Exception, p.15
Exception, page 15
“That’s correct and of course it is, I know you hate to do these things solo. Now, about the second order of business,” Chelsea continued animatedly, “with all of this fuss about your page, Laura and I decided to give you twenty percent of the profits coming from advertising related to your page, which is a nice bonus on top of your paycheck.”
Emily was awestruck. She didn’t know or care how much money it would be, but she was beyond exited that her bosses had thought to give her that. “Oh my god, Chels, you didn’t have to do that—”
“Shut up Ems, you’re a great addition to the family.” The woman cut Emily off mid-sentence. “Besides, we only got these sponsors because of your hard and great work, so we absolutely had to. Now I’ve got to go, but I’ll send you the email of their shared assistant so you can sync schedules, ’kay?”
As they hung up their phones Emily felt like she could burst with joy. The day was getting better by the second. In her happiness, all she wanted was to call Taylor and share her good news, but she knew he had a lot of work to do and she didn’t want to disturb him. Not trusting her self-control, she jumped into her work to keep her treacherous mind and fingers away from her cell phone.
Her staying-busy plan worked, and she spent the rest of the morning completely engrossed in her work. She felt extremely proud of herself after completing three reviews and coordinating the meeting with the three editors via email. Through those email exchanges, they narrowed the possible dates down to either next Tuesday or Friday evening. She was granted the final decision, which she planned on making only after she’d had a chance to speak to Taylor.
The last item on her morning to-do list was to shop online for new books. That was precisely what she was doing, laptop balancing on her stretched thighs and her feet resting on top of the ottoman, when Taylor walked in. She was so focused on her task that she didn’t even see him.
“God, it’s good to see you,” he said, dropping next to her on the couch.
At the sound of his voice, saying the words that reflected her feeling to the dot, all of the attention she was paying to her computer vanished. She’d spent most of the morning wishing he was there with her and, now that he was, relief and happiness poured from every cell in her body.
Her smile twisted her lips as she closed her laptop and nudged him with her shoulder. “Ditto. I fought the urge to call you the entire morning.”
Taylor turned his body to look at Emily’s face. Her laughter did nothing to tame his indignation. “And why the hell would you do that? Urges to call me should never be fought, Ems. If you want to call me, then call me.”
Everything about what was happening was funny to Emily. The indignant look he was giving her would have been appropriate if she’d just told him she liked to eat soap or something like that, and the green light to call him whenever she wanted was equally strange. She’d never met a guy, or a person, for that matter, that didn’t mind being bothered in the middle of a busy day.
“But it wasn’t anything important. Besides, I knew you were having a busy day and that I would see you soon. It could wait.” She shrugged her shoulders.
He shook his head and let out a deep breath. “Listen to me; I’ll never be too busy for you, and I don’t ever want you to wait to share something with me. Don’t you remember what I told you Saturday? You are, and will always be, my priority.” His lips turned up with a smile and he moved closer to her before he spoke again, his voice low, as if his next words were a secret. “Besides, I can’t get fired, remember?”
Emily didn’t know what to say to him, and being speechless wasn’t something that happened often to her. She smiled and searched her brain for something to say, but the only thing she managed was, “Ditto.”
He laughed at her response—not because he thought it was funny, but because he knew that if he was to call every time he wanted to, then they would never be off the phone. “You’ve got yourself a deal,” he agreed eagerly. “Now let’s go. I’m going to take you to lunch and you can tell me what had you fighting the urge to call me.”
She packed her things quickly and they walked, side by side, to a quiet bistro close by. Emily told him about her talk with Chelsea and the good news it brought. With that, the ordinary lunch between friends became a celebration. She also told him about her meetings with the editors, and how she wanted his company. After quickly considering the options, Taylor informed her that the best day for him was Tuesday. What he didn’t say was that the reason for that had nothing to do with his availability, and everything to do with wanting her back in NYC sooner rather than later.
