Come with Me (Let It Be Me #2) (13 page)

“So what was her reason?” Alex asked.

“Apparently her parents expected her to marry the senator’s son since before she met me,” Ben said.

“Fuck,” Alex muttered. “And she never told you that. She didn’t even give you a chance to fight for her.”

“Well that shows how she really felt for me,” Ben sniggered.

“She wouldn’t have stayed with you for that long if she didn’t feel anything for you,” Alex reasoned.

“She’s fucking selfish,” Ben exclaimed. 

“That she is, my friend,” Alex agreed. “It’s time for you to move on.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah, and I have something to fix.”  

* * *

Ben had a couple more meetings after that – he didn’t know how he survived it. It was already seven in the evening by the time he was done. 

He drove back to the office, knowing it would be empty by then – Alex and he were advocates of a good work-life balance. And of course, they were very grateful to the employees for working with the foundation despite the low salaries.

And right he was. When he went up to the office, the lights were off. He had to bring out his keys to open the door. 

He headed to Miranda’s desk – he knew where she kept the files for the employees and he had a key for it too. He thumbed through the folders until he found Liz’s name. 

He opened it and quickly looked for her address. The one he founded coincided with the street in Murray Hill where he dropped her off. At least now he knew her unit number. 

He put the file back into place, taking out his phone from his pocket. As he made his way back to his car, he quickly searched for a florist that would be on his way home. He found one that was just walking distance from his place. 

As he entered the flower shop half an hour later, he was greeted by a young girl who was probably still in high school or college. 

“How can I help you?” she said, sleepily. He couldn’t help but think she looked like a girl who would work part-time at a tattoo parlor than in a flower shop.

Ben looked around, overwhelmed with the various kinds of flowers in pails and in their chillers. It’s been a while since he actually bought flowers for anyone.

Ben cleared his throat. “Hi, do you have a list of the flower meanings?”

“We have here in our computer,” she said. “What message did you want conveyed?”

“Uh, I want to say sorry,” Ben said.

The girl looked at him with a raised eyebrow, probably thinking he was some douchebag.

Well today he was one.

The girl bent down to check their database. 

“It’s gotta be white tulips,” she declared.

“Okay, I’ll get a dozen,” he said. “Do you do rush deliveries? Like tonight?”

“You totally did a number on her huh,” the girl didn’t resist saying.

Ben was taken aback. He wondered if the store owner knew his employee spoke to customers that way. 

But with the guilt he was still feeling, he let it pass.

“It will be an extra thirty dollars for the rush delivery. If she’s from New York, she can get them within two hours.”

Ben looked at his watch to see it was a little after eight. He guessed she would be home.

“Can I add an extra ten dollars so that it gets to her in an hour?” 

The teenage looked at him gravely. She was also probably wondering why he wouldn’t bring it himself.

If only it was that simple.

“Fine,” she said. “My shift ends in ten minutes. I’ll bring it myself so she can get it in an hour. Don’t tell my boss I’m keeping the forty though.”

“Fine, sure, that would be great,” he said, relieved.

She gave him the total. He gave her the bills. He watched as she put the cost of the flowers in the cash register and pocketed the forty dollars. 

“Here’s the card for you to write on,” she said. “Then here’s the form for her address.”

Ben filled out the form first since it was easier. When he got to the card, he tried to think what he should say. There was a lot he wanted to, but at the end, he just needed to communicate what was most important first. 

He simply signed the card with an “I’m sorry” and his name. 

“Here you go,” he said. “Make sure she gets them tonight okay? If you can personally hand it to her.”

“Yes, fine,” the girl said. She handed him the receipt.

“Thank you,” he said, turning to exit the shop.

“Whatever you did, don’t ever do it again!” she called after him.

He definitely wasn’t.

Chapter 19

Liz

 “Are you sure you won’t get in trouble that I’m using this dress?” Liz asked, as Brian zipped her up. 

It was the night of the fund-raising dinner and Brian was with Liz in her bedroom, getting ready. Emily was with Philip in Atlanta for a convention Philip was attending. Both Brian and Liz were so excited that Philip asked Emily to join him and that Emily agreed!

