Chapter Twelve - Michaela
Chapter Twelve
MICHAELA
I SHOULDN'T BE THIS nervous, but the butterflies in my stomach don't seem to understand that. They've been fluttering since I got the email on Friday…
Kai and I will be in town on the 12th, we'll want to see how things are going. Be ready first thing. - N
It's not like this is the first time I've had to present my work to Nina, but something about it feels different. Not to mention, it’s only been a week since I took over. Even less since Finn started cooperating if you can call it that. Why couldn’t he be so cooperative from the start? Don’t get me wrong, Finn Sheffield is still as rotten as ever. Our time together hasn’t exactly been pleasant, but it hasn’t been as bad as I anticipated either, and he’s been putting in the effort, now.
"Huh, I was sure I'd beat you this morning," the smooth voice wraps around me, and goosebumps rise across my bare arms. Looking up from my screen, the wings in my stomach flutter even faster, but for an entirely different reason. The blue and white striped dress shirt exposes the strength in his arms normally hidden beneath a jacket. Pale yellow suspenders bare down on his broad shoulders, desperately clinging to the waist of his gray slacks. My fingers involuntarily curl around nothing as the dark blue paisley tie begs to be ripped from his neck. "You okay, Shortcake?"
How many times do I have to tell him not to call me that?
"You look a little flush."
"No, no... I'm good. Great! Just you know..."
"Stressed?" The smirk on his face infuriates me as he drops a paper bag on the conference table, a drink carrier with two steaming coffees in his other hand. I wouldn’t be stressed if he’d done his part sooner.
"No. Why would I be stressed?"
"Because both of your bosses are stopping by today and not because they miss your gorgeous face."
I narrow my eyes at him. What’s with him this morning? He seems to be in an extremely pleasant mood. Should I be worried?
I roll my eyes turning back to the business financial statement projections for the next three years. I need to finalize it before Kai and Nina arrive. Getting their input will be vital to determine if things are heading in the right direction. But, I can't stop thinking about the man on the other side of the table.
Has he always been that fit?
How have I never noticed how hot he is?
"Probably because you were too busy chasing after douchebags."
"What are you yammering on about?"
"You asked why you haven't noticed how hot I am before, and I said–"
"No, I didn't."
Shit. Oh my God, did I say that out loud?
"Hate to break it to you, Shortcake, but you did." Finn begins to empty the contents of the paper bag: two black to-go containers. "Don't worry, I won't tell if you won't." He winks handing me a container as I do my best to hide the burning in my cheeks.
Throwing open the lid, my senses are blinded by the delicious smell of fresh bread. Not any bread... A rainbow bagel. And not any rainbow bagel... An egg, ham, and cheese rainbow bagel sandwich with a scoop of jalapeno cheddar spread on the side…from Bagel World. "What is this?"
"Most people call it a sandwich.”
"Yeah, all the way from Brooklyn."
It's his turn to avoid my gaze digging into his breakfast.
"Not that I don't appreciate getting breakfast from my favorite bagel shop, but why did you go all the way to Brooklyn to get breakfast? You could get a rainbow bagel sandwich from literally anywhere in the city!"
Finn shrugs taking a bite of his sandwich.
"I don't understand, you–"
"Michaela, just shut up and eat the damn sandwich.”
"How did you come up with this idea for Sheffield House?” Kai questions fingering through the packet I put together.
"Helping these kids means a lot to me," Finn answers. His hands wring together under the table. Wait, is he nervous? This might be the first time I've ever seen him nervous. Not even during the big rival football games at Bridgeport did he ever show any kind of nerves. He’s always been calm, cool, collected…and I’ve always hated it. “A lot of them don’t get the same opportunities I do, so if I can give them a fraction of–"
"I think it’s great,” Nina says, returning from the hallway. ”Not to mention, I think going the nonprofit route is a wonderful idea. We’ve been talking how the company needs to do more charity work, Kai.”
A simple hum in response, and Nina rolls her eyes. Kai was supposed to take over the company when Ric died four and a half years ago. Then Eileen got pregnant, and Nina decided to take on a bigger role at corporate than she had anticipated. She wanted her brother to have time to adjust to his growing family and it wasn’t until recently that he started showing up more. I think it annoys Nina; she’s been running both DV Designs and Villa Incorporated for almost four years — not that the board knows because Kai always showed up for the important stuff. “We have to look like a team,” Nina always said when I asked her about it.
"So, these events... You have some time before the big presentation." Kai still hasn't looked up from the papers, but I can practically see the gears turning in his mind.
"Are you suggesting we do one of them?" I ask.
"Why not?" Kai finally looks up.
"Well, for starters, we don’t have the time or monetary resources right now."
