In the morning, Macy pulled up to the small kitchen table and spread all the papers she’d managed to smuggle out of the office across the surface. She stifled a yawn before flipping through her phone to find today’s horoscope.
Gayle shuffled into the room. “Don’t tell me you still look at that crap.” She reached for the coffee press and started her morning ritual of making an espresso shot.
“Say what you want, but it was dead-on yesterday. I just thought when it said I was on the brink of something big I was going to find the answers I was looking for about my accounts, not that I might lose my job. It’s all about the interpretation.”
Gayle nodded toward the phone. “What does today’s message from the stars say?”
Macy found the post.
Make the most of today. Ask for what you want, a promotion, a favor from a co-worker. If a new job is on your list of things to pursue, today is the day you will wow them. Get going.”
“Are you kidding me?” Gayle’s hand was on her nonexistent hip. “You’re making that up.”
“Nope. That’s what it says. And doesn’t it sound like it was written especially for me?”
“Are you looking for a new job?”
Macy put her phone down and stared at the papers spread out on the table. “I’m not sure I can go back to English. Not after what’s happened. Roxy knows me. She should know I wouldn’t steal from the company. But Brian is getting ready to go to college. I have to help my mother cover those expenses. The last thing Brian needs is to be swamped in college loans, the way I am.”
Gayle sat down across from her with her coffee cup between her palms. “But you’re good at that job. And what if they find out what happened? Then everything would be okay, right?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t want to work with Avery. I don’t ever want to see him again. I’m done. I’d rather be a dog walker.”
Macy’s cell phone rang. She glanced at the screen.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?”
“No. It’s Avery. That’s the third time he’s called me this morning. The man is a traitor. He’s just like his father.”
“I knew you were moving too fast. But maybe he’s really sorry.”
“Yeah, and maybe I’ll forgive him when hell freezes over. Do you want to wait around and see that?”
“No, I don’t.” Gayle pushed away from the table and stood. “Can I help you with this stuff?”
“No. I’ve got all day. No place to go.” Macy shrugged her shoulder. “So I might as well take my time and go through all this stuff again. Get outta here and let me figure out my future or whatever this is.”
Macy stared at the table. There was only one person to blame for the lump sitting in the middle of her chest like Mount Everest, and that was Macy Denise Rollins. The only thing she was supposed to focus on was work. The moment she gave Avery Malveaux a second look, that’s when things fell apart. Better than anyone, she knew men couldn’t be trusted. They all had a self-absorbed streak that put their needs above anyone else’s. She’d betrayed herself, and that was the main reason she was so disgusted.
The doorbell rang. Macy glanced at the clock on the microwave. It was only eight in the morning. Who would be visiting so early? She made her way to the door and peered through the peephole. Avery stared back at her.
“I know you’re there, Macy. Open the door.”
She pressed her back against the door. No way was he getting in. “Go to hell. I don’t want to talk to you. You should have gotten my message when I didn’t take your calls.”
“I came all the way across town. The least you could do is let me in.” His voice sounded strained.
“The least you could have done was be honest.”
He pounded on the door. “Let me in so we can talk.”
Gayle came out of her bedroom. “What is going on? What’s all the yelling about?”
Macy walked away from the door and plopped on the sofa. “Avery is at the door. Don’t answer him and he’ll go away.”
Gayle pushed beside her. “Are you sure this is what you want to do? He might be able to help you get your job back.”
“He might be the reason I lost it.” She fought back tears.
Avery rapped on the door again. “Macy, are you going to open the door?”
“No.” she shouted from the sofa. “Go away.”
She sat in silence with Gayle until she heard his footsteps retreating. “I’m going back to what I was doing. If anyone is going to fix this mess, it’s going to be me.”
“I’ve got an audition. Are you going to be okay while I’m gone?”
Macy waved her hand. “I’m fine. You don’t need to sit around here to keep me company. I’m a big girl.”
“That’s what you think,” Gayle tried to whisper.
“Good. Then I won’t have to repeat myself.” Gayle opened the door a few inches and peeked before stepping out and closing the door.
Five hours later, Gayle strolled into the kitchen. “You’re still in the same place and still in your pajamas. Please tell me you haven’t spent the whole day huddled over those papers.”
