Nichole
I barged into his office.
"What are you doing in your office?"
"If I had a penny for everytime someone asked me that exact question I'd be a fucking trillionaire." He smiled.
"You don't have enough money as it is?"
He looked at me, obviously sensing the sarcasm and my bad mood.
"Nichole, as much as I'm grateful for the concern, I don't know why you're here. You quit, remember. And you refused to take my calls."
"I heard someone stabbed you at a club? How could you be so careless?"
"I don't think that's your business." He stared me down.
"Why? Why isn't it my business? Because I'm not your employee anymore? Or because you don't like me?"
Drego stayed quiet, averting his eyes from me.
"I came because I have some unfinished business. It's not okay that I left when you hadn't found a replacement for me. So I'll be working here until you do."
"What about your father's company? I thought you were taking over."
"That's between me and my father. Besides, I'm only going to be here for a few weeks, right?"
"Will you be comfortable? You know… around me?"
"I thought your first question would be why I'm choosing to do this. I honestly thought you'd ask me to leave. I guess you don't hate me as much as I thought you did."
Drego's frown deepened. "I don't recall telling you I hate you."
"But you don't like me either?" I was determined to look him in the eyes as we had this conversation. Drego wasn't cooperating.
"I don't think this is a good idea. You quit. It should stay that way."
"I can't let it stay that way. You haven't found anybody to fill in my shoes. I'll be here until you do. You don't want me anywhere near you so you don't feel uncomfortable, that's not a problem."
"I didn't say that." He shook his head repeatedly.
"You didn't have to."
"Have you always been this gutsy?" He asked. My hands were already on his doorknob. I faced him, smiling.
"No. But I'm learning to." And then I walked out, back to my department, taking my seat as the leader.
I still shook with nerves after my conversation with Drego. I wished that badass Nichole didn't make me feel so anxious after. If she could come out and stay, this part of my life would be so much easier. Maybe.
Thankfully, without too much explanation which we're mostly lies, I was welcomed back with open arms. I could see the relief on most of their faces. I thought my subordinates didn't like me as much, with my perfectionist attitude. I'd heard them talk badly about me on many occasions. And I understand. I'd been in their shoes before. But the love I was getting after ditching them for weeks was beginning to make me think otherwise. They were asking a lot of questions about my break too. I was almost running out of answers to give when Mr. Denver approached me.
"Mr. Denver. What can I do for you? Or are you also here to ask me why I left and why I'm suddenly back?"
"Again with the Mr Denver. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Reid." His signature boyish smile that the entire New York knew him for graced his face.
"Okay, Reid, what can I do for you?"
"I prefer to have casual relaxing conversations over a meal. Can we eat and talk?"
I knew who Reid was. One of the four friends who were, as the blogs called them, the most revolutionary and eligible bachelors in the entire tri-state area.
Reid wasn't just wealthy, but he was also smart. He began working in his family's perfume company at age sixteen and did excellently well. He created his first signature perfume; Dusk, and made billions of dollars for the company. People said out of the four best friends, he was the smartest. How they came to that conclusion I don't know because if you asked me, the man who is currently breaking into the France market and leaving his mark should be getting that title. Just saying.
Reid took me across the building to the Mexican restaurant we employees frequented. Mr Javier smiled at me the second our eyes met. I shook my head, my eyes opening widely as I tried to communicate in the subtlest way that what he was thinking was wrong.
"He thinks I'm your man."
Reid's statement caught me off guard. Which was why my face burned red with embarrassment. He'd seen us. And he'd understood what we were saying without words coming out of our mouths.
"No."
Reid's smile graced his face again. He looked at me, and I could tell that he wasn't going to push the conversation any further like the gentle man he was.
He leaned in, his hands on the table.
"This might be stepping out of line, but I gotta ask. Why do you like him so much?"
I blanched. Had I been caught?
"Wh-ho. Like who… I don't, I don't understand."
"Relax." He said, but how could I. Drego had told all his friends about my outburst. Only God knows what they'd talked about me behind closed doors.
"No. He didn't tell us."
