Authors: Eve Vaughn
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Maggie arrived back at her apartment with a heavy heart. She’d started the day off
feeling better about her situation than she had in a long time and now she unemployed.
Maybe she shouldn’t have let Mr. Grimaldi get under her skin and held on to her job
long enough to find another one. At least she would have had more workforce experience
this time around. As she slipped off her shoes and placed her purse on the kitchen
counter, she noticed the flashing light of the answering machine.
She pressed the play button hoping it wasn’t a bill collector. “Hi, Mom, I was just
calling to wish you good luck on your new job and I wanted to let you know how proud
I am of you and that I love you. I’ll try to call you again tonight.”
Beep
Tears filled her eyes. Darren was a considerate young man. A mother couldn’t ask for
a more loving son. He’d been a huge support to her throughout the past months. Maggie
wished she shared the same close relationship with her daughter Camryn. There had
been a time when mother and daughter were close, but sometime around the age of sixteen,
Camryn had changed. At times it seemed the younger woman exuded an air of contempt
for her mother. Maggie didn’t know why that was, and it hurt, especially when Camryn
decided to pack up and move to Atlanta. Camryn dutifully called every week, but there
was always a coolness to her tone.
Maggie would have given anything to get back the bond they had once shared, but she
wasn’t sure how to go about it. Camryn was twenty-two and entitled to her own life.
Another message played on the answering machine.
“Hey, girl, it’s Montana. I just thought I would call to see what’s up but I forgot
you have a day job now. Give me a call when you get this message. I’ll be in my office
until seven. After that, hit me up on my cell. Later.”
A brief smile touched Maggie’s lips. If anyone could cheer her up it would be Montana.
She picked up the phone and dialed her best friend’s number.
“Montana Donavan speaking.”
“Hey, Montana, it’s Maggie. I just got your message.”
“Oh, I only left it half an hour ago. You’re home already? It’s only two o’clock.”
“I quit.”
“What! Already? I know you haven’t had a real job before, but I thought you would
have hung in there longer than a couple of days. Sheesh, girl, what happened?”
“I met my other boss today. He was so rude. You wouldn’t think there are people out
there like him, but there really are. I wanted to smash his perfect face in.”
“Perfect, huh? Now, we’re getting to the root of things. You were attracted to him?”
Maggie could hear the smugness in her friend’s voice.
“No way. Okay, so he was good-looking, but that doesn’t matter, the minute he opened
his mouth he killed any attraction I may have felt on my end.”
“But I think it does matter. Tell me what he’s like.” She should have known Montana
would perk up at the mention of a man. Her friend made no secret of the fact she enjoyed
men and loved sex.
“Montana, stop it! It doesn’t matter what he looks like. I quit, so I will never
see his hateful face again.”
“Regardless, he seems to have made quite an impression on you. I haven’t seen or heard
you get this passionate about anything for a long time. Even when that sorry ass Eugene
threw you over for that hussy, you didn’t sound this mad. This guy must be something
else.”
Maggie sighed. As much as she loved Montana sometimes she didn’t know when to stop.
“It doesn’t matter because I don’t work there anymore. Anyway, if there were a chance
in hell that I was interested in him, it wouldn’t guarantee he would be interested
in me as well.”
“Why not?”
“There are several reasons.”
“Like what?”
“For one, he’s mean, too young for me, and I’m not, I repeat,
not
looking for a man.”
Montana made a loud lip-smacking sound. “Too young? How old was this guy?”
“Can we please not talk about this anymore?” Maggie pleaded.
“Come on girl, this is the most interesting thing that’s happened to you in weeks.
I need details here. How young was he?”
“I don’t know. Early to mid-thirties. He could have been younger.”
“That sounds like such a lame excuse, Maggie. Besides, younger men love cougars. I’ve
dated my share of them. They’re attentive and insatiable in bed. Not only that, they
manage to stay up longer if you know what I mean. I bet if you—”
Maggie hung up. She loved her friend dearly and but sometimes when Montana got on
a certain topic she wouldn’t quit and frankly, Maggie wasn’t in the mood for it.
The phone rang and the caller ID showed Montana’s number. Maggie debated whether to
answer but figured if she didn’t her friend would keep calling until she did.
“Yes?”
“Don’t ever hang up on me again. That was not called for.”
“Montana, what’s not called for is how you repeatedly ignore me when I tell you I
don’t want to talk about something. I said I didn’t want to talk about my former boss
anymore but you had to keep going. Don’t you think the subject is still a sore one
for me?”
