Chapter 30
A flower arch of white roses stood outside the double doors to Lacey’s apartment that Friday night, where a square-shaped security guard stood checking off names. In five years of being an employee I’d never been invited. Neither had anyone else from the office, as far as I knew.
Like me, she kept her home private. But tonight was a big birthday. She wouldn’t tell us her age, and her skin didn’t give it away either. She could be forty or sixty, thanks to modern science. So an elaborate party with gallons of booze to show off was in order.
Viv’s jaw dropped open. “Look at the height of the ceiling.”
I looked up. “What do you think?”
“Twenty feet?” she guessed as a security officer checked our names off the list.
“Correct.” I eyed a tray of tiny cheeseburgers going past on a silver tray. “You booked your real estate exam yet?”
“I don’t feel ready.” She grabbed two and handed me one.
I gave her arm a light punch. “You are.”
“Can you believe this shit?” Viv whispered as we ventured further.
Lacey lived in a duplex penthouse on the Upper East Side. Her neighbors were celebrities and the crème de la crème of old money in New York. She’d come from nothing and built the biggest female-led real estate company in New York. All because her mentor had made a pass at her and told her she couldn’t do what a man could.
“I expected nothing different.” I stopped to admire a piece of bronze artwork I’d tracked down for her when I’d first worked as her assistant. Unlike my place, Lacey’s apartment exuded neutrality from the floor to the ceiling. The sole burst of color emanated from the gold hardware accents adorning the eggshell-white kitchen.
A full bar had been set up on the butcher’s block, and I signaled to the bartender for two martinis.
Lacey swooped in on a cloud of Chanel No.5 in a white sequined dress. “Ah, here’s my superstar.”
Superstar?“Happy birthday,” I answered instead, giving her a quick peck on each cheek as etiquette required.
“Happy birthday,” Viv repeated, using her teeth to slide the olive from the cocktail stick into her waiting mouth. “Great place.”
“Thank you. So glad you could make it,” she said, addressing both of us. “Scarlett, can I borrow you? There are some people I want to introduce you to.”
I waggled my eyebrow at Viv. Was this a good sign? She shrugged.
Thanks for your help. “Sure.”
Lacey took me by the arm and led me back through to the living room. “I spoke to David today,” she informed me as we walked.
Game face on. “Okay.”
“He’s very impressed with your work,” she told me, accepting a kiss on the cheek from a passing guy in a moustache and green bowler hat.
David hadn’t ratted us out. Unless we were asked, Jack and I had agreed to avoid mentioning the forced team building to both our bosses. “Great.”
“I know I don’t say this often enough”—she patted my hand— “but I’m proud of you.”
Don’t cry. “That means a lot, Lacey.”
“You keep this up, you’re going to have all this.” She waved her arms around the apartment, which was full of expensive trinkets.
But by the end of the night, everyone would be gone, and Lacey would be going to sleep in her super king-size bed alone. No man, no family. Not even a goldfish to blow bubbles at her in the morning.
“I hope so.” I think.
* * *
After a whirlwind of introductions by Lacey, I’d now met everyone in the room and felt a little lightheaded from the drinks and compliments people had plied me with. People I’d looked up to in the business knew my name and had heard about the work I’d been doing at The Crystal.
Lacey disappeared to welcome Clarissa and a few of the other girls from the office.
Viv stood in the corner, furiously texting as I approached her.
“Girlfriend drama?”
Her fingers flew over the screen as text after text pinged through. “Something like that. And I thought women would be easier.”
A series of chimes made everyone snap their attention to where Lacey stood in the center of the living room, tapping a fork on her champagne flute.
“Now that I have your attention…” She smiled, and a smattering of laughter drifted through the air. “I have an announcement to make.”
I moved closer to the front and saw Clarissa doing the same from the opposite side, both of us alligators gliding through the swamp toward an unsuspecting turtle.
Lacey waited until she had complete silence before continuing. “First, I wanted to say thank you all for coming. Who knew I was so popular, especially when I’ve taken a commission from almost everyone here?”
That evoked another smattering of laughter.
“But now that I’m getting a little older”—she held her thumb and forefinger up a centimeter apart— “I’ve decided to take a step back from the day-to-day business. And no, you can’t have my clients, Jamie,” she directed to a five-foot woman in a purple pantsuit who blew her a kiss. “So to that end, I’ve decided to make one of my amazing agents managing partner, but the candidates haven’t made it easy for me.”
My heart pumped a little faster, and I felt Viv’s hand reach down and grasp mine, shaking more than my own.
“Today, I made my decision, and it gives me great pleasure to invite up the newest managing partner of The Lacey Group…”
I used to watch American Idol and wonder how those contestants felt as they waited for the yes or no that would put them through to the next round. I’d scream at the TV on their behalf. Now I knew what it felt like to have someone hold your future in their hands.
“Scarlett Munroe, get up here.” Lacey found me in the crowd and held out her hand.
