CHAPTER ONE
The apartment door opened and Megan and Lorena walked in, laughing and carrying groceries. They filled the small kitchen table with several brown paper bags and began putting them away.
“I want to thank you again, Lorena, for letting me rent the room. This is working out so perfectly.”
“I could hear the urgency in your voice when you called. What made you need to move in so quickly? Have you lived in London before?”
“No. I was with…this guy.” she smirked, trying to pass it off as no big deal. “I was his house keeper actually and things just got….”
“Weird?”
“Yeah,” she smiled. “Weird.”
“I hear ya, sister.”
Megan watched Lorena stand on her toes to put some spices away in a higher cupboard. Lorena was beautiful. Small frame, black hair, cute round face. She was Latina or Spanish, Megan wasn’t sure which. She talked with a perfectly good British accent, but there was still the hint of her own origin on her tongue.
“It actually worked out perfectly. My old roommate just moved out and I was a little nervous that I would have to pay full rent. I had my ad online since before she started packing. You came around at just the right time,” she said matter-of-factly.
They finished putting the groceries away and Lorena looked at Megan, smiling.
“What?”
“Come on.” She grabbed two wine glasses and a bottle of cheap wine and pulled Megan into the living room. “Grab that box over there.” She nodded toward a small desk by the window before sitting on the couch. She opened the wine and poured the two goblets full.
Megan picked up the box and sat next to Lorena.
“Open it,” she said excitedly. Megan pulled the top off the box and marveled at the various chocolate pieces presented to her.
“Oh, you are going to spoil me.” Megan looked them over and chose one. She smelled it deeply before popping it into her mouth. Closing her eyes, she indulged in the flavor until it was melted throughout her entire mouth. She washed it down with the wine and smiled. “Oh, yes. That is good.”
“The chocolate brings out the flavor of the wine.”
“Yes, it does,” she said choosing another piece.
They chatted most of the afternoon, getting to know one another and learning each other’s quirks and pet peeves.
“I think it makes it a little easier when you get to know someone up front,” said Lorena.
“I agree. So what do you do?”
“You mean, for work?”
“Mm hmm,” she said, biting into a chocolate.
“I am studying to become a fashion designer. One day I will have my own line and become famous.”
“Sounds exciting. Are you going to school?”
“Well, no. Not right now. I am working at a clothing boutique called Lark London. You know, saving my money so I can take some classes.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“It is this little shop on Chamberlayne. I love it there. You should come by and check it out sometime.”
“As soon as I get a job, I’d love to.”
“So, tell me about your ex.” Lorena leaned forward and smiled, waiting for the juicy details. Megan set her drink down and folder her hands in her lap. She had a look of sobriety come over her.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” cried Lorena. “I didn’t mean to pry.” She smacked her forehead. “God, I can be so insensitive sometimes.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s just that it….” Megan chewed on her lip. “It’s still hard for me. I really liked this guy. I really thought he was one of the good ones.”
Lorena waved her head in the air. “They are all pigs in one way or another, especially the cute ones. I don’t trust any of them.” She put her hand on Megan’s leg. “What did he do? Cheat on you? Did he just stop talking?”
“It was my first time,” she said, looking down.
“Seriously?”
Megan nodded. “My first time being intimate with a man, and my first time being the other woman.”
Lorena gasped. “He didn’t! Is he married?”
“Fiancée.”
“Pig. Well, here is to being single and free from pigs.” She held her drink up and clinked it with Megan’s. Megan wanted to share in Lorena’s celebration, but she honestly wondered how hard it was going to be to get past this.
After a week in her new apartment, she has gotten to know Lorena pretty well. They had a lot in common with each other and loved a lot of the same things, films, music and being single.
“I am famished. Let’s order Thai,” said Lorena.
“No, let me cook tonight.”
“Oooh, sounds even better.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Absolutely.”
“Do you even know how to cook?” asked Megan.
“I can’t even boil water.”
They both laughed and decided that Megan would do all of the cooking. They went into the kitchen and Megan pulled out a few things from the refrigerator.
“When did we get this?” Lorena asked, holding up a package of ground beef.
Megan smiled. “I got it when we went shopping.”
“Oh,” she whispered setting it down.
“I am going to make a mean quesadilla with beef, cheese, pico de gallo and the best hot sauce you have ever had.”
“My mouth is watering already.” She sat at the counter and propped her head up with her hands.
“Oh, wait,” she said going through the spice cupboard. “I don’t see any cumin.”
“Any what?” Lorena sounded like she had heard the word for the first time.
“Ground cumin. It adds this amazing flavor to the beef.”
“So, just use something else.”
Megan smiled. “You can’t substitute for a good recipe.” She walked into the living room. “Have another chocolate. I will be right back.” She grabbed her coat and threw it on. She heard something fall to the floor so she turned around to investigate. She stopped and stared at the business card lying at her feet. “Tristan’s card,” she said quietly. She picked it up and looked at it for a long time before walking out the door.
As she walked through the building toward the front door she remembered his warning about Jensen and Kristina. As she walked the three blocks to the small grocer’s shop she thought about what he said about calling him if she ever needed anything or just wanted to talk. Could she trust him, or would he turn out to be another Jensen Dean? Jensen did warn her that Tristan was a womanizer. She closed her eyes and tried to put it out of her mind.
When she was finished at the grocer’s shop, she couldn’t figure out what made her do it, but she pulled her phone out and called Tristan’s number on the card. It rang a few times then went to his voice mail. She quickly hung up. Before she could get it back in her pocket, it rang. Her stomach twisted a bit as she saw Tristan Crawford on her caller id. Taking a deep breath, she answered.
