Mistletoe, Baby
“I know originally that we were to set you up in Midtown,” Graham was saying as he stepped out of the car to stand beside her. “A good friend of mine owns one of the apartments at 10 Sutton and he’s never here. R.E.A.L. leased it from him. I hope you’ll like it.”
Okay, now she was speechless. She’d heard about Sutton Place, read about it and saw pictures of the stately homes and co-ops. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine living there. She wanted to do the happy dance but was sure it would be inappropriate.
“Very nice. I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she said, with a slight wave of her hand as if she lived in million-dollar homes on a regular basis.
Michael retrieved her bags from the car and was met at the curb by the red-vested doorman complete with a luggage cart.
“Welcome back, Mr. Stone. How was your trip?”
“Very productive, Glen. Thanks. How’ve you been? Did your wife have the baby yet?”
“Any minute now,” the young man said with a beaming smile. “And I really want to thank you for writing the scholarship letter for my niece.”
Graham clapped Glen on the shoulder. “Not a problem. You just tell Misty to make us all proud.”
“Oh, she will. I know she will.”
Alexis took this all in as Michael and Glen loaded the suitcases onto the cart. Graham Stone lived here or did he just know the doorman? She could hear her voice rising in her head. Michael took Graham’s bags and added them with the others, answering her unspoken question.
“I want you to look out for Ms. Montgomery. She’ll be taking over Vernon’s apartment on three. Alexis Montgomery, Glen Johnson.”
“Nice to meet you.” Alexis shook his hand.
“Ms. Montgomery.” He gave her a short nod and a smile. “Well, that explains the cleaning company and all the moving. I thought Mr. Vernon was finally coming back,” Glen said as he began pushing the cart to the entrance.
“Hopefully they did a good job,” Graham said as he strode forward. He stopped at the front desk and shook hands with the man behind the counter, took a set of keys and waved Alexis over.
“Alexis Montgomery, this is Milton, the building’s concierge. Whatever you need, he’ll help you.” He placed the keys in Alexis’s hand.
“Welcome to 10, Ms. Montgomery.” He produced a brochure from beneath the desk and handed it to her. “It contains a list of amenities as well as information on local services.”
“Thank you.”
Graham had walked off and was in conversation with a woman who’d just gotten off the elevator. He kissed her cheek and held the elevator door for Michael and Glen who stepped aside to let Alexis board.
The door swooshed closed behind them. Alexis was working hard at being cool but it was becoming more difficult by the minute.
Michael pressed the button. Within moments the doors opened onto her floor. The corridor was as exquisite and lush as a staged photograph. The cool spearmint-colored carpet made the hallway virtually soundproof and exuded a sensation of tranquillity. Michael and Glen led the way toward the front door. Alexis’s heartbeat escalated with each step. Graham lingered a few steps behind. He was busy texting on his phone.
Alexis stood in front of apartment 3. She fiddled with the keys until she located the correct one and then inserted it into the lock and turned.
The front door opened onto a spacious living space flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows that rose to meet cathedral ceilings. She slowly walked in, feeling as if she were entering someone else’s life. It was ultramodern with splashes of noir chic. The wood floors sparkled. The open floor plan showcased a chef’s kitchen complete with an oversized stainless-steel refrigerator, dishwasher, double oven and a center island with a sink in the center and seating for four. The overhead cabinets wrapped around the kitchen and were inset with opaque glass. At the far end of the living room was a metal spiral staircase that led downstairs.
“Where would you like your bags, Ms. Montgomery?” Glen asked.
Alexis blinked rapidly, gave her head a slight shake and turned to face the three men who stood behind her.
“Umm.” She looked around quickly.
“The bedrooms are downstairs,” Graham offered, briefly glancing up from his cell phone.
She looked at him with a raised brow of question.
“My apartment is similar,” he said by way of an answer. “I’m on top of you.”
Her insides quivered. On top of me. Her thoughts galloped off at breakneck speed and nearly dragged her along with them. She drew in a breath. “Downstairs, then,” she said. “Thanks.”
Glen and Michael unloaded the cart and began taking the bags to the lower level.
“This apartment is fabulous.”