She was greeted with silence on the other end.
“Still there?”
“Yes, I’m still here. I didn’t realize my joking around would be such an issue for
you.”
“It’s not the joking around, it’s your inability to know when to quit.”
“Is that really what’s bothering you, or is it really because someone actually got
under your skin and you’re afraid to admit you’re still a woman with feelings? I’m
not saying anything is going to happen with this guy, but maybe it is time you realized
there are other men out there besides that reptilian little man you married.”
“That isn’t it at all. Maybe you just can’t admit when you’ve gone too far.”
“Maggie, we’ve known each other for years and I’ve said things way more over the top
than what I said earlier. It’s only when I suggest you focus your interest on someone
other than Eugene you get your panties in a knot. I’m sorry you quit your job, but
I’m not going pretend you have anyone to blame for this predicament but yourself.
So if you’re looking for someone to hold your hand, I’m the wrong person to talk to.
I’ve held my tongue long enough. You don’t need sympathy; you need to get your head
examined. For twenty-three years, you put up with Eugene’s shit. You even put his
sorry ass through college and law school while caring for two small children. You’ve
let him sabotage all of your friendships. It’s a wonder I’m still around, it’s certainly
not by his lack of trying to get rid of me.”
“I love you, girl,” Montana continued with a softened tone, “and that’s why I’m telling
you what you need to hear and not what you want to. Both of us grew up without a family,
and we’ve been bounced from one foster home to the next. You’ve been in bad homes
and so have I. So I understand why you latched onto that turd Eugene as if he were
the Savior. He represented all the things we never had, a family, a home, and stability.
But you’ve been so frightened of losing it, you allowed him to walk all over you and
treat you like the dirt beneath his shoes. I watched my beautiful, kind-hearted friend
repeatedly have her spirit crushed by a man who clearly didn’t love her. You allowed
him to turn you into this pathetic martyr. So maybe your separation was only a few
months ago, but your marriage has been over for a long time whether you care to admit
it or not.”
“You don’t understand.” Maggie could think of no other argument.
“I believe I do. Even now you’re letting that bastard call the shots. You’re in an
apartment no bigger than a closet while he’s in the house with his bimbo. He should
be paying you some form of spousal support at the very least, but you took that paltry
lump sum he threw your way. And before you even say it, I would have loaned you the
money for a good attorney to fight him.”
“He still supports the kids financially. Camryn is still in grad school. Besides,
Eugene said if I went to the court for alimony I would barely get enough to cover
the mortgage, let alone the upkeep.”
“That’s a load of crap and you know it. Anyway, your kids are now adults, capable
of taking care of themselves. It’s time you begin putting yourself first. You are
entitled to half of everything that fool is worth and I think you’re aware of that.
You’re making excuses for why you’re living in that dollhouse apartment and living
off that joke of a sum he gave you. Fifty thousand dollars for twenty-three years?
In installments, no less.”
Maggie couldn’t take anymore. “Montana, you’re speaking of things you know nothing
about. You’ve never been married. You don’t know what it’s like to have spent most
of your life with someone only to be told one day they no longer want you. You don’t
know the struggle of waking up in the morning and hoping it was just a dream but then
reality smacks you in the face. All I’ve ever wanted to be since I was a little girl
was a wife and mother. I tried my best to be good at both of them but apparently I’ve
fail miserably at both according to my soon-to-be ex-husband and my daughter. So go
ahead and tell me, O Wise One, what you think my motivation was since you seem to
know it all.”
“Oh, we both know, but since you need me to spell out for you, here it is: you think
if you do everything his way, Eugene will take you back, then you’ll get to keep your
little fairy-tale illusions intact. He’s left you before
, but
this time he served you divorce papers. By some slim chance, if things fall through
with this Shelly person and you do go back to him, he’ll do it again. Stop fooling
yourself, Maggie. He doesn’t love you, not the way he treats you. You will get no
more sympathy from me, hon. Why don’t you ask Camryn why she really doesn’t come to
visit? It’s time for you to stop burying your head in the sand.”
Maggie trembled as tears clouded her eyes. As much as she wanted to dispute Montana’s
words, she couldn’t. A part of her did hope for a reunion with Eugene. Was it wrong
she wanted to keep her family together? “I’m doing the best I can,” she whispered.
