like to discuss. Ocean Club sound good? My treat.”
He grabs his jacket from the chair behind him and slides it on. I realize he’s coming with me whether I like it or not. I’m not sure I’m ready for this.
“Sure,” I say, feigning confidence.
We take a cab to the restaurant, sitting in silence on the ride as I look out the window at the trees sprouting fresh green leaves.
It feels so strange for new life to begin when it feels like something I loved so much is ending.
I try to see this new beginning as a blessing.
Maybe with my position, I can try and convince Marco to keep some of the parts of the paper alive. I would hate to see it change entirely.
We are seated immediately at the restaurant, even though it seems jam-packed.
The hostess recognizes Marco and finds us a corner booth that feels intimately isolated from everyone else.
I try not to notice as I slide into the booth across from him.
I also try not to notice how the hostess looks at him as she hands him her menu.
Her eyes are practically devouring him, but I can’t blame her.
Even though I loathe him, he’s still the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.
He thanks her and slides his hand through his hair, making her let out a nervous laugh before she reluctantly walks away.
I wonder if he did it on purpose, or if he’s just effortlessly smooth.
I remember my own fingers lost in his hair, and feel my cheeks burn at the memory.
He looks at me curiously from across the table, a perfect brow raised, but I ignore him and hide behind my menu.
Once we’ve ordered, there’s nowhere to hide and I force myself to be professional. This is a business lunch, I tell myself. This is my job.
“So, how are we getting on?” he asks, taking a bite of lobster bisque.
“Movers and cleaners are scheduled. I’m scheduling the phone lines to be put in after the move. The only thing I think we will have a hard time with is the leasing agent. There’s no way out of the lease without paying up, plus penalty fees.”
“Don’t worry about the leasing agent. I’ll settle that with him.”
He says it so nonchalantly. As if tens of thousands of dollars are nothing to him, and I suppose they aren’t. He is a freaking billionaire after all. I remember my own father not even blinking as he laid down hundreds of thousands for an antique jewelry collection my mother had her eye on.
As I take a bite of my salad, a familiar song comes softly over the speakers. I can’t put my finger on where I know it from, but it’s like the melody lives inside me. My brows pull together as I try to place it.
“Our dance at the club…” says Marco with a smile.
“Excuse me?”
“This song. It’s the one that played when I asked you to dance.”
It’s like I’m instantly transported back there to the intimate room with the dim gold lighting and the small velvet booths.
His hand gently on my lower back as we swayed to the slow melody, my cheek pressed against his shoulder.
It feels like a dream. I try not to get lost in it, especially since up until now I’ve pretended like that night didn’t exist.
I stay silent and take another bite of salad, trying to ignore the way he’s looking at me right now. When I don’t say anything, he looks away, disappointment in his eye. I realize that maybe taking this job is going to be harder than I thought.
The rest of the day, I try to avoid Marco as much as possible. It’s pretty easy given how busy we both are.
The next morning, I don’t see him at all as I oversee the movers while they load up the office into large trucks, transporting everything to the new headquarters.
When I arrive at the new office building ahead of the movers, I walk into the grand lobby and suck in a breath.
It’s a sprawling white marble-floored room with two black waterfall desks centered at the back of the room where reception sits, a gigantic crystal chandelier hanging overhead.
The large floor-to-ceiling windows are adorned with black velvet curtains.
It’s the most luxurious lobby I’ve ever seen.
I take the elevator up to the 11 th floor, where our new headquarters will be.
Marco said he would meet me here to help facilitate the movers as they bring everything in.
I haven’t seen him all morning because he’s been in meetings.
It’s easy to avoid him when he has several other companies to run. Maybe I can do this job after all.
The elevator doors open and I step into the large, empty room. It’s twice the size of our previous office and the space is impressive with its freshly painted cream walls and dark wood floors. The domed windows that line the walls overlook Central Park.
“Wow,” I whisper to myself.
“Do you like it?” asks a voice to my right, making me jump.
I turn to see Marco standing there, leaning against the wall, watching me.
“It’s… nice,” I say, trying to hide the fact that I’m genuinely impressed.
“Good,” he says, biting back a smile.
“The movers should be here any minute. Everyone else will be here after lunch. I told them to work from home this morning. Better not to get in the way.” I shrug.
“See, I knew I hired the right person for the job,” he says, impressed.
I try to ignore how good his words feel.
“Care to see your office?” he asks.
“My office?” I ask, confused.
“You think you’re going to be in a cubicle forever?” He laughs softly. “A well-earned promotion deserves an office. Come. Let me show you.”
He gestures me to follow him as we walk through the echoing room. I watch how he walks with a cool confidence, wearing a navy suit that fits him like a well-worn glove. He walks like he owns the place, which he does. All sixty floors.
He stops outside a large, empty office that is encased by windows.
“This is my office,” he says before continuing to the nearly identical office directly next to it. “And this is yours.”
My eyes grow wide as I look at the space. I can’t believe I have my own office.
“You can decorate it however you like,” he says. “I’ll give you the company card.”
For being a temporary position, this certainly feels permanent.
And intimate. My plan of avoiding him is laughable now that I think about it.
Did I really think I could avoid my own boss?
I feel my coolness toward him diminish slightly as I step into the room, already envisioning what it could look like.
I want to hate him, but all I feel right now is gratitude.
I feel him watching me as I turn in place, taking it all in.
“This is adequate,” I say with a nod.
I hear him chuckle softly as he walks away. I bite back a smile as I hear his footsteps fade. Through the excitement I feel, a little bit of fear creeps in too. Being this close to him means it will be harder to hide the truth.