CH 3
Betty went to Daniel's office and stopped to pick up the sandwich he had insisted he wanted (there was no use trying to reason with the man when he had been drinking!), then she was heading over to meet him at the Four Seasons to make sure he didn't do anything too stupid that would get him anymore undue publicity. She was already putting out fires (no pun intended) from the Renee incident as it was.
She kissed Henry goodbye, "I'll see you tonight? Who knows how long this is going to take with Daniel. But maybe we could go out to dinner...what? What's with the face? Don't tell me, you have to do something with Charlie again?"
Henry looked down uncomfortably, "Well, actually…"
She forced a smile, "It's okay. Just call me when you can."
Betty was trying her best to be patient. She knew Henry was a good guy and she couldn't fault him for wanting to be the best father to his unborn child, but she knew that ex of his was milking his dedication and using it to break him up with Betty because she was jealous.
And as much as she hated it when either of them was right, she had a sinking feeling that no matter how kind, or patient or understanding she was with Henry in the "Charlie situation", both Daniel and Gio would be saying "I told you so" in unison sooner rather than later.
Now they were teaming up against her and Henry? Going out and getting drunk together? It wasn't fair!
She pushed her way into Gio's shop, throwing the sandwich down across the counter, and slammed her fist down, "What did you do to Daniel? You got him drunk? Why? Is this about me and Henry? Because he punched you or something?"
Gio looked a bit worse for wear himself, as he was tying on his apron and raised his eyebrows at Betty's dramatic entrance. He winced for a moment, holding his hand up to his head, "Ow! Geez, Betty! Do you really have to scream at me like that? And what the hell? What's with the sandwich, huh?"
"Too bad! You deserve to suffer. You know very well you got him drunk in the middle of the day. Daniel did have some meetings but now I had to reschedule them all and he wants me to meet him at some hotel, bringing him one of your stupid sandwiches. I'm at least going to bring him a fresh one. That one looks like it's been sitting around all day!"
Gio rolled his eyes, "My sandwiches are NOT stupid! You're stupid. You and Egg Salad go shopping for baby clothes already? You do know it's not your baby, right?
I can't believe you're even thinking of throwing his baby mama a shower! Are you insane? Don't you realize how badly that's going to go for you? You're just setting yourself up to get hurt all over again. Daniel and I don't see why you refuse to pull off the Band-aid and cut the loser loose already!"
"How did you know...you and Daniel? What are you two; best buddies now? Great! That's just what I need! You idiots teaming up to make my life even more miserable! Just make me the sandwich, will you? Please?"
"Well, since you asked so nicely! Let me get right on that, your Highness! Because everything is all about you...living in your own little fantasy land!" he bowed rolling his hand in an exaggerated way.
Betty looked unimpressed, as she crossed her arms over her chest as she rolled her eyes, "Are you done?"
He seethed, but started behind the kitchen, "I'll do it. For Daniel. Not you. He's actually a pretty cool guy. For a rich dude." He rubbed his temple, "He sure buys good Scotch!
But you know he doesn't need you to be his mommy, Betty. He's a grown man. Stop babying him! It's not your job to wipe his nose. Or go getting yourself killed to save him from a burning building or...a raving lunatic girlfriend, trying to kill you!"
She still hadn't exactly dealt with the fact that she could have been killed last night. So, she did what she usually did when she didn't want to think about something, she ignored the reality, dismissing Gio, "I'm fine."
"You're not fine, Betty. You're as crazy as she is. Promise me next time you even think about doing something that risky, you'll call me first?"
She chewed on her bottom lip, and nodded, "There won't be a next time. But...thanks."
Gio quickly assembled a sandwich, and wrapped it, walking around the counter and handing it to Betty, "Here you go, Miss Suarez...with my compliments to Mr. Meade. Tell him thanks for the assist."
"Assist? With what? What are you two idiots scheming?"
She figured it certainly had something to do with her and Henry. God knows what the two geniusus were talking about. Probably poisoning him or something. She did feel bad that Henry had punched Gio but knowing him he had likely said something completely annoying that caused Henry to react so strongly.
