Not His Juliet by K. Jessica Ramirez
Chapter 1:
"Miss White, please excuse the interruption-"
I glance up at my latest personal assistant, Avery who looks a bit irked. Holding up a single finger, I stop her mid-sentence. My eyes quickly train back onto my computer screen. I'm right in the middle of editing a paragraph for one of the books we'll be publishing this summer and it's almost perfect.
She stood tall, her heart pounding fast in her chest, fear slowly swallowing her whole but she wouldn't let it show. She looks fearless and defiant as she stands there, her long brown hair whipping like flames in the air. She had lost so many people to this rebellion and all she ever did was hiding, but not anymore. She would fight for everyone she lost and she would make the change they all dreamed of.
I lean back to the comfort of my desk chair, smiling with content at the screen. Quickly, I save the document and prepare to email it to Donna on the publishing floor to have her send it out. An almost inaudible annoyed sigh fills my ears bringing me back to reality. Turning, I came face to face with the only other person in my office, my personal assistant. Her hair is in a tight bun and the exasperated look she gives me creates wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, only adding to the stress-filled aging look on her face.
"Miss Simon, I hope that I did not just detect a sense of annoyance in your voice when you are addressing me or standing my presence. I do not have to remind you that I own the company you are now working for nor should I have to explain to you how easily dispensable you are." I address her smoothly and firmly.
Avery's eyes widen and she flushes darkly, her cheeks turning tomato red at my statement. She reminds me of a character I've written about in the past. She looks embarrassed and frightened that I almost feel bad for her. Usually, I wouldn't have been so cruel to her but I simply hate when people disturb me in my office.
Some say I've been blessed with the gift of business and creative writing as a young girl but, honestly, blessings had nothing to do with it. I've worked hard to achieve what I have and I will not stand to be disrespected by my own employees; boundaries must be set and followed. I'm her employer and she will not and should not treat me like it.
"Of course not, please forgive-" I cut her off once again waving her off.
I wanted to finish sending 'Abyss of Courage' to Donna's section so it could be sent out before the next morning. I also have to begin to edit the novel 'The Emerald Eyes' before I move on to preparations for the next board meeting and then visit John on the finance level to check in on ratings. I don't have time for excuses or apologies.
"Just tell me what you came in here for. I do have a business to run, Miss Simon." Her cheeks color pink yet again and she stumbles to answer me, becoming utterly incoherent.
"Just give me the damn report Miss Simon, I have work to do!" I exclaim at her, a bit of anger lacing me voice. She nods hastily before finally answering me.
"Naked Sky' is finished and ready for its last edit. It'll be on your desk and ready for you tomorrow morning. 'The Darkest Heart' is done and has been sent out. You have a missed call from Miss Isabelle White..."
Avery's voice fades away as she searches the stack of papers in her hands for the note my mother must have asked to be passed along to me. I wait patiently in my chair for her to continue. As she files through her sheets, my mind wonder to the reactions we'll get from 'The Darkest Heart'. I make a swift mental note to check in and see if Sarah from the language department had translated the novel in Spanish so it can be publish in Hispanic regions too.
A small cough bring me back and I turn back to Avery to see her waiting for my response, but she no longer holds that annoyed look. I smile at her.
"Forgive me, what did you just say?"
"This is the message Miss Isabelle White left." She continues holding out a pastel blue post-it note out to me.
I take it from her placing it on my desk and nod at her to continue.
"Also you have dinner reservations at six with Mister James Jackson" She sends me a tight smile as she delivers her last piece of information before leaving my office.
Now to explain Avery's reaction to my dinner reservation is pretty simple. White Publishing is a pretty huge company, I should know as I own it, yet news still manages to travel fast. It's no secret that my last personal assistant, Cassie, was urgently removed from her position when rumor has it that she had been sleeping with the owner of White Publishing's boyfriend, AKA my boyfriend James Jackson, the owner and CEO of JJ Jingles.
Before you go and get all mushy and pitiful on me, know that this sort of thing happens between him and I a lot. He sleeps around, I get back at him, and then we have dinner to make up. We're on the dinner stage right now hence the dinner reservations Avery mentioned.
James isn't a bad guy. Actually to about 99.9% of the female population he's easily categorize among the 'perfect boyfriend' and 'marriage material' section of men. It's his perfect looks that drew so many girls to him. His straight blond hair and blue eyes always have girls swooning after him. For other girls it's his sparkling personality but for me it's something different. It's that we just function well together, you know? Here in New York we both share a head for business for we both run successful businesses. We also understand each other's boundaries. Like how our past is strictly off limits at all times.
Speaking of off limits I turn to the note my mother asked to be passed on to me.
Angela,
Just calling to tell you I'd love to have you and James over sometime. That is if you're still together. Anyways don't forget to ring up your mother every once in a while. And please pick up your phone, you know I hate calling your work it's really unprofessional.
