Chapter 9

Maggie is baking her famous lasagna and the loft is smelling wonderful. Earlier she made Torta Della Nonna 'Grandmothers Cake' for dessert. Liza has put together a nice salad. The table is set for three places for dinner tonight. "I'm really looking forward to you meeting him Maggie, I really hope you approve." Liza is feeling a little apprehensive, she really hopes that Maggie likes Charles. She thinks 'How could she not, he's a great guy.'

Sensing Liza's apprehension, Maggie teases. "Liza you need to not worry about this so much, I'm sure he can hold his own against me and if not, well then you didn't really need him anyway!"

"Thanks for doing all the cooking, you're the best friend I could ever ask for. I know that he's going to fall in love with you once he tastes your cooking. But I know he'll love you just for being you." She gives her friend a hug.

Charles is arriving in Brooklyn at Liza and Maggie's loft. He has a lovely arrangement of flowers and a bottle of Tuscan red wine. He's not nervous to meet Maggie, he has heard so much about her, he feels he knows her already. He rings the bell to their loft and Liza appears almost immediately.

She is dressed in a pretty white dress with a delicate floral print, it has medium straps, with a tight bodice and a flowing skirt that falls just to her knees. She is wearing flat sandals, she looks like she is ready for a nice spring day in Italia. Her hair is down and wavy around her shoulders, just how he likes it.

Charles takes in her beautiful face and body. "Hello Liza, you look beautiful as always." He bends down to kiss her lips.

"Flowers! That's so nice."

"I thought I better show up with flowers and a good wine so hopefully Maggie might not go to hard on me!" He smiles.

He follows her up the stairs, letting his eyes watch her long legs as she walks in front of him. He tries to not to stare, but she is so beautiful, and he loves every inch of her body. She stops to kiss him one more time, "Are you ready to meet the famous Maggie?"

He smiles "As ready as ever".

"Maggie, this is Charles. Charles this is my best friend Maggie."

Charles hands the flowers to Liza, she moves to find a vase and Charles reaches out to shake Maggie's hand. "It's nice to finally meet you Maggie, I've heard so much about you, I feel I know you already."

"Like wise Charles." Maggie looks at him knowingly. He thinks 'holy shit what does she know, she acts like she knows a lot'. "So, you've brought wine, let's see what you've brought. Wow that is a very nice wine, it will pair nice with the lasagna. I'm still working on the finishing touches for dinner, come have a seat at the breakfast bar and let's get to know each other a bit." He looks at Liza and smiles, she joins him once more and walks with him to the bar. Charles sits on one of the stools and Liza slides in between his legs and he wraps his arms around her waist.

"What would you like to drink?" Liza asks, he says "a glass of wine would be nice."

Charles looks around and starts the conversation. "Maggie as you know I've been in your home before and Liza showed me around your artwork. I have to say your art is amazing! You're very talented. I've got my eye on one of your pieces and I'm hoping you will consider selling it to me. I've got a perfect spot picked out at my home in Pound Ridge."

"Thanks Charles. I'd love to work something out with you about the purchase. Is this your way of buttering me up? You offer to buy my artwork?"

"No, it's not. I'm happy Liza is the reason for us getting to know each other. It's nice that she wants us to be friends. Please know that my intentions with Liza are good. I care about her a lot and I have for some time. I'm very happy she walked into my life. It has been better with her in it." He squeezes Liza's hand as he confesses this to Maggie.

They sit down for dinner. "Wow Maggie, Liza told me that your lasagna was out of this world and she wasn't lying! This is an amazing dinner. Thank you for having me into your home."

They all talk for a couple hours after dinner, laughing, telling funny stories about themselves. Charles is holding his own against Maggie's inquisition and Liza is drawn to him even more. She sits back and just watches as her best friend and her handsome man are truly enjoying each other's company. Sure, this whole meeting was for Liza, but it is clear, if not for Liza, Charles and Maggie would be friends without her bringing them together.

Charles is holding Liza in his arms as he gets ready to leave and head back to his brownstone. She feels warm in his arms; his body is always alight when they are touching. "I had a really nice time tonight Liza. Maggie is great, thank you for wanting to introduce us."

"You were amazing tonight Charles. I knew you both would love each other, but I still was a little worried." She kisses him. "I'm very lucky that you want to hang out with me." She says jokingly. "I wish you could stay the night with me, but I know that you have to get home to those precious girls of yours."

Charles' car is arriving shortly. she walks him downstairs and onto the curb. Charles bends down to kiss her, it is tender, but then moves into a more passionate, needing kiss. Liza has her hands around his back, pulling him to her as close as she can get him. Charles also has his arms wrapped around her waist, he just can't get close enough it seems. "Liza, I want you, but I've got to head back home. I'll dream of you tonight." He says softly in her ear. It sends shivers up and down her spine.

"I'll miss you tonight handsome." She doesn't want him to leave, ever.

She kisses him once more before he gets into his Uber and drives away. And almost immediately her phone pings, she knows it is from him, this has become his new normal, sending romantic texts to her.

'I searched my soul, all these feelings that I have for you, I can't control. Liza, you're the one thing that can make me whole'

Her response 'My dear, your atmosphere is all I'm breathing in, you are all I need'

Back upstairs in her loft Liza asks Maggie "well, what did you think? Please tell me it went as well as I thought it went!"

"Liza, he is a nice guy and you're right, he is very handsome. I can tell he really cares for you and if I'm not mistaken, I think he's in love with you. I watched him, and the way he looks at you, listens to you, touches you…I'm just sayin' I think he's going to tell you soon that he loves you!"

