It had been over a week since Cori left the Hamptons. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a single thing in the media about the break up or what happened the night her world turned upside down. When she arrived back in the city, she went to the penthouse to change into her own clothes, get her dog, and left the dress and jewelry, engagement ring included, on the dressing table in the closet.
She knew a life without him would be hard but didn’t count on it hurting nearly as bad as it did. Despite the lies, deceit, and everything that had happened, she missed him. Grieving – that’s what she was doing – grieving the loss of something she loved and cherished. It was clear to her now that she did, indeed, love Nick, or it wouldn’t hurt so damn bad.
Her weeks of mischief had put her behind on her proposal, so she worked late nights and through the weekend to catch up. Burying herself in work didn’t make the pain go away, but it gave her a distraction from it. Tony was worried about her – their chats were nothing more than a good morning when she dropped off his coffee. A small. She had given her gift card to a person in line behind her at the coffee shop.
James was worried, too. He was still in Ohio, working, but spent several nights on the phone with her while she cried. She didn’t use his car, even though a friend was running his Uber route for him. She rode the train in and walked the several blocks to the office from there.
It was time for her to give her proposal to the board. She used to look forward to this day, but now, she almost dreaded it. It would be the first time she saw Nick since leaving him on the shore in the Hamptons. He hadn’t been in the office at all, as far as she knew, but then, she wasn’t looking.
When her name was called into the boardroom, she sucked in a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She could do this, needed to. When she entered the room, she was surprised to see an empty chair at the head of the table. Nick was not there. Relief and sadness, as contradicting as they were in the moment, filled her, but she delivered an outstanding proposal, despite her personal turmoil.
It would be a week or two before she knew the outcome and who would get the VP position, so she buried herself in the next project. Anything to stay busy and stop feeling. Raquel, Tony’s wife, insisted she come to dinner, and when she didn’t, Raquel went to her. They were all worried about her.
No matter how many days went by, the ache never left. It did get easier to live with, though. She was remembering how to take all of the hurt and push it deep down, like she had before. She’d survive her broken heart, one way or another.
When the decision on the VP job came down to her and one other employee, a man easily twice her age with twice the experience, she made a deal with herself. If she didn’t get the job, it was time to move on. There were too many memories, and she needed to find some semblance of happiness. The other manager went first, learning his fate, and was in the boardroom for quite some time. She wondered if Nick was in there this time.
As the man left, he looked at Cori with a smile and nodded at her. Was that a congratulatory smile and nod, or a sorry, maybe next time smile and nod? It was time to find out.
The job was hers. The board raved about her proposal and actually made it her first order of business to get it rolling. While they talked, she focused on the empty chair. No Nick. It was probably for the best. Before she left, she turned and asked if Mr. Blackthorne weighed in, and they said that he hadn’t – he’d removed himself from selection process. Interesting.
***
It was Saturday morning when she sat in her office, twirling a pen, making a list of what needed to happen during her transition to the executive suite. First, what to pack and take upstairs with her, then who she would promote to replace her. She was tossing names around in her head when Tony came in and took a seat. He wasn’t in his standard uniform but wore a suit; it was Saturday after all.
“Where are you going dressed like that?” she asked, breaking the ice.
“Oh, I just have a thing this afternoon – Raquel dressed me,” he teased.
“Ah. What can I do for you?”
“I was in the city…I’m just checking on you, figured you were here. You have all of us a bit worried, honey.”
“I’ll be fine, Tony. I bounce back – every time.” There was an ounce of sarcasm in her tone when she implied this was nothing more than a pattern for her.
“I know you will. You know your like my own…the daughter I never had.”
“You have a daughter, Tony.”
“I know, but you’re like the one I never had…” he emphasized.
“Okay. Go on, I get it.”
“Your heart is broken – I get it – you were disappointed.”
“I really don’t want to talk about this right now,” she said, her emotions betraying her.
“It’s either me, or Raquel comes up here. She’s waiting downstairs.”
“Okay, go on.” Cori loved Raquel, but she was a bulldog and always got whatever it was she was trying to do, done. Since Cori was the focus, she thought it best to get it from Tony.
“Blackthorne is a good guy. He made you happy. You made him happy. I can’t stand seeing the both of you all tore up.”
“You’ve talked to him?”
“I have.” Tony admitted. “He told me everything.”
“I see.”
“Do you, Cori? Because I don’t think you do.” His tone was deeper, more emotional. “I think you fell in love, and it scared the bajeezuz outta ya. So, when you were given an out, you took it.”
“That’s not true. Why would I choose hurt over happy? We weren’t meant to be – none of it was real. Everything…it was just a big…lie.”
“It wasn’t real? Then why does it hurt, honey? Still after all this time…why the tears? You love him. You’re scared to love him, but you do.”
“I…I just can’t do this. He lied.”
“No. He didn’t lie. Not really.” Tony went on. “Now, I don’t like how he went about it, but I know why he did it. He was trying to put all of that mess with that girl behind him so he could have a life with you. He thought it would spook you, and he was right, so he just didn’t tell you. He thought he was protecting you because he loves you. When we’re in love – we do foolish things. Kind of like you not telling him where you lived or even your real name.”