Love, Mom
That was mom for you. She'd never let a moment pass her where she didn't stick her nose into everything and then judge you for something you weren't even conscious of. She calls to invite us over already knowing that if it isn't Christmas or no one's dying, I wouldn't leave work and I especially wouldn't pull James from his own work to have lunch with my mother.
She has only ever heard of him from me, besides her Google search that I'm sure she more than likely made too. He, on the other hand knows close to nothing about her and I intend to keep it that way. However, I should call her back to at least decline her offer or I'll never hear the end of it. Reaching for my phone, the buzz of the intercom of my work phone brings me out of my action. I place my iPhone back into the drawer it usually stays, locked in during work hours. Turning towards my office phone, it flashes the receptionist's level. Hurriedly, I pick up the phone and bring it to my ear.
"Hey Sally, what's up?" I greet the receptionist.
She has always been my favorite. She's such an ambitious writer and a great one at that. It's such a shame that her shy personality stops her from trying to peruse a career in that field of work.
"Sorry to disappoint but it's not Sally, gorgeous. Just plain old me" I hear James's voice respond.
"Oh, hey baby" I reply mentally cringing at the nickname.
I usually hate the cheesy nicknames that are way over used, all the time with couples, but James and I's latest fight was about "my lack of affection" hence the nickname.
"What's going on?" I continue quickly recovering.
"Dinner reservations at six ring a bell, babe?"
"Oh, shit." I curse into the phone as I glance over to the clock.
It read 5:45 PM. Not actually late but to James it might as well be midnight. He's very punctual and prides himself on it.
"Yeah..." James replies and I hear a hint of annoyance hidden underneath his voice, however I know him well enough to know he wouldn't dare pick a fight with me in front of anyone.
James loves to have everyone believe he lives a glamorous, flawless happy life but that works for me because I can fit into his perfect world just as well as he can fit into mine. We make each other look even better.
"I'll be down in a second, I promise." I answer, rapidly hanging up the phone.
I rush over to the bathroom in my office. Whipping out my animal and environment friendly makeup bag and the long navy blue dress that I packed for our dinner reservations already knowing I'd get swamped at work and forget, I throw on the floor length dress that brings out my curves and apply a little bit of quick make up to bring out my brown eyes. I tug my blond hair free of its tight bun running my fingers through it.
Taking the elevator down to the lobby, arrive mere seconds later. I stand a foot away from James watching him as he tries to inauspiciously check the time.
Tapping his shoulder, causing him to crisply turn in my direction, the charming smile he was already using widens when he realizes it's me. James is a lot of things; charming, sweet, and even funny at times but he isn't patient. So I know that smile is for my quick appearance, not so much me personally.
However that doesn't stop him from leaning in for a quick kiss. His lips are partly chapped and his mouth rather stiff as he kisses me, but this is usual for us too. Our kisses have always been awkward, stiff, as if something more were missing. I pull back from our small kiss and force myself to smile at him as I feel everyone in the lobby gawk at us. I've learned early on in my relationship with James when in public play the part of the perfect girlfriend, actually when in public play perfect period.
The car ride to the restaurant is silent but it isn't an awkward silence. Our quiet moments are never shared, they are always more of a comfortable shared silence. We're both very dedicated and hold a huge passion for what we do that we're always drop dead tired when we take a break from work. So when we do have our private couple moments together, in other words date nights, we never really feel the need to fill the empty space with pointless conversation.
James takes my hand into his own as he leads the way to our table. I try to remember the last time I ate as my eyes scan the over the menu. My stomach grumbles as if to answer me. I smile in spite of myself. The last thing I ate was a beagle with low fat cream cheese this morning after my routine workout and shower. I glance up at James who holds my gaze and he's smiling too.
"You'll run yourself ragged if you keep working without nutrition." James scolds playfully giving me his charming smile.
"Says the man who doesn't even eat breakfast!" I retort playfully in return.
James shakes his head at me but his smile remains on his lips. "Just order, White."
"Order for me?" I ask with a bashful smile.
He turns back to look at me,studying my expression and weighing my words. I allow and consider James's input in many things, most including business deals, but it is a rare occurrence when I allow him to give his opinion on my food, let alone pick it out for me. But I'm in a good mood tonight; there is just something about tonight. Maybe it's that we're finally on good terms after two weeks. He finally nods at me his smile widening.
He snaps his fingers and a second later a female waiter waltz up to our table. I un-cautiously take in her appearance along with her stance and looks. She has thick natural curly red hair that is waist length. She has small eyes but the makeup caked on her face makes them look bigger. Her nose is petite and covered with a splash of freckles and she has an unnaturally amazing body.