“They’ve upgraded all of the units in the past five years.” He looked casually around. “Vernon did a nice job with the space.”
“How long have you lived here?”
“Almost eight years.”
Glen and Michael returned. “Your bags are in the master bedroom,” Glen offered.
“Thank you so much.”
He nodded his head and hurried out, shutting the door softly behind him.
“We’ll let you get settled,” Graham said and was walking to the door before all of the words were out of his mouth. Michael reached the door before him and opened it.
“Thank you again,” Alexis called out.
Graham raised a hand in acknowledgment just before the door closed behind them.
Alexis released a breath of pure, giddy delight. She grabbed the handrail and hurried downstairs. She reached the bottom and stopped in her tracks. The bottom of the stairs opened onto a sitting room. The walls had built-in shelves with cabinets underneath. Beyond the sitting room was a full bathroom on the other side of the stairs. Down the narrow hallway was another kitchen—smaller than the one upstairs but just as finely detailed and equipped. Opposite the kitchen was a formal dining room. The next room over was a good-size bedroom and around a short corner was the master bedroom with a cedar walk-in closet complete with en suite.
Now this is off the charts. She opened and closed doors and explored all the nooks and crannies. Wait until she told Naomi. She had definitely hit pay dirt. Dream job, dream apartment in the city that never sleeps and a boss that... Her breath caught in her chest. She wouldn’t think about that. Couldn’t think about it. Instinctively her eyes rose and she imagined Graham walking through his apartment—on top of her.
Chapter 3
Graham loosened his tie and shrugged out of his jacket while he walked from the entrance straight to his bedroom. He’d opted to keep his bedroom on the lower level as well, with the main level reserved for dining and entertaining. He’d purchased the apartment almost eight years earlier but he was still unaccustomed to the luxury of it all. His former life was a far cry from the one he lived now and even though the battle scars weren’t visible they remained.
He hung his jacket on the hook behind his bedroom door, opened his walk-in closet and slid his suitcase inside, only taking out his shaving kit. He’d deal with unpacking later. He tugged his tie all the way off and hung it on the tie rack, stepped out of his shoes and placed them on the shelf with the others then shut the closet door. Two rows of shoes. Sometimes he had to look more than once to believe it.
What he wanted was a cold beer, to stretch out on the couch and catch a Knicks game. He stripped out of his shirt, tossed it in the laundry bag and hung his slacks up with his jacket on the back of the door. He’d have Milton send everything over to the dry cleaner in the morning along with his other suit and the shirts from his trip.
He grabbed a white T-shirt from the middle drawer of his dresser and a pair of navy blue sweatpants that were faded and as soft as a baby’s blanket from years of washing and wearing. The U.S. Navy insignia on the right pocket was barely visible. He headed back upstairs with the hope that there was at least one beer in the fridge. He lucked out.
He plucked the bottle of Coors from the shelf and took a quick look at the contents inside the fridge and then the deep freezer, packed tight with meats, fish and chicken. A ball of tension knotted in his stomach. He walked over to the pantry and pulled the door open and then the cabinets one by one. His heart thundered in his chest. Not enough. There wasn’t enough. For a moment his right hand trembled ever so slightly as he ran it across the rows of canned goods, boxed items, bags of pastas, jars of sauces and columns of spices. What he saw was half full, not abundance. Rationally he understood that, but emotionally he saw empty. He felt pangs of hunger and an unreasonable fear that made his heart race.
He forced himself to close the cabinet door. He twisted off the cap on the beer bottle and took a long, calming swallow. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed his pulse to slow. By degrees he began to relax and the images of his past slowly receded.
Graham crossed the room, picked up the remote from the coffee table and aimed it at the wall-mounted flat-screen television. He surfed until he found the game before setting down the remote. Second quarter. The Knicks were down by ten. He shook his head, chuckled and stretched out on the couch.
When a commercial played across the screen showcasing a quartet of beautiful women celebrating with a night out on the town, he thought of Alexis Montgomery and wondered how she would fit in with his team and the pace of the New York lifestyle.