Brian was able to lend her an Alice + Elizabeth dress. It was gorgeous. It was a sleeveless floral-print maxi dress with a semi-deep V-neckline and an A-line skirt that swept the floor. It was black but with a bold floral print of red, yellow and white. It was simple yet still elegant – it should be just right for the fund-raising event. Brian actually brought two dresses, but they both voted on what she was wearing.

“People always pull-out dresses from the store,” Brian said. “I’ll take care of it. I just want you to look gorgeous when Ben sees you.”

They both looked at the vase where Liz placed the tulips from Ben. 

Liz could still feel the sting from Ben’s words that Tuesday morning. His words told her why he treated her that way when she first started with RHS. She didn’t know what he had against her parents’ money. 

She already thought they were okay, then his words sliced through her heart.

It was the evening he blew up at her, and Liz was consoling herself with a glass of red wine and a new book she bought. She was distracted by the buzzer.

“Yeah?” she said into the intercom.

“Flower delivery for Ms. Elizabeth Hatton,” a young girl’s voice said. 

Liz raked through the people she knew, who could possibly send the flowers. She wondered if it was Jack, trying to get back with her. But he already stopped contacting her a couple weeks after she broke up with him, when he finally realized that Liz has given up on him. 

Liz pressed the button. “Hold on, I’ll go down.”

She was in leggings and a cotton shirt so she just wore her sneakers and jogged down the stairs. When she opened the apartment building’s door, she found a teenage girl carrying a bunch of tulips nicely wrapped in paper and plastic.

“Please sign this first,” the girl said, handing her a form.

Liz quickly signed then handed it back to the girl. The girl passed the bouquet to her. As soon as the flowers were with her, Liz expected the girl to leave immediately but the girl just stayed there.

“The guy who got the flowers – looked like he screwed up big time. Don’t worry, I told him off. But for what it’s worth, he looked really sorry. Maybe he deserves another chance, huh?” She then turned and walked away.

She walked back up slowly, pulling out the card. 

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was from Ben. “I’m sorry” was written.

It was hard to think rationally when she’d already discovered she had a crush on him. Could she forget what he said that morning?

Why did he have to send flowers? He could have just approached her at work. He could have also just called since he already had her number.

But they both knew what he said was more personal that work-related.

That must be why he took the extra steps of sending her the flowers.

“Brian, I told you, nothing can happen,” Liz said lamely, her mind back to the present, as she spritzed some perfume in her pulse points. “And there’s no chance he’d be interested in me – quite the opposite maybe – he actually loathes me.”

“You just caught him at a bad time,” Brian said. Brian only found out about the flowers until he arrived that afternoon with the dresses. He got all excited and urged her to tell the whole story. She told him everything as he helped her with her hair, her makeup, and dressing up.  

“I’d rather forget it all,” Liz said. “It’s not appropriate anyway. I can’t cross that line.”

“But looks like both of you already crossed some lines,” Brian said. 

Liz’s head whirled to face Brian. “What do you mean?”

“Come on, the two of you talking about non-work stuff was already borderline,” Brian said, securing a simple gold strand around her neck. “Then him inviting you for coffee; you having coffee with him, him driving you home, him sending you flowers – there were several lines crossed there if you ask me. If he didn’t cross any lines I don’t think you’d be having these feelings for him.”

“Oh shit,” Liz said, realizing Brian had a point. And a very big one at that. 

‘Well then at least you’re aware now and can be careful if you want to keep your job,” Brian said frankly. He reached for the watch, bracelet and ring he selected earlier to go with her dress. 

Liz nodded, the hard truth sinking in. She sat on her bed and put on black pumps.

“I think you’re ready to go, Liz,” Brian said. 

“What time are you meeting Dave?” she asked. He and Dave were going to meet for dinner before hitting the clubs.

“He’s just around,” Brian said, handing Liz the white clutch she’s already filled with necessities. “I’ll meet him when you’re safely in the cab.”

