Unravel(11)

Lana placed the papers into my outstretched hand. Before I got out of the car I looked at her one last time. She was staring out the window, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“It’s not a big deal, okay?” I said. “Max is just one guy. That’s it.”

“Okay, okay.”

I waited for her to smile. No one smiled like Lana. It transformed her face. She went from being somber and quiet, to someone so beautiful it made you want to do a double take.

But she didn’t smile at me.

I opened my door, knowing this conversation wasn’t over. Not in the least.

“His office is on the seventh floor,” Lana called out.

I gave her a thumbs-up and walked into the blistering heat. If I stayed out here longer than five minutes I was liable to start melting. The heat made everything in the far distance blurry, almost pixilated. I’m surprised steam wasn’t rising from the sidewalks.

Only a few steps away were the revolving doors. I couldn’t stop staring at them and I couldn’t stop my mind from conjuring up the image of Max.

I heard his silent toast echo in my ears: Get Ready.

And even in this scalding heat, I shivered.

Taking a deep breath, I followed Lana’s directions and crossed the main lobby. My flip-flops sounded against the black granite floors. I signed in, grabbed a visitor card, and went right to the elevator. I was surrounded by men in suits. They spoke quietly on their cell phones or to each other. I stared at my reflection in the elevator doors and knew that I stood out in my white short shorts, and green racerback tank.

The doors finally slid open. I pressed seven. My fingers drummed against my thigh as I watched the numbers flash above me. It was crazy, but I was starting to get nervous. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. Maybe Lana was right.

2, 3, 4…

I took a deep shaky breath.

5, 6…

My grip tightened on the papers.

7…

The doors slid open to a typical office. Plush, black chairs against the wall. Black and white pictures of high-rise buildings. Magazines on the end tables. Green plants placed throughout the space. Right in the middle of the room was the secretary’s desk, with a pretty brunette behind it.

I put one foot in front of the other.

Get this done and get out of here, I said to myself.

The brunette looked up. She gave me a friendly smile. But she took in my dress code and her smile waned. I couldn’t really blame her for judging. I looked at the name on the counter. Sophie Miller.

“May I help you?” she asked.

I lifted the stack of envelopes in my hand. “I need to drop these off.”

“You can just hand them to me. I’ll make sure he gets them.”

“Thank you,” I said.

Sophie grabbed a pen and notepad. “Who should I say this is from?”

I leaned on the counter and smiled. “I’m Starlight from the local strip club. Your boss has a running tab and I was just delivering his newest bill.”

Pen dropped. Sophie’s head shot up. Mouth was hanging open. This was fun. Some of my anxiety began to fade.

And right when I was starting to relax, the door behind her opened. A man walked out. He wasn’t Max.

I smiled.

I wanted to sigh with relief, but right behind the man was Max. My smile faded. My body started to tingle. He had on a white dress shirt, tucked into navy blue dress pants. A striped tie, and a tailored vest showcased his wide shoulders. He crossed his arms and I saw the silver watch on his wrist.

My body felt leaden. My movements were slow. And it was all because of him. I gripped the counter. It didn’t even matter that he wasn’t looking my way. His magnetism fell off him in waves, pulling me under, drowning me slowly, making my lungs constrict with every breath.

Max had a focused look on his face as he talked. I knew he was in his element. He was a shrewd businessman. One that was intelligent enough to know when to shut up and listen, and when to speak.

My resistance, the little I had built up, was starting to fade. I had to get out of there fast. I attempted to get Sophie’s attention. Attempted was the key word. She was fixated on Max.

I tried using my manners. In a polite voice, I said Sophie’s name. She didn’t look at me.

I tapped the counter. Still nothing. I glanced over at Max. He was wrapping up his conversation. My heart started to race. I felt like these were the final seconds I had before a bomb went off and exploded in my face.

“Hey,” I snapped my fingers. “Sophie!”

She jerked her head back to me and gave me an impatient look. “Yes?”

I quickly rushed my words. “I need to be going. Can you just say that Naomi stopped by to drop these off for—?”

Max stopped mid-sentence. So I stopped mid-sentence.

His head turned in my direction. I silently cursed myself. He had been gesturing with his hands but now they were frozen in the air. He blinked and looked at me as if I weren’t real.

I wished that were the case. I wished I could snap my fingers and disappear that second.

His silence made the man next to him stop talking and stare at me. The man looked between Max and me, and excused himself.

“Naomi?”

How did he do that? How did he make my name sound so… sinful?

I cleared my throat. “That’s my name.”

He walked over to me. “How are you?”