“I know you are. A lot of women would have crumbled under similar circumstances, but
you haven’t. That underlines your strength. Eugene is not worth the agony you’re
putting yourself through. You’re a beautiful person inside and out. I hope one day
you’ll find someone who will appreciate you for you. Don’t close your heart to new
love. You deserve to be happy. I love you, honey, and I hope you’re not mad at me
for speaking my mind but it needed to be said.”
“No. I’m not upset.”
“I’m glad. No matter what, I love you and if you need anything, I’m here for you.
My original offer still stands. You could live with me for as long as you like or
at the very least until you find steady employment.”
“I appreciate it but it’s because I love you I have to decline. We’d kill each other
within a week, but knowing I have a place to go to is reassuring.”
“Anytime. Just remember what I said, okay? You’ll make it through this.”
“Thank you, Montana. And I’m sorry for hanging up on you earlier.’
“Don’t worry about it. You were right; I do talk too damn much. I’m sorry for not
respecting your wishes. Now, I have some work to do, but I will call you this weekend
and maybe we can go out to dinner. My treat.”
“I’d like that.”
“Cool. I’ll catch you later.”
“Goodbye
.” Maggie hung up and walked over to her sofa where she collapsed. Besieged by emotion,
she released the sobs she’d been holding back since she’d left G& T Associates.
She sat on the nearest chair and cried softly, feeling overwhelmed by the events of
the day. It seemed like she had been crying a lot lately. She wasn’t sure how much
time passed before she was startled out of her misery by a knock on the door. It was
odd she would have a visitor in the middle of the day and she wasn’t expecting any
packages. Hastily, she wiped away her tears and straightened her clothes before answering
the door.
Maggie gasped when she opened it. Standing on the other side was GianMarco Grimaldi.
Chapter Four
“Mr. Grimaldi! What are you doing here?” He was the last person she expected.
Maggie self-consciously rubbed away the evidence of her tears but it seemed those
discerning amber eyes saw all. She imagined her eyes were bloodshot.
If he noticed, his expression remained somber. “May I come in?”
She remembered his earlier attack. “Why? Did you come all this way to insult me some
more. No thank you. I’ve had enough.” She attempted to close the door in his face.
Mr. Grimaldi had other ideas. He stuck his foot out, halting the door’s progression.
“Go away!”
“I promise I didn’t come here to antagonize you further. I only need a few minutes
of you time. Please.” If she didn’t know any better, Maggie would have thought she
saw contrition in his eyes, but this arrogant son of a bitch probably didn’t know
that meaning of the word.
Maggie wanted to refuse but figured if she didn’t he might not go away peacefully.
Shooting him a glare, she begrudgingly stepped back to allow him entrance into her
apartment. She could just imagine what he thought of her small living space but she
didn’t care. It was hers and if he didn’t like it, he could kiss her ass. Her apartment
was already tiny with only her occupying it, but with this tall, broad-shouldered
man in it, the room seemed smaller still. She didn’t want to be polite, but her good
manners dictated that she at least offer him a beverage.
“Would you like something to drink? I have iced tea, orange juice, and water in the
fridge.” If he took her up on her offer of a drink, she would be hard pressed not
to spit in it. She was still trying to figure out why he’d bothered to come here.
Judging from the way he had treated her earlier, he didn’t seem to be the apologizing
type.
“No, thank you. My visit will be brief. I’ve come to apologize for my rudeness earlier.
I wasn’t in the best of moods when I came into the office today, although that’s no
excuse for my behavior.” Mr. Grimaldi started at her so intensely as he spoke that
she took a step backward. “And what I said about Oliver was untrue. He hired you because
he felt you were the best prospect. I was referring to a distasteful joke he and I
once shared. My annoyance was directed toward something else yet I took it out on
you. Again, I’m sorry for causing you distress and for what I said.”
He seemed sincere enough, and he did come all this way to see her. “Thank you, Mr.
Grimaldi. I appreciate the apology and I accept. I supposed I owe you one as well.”
He crinkled his brows. “What for?”
She wanted to say, for thinking of spitting in his drink but decided it was better
left unsaid.
“I should have held my temper in check. Had you been a client, I would have been wrong
for retaliating in kind.”
“Maggie, if you don’t mind me calling you by your first name?”
She nodded her consent.
“You don’t owe me an apology. It was my inability to channel my anger properly that
led to the incident. You had every right to stand up for yourself. In fact, had I
been a client we would have refused their business. However, if you want to say you’re
sorry for thinking about spitting in my drink, then go ahead.” He grinned at her.
