After the Burn Chapter 12
*Lovely Readers, if you have not done so, please read Chapter 11, the first part of this 3-chapter update. Chapter 11 contains the recap of the events that have happened before that chapter. This is for your convenience since it has been a while since I have updated.
Lacey has had her own discussion with Cole. Let us join Danny as he converses with his cousin about the decision to date Lacey…plus, a Dacey date!
At Bar La Grassa, Danny and Cole meet…
The next day, Danny and Cole meet at Bar La Grassa, an Italian eatery and bar helmed by a James Beard Award-winning chef. Danny arrives early to prep himself for any opposition that Cole may throw his way. This morning as he showered and dressed, he calculated the cons that Cole would say versus the pros that Danny would use to counter any resistance.
Cole arrives and greets with a pleasant smile "Hey, Danny."
Danny smiles and greets back "Hey, Cole. Glad you could meet me here this afternoon."
Cole nods. He exhales deeply as he admits "I wasn't exactly surprised by the meetup request since I had talked with Lacey last night. The Danny I know would not shy away from acknowledging something before it became more publically known."
"Do you want to order drinks or a meal first?" Danny suggests.
"Oh, I definitely need a drink or three…" Cole laughs dryly.
Danny smirks. He could use some liquid courage himself. He wasn't afraid of confrontation with Cole over Lacey. He could understand his cousin's reluctance towards Danny dating Lacey, Cole's best friend. However, he didn't want conflict with another cousin. Familial squabbles with Charlie were enough.
Danny orders a whiskey while Cole orders bourbon. Before their drink orders arrive, the cousins discuss the files that Danny delivered to Cole's condo the night before. Danny gives some strategic direction of how far the scope should be on Schuler Dynamics. It would be an opportunity to gain advantage over this competitor by measuring how they have operated with prior acquisitions and mergers. This would help Team Danny gauge the most probable directive that Schuler would use concerning VanLandingham's.
Neither guy wanted to address the Lacey topic just yet. So, discussing business particulars was an adequate conversation starter. Next, the two discussed Danny's recent trip to Miami and what data he found useful to help with their Marrick Industries presentation. Both agreed that the new resource could sway Gus VanLandingham to favor Team Danny instead of Team Charlie or any other competitor.
When the delayed-topic could no longer be postponed, Danny took the reigns of the conversation. He looks pointedly at Cole as he asks "Are you p*ssed at me, Cousin? I had promised that I wouldn't become romantically involved with Lacey."
Cole looks away from Danny's penetrating stare. Cole takes a drink of his bourbon before he says anything. He surprises Danny with his first question. "What is your contingency plan if sh*t hits the fan with this relationship?"
"That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Danny asks.
Cole looks at him with raised eyebrows and a sardonic look on his face. He counters "No, harsh would be saying 'when sh*t hits the fan'. I specifically said 'if'…leaving room for some optimism that things aren't going to crash down upon all our heads."
"Do you think I'm not good enough for her?" Danny questions bluntly.
Cole shakes his head and rolls his eyes upward. "It's not that simple, Danny." Cole replies instead of answering that specific question.
"I think it can be…let's simplify it." Danny contends.
Cole drags a hand through his hair as he explains "Look, I know you are a good, sincere, standup kind of guy. You don't deliberately break hearts. Still…even if you weren't my cousin, I would have concerns for my best friend becoming involved with a guy with your reputation."
"A reputation that isn't harmful…"Danny begins.
Cole interrupts "But not exactly encouraging of a long-term warm and fuzzy commitment, which is Lacey's style. I get it; you were badly burned by Nicole and Charlie. I was with you during this. I heard your anger; I saw your pain. I identified with that. You hated Charlie. He got my hate, too. When it was time to drop that anger, I helped you through that – just like you would have helped me."
Danny raises a hand to his heart as he interrupts his cousin. He emphasizes "And I was very grateful. I appreciate that – more than anything."
Cole leans closer over the table to stress another point. "Then, when you got back into the dating world, I supported you. I agreed with your desire to date casually, fun…no heavy expectations from the women…just light and easy."
Danny looks at him and claims "I get what you are trying to say – I know that Lacey is not into that type of thing."
Cole grasps the edges of the table and leans forward. He stresses "Exactly, Lacey is not that type of girl. She wants the 'relationship'…the commitment…the long haul. She wants the guy to give himself to the relationship fully. Nothing should be held back; nothing should be 'light and easy' with her."
Danny swallows as he strives for the words to convince his cousin that he is not entering into this arrangement carelessly.
He assures "I'm trying for some type of middle-ground, Cole. I don't know if I am ready for the deep end of the commitment pool, but I want more than 'casual' with Lacey. I can't explain it, but she makes me want more than what I have expected of any woman after Nicole. Lacey makes me want to try something new – that's why we are compromising between my old ways and her old ways. That's why we have this middle-ground zone." Danny maintains.
