“I think you’d better get the hell out of my office right about now.”
“I’ll await your answer,” I say, rising.
“And if you’re thinking of saying anything—anything!—to anyone about what you just told me, consider your ass royally and legally screwed.”
“I think we both know my ass is going to be just fine,” I say, walking out and closing the door behind me.
I once again take the stairs down to what will soon no longer be my office.
Now that that burden is over with, I’m free to think about how to spend the rest of my life.
Starting with today.
Honey spent the night with me yesterday after her show.
I’m still in awe of what I saw last night. Yes, it was risqué, but in such a fun and mesmerizing way that I couldn’t help but forget all my misgivings and become absorbed in the show.
If Honey shines in real life, on that stage she was like a star in supernova. My initial shock at seeing her come out onto the stage in that corseted outfit ebbed with laughter and pure enjoyment as I, like the rest of the crowd became rapt with her performance, and that of her friends as well.
By the time it was over, I know I wanted her more than ever.
My mother, conservative and straight-laced as me, might have something to say about it. My father, as fun and welcoming to any and everyone as Honey is, will be a little easier to charm.
I have a feeling Honey will be the one to win them over when she finally meets them.
Just by being herself.
When I get to my office, I see Emily lingering near the door.
“Oh, Jesse, er, Giuseppe,” she says, her gaze cooling as she uses my real name. It softens into a look of sympathy as she continues. “I just wanted to stop by to see how you were doing.”
“Fine,” I say, walking past her into my office. “I wasn’t really sick yesterday.”
“I don’t mean about that.” She follows me in, gently closing the door behind her. She waits until I’m at my desk before speaking again. “I meant about…well…there’s this nasty rumor going around about—”
“Honey,” I finish for her. “If it’s reached the Admin law department then I suppose everyone’s heard about it by now. Unless it was someone in the Admin Law department who started the rumor in the first place?”
She sniffs and gives me an indignant look. “I certainly didn’t. Why on Earth would I?”
I simply raise one brow in response.
“It wasn’t me,” she insists. “The partners are talking about it. My boss Marie heard about it from David Winters. Someone named Todd, in your department I think, he spread it.”
Figures. I’ll have to pay him a parting visit before I go. Give him a nice New Jersey farewell.
“Did you come to gloat?”
“No,” she says, slowly walking to the seat across from me. “But, you have to admit, it doesn’t look good. I mean…really, Jes—Giuseppe.” I note the slight cringe as she uses my real name. A stark contrast to Honey’s reaction to it. “What possible future could you have with a woman like that? A Harvard Law grad dating a…well, whatever it is she does? Don’t you deserve someone more appropriate?”
I stare at her, realizing where she’s going with this.
Four years too late.
Thank God.
“Too bad she doesn’t play video games for a living,” I say, if only to remind her of her own plus-one.
Emily’s mouth tightens with displeasure. “Tyler is—”
“A good guy.”
Her eyes flash open in surprise. “Giuseppe, you really don’t get it do you?”
“Get what?” I say, impatient and ready to get on with leaving this place.
“I came to ABC for you. These past four years have made me realize the kind of man I want and…you’re it. Just think of how perfect we’d be together.”
I stare at her long and hard. Once upon a time, this would have been it, the pinnacle of my success. A partner—not even a wife—someone who would make me look good and understand my ambitions.
Now, I just find the thought, at best, depressing, at worst, horrifying.
“It’s not going to happen, Emily.”
“Is it Tyler? You don’t have to worry about him. As it turns out, well, I don’t see it working between us.”
“I don’t either. If he’s smart, he’ll get out now.” That causes her to start in surprise. “Find someone who appreciates him. Or, you could just let him go, which you seem to be itching to do. He deserves better.”
“My relationship with him is none of your business.”
“Ditto when it comes to my relationship with Honey, the woman I want to be in a relationship with.”
“Relationship?” A patronizing smile touches her lips. “From a woman who leaves pink feathers on your collar?”
I take a breath and lean in to give her a hard stare. “I’d take a million of those pink feathers over one more moment in your presence, Emily. Congratulations on making it to New York. Good luck here at ABC.”
I stand up, by way of dismissing her.
“I’m taking the rest of the day off. I have a show to attend tonight.”
Chapter Thirty-Two Honey
“Are you nervous?”
“Are you kidding?” I reply with a grin. “If I can win you over, surely I can win the Pope himself over.”
“I’m pretty sure the Pope has nothing on my mother when it comes to…”
“Burlesque performers?”
Giuseppe laughs and rolls his tongue around in his cheek as he considers that one.
I’m finally meeting his parents for the first time. The only one I’ve met so far is his youngest sister, Carina, since she goes to Columbia University. She and I hit it off amazingly, though she did make it clear that she was nothing like the rest of the family, Giuseppe included.
According to him, his mother is very much the “serious” one in the family, no-nonsense, practical, even a bit stoic. So in other words, Giuseppe.
His father is the “fun” one, always making jokes and encouraging people to
