Under His Spell (The Miami Tycoon) (8 page)

“Are you sure?” The woman replied quickly, in heightened tones.

“All right. I’ll be there soon.” Maxwell’s reply was terse, but there was genuine concern behind it.

“I’m so sorry. I’ve got to go, now. Tell the others I’m sorry I couldn’t make it? I’ll talk to you soon, Erica. Goodbye.” The last word sounded like a request for Erica to get out of the car, so she quickly grabbed her bag and got out.

“I’ll tell them,” she said, and closed the door. Maxwell drove off into the night.

Erica felt like a sucker. She knew Maxwell was married. Why, why did she keep getting her hopes up? She knew that when it came down to it, she would never wreck a marriage. It was one of her cardinal rules, to never be the other woman. It was just so painful, the wanting of someone who did not, who could not, belong to her.

Short of quitting her job and moving back to Orlando, Erica had no idea how to stop her growing attraction to Nicholas Maxwell.

She was still thinking on the curb when Anthony and Jess pulled up in the Audi.

“Hey, where’s Nick? Is everyone else already inside?” Jess asked.

“Actually, Nick had to leave. He got some important call and said to tell you guys he’s sorry he couldn’t make it.” Erica swallowed and hid the bitter disappointment she felt.

“Oh well. He’s always doing that! I guess they don’t let you be the boss if you don’t take super important calls on Friday nights. Lucky for us, we’re just unimportant worker bees. We get to have all the fun!” Jess wrapped one arm each around Anthony and Erica’s shoulders and led them to the door.

Jess knew the bouncer, who let them through with a wink. Ryan, looking deeply frustrated with a pouty Jill on his arm, waved them over the the bar on the first-floor patio. They wove around the sparsely-populated salsa dance floor (it was still early, only around eight o’clock) and met the couple just as a round of mojitos appeared on the bar next to them.

Ryan, courteous as always, passed out the glasses. “First round’s on me!” Jess sipped eagerly at hers. “Thanks Ryan, you’re a doll.”

As Jess was thanking him, Jill unlinked herself from his arm. Her voice sounded strained. “Sorry guys, I’m not feeling that well. I’m gonna take a cab home and rest up. See you on Monday.”

“Aw, how sad, Jill! And you made ten sales this week, bummer. We can celebrate next week. Feel better!” Jess chirped at Jill, as the latter trailed slowly towards the door. She seemed to be waiting for Ryan to follow her, but no such thing occurred. He looked at her stonily. She left without another word.

Ryan, suddenly chastened, looked down. “Sorry guys. Another fight. Hope I’m not bringing down the party vibes.”

“No worries, bud. Let’s all just go chill by the pool.” Anthony looked sympathetic as he guided Ryan to the patio.

Sitting at a table by the pool, nursing a drink and looking worried, was none other than Ashley. Jessica, as always, was the first to speak. “Ashley? What are you doing here? We thought you were at dinner with your boyfriend!”

“Well hello to you too, Jessie. I was. I decided to stop by here after and see the gang! Robert was tired, so he just went home. Anyway, how is everyone?”

Jessica, always the first to answer, replied with false brightness.
“Oh, you know, just fine. Such a nice surprise to see you here!”

“Thanks bub, Ryan, you’re looking a little down. You doing all right?” Ashley asked.

Ryan tried, unsuccessfully, to smile. “Yeah. Jill just had to leave, she wasn’t feeling that great. Disappointing. Still, we should all try to have fun.”

“Of course we should.” Ashley seemed to have understood that Jill’s attitude was due to situational rather than corporeal causes. She pulled Ryan to the seat next to her and leaned on his shoulder. “I’m sure Jill will be just fine,” she purred. “Hey, I’ve been wanting to go listen to the music on the second floor. That should cheer you up, huh, buddy? Let’s go.” She pulled him out of the chair she’d so recently pulled him into and soon they were out of view of the rest of the group.

Jess and Erica shared a look. “That’s not going to end well,” Erica said to Jessica. “Lord, Ashley is on a mission,” Jess replied. “I’ve seen her around her boyfriend, Robert. He doesn’t look like Ryan does, but he’s a sweet guy and he really does love Ash. He doesn’t deserve to be cheated on.”

“Well, as much as Jill isn’t my most favorite coworker in the whole world, she doesn’t deserve it either,” Erica said. “Especially since it seems like that’s what she’s most afraid of.” Jess nodded. Erica went on. “It seems like all their fights are over Ryan supposedly checking out other girls. I also just don’t want Jill to have the satisfaction of being right about him.”