Cole looks at him in silent with raised eyebrows.
Danny looks earnestly at Cole. He tilts his head and opens his mouth to say something but pauses for a moment before he states his next words.
He says "Lacey and I are willing to try. We connect on several levels. The chemistry between us is too much to ignore. We've tried and it has not worked. Lacey and I each have an 'out' – if things become too difficult for us to continue working together and be in a personal relationship. It would mean a lot if you didn't oppose this relationship and supported it instead. But if you can't, then we will just have to agree to disagree. The final decision on this belongs to Lacey and me. It just didn't feel right without at least letting you know what we were pursing." Danny declares.
Cole inhales deeply and expels audibly. "All right, Danny…all right. Although, I will go on the record with my initial opposition to this. However, I will support you and Lacey. It may be against my better judgment but I do support it."
Danny smiles as he releases silently expends a breath…releasing some tension he had been holding within his body. "Thanks, Cole. Cuz, it means a lot."
Cole slowly gives a smile. He shakes his head as he says "Sure, but please don't make me regret this. I don't want to have another cousin that I constantly have to strive for peace. Please…I don't want to get into a fist-fight with you over Lacey's honor. I thought Cynthia Whitman was going to be the last girl that we fought over."
"That was when we were eight years old. I think we have matured a bit since then. It won't come down to that this time, I promise." Danny vows.
"Okay, okay…now, the hard stuff is out of the way. Why don't we eat?" Cole suggests.
Danny chuckles. "Yeah, I have worked up an appetite. I could also take a drink refill."
Cole agrees. "Same here."
Danny and Cole have an enjoyable lunch together since they have handled the difficult part of their meeting today. Danny asks Cole about his date, which went well. Cole teases that if this new girl doesn't work out, maybe he should see if Cynthia Whitman is available; perhaps she has a Facebook or Twitter. Both laugh about that.
At the end of lunch as they depart, the cousins feel that a burden has been lifted from their shoulders. Each cares for Lacey, but in different ways. Accordingly, each internally pledges that this Danny/Lacey relationship won't interfere with the connections between the three.
Cole may have entered neutrality, but two other people would not grant that impartiality to Danny and Lacey dating…
The Official First Date…
Even though Danny and Lacey had dined together a few times, they had not had an official first date. The last time they dined was when Lacey dropped the bombshell that she wanted to pursue dating with Danny. She also had depicted what history brought her to that decision – precisely her sister's history and the recent reconciliation of that with her sisterly talk with Clara.
Thus, tonight's dinner date at Restaurant Aquavit which featured high-end dining of Nordic cuisine. This was located in Park Avenue Tower at 65 East 55th Street between Park and Madison Avenues in Midtown New York. Lacey had never been here, but she had heard of its infamous reputation of luxury dining with exquisite dishes. Restaurant Acquavit had won various cuisine awards and was often featured in magazines and newspaper articles.
At first, she had been a little reluctant that her first official date with Danny would be here – at this very expensive restaurant; however, Danny was so convincing with his invitation – that Lacey could not refuse him. He had stated that he wanted their first experience to be one of the absolute best that he could provide. He wasn't trying to impress her with his family's money. He wanted to impress Lacey with the experience.
Lacey had pulled various outfits from her closet as a selection for the perfect outfit. Why was it so hard to choose for this particular night? She finally settled upon the recent deeply discounted flash-sale purchase she had bought online. She had been attracted by its artistic elements, since she had always experimented in art – ever since college. It was a Burberry Prorsum scarf wrap dress. The purchase, while more than she would normally spend, was a steal with the only remaining size being hers. Lacey felt it was one of those meant-to-be things.
The beautiful silk wrap confection was in mostly in shades of blue. Slate-kissed aqua blue was featured on the arms and on one-half of the front right side of the garment. A medium blue (with dark midnight blue impressions) draped down the chest and over to the front left side of the garment. There were also a few scattered placements of soft yellow joining the medium and midnight colors. There was a dark taupe leather obi-belt with wooden slanted toggles laced into the belt. The combination of those elements was stunning…especially whenever Lacey walked and the open split in the front tastefully displayed some leg. It truly flowed like a scarf wrapped around a body.
Since the dress had so much architecture to it, she kept everything else minimum. She wore simple studs, simple band ring, and nude sandaled heels (which echoed back to the taupe obi belt). Her hair was mostly straight but flowed softly about her face. Her makeup was minimal, too, using mostly neutral shades and a soft translucent pink lip gloss. She thought she looked beautiful. That was later vocalized by Danny who had been quite taken with the vision that he was picking up to drive to the restaurant.
