White Chocolate Moments (20 page)

The doors of the elevator opened quietly, and Arcineh found herself in a beautiful lobby, not unlike her grandfather's. A woman sat at a corner desk, and Arcineh went that way.

"Hello," Arcineh greeted and was greeted in return. "I have files for Patrice Bradshaw:'

"I'll ring that you're coming. It's right through that door." Arcineh headed the way she was pointed and found an office with greater color and comfort but no waiting room.

"Are you from files?" Arcineh was asked.

"Yes. Patrice Bradshaw?"

"That's right'

"Please sign here:'

The paperwork done, Arcineh unloaded the files where she was told and went away with her cart. Not until she returned to file storage and found Nita, a woman who sometimes worked with her, waiting to go to lunch did she find out what she'd missed.

"Did you see him?" Nita asked as soon as Arcineh explained where she'd been.

"Who?"

"Gage Sefton, the owner:'

"I don't think so."

Nita laughed and said, "There will be no
think
about it--when you see him you'll know."

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Chapter Thirteen

Nicky Ciofani's wedding day was July 14. The day was warm and lovely, and the entire Ciofani family was Out to celebrate. Nicky looked over the moon as he smiled down into Libby's face, and after the reception began, the celebration went on for hours.

It looked nothing like Arcineh's old world, but all the family, friends, and happy celebrators sent her thoughts home. Kevin was beside her, and she laughed at all his jokes and joined in all the fun, but deep in her heart, she yearned for Violet and her grandfather. She felt herself growing maudlin and didn't want that.

"Let's dance," she said to Kevin, touching his arm.

"I hate dancing when it's like this, Arcie," he said.

"Okay" Arcineh was surprised, but not daunted. She left him to find Jalaina, who let her have Will.

"Are you having fun?" he shouted over the music.

"Yes. How about you?"

"I am, but the music is too loud

Arcineh only laughed, and when Jalaina joined them, the three continued to dance in a tight triangle and have the time of their lives.

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It took some doing on Arcineh's part, but eventually Sam and Violet faded to the back of her mind.

"Arcie, we've been dating for almost four months:' Kevin said quietly. "When is the time going to be right?"

"I don't know."

The two were alone in the apartment after getting home from a show. They had just started out talking, but that swiftly turned to kissing. Kevin was ready to do more than kiss, but Arcineh had called a halt to things before they could venture far at all.

"I love you:' Kevin said. "I want to make love to you."

Arcineh didn't answer. She had never been able to tell Kevin that she loved him, and in her opinion, without that element, sex was out of the question. But it was more than that. They had talked about many things, but she'd never told him who she was. She didn't know why, but she feared his response.

Not until dating Kevin, whose world was much closer to Bryant Marble than the Ciofanis had ever been, did she realize just how far from home she was. She wasn't a snob. She wasn't even impressed with money. But a lot of people were.

She was very proud of what she had done. She'd left with only two cases of clothes, her passport, birth certificate, and the money she'd earned at Bryant. She had more money than most since she'd lived at home and had few expenses, but it was still money she'd earned.

She felt guilty for not giving Kevin more of a chance, but something stopped her. Jalaina knew she was Sam Bryant's granddaughter, a statement to which Jalaina had said, "Who's Sam Bryant?" Somehow in Arcineh's heart she knew Kevin would be amazed. And some voice inside wondered if that might not make her all the more desirable. True, he'd already told her that he loved her, but there was never a mention of marriage, just love and lovemaking.

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"I care for you, Kevin:' Arcineh finally said. "And I want you in my life. But unless I know I am in love, truly know, sex is not a part of the plan:'

"You don't know if you love me?"

"No:' Arcineh admitted, even when his tone said he was not happy.

"How can you not know?"

"I could ask you the same question. How can you know in four months?"

Kevin's face held all the frustration he felt. This girl was special--he knew that--but she never let him get as close as he wanted. Not only physically, although he certainly wanted that, but with herself. She always seemed to hold a little something back.

"What do I have to do to prove it?" Kevin finally asked.

"I don't need you to prove anything. That's not what this is about:' Arcineh said the half-truth, knowing that she was waiting to know more about him. "This is a serious thing we're talking about, and I want to be sure. Marriage is a big step:'

"Who said anything about marriage?" Kevin asked quietly.

Arcineh froze. She hadn't meant to say that, but wasn't that the very thing she wondered? If a man said he loved a woman, why was he not talking about marriage?

"I'm sorry:' Arcineh said stiffly, and she stood from her place on the sofa. "I misunderstood you:'

"I'm not ready for marriage right now:' Kevin, backtracking, said quietly, standing as well.

"My mistake Arcineh said, her voice a bit cool.

Kevin didn't know exactly what had gone wrong, but it was a mess. He stared at Arcineh, completely confused by who she was. They usually had such fun. He didn't know why she needed to be so serious about this one issue and have everything settled.

"I wonder if we might need a little time apart:' Kevin ventured, hoping Arcineh would argue.

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"Or a lot of time Arcineh said, keeping her distance.

Her stance and tone, and the glittering anger in her eyes, made Kevin angry as well. He left without another word. Arcineh, ready to throw something, thought she would kill for some white chocolate. Instead she attacked the ice cream in the freezer and didn't cry until Jalaina came home.

September 11, 2001, rocked Chicago as it did the rest of the world. Arcineh and Jalaina, who had both started off to work, got to one another and then to Nicky's as fast as they could. Nicky drove them to be with Grandma and her sister. There the family crowded around the television to watch in horror and sorrow.