Gio shook his head, smiling as he kissed Betty's hand, "Nothing. Just a private joke. He's got you meeting him at some motel? Won't people talk? Won't Eggy be jealous?
I would be...if I were your boyfriend. Daniel's a nice guy, but he's a dog! Watch out he doesn't try and put the moves on you, Betty! Especially when he's drunk and on the rebound from the crazy chic!"
"It's not a motel, it's the Four Seasons! And Daniel's not...he would never do that. Don't be silly! Anyway, you're NOT my boyfriend. And for the last time, it's not "Eggy"! It's EGG SA...I mean HENRY! Stop calling him that!"
Gio grinned, seeing he was getting Betty worked up. He stepped closer to her, as he held onto her hand, covering the sandwich, "Tell Danny boy it's got lots of mayo. I didn't hold anything. Lots of meat for a real man's sandwich."
Betty started to say something on the order of how ridiculous Gio was being when she noticed the bruise under his eye. She reached up and touched it, "Did… Henry do that?"
Gio flinched slightly, "Yeah. But he thought I was messing with his girl. So, I had it coming. He was right. I was...at least I was trying to. Problem is, you don't want to be messed with...do you?
At least, not by me. Maybe if I had Daniel's money and looks and connections, you'd give me a second glance, huh? I saw you two in his office."
Betty stepped away, putting her hand back down and heading for the door, "Please! That was none of your business. Besides, Daniel is not the problem, here, Gio."
"Oh, I see. And I suppose I am then? What did I do? Other than care about you? Is that really so terrible? All I know is, I'll be here for you to pick up the pieces when he goes back to Texas with his mama and kid.
And that's pissing him off. And apparently, pissing you off, too. Because you and HENRY both know that Daniel and I are right about him. He's just going to break your heart, Betty. Again."
She narrowed her eyes, "If you call me stupid, I swear, Gio, I'll punch your other eye! Whatever. Goodbye. Thanks for the sandwich. I'm sure Daniel will need something in his stomach to balance out the booze!" She stuck her head back in, "You should...probably eat something, too."
Gio grinned as she left. He walked back around to the counter, and began cleaning up the sandwich she had thrown at him. Another customer came in and he started to wait on him, but took off his apron quickly, "Sorry, we're closed. There was a sudden death in the family! Thanks for your business. We'll be open again tomorrow. Here!"
He handed the man a coupon and followed him out the door, locking it quickly behind him. "That dog!" he mumbled to himself, practically knocking the poor man down in his haste to close up shop for the second time.
"Sorry?" The would-be customer asked.
"Oh, nothing! I just...should have known better than to trust a rich guy! Just friends, my ass! Why does he want her to meet him at the Four Seasons, huh? I saw his lap after she sat on it. He's not as immune to Betty Suarez's charms as he thinks he is…"
Obviously, Gio was muttering to himself, so the man just shook his head and went to find his lunch somewhere where the staff was slightly more...sane.
Daniel's head was still spinning slightly, as he laid down on the bed in his suite, waiting for Betty to come. He hated how needy he was, how dependant on her sometimes. Talking to Gio had made Daniel almost jealous.
Yes, the guy wasn't rich, but he had made something of himself, even after Daniel had fired him. And he didn't even seem to hold a grudge. In fact, he had thanked Daniel for lighting a fire under him (wow, it really was just a pun-ny day after Renee, wasn't it?) and had started his own shop.
He was just the kind of man that Betty deserved. One who would challenge her, would encourage her to spread her wings, and live up to her potential. NOT some jerk who kept ripping out her heart because he couldn't keep it in his pants! Wow, it was kind of strange that he was thinking about Egg Salad and not himself!
It was almost funny that Gio had clearly been jealous of Daniel. He supposed it just proved how much Gio loved Betty. Henry was too busy with Charlie to even care that Betty had gone to Daniel's apartment and risked her own life to save his last night. Why had she done that again? Especially since she had made it abundantly clear she did NOT, in fact, have a crush on him.
