Chapter 2
Don’t get wet without me.
Rain pelted the sedan as we drove through the streets of Manhattan. Arthur, my driver, navigated the roads better than any NYC cabbie to Tornitaro’s restaurant. A couple times a month, I would meet my friends Cade and Adam for lunch, but Adam was away on business, so it was just me and Cade today. The three of us had been friends since our sophomore year in high school when my family moved to the west side of the city. We didn’t attend the same university, but we stayed close and spent a lot of time at each other’s homes during breaks. They were like the brothers I never had.
Spring in New York after a cold-as-fuck winter was welcomed, but rain not so much. When we arrived, Arthur stepped out first and stood by my door with an opened umbrella. Passersby looked at me as if I was a prima donna, but I was dry and didn’t give a fuck.
Before I went inside, Arthur handed me a dry umbrella to use when lunch was over. As soon as I stepped through the doorway, a cute blonde hostess greeted me with a smile. She’d seen me before and knew who I was—a lot of people here did. Since The Post mentioned me on a regular basis, it tended to put a dent in any attempt at anonymity.
The restaurant wasn’t very busy. Slight chatter filled the modestly lit room as I made my way to the table.
“There he is,” Cade said as he stood to shake my hand. “How the hell are you?”
“I’m good, just swamped with work as usual. How’s life over at Octane International?” I took a seat and a sip of the drink he had ordered for me and flagged down a waiter.
“Busy as hell, but I suppose that’s a good thing.” Cade chuckled as the waiter came to take our orders.
“It sure is; money talks, right?”
“Yup, and bullshit walks.” We both raised our glasses in a silent toast. Cade took a sip of his whiskey with a grimace before saying, “Dad wants me to expand my horizons past the boardroom.” After that comment, I wasn’t sure if the scowl on his face was due to the liquor or his father.
Where I was the CEO of Carris Global, Cade was the Vice President of Operations at Octane. His father still held the reins, whereas I was in complete control. “What does that mean exactly?”
“Represent our company at charity events. I need to be the face of Octane.”
“You are pretty.” I let out a laugh, but Cade just shook his head.
“You’re calling me pretty, Mr. Most Eligible? I’m still not sure how you got that title.” Now he was laughing, and I wasn’t. “Not that I lack in the pussy department.”
“Well, you can have the title. I’ve never been a fan of it. As far as the events, I’m sure I’ll see you there since I have a few on my calendar.”
The waiter returned with our meals. “So, do you have a new lady? Is that why you don’t want that title?” Cade smirked as he chewed on a piece of steak.
“You’re a funny guy. That title brings out money hungry women, and who needs that in their life? Hell, I grew up with a woman like that and don’t intend on going through that again.”
“Not every woman is your mother.”
“Thank God for that.” I finished my drink in one swallow. Thankfully, we changed the topic of our conversation subject to sports because even the thought of my mom made me start to lose my appetite.
Just as we finished our meals and arguing about the Yankees and the Mets, a melodic laugh rang through the air, catching our attention. I glanced to my left in search of the sweet sound to find it came from a woman sitting a few tables over. Her wavy, reddish blonde hair bounced as she shook her head at whatever her lunch date had said—lucky bastard.
Cade smirked. “Maybe I’ll take her to one of the events.” She laughed once more as if she heard him—and was declining the offer. “Damn, wonder what she sounds like in bed?”
I glared at him, debating calling dibs on her, but that was a bit juvenile so I played a different card.
“Why don’t you go ask her out, and maybe you’ll get both of your answers?” Then she stood, and I saw all of her, instantly wishing I could take back my suggestion. Fuck me. Even from across the room she was stunning. Those gorgeous curls framed a beautiful heart-shaped face. Her porcelain skin, what looked to be green eyes, and ruby red lips made my dick wake up. She looked a bit younger than me—not jailbait age, but I’d put her at about twenty-four.
Thankfully, the cell phone gods dialed Cade’s number just as our check came, and the gorgeous stranger started to head for the door, alone. I tossed a hundred dollar bill down on the table and motioned to Cade that I had to go. He knew what I was going after—or rather, who—his scowl confirmed that. Sucked for him, but in my head she was already mine.
Water continued to bounce off the city streets as a sea of umbrellas flanked the outside of the doors. I popped mine open just in time to see a cab stop in front of the mystery woman. She opened the door, and as she moved to get in, some jackass in a trenchcoat slipped inside and closed the door. What a douchebag.
She yelled something in what sounded like French, her middle finger thrust high in the air, followed up with, “Asshole!” I couldn’t help but laugh. When she turned to look at me, droplets of water ran down her face, taking some of her eye makeup with them. Even with black smudges, she was beautiful . . . and very familiar.
“Margo?” Her eyes narrowed for a minute as she studied me. “Margo Perry?”
Her perfectly shaped lips fell open. “Noah?” When I nodded, her lips curved up in the prettiest way, and in an instant, I pictured not only kissing them, but doing other things to them as well. The last time I saw her, she was barely an adult, now she was all woman. I couldn’t help but pull her in for a hug. God, she felt good. Her soft breasts, pushed up against my chest, were the best greeting ever.