I tune back into reality to see the waitress pretty much shove her chest into James's face. Here we go again and just when we were making up. I continue to watch the exchange, my irritation and annoyance building with the second. But to my surprise James doesn't even blink an eye in her direction; he's look straight at me. I lock eyes with him and watch a nervous smile over take his lips. Automatically,I smile back at him. It isn't often I see a shy or nervous side of the ever so confident James Jackson.
"We'll have a bottle of your finest champagne, a chicken salad for the lady, and a steak for me, thanks" He orders, practically shoving the menus in her direction.
Still cheerful and amazed at James lack of interest in the sex on legs girl, I don't bother becoming upset at him for ordering me a salad the moment he did. But once the waitress is gone, it dawns on me how hungry I am. I'm starving from not having eaten since morning that I might just eat James for ordering me a salad when I need a real meal.
I snap out of my thoughts at James takes hold of my hand. I watch him stand from his seat with curious eyes. What is he doing? He kneels in front of me still holding my hand. I have half a mind to pull him up from his position but I don't dare. I swear my eyes are about the size of saucers right now. He has got to be joking! We've only been dating for three years. Isn't there some kind of seven year rule or something? And we just got back on good terms, what in his mind tells him now is the right time?
"I love beginning and ending my days with you. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else. Angela White, will you marry me and do me the honor of becoming Angela Jackson, my wife?"
All the air has literally left my body. How could I say no to that! Oh who are you kidding,White, you can't say no to him! Your mother would disown you the next second. Her dream is that I marry the perfect James Jackson, owner and CEO of JJ Jingles.
I didn't even know James had it in him to be romantic not did I ever expect to see him get down on one knee but then again we were in public. His words replay in my head with lightning speed and one thing stands out to me. No, not the asking for my hand in marriage part that obviously belongs there, but the part about becoming Mrs. Jackson. I am NOT changing my last name, I refuse. I did not study business and creative writing to start a company and have to change it from my last name to his just because I'm married. That'll happen when hell freezes over, pigs start to fly, and the Easter bunny becomes my best friend, in other words; never.
In a strange way my last name represents my independence, hell it is my independence! I won't give that up without a fight, one I'm sure James and I will have, maybe even my mother will gang up on me about it too. That is, however, if I live through this moment and manage a response that doesn't sound like a strangled scream.
I give him a small nod not trusting myself to respond properly whole also reminding myself to smile as we are in public. He stands the next second and pulls me into a passionate kiss or what I can only imagine is an effort towards one. I try to respond to his eager kiss but the background noise of loud applause captures my attention and it hits me. What the hell just happened?
The rest of dinner goes by in a blur, as if it were on fast forward. Slurs of random people come up to congratulate us but soon after I find myself in the comforting confinements of my house, our house now I guess. I feel myself relax as I walk into the kitchen in search of some real food; unlike that pathetic excuse for food you call a salad.
"Didn't we just come back from dinner babe?" James comments amused as he watches me fix up a bowl of my favorite cereal.
"Rabbit food doesn't fill me up." I grumble as I eat my cereal. He chuckles at me and makes his way to my-our bedroom. Damn this "our" stuff is going to take some getting used to. I make my way to bed soon after to find James already dead asleep clad in the boxers I bought him last Christmas. I change into my favorite silk pajamas and slip into bed beside him. I shut my eyes and try to seek slumber but it won't come to me.
Sleeps never comes to me easily anyways, but I hoped with the load of new life changing alterations this evening and everything I received tonight that sleep would be kind to me. Apparently not. I grumble quietly to myself with annoyance but try my best not to wake James.
To be honest I never thought I'd get married. I mean somewhere in the recesses of my mind I always knew it would happen and most likely with James but I've just never been the settled down type of girl. In college I never spent much time outside of my classes, and even now, as a grown adult, I'm one of the only women who can manage and own her own company alone and have it be such a success. Being independent is a top priority to me because it keeps me grounded. It reminds me to always think with my head because we all know love doesn't exist and will only lead to disappointment yet there is still the naive group of dependent woman who believe otherwise. How tragic.
My mother was one of part of that group years ago too. She was heartbroken and disappointed to find her fairy tale wasn't forever when her husband, my father, left her without another word. I never want to be in that position. So I'll fight to keep my last name hence my independence. There is also no way in hell we're not getting prenup. I'm not childish enough to believe we'll live happy ever after. We'll divorce someday like everyone else and when that comes I refuse to lose my company in the process, or anything in that matter. Not after how hard I've worked for it.
James moves in his sleep snapping me back to reality. If I am going to go through with this I need to at least have faith in us. I want a happy marriage and there isn't a doubt in my mind James can give me one. Although we may have our quirks,James isn't hard to live with and he, at one point before our relationship, was my best friend. So I'll try and I'll believe that what we have has to mean something. That maybe I can marry a man I don't love with hopes that I'll learn to love him.
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