He’d read her résumé. It was impressive to say the least. She had an MBA in finance and a doctorate in education. She spoke fluent Spanish, French and was competent in Mandarin. She was well traveled, well-read and well respected, and she was definitely easy on the eyes. He was eager to hear her thoughts on the proposal that he’d given her to review. He liked the sound of her voice, the even throatiness of it and the way she looked directly at him. And even the way she tackled opening that bottle of water. He smiled and took another long swallow of beer just as the game resumed.
* * *
In a little under two hours, Alexis had unpacked and began to familiarize herself with her new digs. She’d set up her laptop in the smaller of the two bedrooms that she would use as her office. She’d verified that the cable was on and the internet was working—all courtesy of R.E.A.L. There were the basic staples in the fridge and pantry but she needed to go food shopping, especially to pick up some of the things that she liked. She had no idea where to go but maybe Milton could tell her where the nearest supermarket was.
She shoved her feet into her sneakers, grabbed her purse and dropped her cell phone inside. She palmed the weight of her new keys and grinned as she wrapped her fingers around them and her new life. She took another look around before heading out of the door.
Milton was reading the New York Times when she approached the front desk. “Ms. Montgomery.” He rested the paper on the desk. “How can I help you?”
“I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find the nearest supermarket.”
His right brow rose momentarily. “Certainly.” He frowned. “Should I get you a car service?”
“How far is it?”
“Several blocks.”
She smiled. “I’ll be fine. I could use a good walk and get a chance to see the neighborhood.”
He didn’t look convinced and gave a slight shrug. He came from behind the desk with the intention of walking with her outside and pointing her in the right direction, just as the elevator bell tinged and Graham stepped off. His dark eyes widened. A half smile teased his mouth as he approached the desk.
“Everything okay with your flat?”
Flat. That made her smile. “Fine. Everything is great. I was asking Milton about the supermarkets in the area. I want to pick up a few things.”
Graham placed the linen laundry bag with the building’s logo on the desk. “Can you send these out for me? The usual. Light starch on the shirts.”
“Sure thing, Mr. Stone.”
“If you don’t mind some company, I’ll walk with you,” Graham offered.
“Great.”
Graham extended his arm toward the front door.
* * *
The early-evening weather was still warm. Couples walked hand in hand and families strolled along the avenues pushing baby strollers, while others jogged to the rhythm of the tunes coming from their headsets and earbuds. The towering trees had begun to bloom, filling the air with the sweet scent of awakening.
“Great neighborhood,” Alexis said as they made the turn onto First Avenue.
“Yes, it is.”
She tilted her head to look at him. “You don’t sound convinced.”
He laughed lightly. “Oh, I’m convinced.” His eyes quickly roamed the street. “Who wouldn’t be?”
Alexis studied his profile for a moment, watching his countenance stiffen then relax as if he’d seen something he wished he hadn’t.
Graham pushed out a breath and turned his megawatt smile on her just as they approached Gristedes. He pulled open the heavy glass-and-chrome door. Alexis walked in ahead of him. Every aisle was lined with shoppers and the incredible assortment of goods was beyond imagination. It was a food lovers paradise.
“Take as much time as you need,” Graham said. “I have a few things to pick up myself and we can share a cab back.”
“Great. Thanks.”
“I’ll meet you up front when you’re done.”
She nodded in agreement, grabbed a shopping cart and started off. She probably should have eaten a full meal before setting foot in this emporium. She was tempted to purchase everything that she laid her eyes on and wished she’d brought a list. She selected a case of imported water, fresh vegetables and baked bread, fish, chicken and seasonings, sorbet, yogurt, fruit and mixings for salads. She could easily spend the day here, but her cart was nearly full. She pushed her cart to the checkout line and watched the numbers add up. New York prices were enough to send her into a sticker shock.
Alexis took out her credit card and reluctantly swiped it. Good thing this job pays well. She watched the groceries being bagged. Graham was standing at the store’s exit talking on his phone when she pushed her loaded cart next to him.
His eyes skipped over her purchases and hers were agape at his. He had two carts filled to the rim and she could only conclude that he hadn’t shopped in months.
Graham ended his call. “Get everything you need?”