“Come on.” I placed my hand on the small of her back, making sure I kept the umbrella over her head. “I have a car here.”
Arthur opened the door for us and I slid in right behind Margo. She was spectacular. No trace of the awkwardly cute, gawking teenager remained. Nope. Margo was stunning, and now I was the one gawking.
“Thank you so much for the ride. This weather sucks and that guy was a dick.” Her face flushed at my surprised expression. “Pardon my language.”
“No, you’re right, he was definitely a dick.” Once more, she smiled; my new goal in life was to bring that look to her face as often as I could.
“It’s so weird that you’re here. I was just thinking about you.” She was? That was a good sign. “You look fantastic, Noah, but you always did. If possible, you might look better now than the last time I saw you.”
Me? I let out a chuckle. “I’d say you hold the award for that. The last time I saw you . . .” An image of her in an oversized hoodie, baggy jeans, black-rimmed glasses, and hair in a nest of curls that birds would have loved to live in, popped into my head. “You didn’t look like this . . .”
“That’s because I was seventeen. You, on the other hand, were much older.”
“I was only twenty-two! I’m not that much older than you.”
“Back then you thought you were.”
“So you were thinking about me?”
“Yes.” Her face turned a pretty shade of pink at her admission. I knew that Margo had a crush on me, but she was just a kid when we first met—a high schooler, and I was in college. In other words, no way in hell would I have even considered her dateable. But knowing I had been in her recent thoughts made me happy.
“I’m flattered.” I shot her a wink.
“I’m sure you are, but I thought I saw Cade in the restaurant and you popped in my head. Were you with him?” Margo reached in her bag and pulled out a compact. As soon as she saw her reflection, she cursed. “This makeup sucks.” She swiped at her face with her fingers. “I don’t know why I bothered to fix it the first time.” When she looked at me, her cheeks flamed red with embarrassment.
“Yes, we had lunch.” She kept her focus on the tiny circular mirror in her hand. “I’m sorry; I don’t have a handkerchief or tissue to offer you.” She gave me a half-grin. “If it’s any consolation, you wear it well.”
Arthur cleared his throat. “Sir? Would you like to go to your office?”
I’d almost forgotten I had a meeting to attend. Right now, I was only interested in the beautiful woman sitting next to me, who smelled like a bakery. Was she a baker? If so, she didn’t eat anything she made or had a kick-ass metabolism, because even though she had on pants and a coat, I could tell her figure was slight.
“Where are you headed?”
“Eighth and Thirty-fifth. Midtown. Were you going in that direction?” Her plump lip disappeared underneath her bite.
“My office is just a few blocks from here.” She nodded, a defeated look on her face. “But it’s not a problem.”
“Can you drop Noah off first?” Margo asked Arthur, and then snapped her head toward me, wincing, probably from giving my employee orders. “If that’s okay with you? Never mind, I can take a cab from your office. It wouldn’t be the first time today my mode of transportation changed.”
“You’re not taking a cab. After I’m dropped off, Arthur will take you where you need to go.” I reached into my pocket in my blazer and pulled out a business card. “Here’s my information. I’d like to get together. How about dinner tonight?”
“I’d love to catch up over dinner, but I have plans tonight.” She lifted the card between her thumb and forefinger, “I’ll call you and let you know when I’m free.”
Shit. Did she have a boyfriend, or worse yet, was she married? Nah, Adam would have told me if his baby sister tied the knot. But I was still curious, so I nonchalantly glanced at her ring finger, sighing in relief that the slender finger was bare.
Wait. Did she just say she’d call me? Well, this was a new one. Gone was the girl who would jump through hoops for me.
The car came to a stop in front of my office. “This is me.” With my hand on the door, I looked over at her. “It was great seeing you, and I hope to hear from you soon.” I leaned over and placed a quick kiss on her cheek.
“It was good seeing you, too, Noah, and thank you for the ride.”
“My pleasure.” I got out, but before I closed the door, I pointed to the umbrella. “Be sure you take that; I wouldn’t want you to get wet without me.” I tossed in a wink as her eyes went wide.
As they drove off, I couldn’t help but smile. Margo Perry . . . I’ll be damned. She turned me down, but I wasn’t the type of man who gave up easily.
The next day was much like all my other ones, meetings and more meetings. Jan popped into my office holding a box and sporting a mischievous grin. And recognizing my umbrella in her other hand explained the look on her face. “You’re cheerful today,” I chided.
She arched her brow in disbelief. “I don’t recall ever being anything but cheerful. I’m surprised your disposition isn’t better. Not only did you seal the deal with MacMillan Enterprises today, but the woman who gave me your umbrella was quite lovely.”
She set the box on my desk and beamed. “Did the lovely woman also happen to drop this off?” I stared at the small box.
“Mhmm.” That’s when she handed me the card. “New love interest?”
“You read too many romance novels.” Even though I knew she was curious, for some reason, I didn’t want an audience. “Was there anything else?”
Jan sighed. “You’re no fun. I’ll be at my desk.” She paused before exiting. “Let me know if you need anything.”
When the door clicked closed, I opened the envelope and pulled out the small card.