After their lunch, Taylor walked her back to the coffee shop where he reluctantly left her only before receiving a promise that she would call or go to the studio should any of those urges reappear.
With the exception of the many texts exchanged between the two friends, the afternoon was not much different to the morning. They each focused on their jobs, without ever letting the other out of their minds. In a few of his texts, Taylor mentioned that he was desperate for a decent cup of coffee but that, with the amount of work he had, there was no way he would be able to go out for some. Another recurrent topic involved a certain blond who Emily didn’t know, but already hated.
Finishing her work much sooner than expected and itching to be with Taylor again, she decided to make good on her promise to him and follow her urges. With her things packed in her bag and both of their orders of coffee, Emily walked the short distance to the gallery.
It took a deep breath and a lot of determination for Emily to reach and open the heavy wooden door. The moment she stepped inside, it was clear to her that none of Taylor’s coworkers had ever been to his apartment, because if they had, there would be no way to deny the fact that the place was his. It had that rustic sophistication that was so Taylor.
She was standing still, taking the place in, when an annoying high-pitched voice called to her. “I’m sorry miss, but we’re closed today.”
Sitting behind a massive wooden counter to her left was a woman, working with a state-of-the-art computer. Emily instantly recognized Kimberly. She was exactly as Taylor had described her: too thin, too blond and generally unpleasant to her very core.
“I’m actually looking for someone; Taylor Carter.”
Emily’s sweetness did nothing to tame the other woman’s bad manners and sour mood; quite the contrary, actually. Kimberly scanned Emily up and down with a look of disdain on her face. “I’m sorry, dear, but we’re opening a show tomorrow, and Taylor’s very busy going over things with the artist.”
A small smile curled at the corners of Emily’s lips before she spoke in the no-bullshit tone she’d learned from her sister. “I understand that, but if you could please call him and let him decide if he has time to speak with me, I would appreciate it. My name is Emily, by the way.” Taylor had been right; the woman could test the patience of a saint.
With clenched jaws, Kimberly picked up the phone to call Taylor. Her annoyance was visible in the flat line of her lips. She wasn’t used to people speaking to her that way, and Emily’s certainty that Taylor would see her was only adding to the flame, quickly making Emily one of her least favorite people.
Emily watched with an estranged sense of satisfaction as Kimberly picked up the phone and dialed an extension number. Her bony fingers still worked the dial when a familiar voice sounded from a few feet away. “Is my over-anxious imagination playing tricks on me, or are you really here?”
“Of course I’m here,” she answered with a smile, turning to see her friend walking towards her. His smile was taking up most of his face, and she wasn’t sure if it was because she was there or because of the way Kimberly’s jaw had dropped almost to the keyboard, and her eyes were nearly popping out of her skull. Either way, it sent a jolt of thrills through her. “I received clear instructions to follow my urges. And I thought you could use a cup of decent coffee. I hear you’re very busy today.”
Her little dig at Kimberly made Taylor laugh out loud. “I am awfully busy, but for you, I’ll always make time.”
Both his words and the bear hug that followed made her giggly and blush just a little. Feeling safe in a man’s arms was unsettling, but there was no denying that Taylor’s arms were quickly becoming Emily’s safe and favorite place. A small bite of fear came over her that his words and actions were just for show, a kick-start to the ‘make Kim leave him alone’ plan.
As if he could sense her feelings, he brought his lips close to her ear, his stubble tickling her through her hair. “You have no idea how good it was to hear your voice from across the room,” he whispered, melting away her previous fear.
Emily’s eyes prickled as her smile changed from happy to ecstatic. “Ditto,” she whispered back into his ear.
Before letting her go, Taylor kissed the top of her head. She carefully placed the cup of coffee she’d bought him in his hands. Her giddy expression as his eyes drifted down to the short inscription written just above the sleeve was undeniable.