Viv squealed and wrapped her arms around my neck so hard she almost cut off my air supply. “Well done, cari?o.” She relinquished me and pushed me toward my destiny.
Clarissa shot a venomous look at me as I joined Lacey at the front to rousing applause.
One hundred people cheered, and I couldn’t help but wish I’d brought Jack. He’d say something to make me annoyed instead of nervous.
Lacey embraced me and planted a wet kiss on my cheek. “Hi, boss,” she said, beaming.
No way she’d just called my name. I pinched my arm to wake up. Fuckity fuck fuck. “I don’t understand. I haven’t gotten David to promise his business to us yet.”
Lacey almost levitated. “Yes, you have. On the phone earlier, he told me that he’ll be using The Lacey Group for all his future developments. You did it, sweetheart.”
“Does Jack know?”
She took a polite sip of champagne. “I’m not planning on telling him, and if I were you, I’d keep it to myself until The Crystal is complete. No sense creating a tense atmosphere.”
Jack’s way of making me tense was impressive. “I won’t let you down,” I promised.
Viv whooped at the front as Clarissa’s ponytail bobbed through the crowd and exited the room.
One hundred of the most influential people in Manhattan had watched me get crowned managing partner.
I’d made it. So why did I feel like I’d lost?
* * *
On Monday, I arrived to find my desk empty, except for an obnoxious bouquet of balloons in rainbow colors with a small white card tied to the strings.
Howdy, partner, wanna grab lunch? You’re buying xxx
Jack had remembered I hated flowers. “Why spend a fortune on something that’s going to die in three days? Give me balloons any day of the week,” I’d told him over the weekend, as we’d stayed up all night trying to memorize every fact about each other. Except I’d held back one very important fact that I couldn’t face telling him. The guilt gnawed away at my soft tissue. Soon I’d be a walking skeleton with cool shoes.
Viv popped up behind me a few seconds later—she’d been parking the car. “Nice. Are they from lover boy?” She tried to read the card over my shoulder, but I closed it shut.
“I’ll tell you if you tell me what you and your girlfriend were fighting about,” I offered.
Viv toyed with a balloon cord. “She doesn’t want to go public, and I do.”
“The balloons are from Jack. Why doesn’t she want to go public?”
“That is the million-dollar question,” she said, tying a knot in the cord. “But today isn’t about me; it’s about you.” She pointed behind me.
When I spun around, a vase of flowers with a body stood in front of me. Kalani poked her head over the top. “These came for you, Scarlett.”
“Jesus,” I breathed. “Where am I meant to put these?”
“In your new office.” Kalani slid the vase onto the desk.
“New office?” I’d never considered getting an office.
“Lacey left a message this morning.” Kalani gestured to the empty office to the left of Lacey’s. “You’ve to gather up your stuff and get settled in, and she’ll see you this afternoon. She has a ton of paperwork to go over with you.”
Viv and I looked at each other before making a run for the office, giggling like teenagers and colliding at the door.
“Excuse me, I believe this is my office.” I used my hip to shove her out of the way and stepped inside. The blinds were drawn inside, the walls were plain white, and the grey carpet remained unmarked. In front of the windows sat a smaller version of Lacey’s glass desk.
“Holy shit, honey. You have arrived.” Viv leaned on the doorway. “You got a door and everything.”
I walked around, running my fingers along the empty walls. “Yeah, but that means we won’t be next to each other.”
Maybe part of the reason I hadn’t thought about moving into an office was because I didn’t want to face the fact that Viv wouldn’t be right beside me.
“I’ll still be out there, with the little people.” She blew a gum bubble. “But don’t get too comfortable. Once I get my license, I might be stealing this office from you within a year.”
Clarissa appeared at the doorway. “What are you doing in here?”
Viv turned to face her. “Didn’t you hear? This is Scarlett’s new office. Nice, right? I’m gonna get a gold door plaque made with ‘partner’ on it.”
Clarissa’s ears were practically steaming. “This is bullshit, and you know it,” she told me.
“Now is that any way to speak to your boss?” I reminded her.
Viv popped a bubble in her ear, and she flounced back to her desk.
“Damn, I bet that felt good,” Viv said.
I took a seat behind the desk. “It did.” But it didn’t plug the hole that had been growing since Lacey had called my name. I’d gotten what I wanted: partner. Viv’s job was safe, I had an office, Jack, and with The Crystal commission coming in, I could start looking for my dream house. So why did it feel hollow?
“I’ll leave you to bask in the glory for a minute.” Viv excused herself and shut the door behind her.
I sent Jack a message.
Thanks for the balloons. I loved them.
So is that a yes for lunch to celebrate? You won’t be paying, promise x
I thought of the contracts still needing to be looked over, the apartment I needed to check the staging on, and the two listing appointments I had scheduled. Not to mention going over paperwork with Lacey and getting my office set up.
How would I fit all this in? Fit someone else into my life when I didn’t have time for it myself.
The hole grew bigger as I typed.
Sorry, I can’t. Rain check?