Daniel flipped the channels on the television and got bored, throwing it onto the nightstand. Where the hell was that steward with his clothes, anyway? He hated being temporarily homeless, thanks to his ex. But he supposed it beat the hell out of the alternative, if anything had happened to Betty.
He wished his head would stop spinning. Those damn aspirins the hotel gave him didn't seem to be doing anything so far. Maybe it was a combination of drinking too much, too soon in the day and still being in shock over all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Soon, he felt himself give into the dark with the blackout drapes doing their work and his exhaustion taking over.
Betty rushed into the Four Seasons, approached the front desk, and leaned forward, whispering to the manager who seemed to recognize her, "Excuse me, but is...um...Mr. Sickington here? In the Central Park Suite? I have a delivery for him."
She held up Daniel's briefcase, which she had grabbed so she could get him to sign off on a few contracts and invoices he hadn't had time to look over in all the drama with Renee. She had his sandwich in her large bag.
Although smelling it was making her stomach rumble with hunger. Maybe once she was upstairs she could order room service. She had been tempted to at least take a bite of the sandwich, but she wasn't going to give Gio the satisfaction.
What was wrong with him? And why was Daniel now buddying up with him? It was driving her crazy wondering what they had talked about. Besides her..
The manager raised his eyebrow rather suggestively, looking somewhat surprised, but nodded in understanding, and handed Betty the key to Daniel's suite.
She heard the TV on, but no one answered when she called out, so she assumed he had fallen asleep. Good, she thought, he could sleep it off and sober up!
"DANIEL!" Betty yelled out as she turned around and put her hand up to her eyes both at the same time, seeing her boss, naked as the day he was born, lying on his bed.
"Huh? Betty? What's wrong? OH! Oh...right. I'm...sorry about that." He tried to pull the comforter over himself, but it was tucked in so tightly he couldn't get it. "I...shit! Um...can you help me with this please?"
She nodded, walking closer to the bed, but still holding her one hand over her eye as she reached down for the comforter. She pulled on it hard, finally pulling it out from the bed. Unfortunately, it also rolled Daniel onto the floor, "OW! Betty! Geez! Now I'm dizzy again! I was just starting to feel better." He reached up his hand for her to help him up.
She did, but still tried to hold her hand over her glasses.
Daniel laughed at her, "Will you stop being such a prude? What, you've never seen Henry naked before? So...is he like...really packing?
There's rumors around Mode that he's got some serious abs, but that doesn't mean anything south of the border. Or does it?" he seemed genuinely curious, but Betty tried to ignore his way too personal question, chalking it up to Daniel, being drunk. He often got that way when he had been drinking.
"What are you looking for, Betty? I mean...in a man? Clearly you like a guy who can knock a girl up, right?"
She glared at him, "Not funny, Mr. Meade! Don't talk to me when you're drunk and….naked! By the way, WHY are you naked? Where are your clothes, anyway? Did you get friendly with Gio? I saw him to get your stupid sandwich and at least HE had his clothes on!"
"You remembered my sandwich? Thanks! I'm starving! Where is it?"
"Here!" She picked it up out of her bag that had landed on the floor when she had been so startled seeing Daniel in that condition. Now, she just went with it, trying to keep her eyes on his as much as she possibly could. What was it with the Meade family, she wondered? He was just like his mother! No sense of propriety, apparently.
She went and sat down on the sofa in the sitting area and turned on the television there, rolling her eyes as he came and sat opposite her, scarfing down the sandwich like he hadn't eaten in a week, "Mmm...man, this is really good! Your boyfriend makes a pretty mean sandwich! Tell him thanks for me next time you see him!"
She sighed, "Gio is NOT my boyfriend, Daniel."
"Well he should be. He's a lot better for you than Egg Salad! Gio actually cares about you."
"So does Henry. Look, butt out, Daniel. Yes, he's a nice enough guy, but I'm not in LOVE with Gio. You know that. What is this with you two, anyway? Some kind of trick you're trying to play on me?