Was I that easy to read or Was he a mind reader?
"We knew." Reid added. "He didn't have to tell us anything. Unlike Drego, we notice things."
There was no need to panic. It was not like I did something bad. It was embarrassing, but it wasn't a bad thing.
"So you guys knew… about my feelings for him?"
"Yeah." He didn't stop smiling. I found his smile comforting. It made the situation a little less embarrassing.
"Oh god. This is so embarrassing." I covered my face with my hands briefly.
"Is this why you wanted to talk?" I asked, when my brain had stopped focusing on the embarrassing scenario I'd put myself in.
"No. Drego told me about the night you met three years ago at the bar."
"Oh my God! he remembers? How? I mean, when? I thought he didn't remember me? I thought, I thought… he remembers our kiss and the conversation we had?" I looked at Reid's expression and realization hit me. He'd been fishing for answers and I'd rambled on and told him everything.
"He doesn't remember, does he?"
Reid shook his head, "No."
Aside from the fact that I was mortified, I was also pissed. Being tricked like that, my self esteem had taken a hit.
"So— what was this?"
"I needed to know. I'm sorry."
"You couldn't have just asked? You had to trick me?"
I felt stupid. I wasn't a kid but I'd been easily fooled.
"If I'd asked you if you knew Drego before joining his company, would you have honestly told the truth?"
I kept quiet.
"I'm sorry for the means I used, Nichole, but when I found out that you'd met him before, that you knew his story, the real story and not the one circulating the tabloids, a story only the four of us knows… I just had to confirm it."
I couldn't be mad. He looked genuinely concerned for his friend.
"So now what?" I asked.
"If you don't mind, can you please tell me everything he told you?"
I nodded and then began to recount the story Drego had told me that night, leaving nothing out. Even the insignificant details were not left out.
I don't know how long I spent talking, but I'd noticed a few people who had come after us getting up and leaving the restaurant.
"Wow. He really told you everything."
I nodded.
"And he can't remember meeting you or telling you."
Reid smiled. But this time, there was something different about his smile. So I asked.
"What's that look on your face?"
"It's just so bizarre. Drego would never tell anyone about Avril. He won't talk about her till this day. Not even if he was too drunk to stand. But for some reason, he told you. And he can't remember telling you. It's strange. Almost comical."
"Now what? Will you tell him that I know?"
"No. No. I will not be telling him anything. That's your decision. He's my best friend, and I shouldn't keep anything from him, but for this… this is all you."
I didn't know if I should be grateful or if I should feel panicky. The responsibility of that secret was still mine to bear. "Okay."
But I must say, I was a little disappointed. A small part of me had hoped Reid would do what I couldn't muster the courage to do. He had left the decision for me, and our conversation had given me no clarity.
What if I told Drego and it pushes us further apart than we are now. I wasn't particularly a favorite person to Drego. I can't even say with certainty that we were friends. Would he forgive me for knowing and not telling him? What if he reacts badly? That could ruin everything.
As if I had a chance to begin with.
"I don't think you should tell him just yet." Reid said.
Here he was reading my mind again. I was beginning to see why they said he was smart.
"Okay, hold up. What is this thing you do, with the whole reading my mind… so accurately. How do you do that?"
He wiped his mouth before giving me an answer. "Your expressions are quite easy to read. My apologies."
I sighed.
"Would you like to hear my opinion?"
I nodded. What better person to get advice from than the person who knew Drego inside out. According to Google, they'd been best friends since they were four. They weren't just best friends, they were once neighbors too. Their parents were also very close friends.
"Drego needs you. Not just business wise. He needs you. He doesn't know that yet, but he does. We weren't sure before, but after knowing that he'd told you about Avril… he needs you. He's shut everything out. He's given up on love and life. I believe you can restore his faith in both."
Reid's speech felt heavier with each word that came out of his mouth. All of a sudden it began to feel like a weight on my shoulder. Like a burden I had to bear. But the funny thing was, I didn't want to shy away from this responsibility. I wanted to face it head on. I wanted Drego to open his heart to love again. To open his heart to me.