“I sure hope so.” She lifted her chin in the direction of his carts. “I see you must have gotten one of everything.”
His eyes crinkled in the corners. “A few things.” He stepped away toward a cab that was lined up at the curb. The driver got out and opened the trunk.
“You think there will be enough room?” Alexis asked with a laugh.
“We’ll make it fit. Won’t we?”
Her eyes leaped to his face, but he was concentrating on getting the bags into the trunk. The muscles of his arms and back flexed as he lifted and deposited each sack. A lick of heat flamed in the center of her stomach. She swallowed.
“All in,” he said, turning toward her with a glimmer in his eyes. “Off we go, eh?” He shut the trunk and opened the cab door for her. Alexis slid in and moved over to make room for Graham.
Gone was the scent of his enticing cologne. It was replaced with a cool water fragrance that was even more alluring in its subtlety. She licked her lips.
“Liking the flat so far?”
She blinked rapidly and focused on him. “It’s fabulous. More than I could have ever imagined. I can’t thank you enough for arranging it.”
“You do a good job for R.E.A.L. and that will be thanks enough.” He smiled ever so slightly.
Alexis linked her fingers together on her lap while her gaze flicked across his face.
Within moments the taxi was pulling up in front of their building. Glen hurried toward the cab with a luggage cart and helped to unload the bags of groceries and wheeled them inside.
“Don’t know whose is whose,” Alexis said.
“We can sort it all out upstairs.”
They followed Glen onto the elevator. “Where to first?”
“Stop by my flat first, then you can help Ms. Montgomery.”
“Sure thing, Mr. Stone.”
They rode the elevator to Graham’s floor while Glen whistled some off-tune melody. Exiting, Alexis followed the two men down the hall to Graham’s apartment. He opened the door. Alexis lingered at the threshold.
“Come on in. You can help sort through.”
Alexis came in and looked around. The set up was similar to hers but the decor was decidedly different. Graham’s furnishings were in a deep chocolate. A leather sectional that could easily seat ten dominated the living space. At least she thought it did until her gaze landed on the mammoth television. She held back a laugh. Boys and their toys. One wall was covered from floor to ceiling with a bookcase that held at least two hundred books. Impressive. She wondered if he’d read them all. The tabletops held framed photos of Graham in a variety of situations. Most were with people who she believed were students, in others he was at banquets, and there were several with senators and one with President Obama.
Graham and Glen sifted through the bags and deposited all that belonged to Graham on the kitchen floor and on the counters.
“All done,” Graham announced by the time Alexis made her way to the unloading zone. “Glen will take yours down to your place.”
“Thanks. When did you get to meet with the president?” she asked while Glen wheeled her groceries to the door.
“I was on his education committee during his first term. That particular photo was taken during a fund-raising dinner for his second term.”
“You travel in pretty high circles. I had no idea you were part of the education committee.”
“It’s not something that I broadcast.”
“Why not during his second term?”
“As much as I wanted to help President Obama further his agenda, it took me away from mine. My focus needed to return to R.E.A.L.”
She nodded her head in understanding. “Good choice.”
He grinned. “I’m glad you think so.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
Graham stood in his doorway and waited until the elevator door swished closed. He slowly shut his door and hoped that he hadn’t made an awful mistake in hiring Alexis Montgomery.
* * *
Alexis had finished putting away her groceries, seasoned a piece of salmon and was waiting for it to finish broiling when her doorbell chimed. She frowned, wiped her hands on a towel and went to the door and pulled it open.
“Graham. Mr. Stone.”
“Graham is fine.” He held up one of the Gristedes bags. “This was mixed in with mine.” He extended the bag that was filled with salad greens.
“I thought it might be with your things. Thank you. I could have come up and gotten it.”
“Not a problem. Mmm, something smells good.”
“I have some salmon broiling.” She paused. “You’re welcome to join me if you want. There’s plenty.”
“Thank you but I’d probably fall asleep. Jet lag is beginning to catch up with me.”
She wanted to run her fingers across the expanse of his chest...just to see if it was as hard as she imagined. She smiled instead. “I totally understand. Get some rest.” She took the bag. “Thanks.”
“Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”
“You, too.”
