Chapter 7
I have never had a week in my life fly by faster than the one I spend dating Colin. During the day, we each work, but every night he takes me somewhere new and fun.
On Monday, we go to the MOMA and wander for hours. As we leave, I notice the sign says it closes at 5:30, and it’s much, much later than that now. It occurs to me that I was so focused on being with Colin that I never noticed we were completely alone in the museum the entire time.
“You didn’t!” I can’t believe it. “How much did you donate so we could be alone in there?”
He winks at me. “Would you believe me if I said I bought the place?”
I snort. “Not really. Though for what I’m sure you spent, you could have opened a few of your own galleries.”
“Fair enough,” he laughs. “But it was still worth every cent.”
On Tuesday, he flies us to the beach on his private helicopter. Though too cold and dark to sunbathe or go swimming, we walk through the sand and listen to the waves crash against the shore. When we get tired of walking, we lie down in the sand, and soon we’re snuggled next to each other, kissing softly in the moonlight.
By the time we get back to the helicopter, there’s sand in my shoes, hair, and nearly everywhere else, and I still feel it even after showering. Not that I mind.
When Wednesday comes, Colin gets us tickets to an opera. I’ve never been to one before, and I’m not sure I’ll like it, but it’s an excuse to wear my strapless, silver mermaid gown. When the house lights darken, Colin’s arm drapes across my back, and I lay my head against his shoulder.
Together, we let the divine voices of the performers inundate us with their joy and sorrow. Colin even has the presence of mind to hand me a tissue to wipe away my tears. At the end, he holds my hand and kisses my forehead.
“Do you want to go backstage and meet the singers?” he asks as the last audience members get up to leave.
“Are they clients of yours?” Does his company even have a stage division? I never would have imagined.
“They’re not, but maybe they’d like to be.”
An hour later, half the cast serenades Colin and me with an encore of the show, followed by their rendition of “For the Longest Time.”
“I don’t know how you’re going to top that,” I tell him as we make out in his limo.
His hand cups my backside and squeezes. “I could think of a few ways.”
“Mmm.” I reach down to his crotch and rub the peak of the tent in his pants. “Then I’ve got good news for you.”
Colin stops kissing me and sets his hands on his shoulders, a grin forming on his lips. “Does this mean you’re ready?”
“One last thing first, okay?”
“Whatever you need, Susie.”
“I’d like you to meet my father, and my best friend.”
Colin sighs and leans back. “Okay, we can do that.”
“They mean the world to me, and if they like you, too, then I’ll know I’m right to trust you with this,” I explain.
He smiles and kisses me on the cheek. “Set it up. I’ll be there.”
—
The next morning, I put in a call to my dad during the lunch hour, figuring it would be the best time to reach him. His secretary puts me through immediately.
“Hi honey, what’s going on?” he asks. He speaks quickly, but he sounds eager to hear from me.
“Are you busy right now?” I pace around my apartment, far more nervous than I think I should be.
Colin’s a great guy. Why wouldn’t Daddy like him?
“A little, yes, but I’ve got time. How are you?”
I force myself to come right out and say it. “Are you free for dinner tonight? I know you’ve had a lot of work lately, but I wanted you to meet-”
“Sorry, honey. I can’t — I have a dinner meeting with my board to discuss this deal we’ve been working on. We’ve narrowed down our choices, and we may even call a for a vote.”
“Oh,” I say. I understand his need to work, but I can’t help being disappointed.
“Just a few more days, Susie. This will all be settled, and my schedule will be wide open. Can you wait until then?”
Well, I’ve waited this long… I suppress a mournful laugh at my own expense. I don’t want to wait any more. I want to have sex with Colin, and I know he’s ready to go. I wouldn’t blame him if he was starting to get impatient.
“Sure, Dad. It’s no problem. I’ll go out with Allison tonight.”
I slump onto my bed and sigh.
“Good. Give her my best. And I’ll make this up to you, I promise.”
“I know. Thanks, Dad.”
“Love you, angel.”
“Love you, too, Dad.”
Maybe this is better. Having Colin meet my dad and Allison at the same time might have been awkward. She’s going to want to ask Colin some probing questions — things I wouldn’t want to hear in front of my dad.
Okay. Let’s do this.
—
Riding with Colin to another date, it’s hard to believe it’s really only been a week since we met. It feels like so much longer.
“Susie?”
“Yeah?”
“We’ve got a little time before we arrive,” he says, pointing out the brake lights of the car in front of us. We’ve been stuck in wall-to-wall traffic for twenty minutes. “Let’s not waste it.”
My core throbs eagerly. Colin looks incredible in his dark suit, and we’ve already had a glass of champagne provided in the limo. My cheeks flush, and I squirm in my seat. I know that if we get started, we could easily get carried away.
“You’ll ruin my makeup,” I say, turning to stare out the window.
“Trust me, it’ll be fine.” He makes a spinning gesture with his hand, so I sit up and face away. Taking advantage of my strapless, black gown, he begins massaging my shoulders slowly and deeply.
