Chapter 15
ROCCO
“Hey, Rocco.”
I look up from my work and frown when I see Nancy standing in my doorway.
“Nancy,” I say, bluntly. I turn back to the computer.
“Can I talk to you?”
“Depends. Are you here to try to sabotage someone again?”
She walks in and sits in the chair across from my desk. “I want to apologize for that. I was jealous, and I really had no reason to be. I’ve talked to Maddie and we are good. We actually went out the other night and made amends. I like her,” she nods.
“Well, good. It’s nice to know you are able to work through any differences you had.” I hesitate, waiting for her to continue, but she sits there and looks at me with a solemn expression on her face. “So, what can I do for you?” I ask, when she doesn’t offer anything more.
“I really don’t know how to, or if I should, bring it up. I’ve always liked you and I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Never mind. It’s just going to look like I’m trying to get her again. I should go.” She gets up and starts to walk out. I’m skeptical, but maybe if I hear what she has to say, I can decipher a truth versus a lie.
“Nancy. It is obviously bothering you if you came in to tell me. Come back over and sit.”
When she finally sits back down after a few moments of hesitation, she presses her lips together and looks down at her hands.
“I just don’t want any problems, but I’m worried that Maddie might not have the best of intentions in her relationship with you.”
“Relationship?” So much for keeping it under wraps.
“Yeah. I know about you two, and I was so happy when I heard. I know we didn’t get off on the right foot. That’s why I… kind of encouraged her to talk to you. I think that is why she went to see you the other night.”
“So, you knew.”
“I honestly thought she had good intentions. I thought she really liked you.”
“She… does,” I reiterate with skepticism.
“Just keep your guard up, please?”
“Nancy. Stop beating around the bush. If you have something to say, then say it. Otherwise, stop wasting my time.”
I watch as she purses her lips and fidgets with a button on her top.
“I was supposed to meet her at Manhattan’s Best last night but I called and canceled. Something came up, however, it finished early so I decided to go after all and when I got there I overheard her talking to someone and it wasn’t good.”
“I’m sure whatever you heard was taken out of context.”
“She said something about going to Joanne, something about an investment? She is going to tell her you seduced her and pushed yourself on her. I’m afraid she wants you out of the way.”
“That is ridiculous.”
“She has pictures, Rocco.”
“Maddie wouldn’t do something like that. She doesn’t have it in her.”
“I didn’t want to believe it either, so I stuck around in the shadows until I saw this.”
She pulls out her phone and presses a couple of buttons. When she hands it to me and shows me a picture of Maddie in an embrace with another man I find myself still skeptical, examining the picture, looking for some signs of Photoshopping or Maddie pulling away, or something. A feeling in the pit of my stomach forms and I begin to believe Nancy. Apparently, my face shows it.
“I’m so sorry. I know how you feel about Maddie.”
I text the picture of Maddie and this man to my phone and hand Nancy’s back to her.
“Maybe I’m wrong,” she says. “Maybe the embrace meant… nothing.”
“Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I’ll handle it.”
She nods and leaves quietly, leaving me with new thoughts and doubts.
I walk into the kitchen and watch Maddie as she puts the finishing touches on an anniversary cake for a party later that evening. I can’t help but see her in a new, vindictive light. Shaking my head, I try to stay positive until I hear her side of the story. There has to be a good explanation.
“Maddie?”
She glances up at me and smiles. “Oh, hey! Hang on, I’m almost finished.” She swirls the pastry tip up and down gracefully over the top of the cake and steps back to look at the finished product. “What’s up?” she asks, setting down the bag.
“We need to talk, now.” I clench my jaw and look at her through heavy lids.
“Is everything okay?”
“Not really, no.”
She follows me out of the kitchen, grabbing her purse and I lead her into my office.
“Close the door.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?”
I glare at her and she closes it.
“What’s wrong?”
I sit down, contemplating my words carefully.
“Rocco, you’re scaring me.”
“Do you have anything you need to tell me?”
“Like, what?”
I can see her growing uneasy. She does have something to hide. Damn her!
“I know about the picture, Rocco.” She quickly picks up her purse and pulls out a large envelope. “Did you get them too? I didn’t know what to do about them.” She hands me the envelope. Without another word, I open it and pull out the pictures of our intimacy. I look at them carefully and look back at her. I feel disgust build.
“Is this how you were going to do it?”
“Do… what?” she asks with a fragile voice.
“Blackmail me?”
“What?” She shakes her head. “What are you talking about? These were in my mailbox yesterday. I don’t know who sent them.”
I look at the pictures again and see the angle of the couch on my wall. Looking around my office, I walk to a lamp on the opposite wall and examine it. When I see the small device stuck to the side of it, I grab hold and tear it off, holding it out to her.
“Rocco, I didn’t do this.”
“Who is the guy?”
“What guy?” I pull out my phone.
When she sees the picture from Nancy’s phone she steps back. “She is trying to sabotage me again.”
“Who?”
“Nancy.”
“Nancy? Really? Why now?”
“This is her father. He was with us when I met her the other night.”
“So, you are fucking her father?”
“No! She set this whole thing up to make me look bad!”
She watches me intently as I try to decipher the information. All fingers point to Maddie, but I still have a hard time believing it. So pure, so innocent. I guess the quiet ones are always the dangerous ones.
“Don’t you believe me?”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
I drop the pictures on my desk and walk out the door, leaving her there.