3. Brightest Spot
3
brIGHTEST SPOT
REX
For the entire car ride into work this morning, I scrolled through all the important emails and messages my assistant Pearl had sent my way. There should be a rule against how many issues a CEO should have to deal with before noon. I paused scrolling at one thing that caught my eye and scowled, dialing her immediately.
“Good morning, Rex. How are you today?” Her usual sarcastic tone ripped through the phone. We had a love/hate relationship. She loved to torment me, and I hated her for it. But I couldn’t do without her, since she was the former assistant to Richard. While he made himself scarce these days, Pearl was indispensable, as the resource I referred to most to navigate being a CEO of this damn family company.
“I’d like to know how speed dating got on my social calendar for tonight.”
“Your friend called—the cute one, Brooks. He said he had something come up, and you had agreed to be Archer’s wingman.”
“No, I didn’t. Take it off.”
“You work too much, and you need to have some fun.”
“You’re giving me social advice now?”
“Seems to me you could use it.”
“Remove it now,” I ordered.
“And let poor Archer down? Nope. Call your friend and cancel it yourself.” She hung up on me. Dammit, she’s getting a little too comfortable in her role, knowing I couldn’t do this job without her. Pearl was Dad’s assistant before Richard’s, practically family, and I couldn’t fire her or my mother would kill me.
“We’re here sir,” Stephen said, pulling the car up to the curb in front of the Buchanan building instead of the back like usual. Too many people entered the front, and combined with the dingy decor and all the memories it scrounged up, if I had to walk through the lobby, it started my day off wrong. Today, for some reason, people were everywhere, waiting in line for something.
“You know I prefer to be dropped off in the back,” I reminded him.
“Sorry, sir, but they’re paving the road today, so I have to drop you here,” he said.
“Fine, but why are all these people hanging about?”
“Oh, it’s the deli. I hear they have a new menu now. People have been raving about it.”
“What? Er, fine, Stephen. Thanks.” I climbed out of the car and immediately my eyes wandered to the corner of my building and the biggest eyesore on the block. Only now the exterior of the deli appeared different, with red and white striped awnings and large pots of flowers in fall colors and a huge sandwich board announcing the daily special. People lined up to get inside and the tables were full.
“What the hell?” Well, this wouldn’t do at all. It’s time I had a talk with Doug Calhoun, man to man, and got him to agree to move on somewhere else. Drawing closer, I saw people packed into the little deli. This must violate a fire code, and it could play to my advantage. If I make old Doug’s life miserable at the deli, he’d move on and exit this ridiculous lease agreement my father should never have signed.
I stood out front and called my friend in the fire department to report this. “Aiden? Rex here. I need a favor.”
“I don’t know, mate. The last favor I did for you almost cost me my job.” My Australian-Irish friend’s interesting combined accent shot loudly through my phone.
“I’ll throw in a bottle of rare Irish whiskey. Now, I think the deli in the Buchanan building is violating some codes. How quick can you get here?”
“Your building? Okay, I happen to be down a block, finishing up an inspection. I’ll be right over.”
“Thanks.” It paid to know people in this city, as my father always said.
I waited several minutes, but the line only got longer. What the hell? Did people not eat breakfast and make coffee at home these days? Well, they’d have to soon enough because there’s no way I’d let this deli stop my plans for the remodel of the building.
Screw this. I took a deep breath, and I stomped inside and pushed past everyone to the front of the line. I noticed a perky redhead behind the counter and snickered. Maybe she was the one attracting more people.
“Where’s Doug Calhoun? I need to speak with him.” With a gruff manner, I interrupted a stout man placing an order with the redhead at the register. No one ever awarded me for my people skills.
“And I need to speak to the Pope. Get outta here.” The customer spoke with a thick New York Italian accent and thumbed toward the back.
“Sir, Doug’s not here, but if you’d like to order breakfast or coffee, please take your place at the back of the line like everyone else. Thank you.” The woman spoke with a melodic voice, and with red lipstick and bright green eyes, her smile beamed. Was she trying to kill me with kindness? New Yorkers didn’t smile.
I’d never seen her before, not that I entered this deli often. Or ever. Some people had weird phobias about things, mine was about delis. I couldn’t stand them, and for good reason.
“When will he be back?” I interrupted again.
She fluttered her lashes at me. Her name tag read Chelsea, and her hair flounced as she motioned to the one seat available in the entire place. “If you’ll have a seat over there, I’ll be with you in a few minutes.”
I huffed away; what choice did I have? I sat impatiently and looked at my watch. Aiden pinged he’d be here in about ten minutes. That wouldn’t be soon enough.
I looked around the small space, crammed with people at tables and chairs, and the walls stuffed floor to ceiling with shelves and various food and sundries for sale. A bead of sweat formed on my brow and I loosened my tie.
The workers were visible at prep counters assembling sandwiches. Normally my favorite, I eyed the pastrami stacked high and my heart raced. Breathing in through my nose and out of my mouth only slowed old memories from crowding in. I needed something to ground me quickly, or I’d have a panic attack.
Then I zeroed in on her —Chelsea.
Her beauty radiated, almost too much for this old place, and what was with the red flower she wore tucked back behind her ear on the right side of her hair? She twinkled and glowed at every customer with a friendliness that told me she was no New Yorker. If she were, she’d easily be the brightest spot in all the city.
I didn’t know how many minutes passed by as I regulated my breathing and watched her effortless movements behind the counter, pouring coffee, chatting with customers, helping the other workers. Soon I realized the anxiety had lessened. Calmness overcame me until suddenly she walked up, took the vacated seat next to me, and placed a plate between us.
“Here. I brought you a blueberry muffin, fresh from the oven, and the best you’ll ever have.” As fruity and sweet as it smelled, I wouldn’t dare touch it.
“I can’t eat that,” I grumbled.
“Oh. Okay.” She appeared only momentarily deterred by my grumpy self, returning to that bright ray of sunshine with a smile that totally put me in the awkward place of wanting to both kiss her and push her away. “Now, about Uncle Doug?—”
“He’s your…Uncle?”
“Yes, the poor thing had some heart trouble. He needed some time away to get better, so I moved here to help.”
“Moved from where? ” I scowled.
“Holly Creek. The cutest small town in upstate New York you’ll ever see.” If it was possible, her eyes dazzled even more at the mention of her hometown. Damn, I’d hate to see her a year from now, when prolonged exposure to the city might have a way of turning her sour, snuffing out her light. “Have you been there?”
“To Holly—er, no. Haven’t had the pleasure.” Then I recalled my purpose for being here. It certainly wasn’t to get intrigued by this woman. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. “Doug’s put in a long run here. He should retire and close this place down.”
“He’s thinking about it, but I’m hoping I can take it over. I’ve always dreamed of having a place like this all my own one day?—”
“A deli?” I smirked.
“Sure, why not? I’ve worked at my mother’s diner all my life. It was my dream to study at a culinary institute and eventually open my own restaurant, but…life has a way of not working out sometimes.”
“Chelsea? This man is here to see you,” one worker called to her, pointing at Aiden standing tall in his fireman’s uniform.
“Oh, excuse me.” She rushed over and left me, while Aiden winked my way. And now I felt like a heartless bastard. One who’d crushed a beautiful woman’s day. As I watched Aiden deliver the news, warning her with a citation that she couldn’t have this many people occupying the space.
Damn the timing, but this was business, nothing personal. I didn’t know her, and the less I knew about her, the better. Otherwise, forcing her out of my building would get complicated. Who needed complications? I left quickly, without looking back.