“I know you’re a bit stressed, Susie,” he says. “Are you worried about something?”
Sighing, I nod. “I’ve never had a boyfriend meet one of my friends before. I don’t even know what it’ll be like.”
“Would it help if I told you I’m nervous, too?”
I laugh, then moan as his hands knead my muscles. “You, nervous?”
“This is important to me. I want Allison to like me. And it’s her job to pick apart my flaws, to show you anything you may have missed because you’re too close. I wouldn’t say I’m worried, but nervous? Sure.”
“Wow,” I mumble. “Colin Legend. Nervous about meeting a day care worker from Jersey City. I never would have thought.”
Chuckling, he kisses the back of my neck. “Me neither.”
Eventually traffic clears, and the limo pulls to a stop. However, looking out I don’t see the entrance to any club — no lines of people waiting to get in, no thumping bass beat or anything.
“Colin, where are we?”
“Private entrance,” he says, popping open the door. “Out of the eyes of the tabloid photographers. I don’t think your father would want to see his daughter showing up on the gossip sites.”
Following our drivers on foot, we hustle quickly to the club’s back entrance.
“You know, I’ve been photographed by those people before. Family vacations, out clubbing back in college. It’s not the end of the world. You get over it.”
I can barely see Colin in the dark corridor. “Babe, it’s one thing to be seen with your friends or family. Put me in the picture, and that’s a whole different story.”
“I suppose.”
At last, we reach a door marked “VIP room.” It’s guarded by a bouncer even burlier than Colin; the man nods gently and points to an empty booth in the shape of a half-circle. Before we get there, a waitress heads us off and removes a “Reserved” sign.
The VIP section is very dark, with much of the lighting coming from sconces built into the sides of the booths. Electric dance music beats while party goers fight to be heard over one another, punctuated by the occasional pop of a champagne cork. At the end of the section is a small bar illuminated in blue and white. A handsome, young bartender mixes a drink in a shaker before pouring the contents out into a series of shot glasses.
“Welcome to Ice, Mr. Legend,” says the waitress waiting for us. “Can I get you anything to start, or do you need a minute to decide?”
I watch Colin carefully as he looks up at the waitress and says, “Chateau Lafite, please.” To Colin’s credit, he turns straight back to me, passing up the opportunity to examine the waitress’s gorgeous figure. A tight black skirt and a tighter, low-cut top leave exposed plenty of perfectly tanned skin. With big, brown eyes and luscious, raven locks cut into a bob, she’s sexy in a way that feels very calculated, but also quite effective.
She must rake in the tips from these high rollers, I realize.
“She was pretty,” I say to Colin after the waitress leaves.
“Susie, everyone in this place is pretty. But not everyone here is kind and generous. That’s why I’m glad to be here with you.”
Damn, he’s good.
The waitress returns with the wine and fills our glasses, then leaves the bottle. We drink and chat, but my eyes wander around the room, checking to see if anyone is staring at the world-famous tycoon and the young woman at his table. I do catch a few heads turning away, caught in their lack of subtlety. I don’t blame them; I’d be curious too.
Do they think I’m the flavor of the week? Or some small town girl who came to the big city to become a star? Or do they know who I am?
“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Colin asks, drawing me back into the conversation.
“Sorry,” I say. “This is strange. I mean, I’ve always had a bit of attention from the public, but not enough to get recognized out of context.”
Colin nods knowingly. “Yeah, sometimes I really miss that.”
I smile at him and drink a bit more from my glass. “I thought you were going to say anonymity is overrated.”
He chuckles. “Overrated? No. But most of the time, I’d rather be famous.”
“It has its perks,” I admit.
“Yeah, like meeting you.” Colin slides around to my side of the booth and pulls me into a kiss. Tasting the wine on his tongue, I almost start to feel lightheaded, but I don’t think it’s the alcohol. He paws my breast, and I don’t stop him, lying back into the soft padding, content to let Colin play with me. I don’t let up from the kiss, enjoying it as the dance music fades into the periphery of my senses.
For a time, all I can feel is his lips on mine, my toes curling inside my heels, and his hands exploring my body. Pinches and caresses make me giggle, squirm, and moan as I imagine him always going one step further, of him tearing the dress in half, exposing me. Or maybe he could pleasure me so surreptitiously that nobody in the club would even notice — not if I kept quiet.
That has to happen in a place like this, I reason. How could it not?
“Colin,” I whisper, gasping to keep my composure. “Colin,” I repeat, a little louder. “Allison… She’ll be here… any minute.”
“Too late.”
Together the two of us turn like we’ve just been caught pilfering cookies from the jar.
“Busted,” says Allison, who looks like she’s turning red even in the darkness of the VIP lounge. “Think you can keep it in your pants for a couple hours?” she asks, though I’m not sure if she means one of us or both.
“Hi, Allison,” says Colin, putting a few inches between him and me. “It’s good to see you again. Please, sit.” He picks up the Bordeaux bottle and pours her a glass.
“Thanks for coming,” I add. “I thought you should know, Colin told me he’s actually really nervous about meeting you.”
