When I’m dressed and a little more composed, I slip it in my pocket and head out. I’d rather sleep at the club than in here tonight with the scent of Aspen’s perfume on the sheets. I might be the biggest dick in the world to her right now, but I’m still going to make sure she gets her bracelet.
There’s a cool breeze in the air tonight as I walk the streets of Manhattan until I find myself standing outside her building. It’s been a long time since I’ve had butterflies in the pit of my stomach over a woman, and I hesitate before entering the lobby and asking the concierge to call up to Aspen’s apartment.
“Can I ask your name?”
“Tell her it’s Ryder.”
He does as I ask, his face blanching at whatever choice words she has. “She has asked to be left alone, Mr…”
“Stevens. Please tell her I have her bracelet. I just want to return it.”
He relays my words, and suddenly, I’m back in grade school playing telephone.
“She’ll be down in a minute. Please, take a seat.”
Fuck. She won’t even let me up to her apartment. I guess I should’ve expected that. I pace the lobby, waiting to catch a glimpse of her in the elevator, and when the doors open, my heart lurches up into my throat.
It’s not her, but I’m assuming she’s down here for me by the murderous look on her face. She’s a tiny little thing, but she marches over to me like Evander Holyfield, ready to knock me out. “Damn your stupid, gorgeous face.”
Not what I was expecting.
I hold my hand out in greeting. “Hi. I’m Ryder.”
“I know who you are. You’re the reason my best friend is upstairs beating herself up over whatever happened tonight.” My heart sinks. I never wanted to hurt Aspen. I tried to stay away.
“Please, let me come up and talk to her.”
“No. You called her a whore at The Met. She’s been miserable ever since, and then she came home an hour ago, almost inconsolable. I’ll give her the fucking bracelet.”
“Can you at least pass on a message for me?”
“Depends.” She stands with her hands on her hips, her eyes boring into me. If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under by now.
“Tell her not to quit. I’ll bring the chef from Dulip to work with her. She doesn’t even need to be in the same room as me.”
“She quit? What the fuck happened? She’s been dying to work with you since she took the job waitressing. You’ve really pissed her off if she was willing to quit.”
I run my hands through my hair, pacing the lobby again. “I didn’t… I wasn’t… she drives me crazy. I don’t sleep with staff. I do not fall in love. She…”
“You’re in love with her? Does she know that?”
“I as good as told her tonight.”
“But did you actually say the words?”
“No, and after tonight, she can’t know. She made her feelings very clear. I mean it. Don’t tell her.”
“But I’m right, aren’t I?”
I scrub my hand over the stubble on my jaw before fishing the bracelet from my pocket and handing it to her. “Just tell her I’m sorry, and that she should go to work as normal on Monday night. I won’t be there.”
If she didn’t have such an unforgiving furrow in her brow, Aspen’s friend could be quite lovely.
“I’ll do what I can, but at some point, you two need to work this out.”
“Just make sure she knows she can go to work without having to deal with me.”
“I will, but she wanted to learn from you.”
