| No Love Attached |
chapter eighteen : it's a rich man's world
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Breakups fucking suck. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably lying. But something about listening to my best friend rant about her recent relationship failure made me want to put cigarettes out in my eyes. I almost thought it'd be more bearable if I was the one who just got dumped.
Remember when I said most people who know about what happened to Josh, they feel guilty coming to me with their emotions because they feel their sadness couldn't never amount to mine? Yeah, Penney Abrams was not one of those people.
Old Vera would have encouraged Penney to either move on or get him back already in a hasty manner. The only thing stopping current Vera from doing that was all those hours, days, and years I sobbed about Josh to her. It was a debt she was now cashing in, with interest.
Being that all my friends let me vent to them, you'd think I'd be happy to return the favor. Call me an asshole, call me ungrateful, I don't care. No one likes hearing other people's problems. I wouldn't blame my friends if they wanted to off themselves while I vented.
I was being easy on her not only at work, but outside of it as well. When she'd make a snippy comment, I did my best to refrain my using my choice of language. I also brushed off her behavior at both the Christmas and New Year parties. What can I say? I'm a fucking saint.
It was now Friday. Not much has changed. Leo had sent me couple of texts throughout the week trying to confirm dinner plans. I didn't reply. Having a snot filled, teary Penney on my couch for the last six days made me want to rip my hair out and of course, Leo seemed to be the cause. When I thought of answering, Penney laid the "He broke up my relationship. Are you really going to see him?", on me.
My train of thought was interrupted by a knock at my office door, followed by my assistant Jenna peering in. "Vera, Mr. Fitzgerald is here for your meeting. Can I send him in?" She asked.
Fuck. Fuck. The meeting with Aaron completely slipped my mind. "Yes, send him in!"
I quickly threw away the empty bag of chips on my desk and put on my glasses in an attempt to look put together and professional. If I had remembered the meeting was today, I probably would have tried to look a bit better. I reluctantly pulled my hair out of my ponytail, letting my waves cascade on my shoulders.
Aaron Fitzgerald stuck his head into my office before the rest of his body followed. His body that was clothed in a navy Prada suit, that made his blue eyes look electric.
I was greeted with a hug and a peck to the cheek, as most important men tended to do. During the quick hug, I inhaled his scent. Not in a weird way, of course. It was accidental. But he did smell like mint and fresh linen, which was nice.
"Vera! What a great office." He said, looking around the large space with its view of the city.
"Thank you! Here, sit," I gestured to the armchair across my desk. "How were your holidays?"
Aaron sat with an ease only a man of his significance could. It was a similar demeanor to Damon's or Leo's. One I could easily replicate when needed.
"Only a few fights broke out this year so I guess that's good, right? You?" He said. I smiled as it reminded me of my own dysfunctional family.
"It was nice to be back in New York. But my mother was on my cause so I got stoned for the first time since college --"
"Since college? Oh, Vera, you are missing out," he chuckled.
"Oh my god, you don't even know how nice it is hearing an American accent besides my own." I muttered in relief. If I had to hear one high pitched Brit, I would swim across the Atlantic to New York.
Aaron's sweet chuckle filled the room once again. "Well, you can talk to me as long as you like. In fact, why don't you let me take you to dinner tonight?" His eyes glistened with mischief and confidence.
"Why don't we just see how this meeting goes." I deflected.
He grabbed the leather briefcase at his side, "All business. I respect that," he opened it up revealing a large leather notebook. Its scuffed binding and yellowed pages told me it clearly stood the test of time.
Knowing I was in the same room with the unpublished work of the one of the best and most famous writers of all time, sent shivers up my spine. I had wondering how many others eyes had been on these words.
Aaron was too kind to be doing this. He was a smart man. It must have dawned on him that him handing this over to a publisher was like blood near a shark's teeth.
I had barely known him when he offered up something so precious. I wasn't stupid nor naive. This was to impress me as a ploy to sleep with him.
I wouldn't sleep with him just to read it.
Would I?
No. I quickly shook off the thought.
But I would sleep with him to publish it.
He handed me the notebook from across my desk. Once it was in my hand, it didn't feel nearly as thick as it looked. It only weighed of importance.
"Now, of course you understand I can't leave you to leisurely read it on your own. So, I'll go wait in the lobby while you read it. It's only a hundred pages. I'm sure that's nothing for a woman of your profession." He gave me a sly smirk that danced across his features like it belonged there.
"I'll be done in an hour," I assured.
"Great," he got up from his seat and button his suit jacket. "Oh, and if you make a copy or show it to anyone, I'll sue you for everything you have."
The smile was still plastered on his face as he went out to the lobby. Even though his tone was charming, his eyes told me he would have no issue taking me to court and prosecuting my ass.
I didn't waste time before diving in. My eyes feasted on every inked word, comma, and period like they were last meal on Earth.
An hour and two minutes later, I was rejuvenated with my love for reading. His words made me not only remember why I got into this business but why I wrote something myself.
I went out to the lobby to find Aaron asleep on the black leather couch. His tousled golden locks were no longer in their perfect position. To wake him up from his slumber, I lightly kicked his leg with my heel.
A small grumble escaped his lips as his eyes fluttered open. There was a clear sense of surprise when he realized he had just fallen dead asleep in the lobby.
"So? Did I just change your life, or what?"
God, I forgot how sexy a man's sleepy voice was. It was low, raspy, and put sex back on the brain.
I swallowed the possible thought of sleeping with him, and replied, "Yeah, I think you kind of did."
He stood up from his resting place, carefully taking the book from my hands. "Then that makes flying to London worth it."
"Please don't tell me you flew to a different country just for me to read this," I pleaded.
A smirk danced across his small features. "Fine. Let me tell you about it over dinner."
His words were cool and confident like a slab of the finest marble.
I weighed my options. Stay in and watch Law & Order; or get dinner with a man who may just let me read an unreleased book from one of the worlds' most famous authors.
"Pick me up at seven-thirty. You know where I'm staying," I said reluctantly, with one of my signature eye rolls.
Dinner won. Sorry, Olivia Benson.
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Author's Note:
Hi! Thanks for reading. Sorry if it was boring. It's kind of just a filler before then next few chapters. Please vote and comment if you liked!