“Babe, why would you tell her that?” Colin asks, laughing. “That’s not fair.”
“Susie and I don’t keep secrets,” Allison replies. “That’s what makes her such a good friend.”
“I’m sure it is. In the short time I’ve known her, I’ve been very impressed by her integrity and giving nature. I wish I could say that of more of my friends. She’s really something.”
Allison nods. “Okay, Colin. You can relax a little. Susie may not have dated a lot of men, but she’s one of the smartest people I know. If she’s fond of you, I’m sure there’s a good reason.”
“Thanks,” he says, raising his glass to her. Allison and I raise ours as well, and we toast.
“Susie’s told me about each of your past dates. At length. And that has impressed me, too. I’m honestly surprised tonight’s the first night you’ve taken her to a place like this. I thought you’d hit up the clubs every night.”
“Nah.” Colin waves dismissively. “This gets old very quickly. It really never changes. What I like about it is really to bring someone here for the first time and see how they react. It tells you a lot about a person.”
“Oh?”
“For most of the people here, this is the height of success. Being in this room, paying $20 for a shot of vodka, that means they’ve made it. And if that’s what they want in life, good for them. But I see the two of you, who have dedicated your lives to a good cause — you’re just not that impressed with this place. Not in the ways that matter.”
“Thank you,” says Allison. “Okay, you’re doing good, but I’ve got a tough one.”
Colin grins. “Shoot.”
“So, you’re doing pretty well for yourself. You’ve got more money than you can spend in several lifetimes. Why don’t you just retire and enjoy your life, with no troubles ever again? Why keep working?”
“That’s not a tough one, Allison. I get asked that all the time.”
“Really?” She raises an eyebrow and shoots me a glance, like I should know this.
“Yeah. Here’s what I don’t tell the journalists: I used to think I would totally retire once I felt I’d made enough. To be honest, I don’t know when I stopped thinking that way. But when you’ve struggled, and are finally making it, winning gets addictive. Like, when you pull off a major move in the business world, one that will shake the entire industry, that’s a thrill that’s really impossible to experience in any other way. And when you’re at the top of the mountain, you want to show the rest of the world that you’re still the best at what you do. I think there’s a part of me that will never stop feeling that way.”
“You just like to win,” Allison summarizes.
“Who doesn’t?” Colin shrugs.
“True… but does that mean you’ll go to any length to get what you want?”
His eyes narrow as he regards my friend. I realize I’m staring, gauging his reaction. Now his nervousness is showing as he fidgets, and I can make out a sheen of sweat rising from his brow.
“I’ve gone pretty far, in some cases. But I have my limits. Shady mobsters, crooks, and killers make for good TV, but I like to keep that all confined to the screen.”
Colin’s trying to be funny, but Allison doesn’t laugh. Stone-cold, she stays focused on him.
“What about taking advantage of someone you claim to care about?”
He leans forward. “Why don’t you come out and say what you mean?”
Allison shakes her head and chuckles. “Okay, sure. Tell me why you picked the Lexington Center for your charity. Why, specifically.”
“Allison, that’s enough,” I interject. “You’re acting like he’s done something wrong.”
“Sorry, Susie, but let him answer. I think you’ll want to hear.” Allison opens her purse and takes out her cell. She turns it on then shows it to me. She has open a news article with the headline, Lexington to announce media partnership this week.
“I’m really sorry, Susie, I swear. But Colin only came to you so he could get an in with your dad.”
I pass Allison back her phone absently, replaying the last week and more in my mind. “I don’t believe you. We’ve never talked about my dad’s business at all,” I argue, though I’m not convinced I’m right. I was so wrapped up in the idea that I finally met a good man, one who I could really fall for, that I never considered his business and personal interests might intersect more than he’s letting on.
“I swear,” says Colin. “Susie, if I didn’t care for you, this past week never would have happened. I am here because I want you. And it has nothing to do with your dad.”
“Maybe not anymore,” mutters Allison.
“I’m sorry?” he growls.
“I can accept you fell for Susie once you got to know her, Mr. Legend. Why not? She’s the best. But that is not why you took her out at the beginning. Your company is gunning for that deal with Lexington, and that’s what started all of this. Tell me I’m wrong.”
The way Allison spat out her words knocked me back in my seat. I’d never heard her so fired up before. I turn to Colin. “Well?”
He sighs and finishes his glass of wine. “I don’t want to lie to you, Susie. So I won’t.”
“I don’t believe this,” I say, moving away from him, forcing Allison to get out of the booth.
“Please, Susie,” he begs. “Everything we felt in the last week, that was all real. It’s why I stayed with you and blew off my business. I wanted to be with you.”
I consider tossing my drink in his face, but the last thing I want to do is cause a scene and draw attention to us. Instead, my reply comes out harsher than anything I’ve ever said before. “Or maybe you just wanted to score a virgin. You know, because winning is so important.” I turn to Allison as I get up. “Come on, let’s go.”
Colin doesn’t try to stop us as we leave, and I don’t look back.