Danny's physical appearance had been just as striking. He wore shades of blue himself, which delighted Lacey. He wore a soft blue button-down shirt which he rolled up the sleeves, along with a dark blue vest which matched the same-colored trousers. His tie was a midnight blue with specks of slate on it. He wore his hair down, flowing about his shoulders in soft waves with one side tucked behind an ear. His goatee and earring complimented the tall, fit, athletically muscular frame encased in the continuous line of blue (from his dark midnight dressy boots to his upper body). In simple terms, he looked fantastic. He was a very arresting picture…sexy yet almost too beautiful…all at once.
They arrived at the restaurant, which had soft off-white lighting and rich, darkened mahogany interior. Danny had chosen table in the corner which provided intimacy and a beautiful view of New York. The two enjoyed wonderful dinner courses. Danny entertained Lacey with stories of some great and not-so-great dining experiences that he had over the years of growing up a Desai.
One time during the dinner, Danny did notice that Lacey seemed nervous. He asked her what was wrong.
Lacey's eyes widen since she didn't realize she was that transparent. She bites the corner of her lip, releases it, and then responds. "Oh…I don't know why…but I guess I am a little nervous. Perhaps it is because this is our first official date and I want everything to go well. I had been deliberately ignoring all signs that pointed towards our chemistry. Now, that we are embracing it, I don't want anything messing it up. I know…it's silly, but…yeah, I guess that would sum up how I feel."
Danny issues a gentle smile her way. "Yeah, I know exactly how you feel. I have wanted this for a while, too. It is almost too much to believe. I want to pinch myself, but I don't want it to be a dream…"
Lacey reaches over and gives him a soft pinch. She smiles…Danny's smile deepens. As Lacey removes her hand from his arm, he grabs it and holds it within his own hand as he continues to talk.
Danny chuckles as he adds "Well, that pinch proves that I am awake and that this vision in front of me didn't disappear. So, I guess it is safe to believe this is reality. Let us both agree to tell each other when we are feeling nervous about things. This is not a contest. We can take things slowly. I am just glad we are heading in the same direction together…not ignoring the very obvious signs of attraction."
"I agree. Yeah, let's not hold anything back from each other." Lacey states.
They are awaiting the dessert, as part of the decadent 5-course meal Danny chose for them. They gaze into each other's eyes, while still holding each other's hand on top of the table – when an unexpected visitor pops by their table.
"Danny Desai, what are you doing here?" the female voice a little jarring since Lacey had not heard it in almost three years. The female has draped her body on one side of Danny as she gave him a hug. Danny releases Lacey's hand in a moment of shock at the intrusion of their evening. Also, he has a brief scowl of dislike on his face before he recovers to form a mask of neutrality on it. The woman is his ex-fiancée, Nicole Knightwood. This is the one who had an affair with Charlie and the betrayal had caused Danny to turn to casual, light associations with any future women.
Danny issues a pleasant greeting. "Hello, Nicole. As you can see, I have a dinner date with the most amazing companion. You remember Lacey, don't you?"
The brunette, who is attractive, has a look of distaste on her face, which she quickly forms into haughtiness as she says "Oh, yes, hello, Lacey. My…don't you look pretty."
"Actually, she looks breath-taking." Danny corrects. He gives a smile but his eyes still have some irritation reflected in them.
"Thank you" is the comment Lacey directs at Danny with a smile.
Lacey's gaze shifts to Nicole, to whom Lacey states "Hello, Nicole. Nice to see you this evening." Lacey even manages to keep a light smile on her face and her tone cordial.
Nicole bats her blue eyes as her smile still hovers but her eyes don't reflect warmth towards Lacey. "Nice to see you, too, Lacey."
Then, Nicole's mouth opens and her face reflects surprise as she says to both Danny and Lacey "Oh, isn't this nice of you, Danny, to treat your analyst to a fancy meal. Tell me, what are we celebrating? Is it her anniversary at work or did you two just complete a major project?"
Nicole places a hand on Danny's shoulder and adds in a gushing voice "You are such a great boss, Danny, to treat one of your employees to this place. And Lacey, I imagine you count yourself lucky that you get to experience the wonderful Acquavit. This is an excellent choice, Danny, for such a reward for Lacey." While her hand is still resting on Danny's shoulder, Nicole uses her opposite arm to motion to the restaurant's interior as she sighs. She seems to gaze in delight at the restaurant's décor before her vision returns to the two seated dinner companions before her.
Danny recovers first from Nicole's marginally veiled catty comments. He shrugs Nicole's hand from his shoulders as he straightens his posture and turns a glacial stare towards her.
He clarifies "Actually, Nicole, you are partially correct. Lacey and I are celebrating; however, it isn't work-related. We are now officially dating. So, you will become used to seeing Lacey and I out together since some of our social circles still overlap. I'm glad that we got to see you tonight. That way, it won't be any awkwardness. You know, you were right back in the day, when you said that there seemed to be some type of chemistry between Lacey and me. Lacey and I saw that we shouldn't ignore it any longer." He ends his startling reveal with a smile.