“No kidding,” said Jessica. “Look, I know that everyone involved here is an adult, it’s really none of my business, but it’s just so...” She wrinkled her nose. “...distasteful,” she finished. “Not to mention the effect this is going to have on office relations. I do not want to be sharing an office with a love triangle.”

“Me neither. Especially a triangle that has as sharp an edge as Jill. Somebody is going to get hurt. Bad,” Erica said.

“So what do we do? Sit around and watch it all go to shit? Who knows how far it’s gone already, up there. Two is the sluttiest floor. It’s all that bass. Goes to people’s heads.”

Erica laughed. “Oh, I don’t know, Jess. Ryan ain’t much of a dancer. Is that one of Ashley’s turn-offs?” Jess grinned. “She’s even worse. If nothing else, I have to stop them to spare everyone else the sight of the two of them dancing together.” Jess seemed to be deciding something in her mind. “Okay, here’s the plan. If we both go up there, it’ll be too obvious. We’ll take turns third-wheeling it. I’ll go first, say I wanted to hear the music too.” With that, Jessica got up to leave. “Got it. Break,” Erica said.

Just as Jess left, Emily and Manny wandered in to the bar. Erica waved them over. “Hey guys. How’s date night?”

“Awesome,” said Emily, who was wearing a simple white sundress and long gold earrings that caught even the little light there was on the patio. “How’s office party part two?”

“Interesting,” said Erica. “Boss had to leave, and all signs point to drunken mistakes being made.”

“Well, this would be the place to make them, if one was so inclined. Man, this place is nice,” Manny said, looking approvingly at his surroundings. “Feel like I’m at the Playboy mansion,” he said as his eyes slid over the pool and grotto.

Suddenly, Erica remembered her tablemate. “Oh, shit, I’m so rude. Manny, this is Anthony. Anthony, this is Manny, Emily’s husband.”

Anthony stood and extended a hand. “So you’re the lucky guy,” he said as Manny took it. “Emily was turning heads last week.”

Manny raised an eyebrow. “She is a stunner,” he said. “Nice to meet you.” He didn’t quite look like he meant it. Anthony almost looked embarrassed for a second, then turned to Erica and cleared his throat.

Emily, who had been looking amused throughout the exchange, took Manny’s hand and looked up at him coquettishly. “Wanna go swimming?” she asked.

Manny grinned. “Not yet, loca. First we gotta work up a sweat. See you in a bit, Erica.” The couple made tracks to the center of the dance floor.

Erica felt a familiar tightening in her chest. Emily and Manny were her closest friends, and she didn’t feel jealousy, exactly, but she did feel a certain regret sometimes when she looked at them. They were so happy and so well-suited to each other. Erica felt like she might never find someone who loved her like Manny loved Emily. As always, she pushed the feeling away and told herself that she should be happy, because she at least got to know what true love looked like.

She turned to Anthony. “So, got a crush on Emily now, huh? I should warn you, Manny’s got a mean left hook.”

“Eesh, I didn’t mean to piss him off, I thought I was complimenting his choice!”

“Not too popular with other men, are you, Anthony?” Erica said.

“Well it doesn’t matter, cause I’m so good with the ladies,” replied Anthony.

Erica made a noise indicating her disbelief. “Haven’t seen much evidence of that yet! You talk a lot of game, buddy.”

Anthony took her hand. “You haven’t given me a chance to show you yet. Want to go dip our toes in the pool?” Erica nodded, and he led her to the darkest corner. They removed their shoes (Erica her stockings) and sat at the edge of the pool, feet in the cool water. Erica trailed a whirlpool with her unoccupied hand.

“This is nice,” she said.

Anthony seemed to be mulling something over. “Something you want to tell me?” Erica prodded gently.

“Nick is a womanizer,” Anthony said abruptly. Erica was taken aback by the force of the outburst. “He treats women like garbage. I know he’s charming and I love working for him, but I hate seeing you pining after a guy who is both taken and a serial dater.”

“Is it so obvious?” Erica asked, a tinge of hurt in her voice.

“Well, yeah, Erica, it is. Everyone in the office can tell you want him.”

“Oh,” she said, in a small voice.

“Look, I’m telling you, he has no respect for women. He cheats on his wife—“ Erica cut him off at the mention of her least favorite player in the drama of her stupid love life. “Right. I get it, Anthony, you don’t have to say another word.” Her jaw was set tightly. Anthony fell silent.

