Authors: Nikki Duvall
“You’re
wearing that?” Stephen circled Halee in her skirt and sweater outfit and
frowned. Ty sat perched on Cameron’s hip and played with the lapel of his satin
bathrobe.
“It’s
mostly cotton,” said Halee. “Ty proof. Washable,” she added.
“It’s
early virgin,” said Cameron.
“Virgin
can be sexy,” said Stephen. He studied her a little longer and shook his head. “J.D.
doesn’t strike me as too complex. I’m guessing he prefers cleavage.”
“Phase
One is cleavage,” agreed Cameron.
Stephen
began to unbutton Halee’s starched white blouse.
“Whoa!”
“Relax,
Girlfriend. You’re not my type.”
“I’m
going to the office,” Halee protested. “I can’t go as a slut. None of my staff
will respect me.”
“The
men will.”
“You’re
sharing a limo with J.D., right?”
“Yes…”
“Just
the two of you?” Cameron grinned. “You need to look dangerous. You need to drop
things. You know, lean over and give him the full view.”
“What
kind of bra are you wearing?” Stephen hooked his finger into her blouse and
peered in.
“I
don’t know.”
“Problem
number one,” said Stephen to Cameron. “We need to go shopping. Leave us your
measurements and we’ll take care of everything while you’re at work.”
“I
really can’t afford anything right now…”
Stephen
held up one hand and closed his eyes. “Our treat. Welcome to the neighborhood.”
“You
guys…”
“You
don’t know how sterile this city can be, Halee. Cam and I need a little romance
in our lives. We could barely sleep last night, planning this little adventure.”
Cameron
walked to the wall of curtains and drew them back slightly, peering across the
courtyard. “We’re tired of the bad girl winning. You’re doing this for us. Oh-
there he is now.”
Stephen
joined him at the window. “Mmmm. Nobody has to tell Stud how to dress.”
“Thanks,
guys.”
“It’s
ok. You’re just a little behind. You’ll catch up.”
“Looks
like the bitch is bringing out the big guns. That’s a Wonderbra, for sure.”
Halee
took a few tentative steps toward the window, contrary to her better judgment,
and peered over Stephen’s shoulder. Catrina leaned against the kitchen counter
dressed in nothing but a red satin push up bra and matching panties, deep in
conversation with J.D. who sat at a small table eating from a china bowl.
“Wow,” said Halee in a defeated tone. “She doesn’t mind showing it off, does
she?”
“At
least they’re not touching,” said Cameron.
Halee’s
phone vibrated. “My driver is here,” she said. She leaned over and kissed Ty on
his chubby cheek, grabbed her briefcase and headed for the door. “Wish me
luck.”
“Luck!”
Stephen called after her.
She
raced to the elevator and ran through a mental checklist of everything she’d
meant to bring this morning. Laptop, pens, cell phone, chargers, small salad,
coffee cup…Checklist complete. Catching her reflection in the mirrored wall of
the elevator, she practiced her best new-girl-at-the-office smile and grimaced
at her unbuttoned shirt. Quickly she buttoned two more buttons and took a deep
edifying breath. The door opened at the lobby and she hurried out past the
doorman and up to the waiting limo.
“Marcus,
Ma’am,” said the large man in uniform, tipping his hat. His smile was as wide
as Manhattan.
“Thank
you, Marcus,” she said, sliding onto the cool black leather seat. “I’m Halee.”
“Yes,
Miss McCarthy. I have strict orders to deliver you safely to Mrs. Pryor’s
office. Would you like a refreshment this morning? I have mineral water,
coffee, juice…”
“Please
call me Halee. And mineral water sounds perfect.”
“Yes,
Miss Halee.” Marcus poured the contents of an elegant blue bottle of water over
ice and handed the fizzing glass to Halee. “We’re waiting on Mr. Johnny and
then we’ll be on our way.”
Ten
seconds later J.D. slipped onto the opposite seat. He wore a freshly pressed
pair of grey linen trousers and a short sleeved black silk shirt that fit his
muscular frame like a second skin. He grinned her way. She placed the cold
drink against her cheek and simply stared.
“You
look beautiful for your first day.”
“Not
too matronly?”
J.D.
leaned over and slowly undid the top two buttons on her blouse, brushing his
fingers across her breastbone, then along her neck and under her hair. A wave
of heat washed over her. “Not anymore.”