“Okay, I better leave in a bit,” Liz said. “I have to make sure everything’s in order.” The event would still start in over an hour, but as one of the organizers, she had to be early.

“Stand up and let’s have one last look,” Brian said. 

Liz stood up, and they both stood up to look at Liz’s full-length mirror. Brian helped her put her hair up in a bun, and for her makeup he went with a smoky eye and nude lip effect. Liz was happy with the overall result.

“Gorgeous,” Brian said. 

“Thanks, babe,” Liz said.

“Come on, let’s find you a cab,” Brian said. 

Liz turned off all the lights as they exited her room. They walked through the living room and out of her unit. 

“You can handle the stairs with your heels?” Brian asked.

“Yup!” Liz only wore low heels so the skirt would fall the way it should. 

Brian still guided her down since she had to hold on to her skirt so as not to soil the hemline. 

Finally at the ground floor, they walked out to the sidewalk to hail a cab.

“You have fun, okay?” Brian said, hooking his arm with Liz’s.

“You do, too,” Liz said. 

“Oh you know I will,” Brian said, winking, making Liz grin.

Just then a cab arrived, and it stopped as Brian and Liz hailed it.

“Thanks for all the help, fairy godmother,” Liz said, hugging Brian.

“Anytime, dear,” he said. He opened the door for her and helped her get in.

“I want the deets tomorrow!” he said, before closing the door.

Liz grinned before giving the cab driver the address of the hotel.

On her way, Liz reflected on what she and Brian talked about. Brian was right of course; it was the reality check she needed. She needed to focus on doing her job and to keep it. 

So for the remaining minutes of her cab ride, she forced herself to do just that. She did a mental checklist of the things she had to go over as soon as she would reach the hotel.

And indeed as she arrived, she was busy following through with the tasks. Some of her colleagues were already there and readily helped her out. 

Her phone rang in the middle of it all.

“Mom, hi,” she answered when she saw who it was.

“Just wanted to wish you good luck, dear, on your first event with RHS,” her mom said. 

“Thanks, Mom!” Liz said. 

“Sorry we couldn’t make it,” her mom said. Liz’s parents were in the guest list but had to decline since Liz’s dad had to go fly to Georgia for a case. Liz’s mom went with him. 

“It’s no problem,” Liz said. “Maybe next time.”

“Absolutely,” her mom said.

“I’m sure they will appreciate the check from you and Dad, Mom,” Liz said. She had dinner with her parents the previous weekend, and they handed her a check for the school project. It was also during the same dinner that she finally told them that she had stopped seeing Jack. They respected her decision, with her dad clearly stating he didn’t expect her to be with a lawyer. They just wanted her to be happy. She really was a lucky daughter. 

“We support everything you do, dear,” her mom said.

“Thanks, Mom,” she replied. “I have to go, but I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know how it went, okay?”

“I would like that,” her mom said. “Enjoy the night. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

After the call, she made a final check. They had the caterer all set up with food and the bar; the sound and light systems were ready. Liz also made a quick call to the manager of Alicia Keys to verify that she was arriving in time for the night’s entertainment. It looked like everything was in order.

Henry and his wife Diane arrived, and Henry got an update from Liz.

The other RHS employees signed up to either man the registration table or be ushers. They would also be taking turns so it would be fair for everyone. Liz was overseeing everything. 

She was at the registration table going over the list with Dana when she heard someone call her. She looked back to see Alex and Kayla. Alex was looking his striking self in a black tailored suit, while Kayla was wearing a gorgeous silver beaded gown that had a geometric pattern. Ben followed right behind them, wearing a black suit as well. Liz couldn’t ignore how handsome he was that night.

Liz’s heart was pounding as the three of them walked closer.

“Hi Kayla,” she greeted, taking a few steps too, willing herself to smile as naturally as she could. They hugged when they were close enough.

“You look great,” Kayla said. “Love the dress!”

“And you look stunning,” Liz exclaimed. Kayla looked like a star. She could have easily been in the entertainment industry as well if she were into acting.