She wasn’t sure whether or not to believe Anthony; after all, she sensed that he himself was some kind of womanizer, and she hadn’t asked anyone else about Maxwell’s wife for fear of seeming overly invested in the answer. Though apparently that was no longer an issue, as ‘everyone in the office’ already knew about Erica’s little crush. As Erica digested Anthony’s words, he was moving closer, confident that he’d made his point well.

He nuzzled her ear, and said her name quietly. In the instant he said it, Erica knew, by the way the name sounded on his lips, that Anthony didn’t care about her the way Nick did. Anthony could be telling the truth, and he might really like Erica, but it would never be the same as it was with Nick. She stood up quickly to avoid Anthony’s kiss.

Even as she stood, she heard Emily calling her name. She felt immediate gratitude for an excuse to escape the conversation with Anthony. “What’s up?” she asked her friend.

“Jess is looking for you. Apparently, something is going on with Ashley and Ryan. Gee, I wonder who could have predicted that,” she said bitingly. “Anyway, I’m staying way out of the drama tonight. Me and Manny are gonna dance a couple more and then we’re parting like thighs.”

Erica grinned. “I’m on it. I could use a distraction. Where did you see her?”

Emily pointed to a crowded spot between the exit and the stairwell. “Somewhere in there, I think.”

“Got it. Cut a rug, you two,” she said as she walked to the spot Emily had indicated.

Jess was in serious distress. “They were already making out by the time I found them and were not interested in listening to reason! They ditched me! Fuck this, I feel like their chaperone. I don’t know where they went, they just came down the stairs!”

Erica considered. “Okay, they weren’t on the patio and I didn’t see them on the way here. They might be... over on that side of the room? Or maybe they left? Let’s split up. I’ll take outside, let’s meet back here if we don’t see them.”

“Good. Okay, and don’t forget, Ashley’s wearing that ruffly orange top.”

“Got it.” They headed in their separate directions, scanning the crowd for Ashley’s distinctive blouse.

Outside, a bevy of smokers obstructed Erica’s path. She weaved her way through the clouds of smoke to the sidewalk. A few people got into cabs at the stand, but Erica couldn’t see her targets anywhere. Did Ashley drive here? she wondered, making her way to the parking lot.

In no time, Erica spotted Ashley’s barbie-pink convertible. And the intense heavy-petting going on inside it. Ryan’s shirt was off, revealing the considerable fruits of his gym-labors, and his tongue was deep in Ashley’s mouth.

“What the fuck is wrong with you two? Stop it right there, children.” Erica approached the offenders. “You, out of the car,” she said, pointing at Ryan. Apparently stunned at Erica’s commanding tone, he obeyed, and came to stand near her.

Speaking now to Ashley, Erica went on. “Are you good to drive? You didn’t have a drink here, did you?” Ashley shook her head mutely. “All right, still. Wait here until I come back.”

As Erica marched Ryan by the elbow back to the cab stand, she thought she saw a woman wearing the same dress as Jill stalking away from them back into the club. But it couldn’t be, right? Jill had left long before, hadn’t she? Erica tried to reassure herself and said nothing to the now-contrite Ryan. While they waited for the next cab, she shot Jessica a text saying Don’t worry. Found the culprits and am handling the situation.

She physically placed Ryan in the backseat of the cab and told the driver to take him straight home. Then she made her way back to Ashley’s car to handle the other end of the equation.

“Okay, now you’re sure you’re okay to drive, Ash?”

Ashley, still sitting in the driver’s seat of her car, was now sobbing wetly. “Yeah. I am. I feel so stupid, Emily told me not to come here tonight. I should have listened. Ryan’s just so nice and he understands me and...”

“He has an 8-pack and your fiancé doesn’t?” Erica finished helpfully, which launched Ashley into a new set of sobs. After the worst subsided, she said, “God, I’m such an idiot. Please, Erica, you can’t tell anyone. Promise me?”

“Sure but in return, you have to promise me that it won’t happen again. You don’t want to be a homewrecker and a cheater, Ash. It’s not fair to anybody. So, do we have a deal?” Even as she said the word ‘homewrecker,’ Erica felt a twinge of disappointment. Why was it so hard to take your own medicine?

“Yes, it’s a deal,” Ashley snuffled.

“All right then, go home. Have sex with your fiancé. Try and remember all the reasons why you love him. And when you come back to work on Monday, try and remember that beneath the gorgeous Ryan exterior lies a simpleton. A simpleton that belongs to someone else. Ok?”

“Thanks for not telling, Erica. I mean it.”

“Don’t worry about it. We all fuck up sometimes. Night, Ash.”