Noah,
It was wonderful seeing you yesterday. Thank you very much for the ride and the umbrella. Here’s a little token of my appreciation. May it help you the next time you decide to be a chivalrous hero.
Best,
Margo
If she only knew how great it was to see her and the fact that I hadn’t stopped thinking of her since. Of course, those thoughts consisted of her bent over my desk, but I’d save that for a different day. With deft fingers, I unwrapped the package and pulled the lid off the box, finding a small cloth inside. Unfolding it, I saw my initials embroidered in the top left corner. A white linen handkerchief. I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped me. Yes, getting to know her again was now high on my priority list.
I called Jan back into my office and she appeared immediately. If I didn’t know better, I’d assume she was standing outside my door, waiting for me to call her in.
“Yes, sir?”
“Please stop calling me sir. You picked me up from kindergarten when my parents were busy.” She nodded, but I knew she would ignore my request. “Can you please contact the company who delivered this package and get me the sender’s information?”
“Here you go.” She handed me a sticky note. “Since I know you better than you know yourself, I took care of it.”
I had to admit I was impressed. “And how exactly did you do that?”
“I told her that visitors needed to leave a contact name and number.” My eyes stared at the little matchmaker. That wasn’t normal practice. Jan shrugged, and then glanced at the gift. “That’s lovely. Not many men use them anymore.” Her head tilted as though she recalled a memory. “Those were the days when a lady knew where she stood with a man.”
Did she just sigh?
Leaning back in my chair anxious to hear her story, I laced my fingers in my lap. “Where you stood with a man? Because of a handkerchief to blow your nose in?” Now it was my turn to look dumbfounded.
She made herself comfortable in the chair across from me. “Noah, a man loaning a woman his handkerchief is more than that. It’s a symbol that he cares. It doesn’t matter if it gets dirty, and in most cases, he doesn’t want or expect it back. Nowadays, no offense to your generation, but men don’t carry them. They’d rather carry condoms.” Her hand smoothed her gray hair, which was pulled back in some sort of tight twist.
I stared at her in shock, feeling my face heat as the blood rose to my cheeks. “Did you just say condoms?”
“I did.”
Why the hell did I ask that?
She pointed to the handkerchief on my desk. “Care to tell me why she sent it to you?”
“Because I didn’t have one when she needed it.”
“But the same can’t be said for condoms, right?” More staring. I wasn’t taking the bait. “You don’t need to answer that. The look on your face confirms I’m correct.” With a prideful smile, she stood and tapped the paper with Margo’s information on it. “How did you meet her?”
“I met her a long time ago, but haven’t seen her in years. We were at the same restaurant yesterday.”
“Well, you should call to thank her.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jan flipped a yellow page in her notebook. “Now, about the list of events I left on your desk.”
“Can’t I just send a check?”
She slowly shook her head. “Noah, you need to get out more. All you do is work. When’s the last time you went on a date? Do you need me to contact that woman for you?”
I scoffed. “You’re funny, and no. I’m busy, that’s all. Hell, you keep my calendar. Wasn’t it just the other day you scolded me for wearing the same tie three days in a row? You may as well be my mother.” I shot her a wink, and her eyes softened. She knew full well that she was more of a mother than the woman I shared DNA with. “So, again, can’t I send a check?”
“Noah, your grandfather was known for his philanthropy.” She rolled her shoulders back, and I knew the hit was coming. “But he also knew that generosity went beyond dollar signs. Don’t you think you can spare a night or two?”
“Yes, of course, you’re right.” I almost tossed in as always, but the satisfied look she sported told me she didn’t need me to confirm that.
“That’s what I thought you’d say, so I took the liberty of RSVPing to some of them for you. Your calendar has been updated. All you need to do is handle who your guest will be. My offer still stands, if you’d like my assistance . . .”
I slipped my finger in the knot of my tie and tugged it loose. Exasperated, I replied, “No, you’ve done more than enough today. Thank you.”
Once I was alone I tucked the sticky note into my pocket, along with the handkerchief, finished removing the silk noose from around my neck, and thought about a pretty redhead.
The buildings outside my apartment window started to illuminate as the sky darkened. I poured myself a drink, sat on my couch, and stared at Margo’s phone number. Without further thought, I called her . . . and waited.
“Hello?” The sweetest voice, with a hint of uncertainty, graced my ear.
“Hey, it’s Noah.”
She cleared her throat, and I swore I heard her gulp. “Hi?” Her voice sounded a bit off. Was she with someone? “Um . . . how did you get my number?”
“You left it with my assistant.” I’ll blame Jan. After all, it was the truth.
“Oh, right. She could double as a CIA Agent.” Thankfully, her voice was light, and I relaxed.
“Yeah, she’s pretty thorough.” I chuckled. “I’m calling to thank you for the gift. It was very thoughtful.”
“You’re welcome. It’s not much, but maybe the next damsel in distress you rescue will appreciate it.”
“I’m sure she will.” An awkward silence stretched between us. “Well, I’ll let you go, but let’s catch up soon.”
“Sure, maybe we can do that. I’ll call you.”
Margo seemed to like to take the reins, but little did she know, I already held them. We ended the call, but my mind raced with the possibilities with this woman.