Nicole's face could not disguise her look of shock at what Danny has declared. Her eyebrows raise high and her mouth drops open.
"I'm sure you are happy for us since I hear you, too, have found a happy dating life again." Danny prompts Nicole.
Nicole shuts her mouth and gives a closed-mouth smile. She states "Yes, Danny. I am happy for you. I am just…surprised, that's all. Of course, you are right…I have found a happy dating life with Ross Behring, I am sure you have heard. Hmmm, it seems that love is in the air all around." Interestingly, Nicole's words did not match her face which did not display that she was pleased at Danny's announcement.
Nicole adds "I recently saw Charlie. He looks great! I see he is all enthusiastic over some new deal he is about to close and bring big business to the Marrick Industries' fold. So, he's becoming quite the leader, isn't he? It's great to see there is no animosity with you Desais when one does so much better."
Danny's face infinitesimally tightens but his anger is still veiled. However, Lacey has witnessed all sides to Danny over the past three years. So, she knows he has been affected by the stinging barb Nicole has delivered. Lacey thinks it is distasteful for Nicole to bring Charlie's name into any conversation with Danny when Nicole and Charlie cheated together while Nicole was engaged to Danny. Nicole should be ashamed at how she easily destroyed her engagement and helped to further damage Danny's relationship with his cousin.
The woman had always thrown catty asides towards Lacey whenever she visited Danny's department and Danny was out of ear-shot from her remarks to Lacey. The dis-engagement and fallout had happened eight months before Lacey had started. Yet, it took at least a couple months into Lacey's tenure before Nicole finally got the message that Danny would never take her back. Finally, Nicole stopped her impromptu visits to Marrick Industries. Danny did encounter her in some social circles, but he always handled himself well when he was forced to say pleasantries to her (according to Cole who had informed Lacey of this since he also attended the same social functions).
Lacey springs into protective-mode as she states "Oh, Nicole, you remember that the older Desais encourage family first – even if they are competing. They always stress to band together to fight the outside – not to fight within – at least not to fight viciously…it is all in the good spirit of healthy competition. That is what I find so nice about Danny, Charlie, and Cole. They can overcome any intruders who threaten their family bonds. I am sure you have witnessed that plenty of times."
Lacey could be thinly veiled when she wanted to as well. Her words were chosen precisely to demonstrate to Nicole that Nicole herself is now considered an intruder…an outside threat to those Desai ties. Therefore, Desais close ranks and defend themselves against those threats.
Nicole had seen that the Desais still banded together after Charlie's betrayal with her. Lacey never asked the specifics with Cole at how Danny was able to let his anger subside with Charlie and continue to still work with him at their family enterprise. Lacey feels that Cole was the negotiator of that still somewhat-tenuous bridge between the cousins. Nonetheless, Lacey didn't pry into the details.
Under the table, Lacey extends her leg and places it to touch Danny's. Simultaneously, on top of the table, she places hand on top of his, which was still resting atop the table.
With Lacey's gentle physical comfort, Danny controls his anger and finds calm to lend to his voice as he responds. He says with a nonchalant air "Yes, Nicole is aware how we Desais reconcile what is really important and that is family. No one comes between that. Cole and I celebrate Charlie's success as well as anyone else's within our family. That's how Marrick Industries has thrived for so long."
Nicole gets the hint as she tries to find something suitable to say. She simply states "Yes, that is true."
Luckily, Lacey spies their waiter approaching their table with dessert. "Look, Danny, I believe this is our dessert on its way. Well, it has been so nice seeing you again, Nicole. I hope you have a nice night." Lacey sweetly says with a smile as she dismisses Nicole.
He looks at Nicole as he says "Yes, Nicole, have a nice night."
He gazes back at Lacey as he adds "Good, can't wait to try that lemon soufflé dish." With those words, he has shut Nicole out from carrying on any extended conversation as his focus is on Lacey again.
Nicole, recognizing her dismissal, rebounds well as she says "Thank you. You two have a good night as well. Enjoy your dessert."
Nicole turns and stiffly walks away towards the exit.
Lacey takes her hand away from Danny's as the waiter is placing their desserts in front of them with a flourish. Lacey waits until the waiter has left the desserts before she addresses what has just happened.
She asks "Danny, are you okay?"
Danny gives a small smile as he looks at her. "Thanks to you, I am. I always think I am past the betrayal that Nicole delivered to me with Charlie, but then a little bit of that resentment creeps in. I guess some of it still remains. I really want to be done with feeling any of that bitterness – and I am for the most part – yet, every now and then, a piece still manages to get under my skin."
Lacey reminds him "It's being human remember? I had my own human moment yesterday and you helped me. Now, it is my turn to help you."
