Chapter Twelve
2013
Erica
I tucked a piece of my straightened hair behind my ear and walked into the ballroom of the building across the street from the office. It was one Max had chosen on purpose after purchasing the penthouse on the top floor.
He didn’t want to go all out with a catering company, as we were a growing company, but he thought the splurge would help moral going into the New Year and bigger company mentality.
“Erica!” Greg yelled to me from across the room where he was crowded around the punch bowl with a few of the other people from finance, one of them being Lilly. I ran my fingers over the delicate fabrics of my dress and finally picked up my feet, glad I could easily walk in these heels, and made my way over to the group, quietly giving my hellos.
“You look amazing.” Lilly leaned in to whisper in my ear.
She was always one who was good at reading people and knew right off the bat that I was someone who liked to keep to myself and in my own personal bubble.
“Thanks, so do you.” I admired her black silky dress that clung to her body. It was the first time I had really seen Lilly dress up, but it suited her.
“I was wondering, would you like to do lunch tomorrow?” Lilly took the words right out of my mouth, like she had been talking to my mother or something. I just stared at her, unsure of what to say because in all my life, no one had really approached me to hang out. It was always me who asked them, even with my best friend in high school, Madison, and my roommate in college. They were both part of my life, but we never saw each other unless I set things up.
“Um, yeah, that would be fun.” I smiled at Lilly, hoping I could make this friendship work with her. She seemed like someone who wanted to help others and was selfless with her love, which coincidence, was exactly who I was. The only difference was that I would never sing karaoke at a bar, and Lilly would probably be the one to stand on top of the bar belting out the highest note she could.
“Just the person I was looking for. I wanted to talk.” Max popped up beside me with a glass of white wine in his hand and sporting a black suit. It was what he wore almost every day to work, so I wasn’t surprised at all.
“Max. No working right now!” Greg whined and I hid my laughter behind my hand as I followed Max as he just shook his head and walked away. Max didn’t acknowledge him, but I gave a little wave, knowing I would be going back to them after Max spoke to me.
“Did you think about what we talked about?” Max stopped abruptly next to a side wall. He didn’t wait to jump to the point.
“I have.”
“And?” Max bounced on his feet and I could feel his youth flying around the room. This man might own an up and coming publishing company, but damn was he still so young at heart. I let out a little laugh before starting to answer him.
“Yes—”
“Yes!”
“Wait.” I held up my hand. “I have one condition.”
“Name it.”
I laughed again at his eagerness. It relaxed a bit of the nerves I had with what I wanted to ask him.
“I want someone to work with me to create exactly what the authors are wanting.” I swayed on my feet, back and forth. This wasn’t something we had talked about, because why would a photographer need someone to assist them with taking photos? The kind that just wanted to spend more time with a man she was in love with.
“Done.” He waved his free hand, like what I was asking for was the simplest thing in the world. He took a sip of his wine and was about to walk away, but I moved in front of him, stopping him.
“That simple?” I questioned.
“Yeah, who do you want? Jack? Marcus? Martina?”
“Chase.” I said his name with a purpose. I wasn’t going to waver from this. It was the first real thing in my life I was going after and I wasn’t going to back down. Not now.
“Chase?” Max’s head cocked back with shock. “Why Chase?”
“He knows the books the best.” I knew exactly how I was going to argue this. No matter what Max thought he could say, I had thought of everything to counter it.
“But he knows nothing about the graphics and covers we create.”
“True, but he knows the characters. He knows the feelings behind the book that need to radiate off the covers and give the readers the graphics and marketing campaigns that are going to draw them toward the book.”