“But I…”
“You what? You were protecting him? Nahhhh. You were protecting you. It was your fallback plan. The minute he gave you his heart, you ran back to safety. It’s easier to recover now than it would be ten, twenty, or however many years down the road, should something happen. Am I right? You loved him so much, you left him because it was easier than losing him on terms other than your own.”
Emotion was consuming her, the tears were flowing, and she knew he was right.
“Love is a gamble – it’s hard, it hurts, and it’s worth it because its joy, and happiness, and adventurous. You need to gamble, honey. That man loves you probably more than you do him. I’d say he’s a safe bet. If not…there’s always my cousins, Vinnie and Guido.”
She laughed at his attempt to lighten the mood – it worked – and he was right. But it was too late. The damage was done. How could they recover from what she had done?
“It’s not too late…you stop thinking that way. It will all come together in time,” he said, as if reading her mind. He looked at his watch and stood. “I have to get going, but will you do me a favor?”
“Anything,” she replied honestly.
“Trust me, okay? I want you to come and spend the day with us…”
“Oh, I can’t,” she interrupted, running her hands through her hair and wiping her face on them. “I’m not dressed for wherever you’re going, looking like that.”
“I got it covered. You just wait here, okay? Promise me you’ll keep an open mind and just…go with it,” he said as he stepped out of her office, to which she nodded.
The elevator doors closed, and she was alone, again, with just her thoughts. Tony was right. She did love Nick, more than anything, and she had run out of fear. If it wasn’t too late, then how was she to fix it?
Before her thoughts could go any further, the ping of the elevator caught her attention, and out walked Tony’s daughter, Jersey, with her arms full of something and a woman wheeling a mirror behind her, along with a cart full of drawers.
“Heya, honey,” Jersey said in her signature accent while smacking her gum.
“Jersey…I didn’t expect to see you?”
“Yep! Pop sent me. Guess we gotta get you all dolled up. This is my assistant, Chastity; she’s just helpin’ me get everything in here and to keep us company.”
“Oh!” Cori nodded her head and took in what Jersey was telling her. She couldn’t decide if she was supposed to let her do whatever Tony sent her to do or run like hell.
Jersey was wearing head to toe cheetah print with a 6-inch-wide belt around her generous waist that had a rhinestone encrusted buckle in the shape of a cat. Her makeup was as bright as her bold colored accessories, and her hair had a poof the size of the Empire State Building. Cori loved Jersey to bits, but she didn’t love her style.
Another ding of the elevator, and Cori was speechless.
“Heeelllloooo…Miss D is in the house, honey!” Devina Devine, looking every bit Rupaul as she did the day Cori met her, came gliding toward her.
“Devina! How…why…”
“Yes, child, it is me. I understand we need to get you all gussied up. James called me and said you have somewhere to be and could use a little help with the flare! Well the flare is here, baby. What are we waiting for?”
The women went to work, Jersey on makeup, Devina on hair, and Chastity keeping everyone company, offering drinks to the two beauty queens like they were in a boxing ring. Cori wasn’t worried about how she would look anymore – bright makeup, big hair – she didn’t care because she was laughing, and it felt good. She needed this.
“Oooh, honey. You are almost done, and we are almost out of time. Get your cute behind in the bathroom and change.”
“Change? I don’t have anything to change into,” Cori said, a bit confused.
“Oh!” Jersey turned quickly, knocking over her cart of drawers, her supplies going everywhere. “Yes, you do! Here!”
“Thank…you?” Cori said, as Jersey handed her a familiar garment bag. “This is from…”
“Gwendolyn Brock!” Jersey clapped her hands in excitement. “She sent it over. She wanted you to have it. I guess she adores you!”
“Oh. Okay.” Cori didn’t mean to sound so sullen, but it made her think of her meetings and calls with Gwendolyn, which then made her think of Nick.
“None of that, sour puss. Make sure you put on the lacy pretties that I know are in there. Just change in that cubicle; there’s no one here,” Devina said.
“Lacy pretties?”
“Drawers, honey. Your panties!”
“I’m wearing…”
Devina reached down and grabbed the hem of Cori’s skirt and lifted it up, much to Cori’s embarrassment. “Devina!”
“Oh, no you don’t! Not even my granny would wear those to her grave, child. Put on the pretties. You know I’ll check!”
“Fine! Got it! This better be good!”
Cori did as she was told and put on the lacy undergarments that were indeed in the bag, then the dress – a long, blush colored, silk gown hugged her curves, flared at her feet, and felt like butter when she moved.
Three gasps filled the room when she walked back into the office.
“Miss Jersey, you are an artist.”
“No. I bow down to the great Devina Devine. This was your vision, and she is just… I don’t know if there is a word for what she is,” Jersey said in a daze.
“Breathtaking, baby. The word is breathtaking.”
Chastity turned the mirror around so Cori could see just what they were talking about. Her eyes filled with tears. The dress was stunning, her hair amazing, and face flawless. She couldn’t identify the emotion she was feeling – she liked what she saw and appreciated what the ladies had done for her, but her heart hurt a little, knowing it was for nobody but herself.
“Oh, no you don’t. Don’t you dare cry!” Jersey threatened. “You’ll ruin your makeup!”
Laughter erupted among the group until Devina’s phone chimed and she jumped. “It’s time! We’ll come back for this mess later. Let’s get you downstairs.”
“Downstairs?”
“Your chariot awaits, madám.”
“My what?”
“Your ride, honey. Your ride is here!”