She teases "At least you aren't alone and downing a half-bottle of champagne." Lacey picks up her fork to grab a dollop of her decadent chocolate dessert. "Downing a great dessert is a much better option." She takes a bite and closes her eyes at the sensation overtaking her.
Danny chuckles at both her comment and at her reaction. He agrees "Yes, it helps a lot that you were here to guide me into a more pleasant reaction to Nicole tonight. I appreciate it – more than you know."
Lacey smiles at him. She responds "See, we are good for each other."
Danny adds "I knew we would be. I just keep being surprised at the depth of how good for each other we are. It's cool." Danny shakes his head and corrects himself. "It's great actually."
He reaches his hand on top of the table towards her. Lacey's hand meets his halfway but instead of holding her hand, Danny brings it to his mouth to bestow a kiss upon her knuckles. He then places it down on the table and interlaces his fingers with hers. They each give each other a closed-mouth smile.
Unbeknownst to Danny and Lacey, another person in the restaurant has witnessed that interaction. It is Charlie, who has a very visceral reaction.
Tonight, Charlie had been dining by himself since he had been in Manhattan for a meeting earlier. He had chosen Acquavit because he loved the gravlax there. As he was enjoying a crème brulee dessert, Nicole Knightwood had appeared at his side. She had finished dining with some of her mother's friends. She had invited herself to have a drink with him. Charlie didn't want her intruding on his evening. He gave an excuse of having to rise early the next day to work on this great deal he was almost closing. Sure, he had added some flourish to his story, but he didn't want Nicole thinking that he wasn't doing as well as Danny.
Deep down, Charlie was a little remorseful that Danny hated him for that dalliance with Nicole. However, Charlie had been protecting the family. His gut had told him that Nicole was power-hungry/money-hungry and that she didn't care which Desai would give her more positioning in society. Charlie knew Danny was the better-looking, but he felt confident that he could appeal to Nicole's vanity and charm her that way…forcing her to reflect her true colors. If she had been steadfast to Danny, she would resist any bait Charlie threw her way. Actually, she would insult him at trying to pursue her. No, Nicole failed in that regard and only served to prove Charlie correct in his gut-assessment of what type of person she really was.
Did he experience some temporary satisfaction of taking Nicole's allegiance away from Danny? Sure, he did. It was one of those rare moments to trump over the Golden Child. Did Charlie do it maliciously – as Danny had thought? No; Charlie had really wanted to safeguard the family. If his actions prevented Danny from future heartbreak, fine. However, protecting the Desai overall fortune had been Charlie's priority.
Did Charlie like being the 'bad guy' in this family? No, but it seemed to be a continual role he played within the Desai cast of characters. Sometimes, Charlie did embrace it, though, when it worked to his advantage. Maybe Cole was right…did Charlie really thrive on being the 'lone wolf' instead of falling in line with the pack that chose him? Was he using the adoption status as a crutch for too long and thereby continuing to distance himself from the others in his family?
As Nicole had left his table tonight, Charlie was grateful that she seemed take the blatant hints that he was giving to her…to illustrate that he didn't want her company. As he watched her walk away, he saw that she was headed towards Danny….who was dining with Lacey? They were holding hands?
Charlie watched the interaction between Nicole, Danny, and Lacey. He noticed that Lacey and Danny seemed to form some sort of bond with themselves against Nicole. At least, this is what he perceived from his vantage point. His body tightened at the times that Danny and Lacey smiled at each other and held hands again.
His tipping point was what occurred at that table after Nicole had left. Danny and Lacey seemed to be in an intense conversation. Next thing Charlie knows, Danny reaches for Lacey's hand and kisses it intimately. Soon afterward, Charlie was able to pay his bill and leave out a back entrance – thanks to a very hefty tip to the waitress. He had not wanted to be seen by Danny and Lacey. He wanted them to be surprised whenever he revealed that he knew of their involvement.
After retrieving his car via the valet, Charlie had been livid his whole drive home. He had to force himself to drive the speed limit. That sight in the restaurant had shaken him. Nicole had been a division between Danny and Charlie and now, there was another woman between them as well. It was déjà vu of his childhood. Again, it was the girl who Charlie desired…but she actually desired Danny instead.
When Charlie enters his condo, he walks straight towards his bar. He desperately needs a drink. Charlie fixes his whiskey and sinks onto his sofa nearby. As Charlie drinks and nurses his invisible open wounds, he begins to think of the first time he met Lacey three years ago.
Three years ago…
Charlie had become smitten (his words) with Lacey or obsessed (Lacey's thoughts) – the very first time Charlie visited Danny's office after Lacey had been hired one year prior. He saw that not only did she possess looks, but she was intelligent and very astute. After that first encounter with the extremely beautiful Lacey, Charlie (on future occasions) would try to flirt (to no avail), charm her with witty banter (so he thought), and ask her out, etc. Lacey would politely refuse – citing that she would prefer to keep things on a professional level with him.