Alexis slowly closed her apartment door then rested her head against it and shut her eyes. They were going to wind up in bed together, and there was nothing that either of them could do about it. That she knew for sure. What she didn’t know was if she’d be able to keep her job the morning after.
Chapter 4
“Finer than Ian?” Naomi squeaked in disbelief.
“Yes. They haven’t invented the word to describe the man.” Alexis put her feet up on the couch and snuggled into girl-talk mode. She reached for her glass of wine and took a sip.
“Details, details. Let me live vicariously.”
Alexis giggled and then began to fill Naomi in from the moment they met in the car to his dropping off her misplaced groceries.
“Sounds yummy, and a Brit accent, too. Got a little Idris Elba thing going on. Is he single? No, forget that question. You know that mixing business with pleasure is always a disaster.”
Alexis sighed. “I know. Bad business for all concerned. Great if it works, a nightmare when it doesn’t.” She finished off her wine. “But a girl can dream.”
“Make sure it’s only a dream, Lexi,” Naomi warned. “This is a phenomenal career move for you, don’t sabotage it. Besides, if he is as fine as you say he is, then he probably has a string of women nipping at his heels anyway.”
“You’re probably right. But I still have my dreams,” she said on a playful note. Naomi had always been the more provincial, live by the rules, don’t rock the boat kind of girl. She was her conscience, and Alexis knew in the months to come that she was going to need Naomi’s good sense to whisper in her ear when it came to Graham Stone.
* * *
At eight forty-five on Monday morning, Alexis walked through the doors of R.E.A.L. The offices were located on the fifteenth and sixteenth floors of what was once part of the ABC Television offices on Avenue of the Americas and Fifty-Third Street in Manhattan. Everything looked pretty much the way she remembered from her last visit.
The receptionist looked up from her computer screen and smiled. “Good morning, how can I help you?”
“Good morning. I’m Alexis Montgomery. I start work today.”
The young woman’s eyes widened. “Oh, Ms. Montgomery.” She hopped up from her seat. She extended her hand across the horseshoe shaped desk, which Alexis shook. “Mr. Stone told me to send you straight to his office when you arrived.”
Alexis’s pulse quickened at the mention of his name. “Certainly.”
“Let me advise him that you’re here.” She quickly pressed a button on the multiline phone and spoke into her headset. “Yes. Of course.” She looked across the desk at Alexis. “Straight down the hall, make the first right and his office is on the left.”
“Thank you.”
Alexis followed the directions and passed several employees in the hallway and others who were getting settled into their offices. She made the turn and slowed her step. The door was partially open. She could hear his distinctive voice but couldn’t make out the words. Alexis approached the door and knocked.
“Yes. Come in.”
Alexis pushed the door open and stepped inside. Graham stood up from behind his desk. A stunning woman with large, luminous dark eyes and a short pixie haircut turned from her seat to look at Alexis from over her shoulder. She had on a soft pink skirt suit. Everyone couldn’t get away with wearing pink without looking like Barbie. But this woman could.
Graham came from around the rather large desk. “Alexis. Good morning.” He turned to the seated woman. “Tracy Carter, this is Alexis Montgomery.”
Tracy extended her hand but didn’t get up. “I’ve heard a great deal about you.”
Alexis shook her proffered hand and was drawn to Tracy’s green eyes that reflected like hidden jewels against her sandy-brown complexion. “Nice to meet you.”
Tracy’s softly tinted lips barely lifted into a smile. “Welcome aboard.”
The two women held each other’s gaze. Tracy was the first to turn away.
“Tracy is my executive director and probably knows more about how this business runs than I do. She’ll bring you up to speed and get you set up in your office.” His phone rang. He reached for the phone and gave them a brief look that the meeting was over.
Tracy retrieved her iPad from the desk and stood. “I’ll direct you to your office,” she said, swinging past Alexis. Alexis offered Graham a tight smile that he completely missed before leaving with Tracy.
“So how long have you been with the organization?” Alexis asked while they walked down the hall and back to the elevators.
Tracy tucked her iPad under her left arm and pressed the up button on the panel. “Since we opened,” she said without any further elaboration.