Was the man some kind of psychic? Or did she mutter her thoughts out loud and hadn’t
realized it. Crap. “I uh, how—”
“You didn’t say anything if that’s what you’re wondering. You have very expressive
eyes, Maggie. Big, beautiful brown eyes.” He moved closer and took her hand in his.
Their gazes locked. Something was happening here she didn’t understand. Those feelings
she’d gotten when she first saw him hit her tenfold. This beautiful man stared at
her almost as if he found her attractive. But that couldn’t be it. He was just being
nice. Wasn’t he? She couldn’t understand what was happening here. One moment she hated
him but the now she felt a pull toward him she couldn’t explain.
“Mr. Grimaldi—” The phone rang, saving her from further embarrassing herself. “Excuse
me. I think I should take that.” Maggie could have let the call go to voicemail but
being in Gia
n
Marco Grimaldi’s presence was more than she could handle.
She answered the phone with a relieved, “Hello?”
GianMarco’s hearing was sensitive enough to hear Maggie’s entire phone conversation.
For politeness sake he should have made his excuses to leave, after all, he’d accomplished
what he’d come for. A force, however, he couldn’t quite explain compelled him to stay.
He frowned as the angry man yelling at the other end of the line reached him. Though
he was tempted to zoom in to hear exactly what was being said, he decided the less
he knew about this woman, the better. He didn’t want to care because it led to pain.
He should have gotten the hell out of there the minute she had opened the door with
bloodshot eyes and a sad expression on her pretty face. He’d felt guilty as hell for
being the cause of that look, but on top of that, he could feel his body reacting
to her the same way it had in the office.
“There’s no need for you to get nasty, Eugene, and you need to lower your voice. I
haven’t had a chance get to it yet. In case you’ve forgotten, you basically kicked
me out of our home and I’ve been busy trying to find means to support myself.” Maggie
seemed calm, but GianMarco could see the tension coursing through her body.
“I can go if you’d like.” GianMarco put his hand on the doorknob, but Maggie motioned
him to stay. Against his better judgment, he did. As he waited, he took a look around
her apartment. One could literally take three or four steps and be on the other side
of the room. His master bathroom was larger than Maggie’s entire apartment.
There was very little walking space around what looked like second-hand furniture
crammed inside. A couch sat in the middle of the room with two chairs on either side
and a coffee table in front. There was a twin-sized bed in one of the corners and
a kitchenette on the opposite end. None of the pieces matched but it seemed as if
she’d done the best she could with what she had. He assumed that the door beside the
kitchenette was the bathroom. Maggie had plants and pictures strategically placed
around the apartment, giving it a more homey appearance. It seemed she was trying
to make the best of what she had.
Judging from the state of her apartment, it was apparent Maggie had really needed
the job at the agency. His guilt increased. Knowing the threat she posed to his equilibrium,
he wasn’t sure if it was wise for him to ask her to come back to the agency. Unconsciously,
his glance strayed to her bed.
GianMarco wondered what it would be like to take her to bed, stripping away each article
of clothing, piece by delicious piece, taking his fill of her bountiful chocolate
body. He had no preferences about the color of his women. He was far too old to have
such petty hang-ups like race. Besides, if the truth were known, it was a huge turn-on
to make love to a beautiful woman with dark-hued skin like Maggie Williams.
Just the thought of running his pale hands over her ample dark body made his cock
rise. He imagined rubbing his dick between her large breasts and then burying his
face in her cunt to drink her nectar and perhaps sample some of the sweetness of her
blood. GianMarco shook his head, trying to rid his mind of the onslaught of carnal
images invading it. He had already been dangerously close to doing something he would
regret before the phone rang. GianMarco’s mind told him to leave but his feet wouldn’t
cooperate.
“Eugene, stop it! I told you I would sign those damn papers when I have some time.
You’re just going to have to wait.” Maggie yelled into the phone, regaining GianMarco’s
attention to her conversation.
“No, you have no right to do that, and if you come over here I will not let you in!”
She tapped her foot against the floor with an angry beat. GianMarco frowned. Who the
hell was Eugene?
“The landlord won’t allow you in either. Your name is not on the lease. You’re the
one who wanted this divorce. You can’t just call yourself my husband to gain access
to my apartment,” Maggie hissed into the phone. GianMarco resisted the urge to hear
what was being said on the other end of the line, but whatever it was, it caused Maggie’s
eyes to narrow.