Of course, Danny wasn't pleased at Charlie's avid interest in Lacey. In fact, Danny had thwarted him several times. At first, Charlie thought that Danny was just trying to eliminate the competition. Charlie viewed Danny's warnings (to stay away from Lacey) as just Danny's way to usurp all opportunities and keep the beauty to himself. However, Charlie saw that Danny himself treated the lovely Ms. Porter as just his Senior Analyst. Per the rumor mill and Charlie's own eyes, Danny didn't try to date Lacey nor sleep with her. He appeared to be a gentleman…a boss who just treated Lacey as strictly his valued employee. Charlie knew he himself wouldn't have the willpower or the desire to do that; he was puzzled why Danny hadn't tried anything.
Perhaps, Lacey was one of the few women who didn't fall for the exotic allure of his cousin. Charlie highly welcomed that possibility. Far too many times, he had witnessed where his date would be totally dazzled by Danny. Whether it was during his rough pubescent years or his adult ones, most females had similar reactions when they met his Cousin Danny. He would eventually learn how to predict which girls fell into the 'erotic exotic' fever (a coined phrased that Charlie invented).
At first, the girl/woman (depending on what age he was in his dating life) couldn't stop blabbering about how good-looking Charlie's family was. Then, the discussion would steer towards how different Charlie looked from Danny (which inevitably led to Charlie's adoption as the topic of conversation…not the one he longed to discuss with people). Besides, hello, Cole's complexion contrasted with Danny's and they were full-blood kin. So, Charlie could have easily been a more European complexion but genetically tied to Danny. Anyway, half the Desai clan exhibited their East Indian ancestry while the other half showcased the varied blends of other ancestries through marriages or relationships. Talk like that made the date look somewhat racist or else just plain stupid.
After the complexion evaluation chat, the female would ask Charlie several questions about himself – which were not-so-subtle comparisons to Danny: did Charlie ever grow his hair long, did Charlie have an ear piercing, did Charlie ever tan that dark (yes, some actually asked him that), etc. By this time, Charlie would either just bed the girl/woman for inconveniencing his time with her inane behavior or else he would just get rid of her – whether subtly or explicitly. Charlie suffered no fools – especially the ones who didn't have the courtesy to respect that they were dating him, not Danny.
To see that the attractive Lacey was immune to Danny's appeal, Charlie had felt that he had a good chance of winning the affections of Lacey. Her refusals to lunch, dinner, happy hours, or any other events had dampened his continual pursuit, but he had chilled. He would occasionally toss an invitation her way, knowing he would get a 'no'. He had hope – slim though it was – that someday, maybe she would say 'yes' just once.
Present Day…
Charlie takes a long gulp and drains the rest of the whiskey in his glass, he shakes his head at the memories he had held of Lacey. Tonight had given him the unpleasant vision that even if he won the bet, not all Charlie had hoped to gain would become a reality. This was not an option he had considered.
When the opportunity presented itself to force Danny into this bet, Charlie saw the bet as a way to guarantee future Presidency. Also, this would place Charlie one step closer to having Lacey. When Charlie would win the bet, Lacey would work closely with him as his additional Senior Analyst. This would grant him a chance to present another side of his personality to her and surely soften her resolve towards him.
Charlie had determined that it was good that Danny seemed to keep a "hands off" policy with Lacey. At least it had seemed that way until what he had witnessed tonight. When he saw the implied intimacy in their gazes at each other and in the hand holding, he had become furious. Danny and Lacey had progressed towards a level beyond boss and employee. Charlie wondered had the bet backfired on him? Had the bet actually brought Danny and Lacey closer? With Charlie now positioned as the enemy, had the girl of his dreams aligned herself with Danny so much professionally…that this opened her emotions to Danny personally? Sh*t, this wasn't supposed to happen…
At Lacey's…
Lacey gazes at her dress that she will be wearing to the VanLandingham Charity gala. The dress is simply beautiful. She had viewed several dress options and had narrowed her choices down to three. Lacey had emailed pics to her mother, sister, and Cole for their votes. They had chosen this one. It had been Lacey's personal favorite, too.
She tries on the dress and experiments with various shoes to see which was befitting such a wonderful dress. Next, she approaches her jewelry armoire to choose accessories which would fit the dress and the hairstyle she wanted to wear for that evening. As she views her complexion in the mirror, she can't help but remember the gala event from last year when another company had hosted the annual charity event.
One year ago…
Lacey has attended a few company functions in the past from charity golf and polo events to corporate sponsor dinners to society galas. For most events, she was very honored to attend. Danny had always ensured that both Heather, his Executive Admin, and Lacey, his Senior Analyst, had been invited. Only a few of the administrative assistants and senior analysts would earn invitations to the exclusive events. While most of the attendees were quite lovely, some acted very entitled, privileged, and snobbish (like Nicole, Danny's ex or snob 'wannabe' like Charlie's Senior Analyst, Regina – whose wealth was much less than those attending).