Deep down, Emily was still amazed at herself for behaving in a way that was so unlike her. As she watched him read the little note, all sorts of thoughts passed through Emily’s mind—none of them pleasant, and all created by her insecurities. Her worry that he might misinterpret her words vanished at the sight of the Cheshire cat smile forming on his lips.
His eyes met hers, a contented glint in them. Taylor lifted the cup to his lips and took a sip of the hot beverage. As he lowered the cup, his smile was still in place. “The best excuse of a coffee I’ve ever had.”
His words made her laugh. Locked in their bubble, they were completely unaware of the blond eyeing daggers at them from the wooden counter.
Taylor explained that he still had some last-minute details to work on with Marina, the photographer displaying her work, but that he wouldn’t take longer than a couple of hours. She assured him that she would be okay, as long as she had somewhere to sit and read. He directed her to an armchair. The seat had great natural light, which would be good for reading, and was also right in his view range, which was an added bonus.
During the next two hours Kimberly burned a hole in the back of Emily’s head. Pretending to be unaware of it, Emily simply continued to read her book. Every once in a while she would lift her eyes from her tablet and stare at Taylor. He looked incredibly competent, discussing things with the redhead photographer. On not so rare occasions, his eyes would meet hers, and they would trade smiles.
The sun had set and all of the employees, with the exception of Kimberly and Taylor, had left. Emily was completely engrossed in her reading when Taylor approached.
“Hey, I’m done. Come one, let’s go home before Bones is done with Marina and has a chance to piss us off some more.” His tone was half-joking but, joking or not, Emily wanted nothing more than to be on her way and enjoy her evening with Taylor. She quickly packed her device in her bag and followed him out onto the street.
“About those plans we had for tonight,” she said, adjusting the strap of her bag and putting her jacket back on.
As he did that morning he closed her zipper and adjusted the helmet on her head. “Yes.”
“I was thinking we could postpone them for next week and just relax on that delightful rug of yours. Maybe watch a movie or something.” Her voice was a little unsure. She knew that he had planned to take her out for dinner and didn’t want to disappoint him, but the only thing she wanted was to relax in comfy clothes and enjoy his company. After all, they would have a lot of excitement the next day.
“Everything you just said sounded perfect to me,” he agreed.
With a wide smile, she hopped on the bike and held on to him.
EMILY STOOD in front of the full-length mirror in Taylor’s guest bedroom, checking her appearance for the last time before leaving the room. Happiness and peace filled her heart.
Residual bliss of the previous night of movies and relaxation on Taylor’s couch still ran through her during her busy day of preparations for the upcoming event. As per his request, she’d spent the morning at the gallery. He was busy and they didn’t talk much, but just to hear his voice and occasionally exchange glances with him was enough to assure a heavenly mood. It didn’t take long for people to start talking or staring at them, wondering what was going on, and it didn’t bother Emily one bit.
After lunch she began her long process of pampering with a trip to the hairstylist and nail parlor. She hadn’t seen Taylor since lunch, and was a little anxious for him to see her all dolled up. Smoothing the fabric of her dress and collecting her clutch from the dresser, she walked out into the living room.
Taylor stood by the window, his face illuminated by the dimming light of the sunset. He looked flawless in his gray fitted suit and black dress shirt. He wasn’t wearing a tie and the first two buttons of shirt were open, showing just enough skin to make the assemble look effortlessly sexy.
Hearing the clicking of heels approaching, Taylor turned around to look at her. His smile was as breathtaking to her as the whole of her was to him. He took his time admiring her, committing every detail of her to memory.
The red abstract print on the black background of her dress, gave her an edgy look, while the shimmering of the satin made it look glamorous. The hem was several inches above her knees, showing off the creamy skin of her sculpted legs. The shortness of the skirt, however, was perfectly balanced by the very modest neckline. Very high, black, studded pumps and a small red clutch finished the look.
“Wow. You look . . .” He shook his head and let out a small puff of air through his smiling lips. He had no words that could possibly begin to describe her beauty. “Simply . . . wow.”