“Eugene, this conversation is over. I’ll speak with you when you’re more civil.” She
hung up the phone with a decisive click, then rested her head in her hands. Her shoulders
began to shudder gently. It seemed he wasn’t the only one to make her cry today.
Unable to help himself, GianMarco walked over to her and lightly touched her back.
She jumped as if she had forgotten he was still there. To GianMarco’s surprise, when
he looked at her face, there was no trace of tears.
“Is everything okay?”
Instead of crying she was in the throes of laughter. “I’m fine. I’m just being silly.”
“What’s so funny? You seemed pretty upset only a short while ago.”
“It was my husband giving me a hard time as usual. I figured I could either laugh
or cry about the situation. Frankly, I’m tired of crying.”
“You’re still married?” GianMarco had heard the word divorce and thought she was dealing
with an ex. He was astonished and bothered that her announcement should affect him
this way.
Maggie twirled a lock of hair around her finger, biting her lower lip. “Not for long.”
She shrugged, projecting an air of indifference, but GianMarco wasn’t fooled.
“What happened?” GianMarco dragged his eyes away from the tempting sight of Maggie
nibbling her lip.
The sadness he’d noticed before re-entered her eyes. “It’s an old story. Boy meets
girl. Girl gets knocked up. They marry. Two kids and twenty-three years later, boy
gets tired of girl and trades her in for a sleeker, younger model.”
“We’ve only met today but I noticed there was some pain in your eyes, perhaps some
heartache. It makes sense now.”
“Does it really show?”
“You wear your heart on your sleeve, Maggie, but I get the distinct impression you’re
better off without him.”
“My best friend keeps telling me that, too. I suppose she’s right.”
“Your best friend sounds like a wise woman. But you don’t sound so certain of her
claim.”
“Deep down I realize Eugene is no good for me, at least not anymore. Part of me still
remembers when he was the charming boy who swept me off my feet. He wasn’t always
so cruel but something changed along the way. I don’t know where we went wrong. It
just seemed one day I woke up and I was married to a stranger. I’ve lost count of
how many times I’ve cursed myself for putting up with the way he treated me for so
long. I should have been the one to end things but I didn’t.”
Maggie’s story was heartbreaking. If he ever ran into her ex-husband, GianMarco would
beat the shit out of him. “What made you stay?”
“I told myself it was because of the kids, but maybe it’s because ... never mind.
I don’t want to bore you with my problems.” Her cheeks darkened with a deep rose blush
and she looked away in seeming discomfort.
GianMarco shook his head. As much as he’d wanted to walk away before, he didn’t have
the power to do it now. “No, this doesn’t bore me. While I think you were very foolish
to stay with someone who didn’t appreciate you, to some extent, I understand. I think
the bigger fool, however, is Eugene. Why he would want to trade you in is beyond me.”
She gave him a shy smile, revealing even, white teeth. She had the deepest dimples
he had ever seen and he felt his heart skip a beat. It occurred to him to step away
from her before he did something he couldn’t take back.
“I ... I’ve got to go.”
“Before you leave, I wanted to ask you something?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve probably burned my bridges but…uh, no that’s okay. Thanks for coming over. Your
apology really meant a lot to me.” She smiled, moving past him to open the door.
GianMarco placed his hand over hers. “No. Please tell me.”
She licked her lips with the tip of her tongue a gesture that set his blood to boiling.
“About my job... Maybe I could come back to G&T Associates, at least until you find
another administrative assistant the two of you and Oliver can agree on. It’s true
I’m not very experienced with office work, but I’m a quick learner and I’ll give my
one hundred percent every day.”
Shit.
How could he say no to her when she looked at him with those big beautiful eyes?
He had a feeling he’d regret this later but he couldn’t hurt her again. “Maggie, if
you want it, you can have your job back on a permanent basis.”
A smile lit up her face. “Really? Thank you so much, Mr. Grimaldi!”
“There’s no need to thank me. You can come in at 8:30, but on one condition.”
“Anything.”
“You have to stop calling me Mr. Grimaldi. I noticed you and Oliver are on a first-name
basis, and it would be silly if were only formal with me. My name is GianMarco. I
also answer to Marco or you may even call me Marc like Oliver does.”
Her smile widened bringing out her dimples once more. “I think I like GianMarco best.
It suits you. It’s Italian, right?”
“It is.”
“Were you born in Italy? I may have imagined it but I thought I detected a faint accent.”