Lacey was awaiting her date for the evening. She would be bringing a guest with her to the yearly gala. She hoped that having a date would be enough of a buffer to dissuade Charlie McBride from trying to ask her for several dances or from talking for extended periods of time to her. Charlie was pleasant enough when he wasn't in overblown charmer mode.
Three years ago when Charlie had first appeared in Danny's Analysis & Research division of Marrick industries, Lacey was friendly towards him. When she noticed there were some tensions between Danny and Charlie, her intuition told her to keep her guard up around Charlie. Then, she began to notice that Charlie's visits were more about her than annoying his cousin.
Charlie was initially a mild annoyance that blossomed into a full-blown pest. Lacey's polite dismissals of his invitations seemed like a red-flag challenge to him. Sure Charlie was handsome, in an old Hollywood way, when he dressed in a nice suit. Lacey could see his appeal to some women. However, he was far too cocky and arrogant. He seemed as enamored of himself as he wanted every woman to be as well.
Charlie tried several methods to persuade Lacey to accompany him to lunches, dinners, or other outings. He would try various methods to capture her attention: flirting, pretending to be hurt when she politely declined his offers, or say outrageous things to frustrate and coax a rise of emotions from her. Danny had assisted her several times with not-so-subtle warnings to stop annoying his employee. Also, Danny would find ways to cut short Charlie's impromptu visits to their department in Marrick, Industries. During and after all these interactions with Charlie, Lacey was still pleasant towards him but alternated the periods of being more reserved towards him and being more direct in her declines.
For tonight's festivities, Lacey had asked her grad school friend, Rico, to be a buffer for her at the company gala that night (in order to avoid Charlie's advances). Rico was a hometown friend who had attended a different undergrad school than Lacey. However, he had chosen the exact grad school where Lacey was acquiring her MBA in Finance. So, Rico, had been a godsend in grad school, for Cole had attended another grad school.
At that time, Rico didn't replace Cole exactly; but he was a nice friend when Lacey and Archie had experienced troubles and the eventual breakup. Sure, Cole's grad school had been located nearby and Cole had made his apartment available to her – if she needed a place to crash and be sheltered away from Archie for a while. However, she wanted some independence. She needed to find a way to heal herself and a way to deal with Archie, who seemed reluctant to end the relationship.
So, she only took Cole's invitation (of a hideout) when she absolutely needed it. Cole was one of her pillars of strength while Rico had been the other one.
After grad school, Rico earned a position using his international business undergrad degree and his MBA in Finance. He now lived in London. He had been visiting family and friends, which was how he was available to be Lacey's date for this evening.
When she mentioned to Danny that she was bringing Rico with her to the gala, he had seemed taken aback a little – because she hadn't mentioned a boyfriend before. Later, he confessed that he had asked Cole about it. (Cole stated Rico was a friend from Lacey's hometown and from grad school. He was visiting from London.)
Danny seemed irritated that Lacey didn't answer his questions about Rico. Lacey felt that his additional questions regarding Rico were too personal – especially since she was trying to distance herself from Danny (when their interactions felt so intense…more intense than professional boundaries…it was hard since they were the same age).
Besides, Lacey was irked by the questions when Danny should be focused on his own date. He would be attending the festivities with a very pretty brown-haired girl, Olivia Jacobsen. Thus, why was he concerned about her dates or her love life?
At the charity ball that night, Lacey had danced most of the night with Rico. Of course, Charlie had asked for dances throughout the night. Lacey had granted only one dance. She used Rico as an excuse to decline Charlie's other dance requests. These excuses were 'she hadn't seen Rico in three years'; 'she had a limited time with Rico since he would be leaving the next morning'; 'she was so tired from all the dancing with Rico', etc.
Rico had excused himself to go to the Men's Room. Lacey was feeling apprehensive and contemplated making a false trip to the Ladies' Room, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
When she turned around and saw that it was Danny, she felt extreme relief. However, she remembered he had a date tonight and she was supposed to be strictly 'professional' with her young, attractive boss. Clara had provided enough example of how the workplace could prove dangerous to any dalliances.
Lacey and Rico had encountered Danny and Olivia earlier that night. They exchanged introductions and small chat. Olivia actually was very nice. They were seated at a head table – several tables away from Lacey. Danny had danced with Olivia several times but other ladies had been eager to dance with Danny as well. He was a very popular dance partner.
Danny had smiled at Lacey as he stated "You're regular 'buffer' is occupied for the moment so…"
Lacey interrupted "So what?"
Danny smirked as he replied "I could be the stand-in."