She giggled; partly in embarrassment, and partly because, between the two of them, she was normally the inarticulate one. Feeling abnormally brave, she took the few remaining steps that separated them.
Even in those heels she was still a few inches shorter than him. At this close proximity she could smell his cologne; the sent was spicy, woody, delicious, and very him. Emily combed her fingers through his hair placing a stray lock back into place. “You look very wow yourself.”
“I feel sorry for Marina,” he began with a smile, in complete and utter awe. “No one’s going to pay much attention to her photographs with you looking like that.”
As he led her out of the apartment, she once again giggled in embarrassment. Parked outside of the building entrance was a polished black sedan with chauffer he’d requested to take them to the gallery.
Having something important to discuss with him before they arrived at the party, Emily felt glad to have a driver and Taylor’s undivided attention. Her discomfort at the idea of discussing the important yet unpleasant subject was clear in her face and made her fidget with everything from the clasp in her clutch to the leather of the seat. She looked at the city booming with light and life outside the car window in an attempt to gather her thoughts enough to utter the necessary words.
From her side, she could feel Taylor’s eyes on her even before his hand touched the soft curl of her hair or his voice reached her ears.
“Are you okay, Ems? You look tense,” he said, his voice filled with apprehension.
She took a deep breath wondering how could he, in such a small period of time, know and read her so well. “I’m fine. It’s just that I need to talk to you about something before we get there.” Her voice displayed a bravery she didn’t feel.
An agreeing okay was all he could offer. Her words got him even more concerned than he already was. Bending one knee over the seat, he turned his body towards her, allowing for no doubt that she had his undivided attention.
“You don’t need to be so tense, it’s just a heads up sort of thing,” she assured him, not liking the tension she saw in his eyes. Taylor nodded and let out the breath he was holding as he continued to watch her.
She took in a deep breath, attempting to chase away the fear, and decided to jump right into it. “We don’t really have time for the whole story right now, but before we get to the party, I need you to know something.” That was all she could utter before her voice failed. Her unspoken words burnt inside her throat, and the threatening tears did the same to her eyes.
Remembering was already bad enough, but combined with the fear that he might not understand or think badly of her made the whole thing unbearable. She’d only had this conversation one time before, with Zack and Jody, but they’d been friends for a lot longer than Taylor and her.
His hands took hold of both of hers. He held them tightly and brought them to his chest, right over his heart. The tips of her fingers skimmed the bare skin at the opening of his shirt. She looked from their hands to his expressive brown eyes. They were so comforting and safe and reminded her of his past words, “Whatever it is, we can talk about it” “All I want is to get to know you, to understand you, and be there for you in any way you need.” That reassurance was all she needed.
Drawing strength from him, she began, “Well, I’ve already told you that I don’t date, and you’ve seen me be uneasy around men, right?” He nodded and she continued, a little embarrassed. “What you don’t know is the why.” She took a deep breath before continuing with a sad smirk. “I had a series of . . . mishaps involving people I trusted, especially men. That’s why I don’t get involved or trust people, other than my very small circle.”
Anger ran through Taylor. “What kind of mishaps?” he asked through clenched jaws.
Emily shook her head, dismissing his question. He gave her a stern look and asked the question once again, this time a bit more demanding. She saw that, behind the question and the anger, was worry, a deeper worry than she’d ever seen in anyone’s face, with perhaps the exception of Charlotte.
With a knot in her throat, she pushed the words out. If he cared enough to worry like that, he deserved the truth. “The nasty kind, Tay,” she said in a sad tone, and saw fire burn in his eyes. Before he had a chance to say anything else, she continued, “But I don’t want to ruin the evening by talking about that. I just brought it up because you need to know that I hate when people touch or get too close to me. I’ve even panicked a few times recently. It’s worse with men, but it applies to women as well; that’s why I hate public events.”