"I have to call home Arcineh said at one point, and Grandma stood with her when she dialed. The phone lines were jammed. Not until Friday was Arcineh able to talk to Violet.

"Vi:' she said quietly, only to sit and listen helplessly when that lady began to cry.

"Tell me you're all right:' Violet finally managed.

"I am. Are you?"

"Yes:'

"And Sam. Is he all right?"

"Yes. He's been stuck in Milan, but he'll be home tonight:' "Okay" Arcineh said, knowing she was going to die from the pain

in her heart. She missed this woman and her grandfather so much. "Please come home Violet suddenly said.

"Quinn?"

"Yes:' Violet answered, her voice dropping a little. "She's still living here:'

Arcineh didn't know what to say. She didn't even want to stay on the line, but Violet was speaking again.

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"Are you all right? Do you have enough money and a place to live?"

"I'm fine. I have a job and an apartment with a friend:' "Are you married or anything like that?"

"No, nothing like that:'

Things got quiet then. Arcineh didn't know what to say, and Violet just wanted to sob.

"I'd better go:' Arcineh finally said.

"Please be safe Violet begged her.

"I will. You and Sam too:'

After Arcineh hung up, she realized she had a horrible headache. She knew it was from the tears--not just the tears over missing her family, but those shed for the loss and the hurting hearts of 9/11 families everywhere.

Little by little, life went back to normal. Rugby Shades had let people go home to be with families as they felt they needed, but in time, things slowly fell back into place. Production was down as businesses were hit hard, but those people who had jobs with Rugby were able to keep them.

Arcineh enjoyed her work with the files, but now that she had the system and office down pat, she found herself doing her job too fast and having nothing left to do. Shortly before Thanksgiving she began reading the inner office memo board and checking out the jobs available.

In February of 2002, she spotted the first one that intrigued her because it sounded so much like what she'd done for Carlee. The pay was significantly more than she was making in files. She didn't need more money now, but she worried about when Jalaina would marry Will and leave her to carry the apartment on her own salary.

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Arcineh, still wearing her dowdy clothes, pulled-back hair, and thick black glasses, debated if she should fu herself up or not but decided against it. She let Vanessa know what she wanted to do, and that woman, who had come to appreciate Arcineh's hard work, sent her through the proper channels.

Two days later Arcineh found herself sitting with Patrice Bradshaw. Arcineh had not seen her more than a few times in the eight months she'd worked for Rugby, but she looked just the same: beautiful, very professional, and a little cold. Arcineh missed Carlee in an amazing way just then but did her best not to think about it.

"It's not exactly an assistant to the assistant:' Patrice explained. "We need someone to do small jobs and assist where needed. How are you with a computer? Do you know your way around Word?"

"Yes," Arcineh was glad to be able to say.

"But it's not all computers:' Patrice was swift to add. "The executive conference room is on this floor, and during meetings I would expect you to be in the room, not looking bored, keeping an eye on me for anything I might need, and keeping everyone's water pitcher full."

Put like that, Arcineh thought it sounded dreadful, but the pay was not to be ignored. She also wondered where it might lead. Would a job in the top office of this building lead to something better or look good on a resume?

"I'd be willing to try:' Arcineh heard herself say, knowing that it sounded lame, her scrabbled brain not able to come up with anything else at the moment.

"I have your information here. Files, yes?"

"Yes:'

"I'll be calling you if you get the job."

"Thank you," Arcineh said, sure that it would never happen. She went back to the file room, glad to see Nita around.

"How'd it go?"

"Not great. I'm not sure I'm right for the job, and it doesn't sound like much fun."

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"Well, at least you tried, and it's almost Friday:' Nita said comfortingly.

The day was winding down, and at last the women walked together from the building. They were about to go their separate ways when Arcineh spotted a good-looking man.

"Who is that?" she asked of Nita, who seemed to know everyone.

Nita's smile was huge when she said, "Gage Sefton:'

Arcineh looked at the other woman.

"Are you serious?"

"Yep:'

"He's gorgeous:'

"I told you:'

Arcineh stared at him as he walked toward the parking garage. He was tall, slim, and dark, a lethal combination for her.

"Maybe you could see yourself on the fourth floor after all:' Nita teased. Arcineh only laughed and told her she'd see her in the morning.

Arcineh did more than see Nita in the morning. When she arrived, both Vanessa and Nita were waiting for her. Congratulations were in order--Patrice had hired her.

(=SID

"Welcome aboard:' Mallory said the moment they were alone. She was one of Arcineh's new coworkers. "You'll do fine if you remember one thing: It's all about the money:'

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we all put up with Patrice for the money:'

"That bad?"

"Worse. Gage is hers. You must never forget that. And if you have an idea, she'll tell him it was hers:'

Arcineh nodded. This she could deal with. She wasn't going to

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compete with Patrice for anything. And no matter how good-looking Gage Sefton was, she wouldn't compete for him either.

Mallory looked as if she was going to say something else, but Patrice came in to see how they were doing. The women had been in the break room, readying coffee for the morning and making sure all was in order. This was, she was told, a morning ritual. They were in the midst of it when Gage entered the room.

"Gage," Patrice said warmly, "meet our new recruit, Arcie." "Hello," Gage greeted Arcineh, who greeted him in return and shook his hand.

Arcineh kept her greeting quiet and looked at him only long enough to be polite. It was long enough. In that instant, she saw that Gage Sefton had the most beautiful gray eyes she'd ever seen.