21. Common Ground
21
COMMON GROUND
MAISY
It was raining when I arrived at the Bellamy Design Group offices. Fitting, really. The sky was crying with me, and I didn’t bother with an umbrella. Let it soak me. I all ready drowned in disappointment.
I stopped by his loft first. No answer. No replies to my texts. Even Archer had gone radio silent. I prayed he'd be here. Would he want to see me though?
I took the elevator up, each floor like a countdown to the unknown. My heart pounded—not just from the betrayal at Orion—but because I needed Brooks.
The doors slid open, and the office was quiet—eerily so. I stepped in, heels clicking across the polished wood floor. Lacey looked up from behind her desk, stylish as ever in a pale silk blouse and a dark pencil skirt that screamed high fashion, while glaring at me with hidden armor.
"Maisy?" she stood slowly, as if she hadn’t expected me. "You look… are you okay?"
"Do you know where Brooks is? I need to talk to him." My voice cracked on the question.
She hesitated. "He’s… he had to fly out last-minute. There was a problem with one of the projects we have in Jersey."
I stared at her, eyes narrowing. Something in her voice wobbled.
"Of course he did. That's been my day." I cried and sank into the nearest chair, utterly deflated. He flew out of state; obviously difficult in that circumstance to make it back in time for the event tonight.
What was I saying? What would be the point of me attending the event at all? Nope, I'll go home, whine to Sophie over a bottle of wine, and ball my eyes out while writing my resignation letter. There's no way I could continue to work for Orion now. Even if Julian left or got fired, how could I trust the rest of the leadership there if they were really using me to get in good with the Buchanans? They all ready had an entire wing donated from the family, what more could Orion need?
Lacey came around the desk slowly. She didn’t sit, but she hovered close, unsure, and held out a box of tissues. I took them.
"Thanks," I sniffled.
"Do you want some water? Tea?"
I shook my head, burying my face in my hands for a moment before speaking again. "I was stupid to think I could handle all of this. Orion, Julian, this ridiculous presentation. And Brooks—God, I thought we were finally…" I hesitated.
Lacey sat beside me. A peek into her face and it actually appeared like she felt sorry for me, like she was being nice.
I dabbed at my tears and nose. "I know I'm not making any sense. It's all so confusing. Tonight was supposed to be my time to shine. I wasn't seeking fame or fortune, just fucking recognition for all of my hard work. I'm just a small town girl, with simple needs, but I guess that was too much to ask for in this stupid city."
I lashed out and cried more, and she cringed. "I don't mean to yell at you, Lacey. More like I'm upset at the eight million faceless people out on the streets of New York, all vying to get ahead, willing to do anything and run over each other for success."
"I know what it feels like," she said softly. "To work your ass off. To do everything right. And still feel invisible. Or worse—used."
I looked at her, surprised by the vulnerability in her voice.
"You?" I asked.
She gave a small, bitter smile. "I came to this city fresh out of Texas, bright-eyed and ready to conquer everything. Got a business degree, interned at all the right places. And still—still—I’ve had to work twice as hard just to be seen."
I nodded slowly. "So when someone sees you… it means everything. Brooks saw me. And I pushed him away."
Her gaze flicked away. "Yeah. And when he doesn’t see you? It wrecks you." She spoke like a woman of experience.
I sucked in a breath. "Are you talking about Archer?"
She didn’t confirm or deny. Just offered a sad shrug, lips pressed tightly together.
"I've known him for some time. He really is a good guy. I think he's just lonely and goes about it the wrong way trying to find someone to love him. Don't give up on him," I encouraged and reached a hand to cover hers, briefly before retracting it.
"But he doesn’t see me, " she whispered. "Not really."
Silence lingered between us for a beat, then we both sighed, long drawn out ones, that had us both eyeing each other and chuckling.
"Nothing like a good cry to relieve stress," I commented, laughing inwardly.
"You know," she said after a moment, "I never expected to like you." Maybe given time, if Brooks and I worked out, she and I could become friendlier.
I huffed a laugh, wiping a tear from under my eye. "You made that pretty clear."
"Yeah," she said, wincing. "I had all these ideas about who you were. What you’d be like. But you’re… more. Smarter. Stronger. We're a lot alike, and I get it now."
I gave her a watery smile. "Thanks. I think."
She stood and walked back to her desk. She paused, fingers resting on her phone. For a moment, I thought that was it. Commiserating finished. But then she picked it up and placed a call.
"Brooks? Lacey here. There's been an emergency at the office. Come quickly... No, I don't have time to explain. Hurry, and bring Archer, too."
She hung up and regarded me. For a moment, we were two women coming to an understanding about the world.
"I lied," she said.
My heart stopped, forehead creased trying to understand. "Brooks’ was not in Jersey?"
She finally turned, eyes shining—not with tears, but something like resolve. Or maybe redemption?
"No. Just at a bar down the street, drinking away his sadness over losing you. Archer was there, too, trying to talk to him."
My breath caught.
"Brooks was so hurt by you, I only lied to keep you from hurting him more. I'm sorry." Lacey met my eyes. "He’s been there since lunch. Had me cancel all his appointments. Said he needed to think. He'll be here any minute, if you'd like to wait in his office." She walked to his door and held it open for me.
I rushed to her and hugged her, whether she wanted one or not. "I understand. you were only trying to protect him. Thank you so much for this. Want me to put in a good word to Archer for you?"
"No, it won't help." This time she needed a tissue, with tears crawling out of the corners of her eyes. "Honestly, I think I just want out of this city. It's beaten me down. I don't have anymore fight left. Like you said, I'm a small town girl. I miss it. Maybe I need to go back. Go home."
"Oh, honey. I know how you feel. There are times when Holly Creek becomes the only place that I can feel myself again. A special place I can only find in my mothere’s arms where I can regroup, rejuvenate, at least enough to face the big bad world again."
"Yeah. It's been several years since I've been back," she whispered, drawing a shaky breath.
"Do you have vacation coming up? If things get back on track for Brooks and me today, I'll tell him he needs to give you time off."
"Right. Sure. Well, I'm going to get back to work." She nodded, but before closing the door, she said. "Good luck with Brooks. Hold on tight to him, Maisy. He's worth it. Make it worth it—for both of us."
I felt so sad for her, I determined to talk to Archer at some point on her behalf anyway. But for now, I focused on Brooks, and what I'd say when he arrived... if he didn't run away at the sight of me.
Outside the window of his office, the storm that had poured from the sky all day finally eased to a gentle mist. The sound of raindrops tapered off, replaced by quiet. A calm after the chaos. Maybe, just maybe, this was the moment everything turned around.