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Chapter 27
“Would you hurry up already? We are going to be so late,” Sam said.
Ava pulled her coat off the hanger and was slipping it on as she and Sam headed down the hall to the elevator. It was already 9:00 PM and the party had started two hours ago. They were heading to Nico’s loft. He was notorious for throwing the best New Year’s Eve parties. Ava hoped that she would have fun, but she knew that she usually did.
They entered the loft to the party in full swing. Robert had just arrived, too, coming over to hug Ava and kiss Sam. Nico took Ava by the hand to introduce her to his friend, Christos, who was dark and handsome. He had slicked backed inky black hair and dark almost black eyes. His olive complected skin was so smooth she didn’t see a hint of a whisker. He took her hand and kissed it, running his fingers over her skin. He gave her tingles up and down her back.
Christos pulled her onto the dance floor, and they danced to several songs before she was out of breath and begging for something to drink. He took her hand in his and walked her over to the bartender. She decided to forgo drinking tonight and asked for a seltzer with lime. He ordered a vodka and cranberry.
He took her hand in his again and walked her over to the far corner of the room where the music wasn’t so imposing. He asked her to tell him about her life, and she told him what she did for a living and what she would be doing for a living soon. He told her he was involved with importing and exporting olive oil and other items from Greece as well as other parts of the Mediterranean.
She liked how he never lost eye contact with her and his voice was so smooth that it rolled over her like smoke. They continued to talk until she heard someone say that it was almost time for the ball to drop. To her amazement, she had been talking to Christos for over two hours. When the countdown began, they counted down together while he held her hand. When the strike of midnight came, he turned to her and put his hand on her cheek asking if he could kiss her. She gave him permission, and he pressed his lips gently to hers. She felt the tingles she felt when he first touched her hand.
At the end of the night, Sam came to get her so they could leave the party with Robert. Christos asked for her cell number, and when she gave it to him, he called her immediately.
“Now you have mine,” he said, his black eyes shining. He kissed her lips again, and she went to the elevator feeling giddy.
As soon as the doors closed, Sam began with the questions. “What was that all about?”
“Nothing, we just talked all night. He said he wants to take me to lunch sometime.”
Sam furrowed her eyebrows, “Ava, be careful; Christos is nice, but he also has a stable of women. If you think you will be the only one, get that delusion out of your head.”
“Sam, I have no intention of getting involved with anyone right now. I just want to date. I can do that, can’t I?”
“I’m not saying that you can’t.”
“Can we drop it? I don’t want to ruin a perfect night.”
The streets were deserted of cabs, and when they finally got one, they decided to take it together. The two of them dropped Ava off first and then went further uptown to Sam’s loft. Before heading to the elevator, Ava stopped by the mailboxes as she had forgotten to earlier in the day, and there was a small package wrapped in brown paper. I wonder what this is?
She waited until she got into her apartment to open it. In the box was a small lavender ceramic rose. She searched for a card, but there was none. She picked up the wrapping, and the postmark was California. It was from Xander. Only he would send her something as symbolic as a lavender rose, which she promptly put on her nightstand.
She slept late since she had gone to bed at two. She looked out the window, and light flakes of snow were coming down. She loved to walk through the park when it snowed, but it was very cold. She decided to stay inside and relax for the day since she had to go back to work tomorrow, and she was sure that Jacob would drill her. It was now January, and the bar exam was next month. She started to feel butterflies in her stomach as she thought about it. Was she was ready?
She walked around her apartment in her flannel pajamas for most of the day watching TV and trying to complete the New York Times crossword puzzle from this past Sunday. In the late afternoon, she went to her room to get some clothing for after her shower. She spied the ceramic rose that Xander had sent her where she had left it, on her nightstand. She picked it up and rolled it between her fingers then opened the drawer and gently placed it in, not wanting the reminder of him out in the open.
The next work day she walked from the subway in her boots. The night had produced some snow that blanketed the sidewalks. It was cold enough to see your breath, and she hurried to get into the warmth of the building lobby.
She sat at her desk and removed her boots, slipping into her heels before she started work. She opened her email, and there was a group message from the partners. The subject line read: We would like to welcome. She opened the email and read it in disbelief.
Staff Members of Keene, Ashburn, and Wilder,
We would liketo welcome the return of Alexander Wilder to our ranks. Alexander will be starting on Monday, January 6th. Please give him a warm welcome. Thank you.
The Partners
Are you fucking kidding me? How come no one told her that he would be working back at the firm? What’s more, he would be living in the same city as her again. She was furious with Jacob. He probably knew and said nothing to her now she was going to have to figure out how to work with Xander while being civil to him. She practically ran down to Jacob’s office and barged into his partially closed door as she began her accusation.
“Did you fucking know?”
“Ava, keep your voice down. Know what?”
“That Xander was coming back to work here.”
“What? No, of course not. Where did you hear this?”
“Did you check your email yet? There’s a message from the partners.”