“Hello?”
“I missed your phone call?”
“Yes. I…um wanted to thank you.”
“Megan? Is this your phone number?”
“Yes,” she smiled. “Hello again.”
“To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Like I said, I just wanted to…thank you for your warning the other day.”
“Warning?”
“Yeah, about Jensen. You were right,” she said with a small lilt in her voice. “I guess I should have listened to you.”
“Where are you?”
“What?”
“Right now, where are you?”
“I am headed home.”
“Meet me for a drink tonight.”
“I can’t.” This was headed toward a path she wasn’t expected to take.
“Why not? I’ll be done work in less than an hour.”
“I have plans…with my roommate. I promised her dinner.”
“Tomorrow then. Coffee?”
“I don’t know.”
“There is a wonderful little café on Cheshire Street. Let me pick you up for an early lunch tomorrow. Where do you live?”
“I’ll…I’ll meet you there.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Eleven okay?”
“You better not stand me up. You’ll break my heart.”
“I’ll be there.”
“You’ll be…where?”
“At…um. What is the name of the café?”
“Mmhmm,” he teased. “Vintage Bean.”
“Got it.”
She walked back to her apartment and when she went inside, Lorena was sitting at the kitchen counter giggling and flirting with a young British boy. Megan walked in and stood in the doorway but they carried on as if she wasn’t there.
“Hello?” she said.
“Oh, oh.” Lorena ran over to her and put her arm through Megan’s. “This is my roommate.”
“This is Megan? Oh, she is much prettier than you said she was.”
Megan opened her mouth and furrowed her eyebrows, “Excuse me?”
“Hey, don’t get me in trouble now.” Lorena scolded the young man as he laughed.
“And who might this be?” asked Megan, walking around to the other side.
“This is Duncan. He lives down the hall.”
“Is Duncan a…friend?”
Lorena laughed, “Yes, a very good friend.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Duncan.”
“Maybe, we could become friends too.” He raised and lowered his eyebrows repeatedly.
Lorena invited him to dinner and they all laughed and talked until late into the night. Lorena and Duncan ended up in her room making noises, giggling and at one point, Megan though they might have fallen off the bed.
“Well, at least somebody is getting some. Swearing off men, huh?” Megan cleaned up the dinner dishes and finished her glass of wine before falling into bed.
She arrived in front of the Vintage Bean just before eleven as promised and contemplated going inside to wait for him. She peeked in through the big bay window and noticed its small size. It wasn’t elaborate or expensive looking like she had expected it to be. She liked that. She noticed her reflection in the window and tucked a piece of loose hair into her messy bun she incorporated on the top of her head before walking in. The shop was quaint and very casual, almost like someone’s living room with too many oversized stuffed chairs and couches.
“Hi ya. Welcome to the Vintage Bean. Make yourself cozy and let me know what you’ll have.”
Megan smiled at the small woman. “Thank you.”
Just as she was walking around the room to an available couch, a little bell sounded to introduce another visitor. Megan sat on the couch and looked up toward the door. Tristan strolled in looking like a million dollars in his pressed suit and tie. Megan looked down at her ripped blue jeans and casual top and immediately felt under dressed. She crossed her arms in front of her as he approached her.
“Megan, hello. You look radiant.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“Thank you, I wish I could say the same about you,” she said jokingly.
He sat down with a confidence that radiated around him. The barista immediately approached them and took their order.
“I’m surprised you called me.”
“Why is that?” Megan fidgeted trying to control her nerves.
“I just never thought Dean would let you out of his sight. I know how he likes to control his women.”
She looked down, embarrassed that she was associated with Jensen in that manner. “I…didn’t know….”
“I’m sorry.” He put his hand on hers and squeezed. “You must think I’m a complete twit.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“How inconsiderate of me.”
“It’s…fine.”
“So,” he said, leaning down to look at her. “What happened? Do you want to talk about it?”
She shrugged. “You were right about everything.”
“Are you still with him or did you end it?”
“I left.”
“You did?”
She nodded. “I left his house, the job, everything.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I went to the penthouse and she was there. I guess he didn’t plan on that.”
“Now I feel bad.”
“You? Why should you feel bad?” she asked.
“I feel somewhat responsible for ruining your relationship. I didn’t mean to make matters worse.”
“Tristan, you didn’t. I’m glad you told me. At least I was able to get out before it got more serious.”
“So, you are doing okay then? Where are you staying?”
“I found an apartment, with this girl. She is wonderful.”
“And work? What are you doing for work?”
“I’m still looking. I applied to a few fast food restaurants. I have some experience there. If I can get something like that I will be okay.”
“Well, I have a position available that I think you would be perfect for, if you are interested.”
“Seriously? What is it?”
“It’s a PA job. Personal Assistant.”
“Who would I be working for?”
“Me, of course. It’s a fairly new position. I could really use the extra help. These long hours are getting to be too much for me. All work and no play….” He smiled.
“What would I be doing?”
“Filing, light typing, meetings preparation, projects, some assistance in the meetings.”
“I don’t know.”
“How about a week trial period, with pay of course.”
“With pay?” She was trying hard to hold on to the fast pace of the conversation.
“How does £50,000 a year starting pay sound?”
She didn’t know what to say. She would have been stupid to turn it down. Besides, she didn’t have to live with him so if it didn’t work out she would only be walking away from the job.
“Okay,” she said smiling wide.
“Wonderful. Come by my office tomorrow morning at eight. Dress professionally.”
“Of course,” she nodded, smiling at the opportunity. As she sipped her latte, she prayed this wasn’t a too-good-to-be-true situation.