Macy placed the stack of papers she’d been holding back on the table. “I have. And the numbers have blurred into one big, blob of black. I’ve compared every customer invoice against last year’s invoices for the Dragon Negotiations and there are no glaring differences. There are a few new customer accounts, but that’s expected. We’re growing the business. I just don’t get what’s going on here. I don’t. I’ve set those new customer invoices aside and I plan to investigate each one of them”
“Too bad you didn’t take a shower and put on real clothes, because I just saw Avery pulling into the parking lot.”
Avery got out of the car. He took a deep breath. The evening air was crisp and cool, quite different from the temperature earlier today. He loosened his tie. This wasn’t going to be easy. Nothing about Macy was easy. Calling her hadn’t worked. Coming to her apartment hadn’t worked. But he wasn’t leaving until she talked to him face-to-face. She might dismiss him after he had his say, but he had to try.
He made his way inside the building and into the elevator. If she wanted to be stubborn, he could play that game too.
At her door, he squared his shoulders and waited a moment before knocking. From inside he heard voices but couldn’t make out the words. He watched the peephole, and the moment it darkened he said, “Macy, open up. I want to talk to you.”
“I told you earlier, I don’t want to talk to you. Why can’t you understand that?”
“Either you open this door and talk to me, or I’ll cancel the call to the coach. Your brother’s opportunity will swirl down the drain, just like your job.” He forced his voice to sound firm. He’d never go back on a promise, but she didn’t know that.
“You wouldn’t.” The bravado in her tone was gone.
“Do you want to test me and find out?” He swallowed. His ultimatum sounded like something his father would do to get his way, but she left him without any other alternatives.
She was quiet. He waited, knowing she’d open the door. She’d do anything for her brother.
He waited several moments. Was she going to take the risk? Maybe his threat was too much? He opened his mouth. “Macy…”
She yanked open the door. If her eyes had been daggers, she would have sliced him into a million little pieces. “You bastard.”
He stepped over the threshold before she changed her mind. The apartment looked the same way it did the first time he saw it. There was no view of the city, no large windows, but the place was decorated with modern pieces.
Macy stood just inside the door in a pair of pink pajamas, and her hair stood up in places as if she’d been pulling at it. There was even a smudge on her cheek that looked a lot like grape jelly. Her feet were bare, and her toes were still the same shade of red that she’d sported at his place. She looked perfect.
He braced her shoulders with his hands. She yanked away from him and gave him a stare cold enough to freeze the sun.
“I just needed to talk to you.”
“So, you think you got me?”
He walked past her, deeper into the room. “I’ve outmaneuvered you.”
She spun on him, ready to pounce. “Just like a lawyer, twisting everyone’s words to get what you want.” She crossed her arms over her chest and made fists of her hands.
“And what does it say about you that you thought I would betray you? Don’t try to pretend that you’re the only wounded party in this mess.” His voice grew louder.
“Did you lose your job? Have you been called a thief?” She stabbed his chest with her finger.
“I tried to call you all afternoon, right after my conversation with Roxy.”
“After they told me to leave the building, I didn’t feel much like talking.”
“I was doing my job. That’s all I was doing. I have a fiduciary responsibility to English International. I had to tell them what I knew.”
“What do you want? You did your job. Should I clap for you?” She smacked her hands together, slow but loud.
He stepped toward her, but her eyes warned him not to get any closer.
“I believe you. I know you wouldn’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you. I want to work with you to get this cleared up.”
She stared at him without speaking. After a minute, her breathing seemed less labored.
“I don’t need any help. I’ll figure out what’s going on.” She moved to the door. He blocked her path. She wasn’t going to dismiss him like he was in kindergarten.
“I’m not asking you to let me help. I’m telling you.”
Her head snapped back. “You’re blackmailing me?” Her face darkened. She was ready to do battle.
“I don’t want another thing from you. Nothing.” She spat out the words. How was she able to be gorgeous and angry at the same time? The fire burning in her eyes only made her more attractive. No way was he giving up on them just because she hated him right now.
“Well, we have a problem, don’t we? Because I’m not leaving until you agree.” He positioned himself on the sofa, loosened his tie and crossed his ankle over his knee.