"Says who?" Nina asks.
"Says the pending approval from the board. This hasn’t even been launched, and we don't even know if—”
"I think we can pull some strings," Finn interrupts me.
"I think having some kind of physical evidence on top of the figures is a great way to prove to the board what you're doing here," Nina shuffles the papers before filing them in her bag.
"Great, then it's settled.” Kai stands from the table and reaches his hand out towards Finn. "Make sure you let us know when you selected a date, we'd like to join."
"Of course," Finn says and grips Kai's hand. “I'd be happy to have you guys there."
"Up for a drink?" And just like that, the switch has flipped from business to personal. It’s honestly kind of shocking how quickly it happens.
"Kai Villa, you know the way to a man's heart."
"Don't tell my wife."
They share a chuckle before Finn turns to me. "Same time tomorrow?"
"I'll bring the bagels." I smile and Finn returns it grabbing his bag; he presses a chaste kiss to Nina's cheek and follows Kai out of the office. Turning away from the door, I'm met with the smirkiest smirk I've ever seen on Nina's face. "Don't start," I warn.
"I'll bring the bagels?" She mocks me. "I'm sorry, but what happened to not being able to work with someone as arrogant and self-absorbed as Finnley Sheffield? What was it you called him... Oh, right, the Devil himself.”
"He's not that bad," I grumble.
"I'm sorry, what? I couldn't hear you."
"I said, he's not that bad."
Nina giggles as she picks up her purse. “Nick should be landing in a few. You should come over for dinner.”
"I don't want to impose–"
A tight smile on her lips, "I said, you're coming.”
“He brought you breakfast?” Nina practically screams. I shush her not wanting Nick to hear in the kitchen. “Don’t shush me!”
“It doesn’t mean anything! He was having a momentary lapse in judgment.”
“Bagels from Brooklyn is not a momentary lapse in judgment, Michaela.”
“Finn brought you bagels from Brooklyn?” Nick appears from the kitchen with a fresh glass of wine handing it to his wife before kissing the crown on her head.
“It doesn’t mean what you think it means,” I say.
“And what do we think it means?”
“You think Finn bringing me breakfast all the way from Brooklyn has some significant meaning, when it’s probably because he was over there looking at the space he wants to purchase. It doesn’t mean anything. Nothing. The bagels were just bagels, nothing more.”
“Who are you trying to convince?” Nick asks. “You don’t have to convince us, but it sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself.”
Nina smirks behind a sip of red wine. God, they’re obnoxious. Not everyone is secretly in love like them. Not that it was much of a secret, they were too damn stubborn to apologize and move on. “I’m just glad you guys are getting along, even if it’s only for the next week. I still don’t understand why you didn’t get along anyway.”
“Because he’s an asshole,” I say simply.
“If you think he’s bad, meet Oliver.”
Oliver Sheffield — Finn’s father — his very wealthy, very obnoxious father. I’ve only had the displeasure of meeting him a handful of times, but I’ve heard plenty of stories. Every one proves the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but I’d still take Finn over his dad any day.
“The only person I know who didn’t hate him was Daddy,” Nina says. “Even Brina hated him, that should tell you something.”
“That’s because he was afraid of your dad.” I roll my eyes. “Your dad was what Mr. Sheffield wants to be and more, so of course, he’s gonna be nice to him. Even if he talks shit later.”
Nina shrugs, “Daddy always called him an ass, but said he wasn’t as bad as everyone said. Then again, when you’re married to Brina Villa, everyone probably seems like a saint.”
“Dee,” Nick sighs.
“Well, am I wrong?”
No, she’s not. Her mother is even more of an acquired taste than Finn. Not only was she cheating on Ric with Nina’s ex-boyfriend (yeah, you heard me), but she was just an overall bad person. Brina would have been happy if they had stopped having kids after Kai and made sure Nina knew it. Don’t even get me started on how she treated people who worked for the family… But, now she lives a modest life somewhere in SoHo. She got knocked down a few pegs when Ric left her nothing in his will, not to mention he was about to divorce her before his accident…
“Look, Mic, all I’m saying is Finn isn’t that bad,” Nick says, trying to steer the conversation away from Brina. “He’s rough around the edges, and a little bit of a prick, but overall he’s a good guy. You guys have had this feud since we were all kids, don’t you think it’s time to put it aside and grow up?”
“I already told Nina I’d put my differences aside for two weeks to help her with this project, but I refuse to promise anything more.”
“I don’t think you have to do anything,” Nina snickers.
“Seems like he’s making the effort for you,” Nick adds. “If David doesn’t start coming home, he might have some competition.”
“For the love of God, it was just breakfast!” I huff and fall back onto the couch.
“From Brooklyn.”