“I guess. I’m reformed now though. It wasn’t worth the price I had to pay.”
“So now you’re working there so that you won’t have to tell your dad.”
I could tell from the way Andrew was drumming his fingers on the wheel that he didn’t think much of my plan. After tonight, I didn’t either. The tips were great, but I didn’t know what I would have done if Andrew hadn’t been around tonight. I didn’t want to think about it. I was going to have to quit and find something else, but what? I was a college student with a limited amount of time and almost zero experience. Double D was the best I could get, short of stripping.
“Pretty much,” I say. “It’s not that bad. Tonight was just an off night.”
“What are you studying at school?” he asks after a few moments.
“I’m in business school. I chose marketing, but I’m thinking about changing to management. I- I want to start my own jewelry company one day. I’ve got pages and pages of designs, but I haven’t had a chance to do more than that.”
“Were those the sketches you used to make all the time on everything you could get your hands on?” he asks.
I blush and nod. I’d been designing things all my life, but it’s only in the past few years that my doodling has become serious. I’ve even got a few collections, inspired from different things in my life, like our family trip to Italy last year, and the different phases of the moon. It sounds ridiculously pretentious to say it out loud though, so I don’t. I haven’t told anyone what I wanted to do, only Andrew. Somehow he always makes me feel relaxed enough that I can tell him anything without worrying that he’d judge me.
“You know, there are internships at my company. I don’t know how many and if they’re filled yet, but that’s something you could do instead. It’d be a lot safer.”
“It would...”
The idea of working for Andrew is thrilling. I could see him everyday, and we’d have intelligent chats about stocks and meetings and what the next big thing is. I’m already imagining us having business lunches and cocktails where the conversation turns serious and we get to know one another better. Maybe he’ll even start to like me. I’m smiling now, and starting to feel ridiculously hopeful. It could happen. It does, at least in the movies. And there’s got to be a grain of truth in those stories, or they wouldn’t tell them right?
“Why don’t you send me your resume and I’ll get my assistant to see if she can find a department for you.”
I look over and he’s smiling at me. It’s a safe, friendly smile, the kind you give to your best friend’s daughter. Immediately I’m brought back to reality. Of course, he’s just trying to help out his buddy’s kid. What was I thinking? More likely I’d end up in one of the lower offices, making coffee for everyone while he’s holding important business meetings with the board of directors.
“Okay.” I try hard to hide my disappointment, but its not like he notices. We’re already turning onto my parent’s street.
A minute later we’re there. Home is a beautiful craftsman bungalow that was lovingly restored over the years by my dad. It was my mom’s dream house, and everything he’s done to it was for her. Sometimes it’s kind of sickening how in love they still are. Other times I’m wondering if I’ll ever find someone like that too.
Andrew turns off the engine and gets out to help me with the door. I can undo the seatbelt myself this time, but I let him help me out. His large hand is warm and solid, covering over my smaller one. I really don’t want to let go, but we’re right in front of my house. If my dad’s in the living room... well I don’t even want to imagine. The one time I brought my ex-boyfriend home he was given the third degree by my dad. At least, I think he was, because he refused to ever come near the house again. The last thing I want is to ruin my dad’s friendship with Andrew. The two of them are close, more like brothers than best friends sometimes.
“Thanks for driving me home,” I say as I stand up.
I start for the door, but Andrew follows me through the gate. I figure he’s going to come in and say hi to my dad, so I’m completely unprepared when he puts a hand out to stop me from putting the keys in the lock.
“Noelle,” he starts. His voice is husky and rich with feeling in just that one word. I blink a few times, looking into his eyes that are heavy with something I never thought I’d see- desire. My nipples harden beneath my thin leather vest, and it has nothing to do with the cold. He’s pinning me down with his gaze, and I don’t move an inch as he closes the gap between us in a kiss. It’s so surprising to me that I freeze right up. Oh. My. God. Oh my god. Ohmygod. And then in the next second, he’s got his hand on my jaw, tilting my face just high enough that he can kiss me harder.