Marcus
put the limo in gear and started to pull out into morning rush traffic. A dozen
horns honked and a blonde stepped off the curb in front of them, waving her
arms madly. Marcus slammed on his brakes. Cat pulled open the limo door and
slid in next to Halee with a crash, spilling Halee’s mineral water across her
white shirt. Halee stared down at her white lace bra showing through the wet
fabric and gasped.
“Getting
less matronly by the minute,” said J.D. with a wicked grin.
“Ahh!”
screamed Cat, moving over to J.D.’s side of the backseat. “No, no, no!” She
checked her outfit for any collateral damage and brushed off drops of water
from her short skirt and exposed thigh. “I can’t go anywhere like this!”
“You’re
right,” said J.D. in his typical relaxed fashion. “Marcus, please pull over
and let Miss Catrina out.”
“Yes,
Mr. Johnny.” Marcus pulled to the curb and waited.
“No!”
cried Cat. “I have an appointment at Rodolfo Valentin in thirty minutes. If I
lose the appointment I’ll have to wait months to get back in.” She glared at
Halee. “I’ll just have to go this way.”
Halee
pulled her sweater tighter around her. The ice water soaking through her blouse
was giving her chills. The way J.D. was leering at her lacy bra with a cocky
let-me-take-that-off smile was giving her hot flashes.
“Would
you like me to drop you there first, Miss Catrina?” asked Marcus.
“Yes.”
She leaned her head on J.D.’s shoulder and focused a satisfied smirk on Halee.
“Are you meeting me for lunch, Honey?”
J.D.
cast a disinterested look out at the passing buildings. “With the trainers all
day, Cat. I told you that.”
“What
am I supposed to do in this city all day by myself?”
“Take
a tour or something,” said J.D. “Marcus, can you arrange a tour of the city for
Cat? We don’t want her to get bored or nothin’.”
“Yes,
Sir, Mr. Johnny. Tour bus leaves every hour from downtown Manhattan.”
“Bus?”
Catrina winced. “I don’t do busses.”
“They
do a fashion tour down in the garment district, might be of interest to ya,
Miss Catrina,” Marcus offered.
“Maybe,”
said Cat with a toss of her blonde head.
Halee
glanced at Cat’s tight dress and wondered whether she still wore the satin duo
underneath, wondered why a woman with underwear that fine still felt compelled
to shop all day.
“Here
we are,” said Marcus, pulling up in front of a tinted glass storefront.
Cat
leaned over and planted a long, passionate kiss on J.D.’s lips while Marcus
patiently held the door. She pushed her diamond clad hand against his strong
chest in a too familiar way. J.D. didn’t flinch. “See you tonight, Baby,” she
whispered. She slid out of the limo, turning one last time to sneer at Halee.
She fixed her cold blue eyes on Halee’s unbuttoned blouse. “If that’s all
you’ve got,” she said, “you might as well keep it to yourself.” She slammed the
door and strutted to the salon’s entrance.
Marcus
pulled away from the curb. Halee shifted uncomfortably, wondering why the lump
in her throat was threatening to burst into a torrent of tears. What did she
care what Catrina Hiett thought about her? Why was she embarrassed to be Halee
McCarthy?
She
stared out the limo window. Minutes went by without a word as they headed
deeper into New York traffic. She could feel J.D. watching her.
“How’s
Ty liking the new place?” he said at last.
Halee
thought a minute. “He sleeps well,” she said without looking at him. “It’s
quiet.”
J.D.
nodded and continued to watch her. “Quiet at our place, too. Too quiet.”
Halee
pulled out her phone, ostensibly checking for messages. The lump in her throat
was growing larger. She felt the urge to run.
“I
miss you, Halee.”
Halee
peered over her phone and felt a stampede of hateful words break through the
civility barrier she had constructed ever since J.D. had told her he didn’t
want her in New York. “Cut the crap, J.D.,” she hissed. “Don’t even think of
using me or Ty in your little scheme to get rich and famous. You can walk all
over the Catrina Hietts of the world, but we’re not for sale.” She tapped on
the glass and motioned for Marcus to lower the window that separated the driver
from the passengers. “Let me out at the next block,” she said.
"Please."
She
slid out of the limo, grabbed her briefcase and walked briskly toward Federals
Charities, never looking back.