Lacey frowned and repeated in the form of a question "Stand-in?"
Danny clarified "Stand-in, placeholder, c***-blocker – whatever it is that the kids call it these days…"
Danny's answer was so outlandish that Lacey laughed aloud and then quickly clamped her mouth shut. However, she couldn't help but smirk – even as she held back a laugh.
Danny teased her "Aw, you won't give me the full smile and laugh…"
She turned her head away but a snicker escaped. Lacey failed to keep the laughter in. Lacey couldn't help herself. She turned back towards him.
Danny smiled as he said approvingly "There it is. Yes, laugh…I made a good 'funny'." Danny laughed himself.
There it was…this closeness that was probably because they were the same age. At times, it was very easy to forget that Danny was an exec, an heir to a very powerful throne, and her boss. He seemed like a regular guy that Lacey could have met and had this insane, instant connection. Then, Lacey would remember that although they had this bond, their roles were quite distant from each other. She had to stay in her lane while he occupied his higher-ranked one. She would be wise to remember that.
After their shared laugh, Danny had persuaded Lacey to dance with him. He joked that both Cole and even Charlie had secured dances with her. Surely, their camaraderie guaranteed him a slot on her dance card. At first, she was very aware of the proximity of their bodies dancing closely together. Danny must have felt some stiffness in her because he began to use small talk to relax her. The most effective relaxation technique he used was via a game.
For the next two dances, they played a game of guess in which Danny pointed out a couple and Lacey tried to guess 'what is their story'. Danny would let her know if she was right or wrong 'who married for money, who was having an affair, who really loved each other', etc.
Lacey was still smiling when Danny had mentioned "Of course people are probably saying things about us."
While still dancing with him, Lacey pulled back a little to gaze at him. She had a slight frown as she asked "What things?"
Danny answered "Things like 'I wonder if they are sleeping together' or 'are they attracted to each other' or 'isn't she beautiful'. They are also probably talking about my mother and father, talking about my 'rebel' reputation, etc."
"Wow, the 'guess' game doesn't feel quite so fun when the tables are turned on us instead." Lacey had mused.
Danny advised "Hey, don't worry. They know better than to ever approach me and ask me inappropriate things about you – directly to my face. Remember, the things people say behind your back may sting but the best way to fight that, is to prove them wrong. Your actions make their statements into lies. They soon see that your merits were well-earned and that is how you combat the 'guesses' they may make."
Lacey formed her mouth into a straight line as she contemplated what Danny had stated. Then, with a nod of her head, she releases the tight hold on her mouth. She gives a determined dimpled smile. She declares "Then, we will have to prove them wrong…about whatever presumption they have regarding us."
Danny nods at someone. He then gave a cryptic answer "Not all of their presumptions are wrong. They would be correct in the guess that we are mutually attracted to one another."
Lacey had widened her eyes and her mouth had fallen open in surprise at the statement.
Danny commented before Lacey could recover and say something. "Before you deny that statement, don't. You and I both know that your denial would not be true."
Before Lacey could state anything, the song had ended and Rico was standing next to them. He had been the one to whom Danny had nodded.
"Rico, thank you for allowing me two dances with Lacey." Danny stated to the other man.
Rico had laughed and responded "Naw, thanks man. You gave me a little break. In fact, I imagine Lacey needs a little break herself."
Danny had smiled and told them to enjoy the rest of the night. He excused himself to socialize with some guests he had not spoken yet.
Lacey had allowed Rico to lead her back to their table to rest her now very tired feet. Rico had been very animated in pointing out the differences in the lavishness of this party compared to the parties he had attended in London for his company. Lacey had laughed at the appropriate times and offered commentary, but her mind kept wandering to Danny's comment. She wanted to deny that comment about the mutual attraction; yet, she knew Danny was right – no matter if she needed the opposite to be true.
*Lovely Readers, thank you for reading.
You will notice the tv Twisted 'Easter Egg' – the lines 'And I was very grateful. I appreciate that – more than anything.' As you recall, these were words Danny stated to Lacey in Episode 11 and the episode after Homecoming (I forget the episode number). I used that quote a couple of times here. Also, that 'you and I both know that is not true' reference (in the charity ball flashback scene here) is a nod to the tv show when Danny confronts Lacey about the kiss and her ignoring that she was just as affected by the kiss as he was.
An Avan 'Easter Egg' is his affiliation for wolves (my Charlie reference of him being a lone wolf not falling in line with the pack). I also see Avan's love of wearing a dressy type of ankle boot to award shows and in regular life. So, that is why I dressed Danny that way for his date with Lacey. The outfit described is a combination of some of the dressy Awards attire Avan has worn before as well.
Please continue to chapter 13. I have placed my final thoughts regarding these 3 chapters at the end of Chapter 13.
I hope you enjoy reading…DimplesValntina