"Maggie do you really think so? I know I'm in love with him, but I don't want to say anything because I don't want to scare him off. It does seem that the things he says to me and the times we are together, that he's saying that he loves me, but it's just worded differently. Honestly, that's what I'm doing with him, I'm saying it but not actually saying it."

Maggie asks "Why are you waiting? You both know that you've had these feelings for a long time, you just need to be honest with each other. I doubt if you tell him that he'll run, I think he'll be relieved to hear you say it. You've said that you want to be transparent with Charles, but you're not being 100% transparent, are you? Liza, you need to just put it out there and tell him. Believe me his response is going to be a wonderful thing."

The bell rings to their loft, it is Kelsey. "Liza please buzz me up."

"Hey Kels! I didn't expect you tonight. Is everything ok?" Liza thinks 'whew that was close, Charles just left. She came close to catching him here. How would we have explained that?'

"No Liza it's not! Do you want to tell me what I just witnessed downstairs?" Kelsey has a look of betrayal and anger as she waits for Liza to answer.

"What do you mean?" She knows what she means, but she is hoping she is wrong. Liza knows that Kelsey witnessed Liza and Charles kissing goodnight and telling each other things lovers say before he got in his Uber.

"Liza don't play stupid! You know I saw you and Charles kissing! What the fuck Liza! I never expected that you would sleep with the boss to get ahead in the company!" she snaps.

Maggie chimes in. "Watch what you're saying Kelsey! You need to hear Liza out before you jump to conclusions!"

Liza looks at Maggie "Thanks Mags for dinner tonight. We had a great time. Can you give me a moment with Kelsey?"

Maggie nods, "I'll be in my room if you need me. Liza, I had a good time with you and Charles tonight too."

Kelsey is looking at Liza with a very judgmental look on her face. "Well, what the hell Liza, why were you and Charles kissing and why is he having dinner at your home with your friend? Why are you with him? You know this can't be good for Millennial! You're going to ruin everything that I've managed to build at Empirical!"

Liza is starting to get pissed herself. She can't believe Kelsey is being so rude. "Kelsey hold on, how is my relationship with anyone your business? I don't need your permission to see Charles. I'm not doing this to hurt your brand. I'm not sleeping with the boss to get ahead in the company. You know me better than that!"

"I don't think I know you at all Liza! How long have you been sleeping with him? Is that what you had planned to get your promotion? God, I'm so pissed right now!"

"Kelsey! Hold on, you said the promotion was your idea, that you proposed it to Charles! Don't you dare accuse me of sleeping with Charles just to get ahead at Empirical and Millennial, that's not fair! Why are you pissed Kelsey? You don't need to worry about my love life. Charles and I are just starting something new and we are happy when we are together. Why can't you be happy for me…us. I thought you cared about Charles, don't you want him to find someone?"

"Yeah, he needs to find someone other than you Liza! This is going to ruin everything! How long has this been going on?"

"Kelsey, again its not about you! Why do you keep going there? Charles and I have been connecting for a long time, probably since the day we met. There is something we share that I've never felt before in any other relationship I've been in."

"Liza he's your boss! This will end badly! Is he the reason why you broke things off with Josh?"

"Josh and I weren't ever going to be forever. He wanted other things in life that I just didn't want. The whole time I was with him, I was thinking about Charles, it wasn't fair to Josh. I had to end it! Charles and I didn't start seeing each other until a month or so after I broke up with Josh. We didn't plan it, we both were attempting to just stay friends and colleagues, but we had a moment in the Hamptons and we've been dating ever since. We haven't said anything yet, we've been keeping it quiet, just trying to figure out what it is that is happening between us. He's still going through a divorce and it might be better for him and his girls to get through that before we announce it to the world that we are together."

"You've been keeping this from me, I thought I was your friend Liza! Clearly, I'm not though! You've had feelings for him for almost a year, you never felt the need to tell me?"

"Yes, I've had feelings for him, but again I never thought it would go anywhere. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but after seeing your reaction tonight maybe not saying anything to you was a good thing."

"Liza you're right, I'm very upset that you didn't tell me! I would have told you that you need to forget about dating your boss! I can't believe you're 'that girl' that would sleep with her boss!"

Liza is fuming, how dare she presume that Liza is that type of woman. "Kelsey don't you lecture me about dating someone at work! You know you've made bad decisions and slept with a couple of your authors!"

"So, what is this thing between you and Charles?"

"Kelsey, I believe Charles and I can be wonderful together! We have feelings for each other, I do believe that his intentions towards me are good. I haven't told him yet, but I am in love with him and I believe he feels the same."

"God Liza, the Hamptons was only about a month ago, if you all hooked up then how can you already be in love with him? You're going to get hurt if you're not careful!"

"Kelsey I've told you that Charles and I have been feeling something since the day we met, we were trying to keep our space, but we just couldn't fight it anymore."

"Yeah keep your space, because you both knew that sleeping with the boss isn't a good thing! I just don't know Liza, this is a mess! Is there anything else you want to tell me? Anymore lies you've been keeping from me?"

Liza doesn't want to tell Kelsey about her age, but she knows she better come clean. She should just rip off the band-aid and end this lie.

Liza looks at Kelsey and sighs "Kelsey there is something else. I've been wanting to tell you and I've actually been planning to come clean with a lie I've been telling you for months. I never thought that you would become one of my best friends and the longer I waited to tell you the harder it got to tell you."

"Jesus Liza, what the fuck! More lies, just say it already!"

Liza starts to explain her lie about her age and how it came about. "I never meant to lie to you Kelsey, you deserved to know, but I was a coward to not tell you from the get-go. I hope you'll be able to forgive me for lying to you Kelsey. I do love you."

Kelsey is looking at Liza as if she has grown three heads. She can't believe she has been so blind. "Liza, this is way too much! I've got to go."