***
“Did
you get my list of guests?” asked Victoria. “I emailed it to you this morning.”
Halee
nodded over her second cup of coffee. She’d spent the better part of her first
day on the job scanning the New York skyline from her seventeenth floor office
window, wondering if Ty was crying for her, and feeling badly about what she’d
said to J.D. She’d hated the look on his face, hated the jealousy that seemed
to creep out of nowhere and change her into a person she didn’t want to be. Her
eyes still burned from the rush of hot tears that had finally broken free
between the cab and the office. The brisk walk had felt good, brought her back
to the edge of sanity. Now she was feeling antsy again.
“I
want you to work with the designers and come up with a clever invitation,” said
Victoria. “Two lives, two hearts joined in love…” she said in a dramatic voice.
“Tying the knot…She said yes… the most precious day of her life.” She clasped
her hands to her chest as if auditioning for a Broadway play. “John asked Catrina
to be his wife...you get the drift,” she said, waving her hands. “Something
sweet, something to drag the sentimental millionaires to the Waldorf. I want
the event on the Starlight Roof. Seven o’clock. We can watch the sunset. The
hotel has caterers. I’ll leave the menu in your hands.”
Halee
finished her notes and looked up.
“How
do you like the apartment?”
“It’s
beautiful, Mrs. Pryor,” she said with a soft smile. “I feel like I’m living in
a magazine.”
“J.D.
and what’s-her-name bothering you?”
Halee
cleared her throat. “I hardly see them, actually. Stephen and Cameron are
terrific,” she said, changing the subject. “They’ve been great about showing me
the city, getting me acclimated.”
“Good.
How about the office?”
“Perfect.”
“Well,
don’t get too comfortable. I want you to take a little trip.”
“A
trip?”
“Yes.
I want you to go to J.D’s home town and invite his family to the party.
Personally.”
Halee
dropped her pen. “I don’t understand.”
“His
mother doesn’t have email and mail delivery is sporadic. She doesn’t own a cell
phone and never answers her land line. From what I understand, she didn’t even
know about J.D.’s contract until it hit the papers. I want her at the party.”
“I’m
sure J.D. will invite her if he wants her there.”
Victoria
held up her hand. “Non-negotiable. Karen has already made your travel
arrangements. You leave at the end of the week.”
“Friday?”
“Is
that a problem?”
Halee
blew out an exasperated breath. “I’m barely settled into the apartment. There
are a million details to arrange for the party…”
“All
doable by phone.”
"It
isn't easy to travel with Ty."
"Is
the child going to get in the way of you performing your job?"
"No…
I mean, to be honest, I just don't see the connection between the literacy
office and my recruiting J.D.'s relatives to attend his engagement party."
"It's
simple, Halee. This party will establish you as one of the top event planners
in New York. People will be dying to come to any charity event you put on for
us in the future."
"And
J.D.'s estranged relatives fit in how?"
"Simple
psychology, Darling. Right now J.D. is just another pretty boy in a fancy suit.
For all we know, he's a rich kid who grew up with private lessons in the
backyard of his father's mansion. New York can take him or leave him. Introduce
a little small town flavor, a single mother, a dead father, a hand me down baseball
mitt, and he's suddenly a human being New York can get behind, the
personification of the American Dream. Now he's a phenomenon." Victoria
leaned closer and lowered her voice. "And we sell tickets."
She
jumped up, satisfied with her own brilliance. “Keep me posted on the
invitations,” she sang, exiting the office.
Halee
stared at her computer screen and typed in a search for invitation designers in
New York, pushing back the low wave of nausea rising to the surface. She dialed
the first number on her screen and rubbed her temples. Something was nagging at
her, something beyond J.D.’s relationship with Catrina, whatever relationship
that was. Her mind drifted back to the night when she and Tony had dragged J.D.
back to his penthouse after his scuffle with Roudy. Just another deal to line
his pockets. That’s how Tony had described J.D. Now she’d just had the same
conversation with Victoria Pryor. It didn’t seem to matter to Victoria that
J.D. might not like his history spread across the tabloids. It didn’t make any
difference whether he wanted his mother to be at the party or not. The Federals
owned J.D. lock stock and barrel.
“This
isn’t what I signed up for,” she moaned, dropping her head into her hands.