Are you both trying to break me up with Henry and throw me at Gio, is that it? Did he bribe you with his sandwiches or something? Because I don't really see what you two could possibly have to talk about…"
"Except you?" He stared at her, his fuzzy look suddenly clear. His blue eyes never seemed brighter, as he walked up to her, and sat next to her, and put his hands on her shoulders, "Are you kidding me with that business about "breaking you up"?
What is there to break up? There really IS nothing that you can do to stop this. Betty, listen to me. You KNOW Henry isn't staying in New York, right?
And even if he does, that woman is always going to come first because they have a child together. You do get that, don't you? Because normally you're a really smart woman, but for some reason when it comes to this…"
She narrowed her eyes, looking up into his eyes, completely oblivious to the fact of his state of undress by this point because of her anger. She stood up, clearly annoyed and frustrated.
She was just as exhausted as he was, although not drunk at least. But fending off Renee the night before, literally fighting for her life and trying to negotiate with a mentally unbalanced woman had taken its toll and she was tired. Every part of her was spent.
And right now, the man whose life she had obviously valued so much more than her own was pissing her off with his interfering into her life. Who did he think he was...telling her who she should love? This was none of his business?
She put her hands on both hips and gave him her meanest glare, then wagged her finger at him, "Daniel Meade, DON'T! Do not even THINK about it! You're the one who's stupid, not me. I KNOW Henry has to leave, okay? I know he's going to break my heart...again.
Just like you knew starting a relationship with Renee was risky. So, I don't need you or Gio or anyone else reminding me of how stupid I am. When you…"
"Love someone? Do you, though? Do you really love Egg Salad? Or is he just...safe? Personally, I think you're afraid to admit it's already over with the guy. You two tried but your timing sucked. So move on, Betty! Why do you do this? Try to hold on when it's so clearly over?
He went home and slept with her. For whatever reason. Whatever they once had must have been enough for them to want to make it work again."
She looked at him, "The grave of things I threw away of his is still there. I remember. You're right. I know it. I know that moron Gio is right, too, God help me.
But what can I do? I really thought…Henry was...the one. At least...I did at one time. Daniel, one more time….WHY are you naked? It's very… distracting!" She ran and got him a robe from the bathroom and threw it at him.
He laughed, clearly enjoying her embarrassment, as he lounged across the bed, completely comfortable in all his "glory", but finally had mercy on her and put on the robe, "Oh, I fell in the pool earlier. Apparently I was a little… um ...drunk when I checked in.
The hotel is dry cleaning my suit. I ordered a few suits from Dior and Gucci, since I'm suddenly homeless and find myself completely without a wardrobe."
He waved at himself, smirking, seeing how adorable Betty was when she was embarrassed, "Ordinarily, my very thorough assistant would have already taken care of all this, but...she's been extremely busy today.
After saving my life last night by heroic measures. Why DID you go to my place last night, anyway? You must have known Renee would be there. Were you really that worried about ME? That was...really brave. But...please don't ever do anything like that again.
I can't begin to think about the thought of...losing you, Betty. You...mean far too much to me." he reached out and took off her glasses, then touched her cheek softly.
She couldn't breathe. Having him standing there, totally vulnerable like that, touching her face, and telling her how much she meant to him was overwhelming. She squinted slightly and he caught on, giving her back her glasses.
"I...guess I couldn't think about losing you, either. I was so scared something had happened to YOU. I didn't want her to hurt you."
He found his mouth had suddenly gone dry. Why was standing next to Betty like this affecting him so much? "Yeah, well...you're my hero, Betty. Thank you for being willing to save my life, even if it risked your own."
She smiled, blushing, "You, too. You came to rescue me when you knew I was in danger. That was really sweet, you breaking down the door like that. Very...heroic!"
He grinned boyishly, "Thanks. Wilhelmina was being her usual annoying self. I just...have NEVER been so glad to see you." he kissed her cheek, then her forehead, then her nose, and she smiled, thinking he was being sweet and kind.
And he was. He only meant it as a friendly gesture of gratitude and thankfulness at first. But for some reason, after a moment, he stopped and stared at her, as if he was truly seeing her for the first time and he leaned closer, his breath shallow, "Betty…"
She gulped and stood up on her toes as their lips met.