CHAPTER SIX
Feeling Good…..Michael Buble
Daniel hung up the phone, wondering exactly why he had done that. Why was he flirting with Betty now? Because she had kissed him two days ago, then ran out of his new temporary home like she couldn't get away from him fast enough, perhaps?
Because, ever since that kiss, she was all HE could think about. SHIT! This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. He had been trying to prove he could "keep it in his pants" and do his job. Prove it to his sister, to his mother, to himself, and most of all to Betty.
But when she had come over like that, catching him literally with his "pants down" and vulnerable, he had found her...well, sort of irresistible. She was so adorable when she got all flustered.
And apparently, seeing her boss a la naturale and drunk enough to talk to her the way he had been finding himself feeling, with no reserves, no barriers, no invisible "friend zone wall" they both usually kept up between them since they had started working together managed to get her hot and bothered. He knew it was definitely working for him.
Most of the time, he thought of Betty as "just a friend", a sweet, sassy, energetic partner against all the insane people at Mode; it was them against the world. He felt protective of her, he genuinely loved her, yes, but not in a romantic way. So he had laughed at Renee's notions that Betty had some sort of "crush" on him! That was...well, crazy!
But after she had brought the matter to his attention, he realized he and Betty did spend a LOT of time together. They did make a great team. They spoke the same language, they had some sort of crazy chemistry that he had certainly never felt with any other woman. Ever.
She made him want to do his best, to try and succeed. She encouraged him and gave him something he had never gotten from another person before-her belief in him. That was...well, huge. Not to mention, he thought she was cute. But did HE have a "crush" on her? Was he falling for her? Maybe….
Yes, she still wore childish clothes, had those braces, and her glasses (although those he personally found kinda hot!), plus she needed a new hairstyle maybe. But still...he was enough of a man to see potential even under all that... Betty was destined to be a future hottie, he could tell.
If ANY man on the planet had the "x-ray vision" to see what a woman was hiding under her clothes, and under the makeup, and all the clothing, good or bad, it was Daniel Meade. Granted, he normally used that gift to spot who the real beauties were from the simply made up to look good girls from a line up of models. But it worked on "regular girls", too. It was sort of his "superpower".
He secretly had some pretty x-rated fantasies about them working late as usual and Betty doing a strip tease for him and them having office sex. He found it impossible sometimes NOT to stare at her ass and those boobs? Forgettaboutit! He had to smile at that.
Okay, knock it off! He told himself. He COULD control himself. Or at least, he had been able to before she had gone and planted that incredibly hot kiss on him and sent his libidi into overdrive. He was totally screwed now. While he found he couldn't think straight, she had promptly ignored him and didn't even sound as if she was necessarily all that happy about the kiss herself.
But then again, maybe she was playing him; messing with his head a little as payback for the whole telling her she was "stupid" for not giving Egg Salad boy the boot long ago and far away. Would Betty really do that?
She had certainly waited long enough to take his call. Then she pretty much busted his balls for quite a while before he had been able to soften her just a bit. In fact, if he wasn't mistaken, he might have gotten through to her when he told her he knew what she liked. But did he?
She had made it pretty clear she loved that dufus Henry. Or at least she did, before he knocked up his ex. She seemed to genuinely LIKE Gio, but certainly not enough to call it love. He challenged her and perhaps she needed that, but Daniel didn't really see a future for them. It was one-sided.
And he hated to snake his new friend, but...he couldn't help wonder if there was something there between him and Betty, something very unique and special. Something that they had both been to blind or too afraid to see.
Thank God, he had sobered up enough to not only remember but truly enjoy that kiss she gave him. He enjoyed it aright; perhaps a bit too much. But it haunted him. The smell of her, the feel of her soft, full lips on his, the way she had moaned into his mouth, the touch of her smooth, olive skin when he had grabbed her waist, then slid his hands down to feel her full bottom.
And the more he deepened the kiss, the more she had reciprocated, running her hands through his hair, and acting as if she wanted what he wanted...more. Much, much more….until she had suddenly stopped, realizing what was happening between them. She had stared at him for a moment, frightened, and then ran away, leaving him….well, confused, to say the very least.
He sighed, stretching out on his luxurious bed, wishing he wasn't all alone in it. He missed...Betty. He had only managed to make things worse for himself by obsessing over her, and then acting like a big flirt when she did finally answer his calls. He tried in vain to sleep, but finally decided to go take a cold shower and watch some television.
Henry was trying his best to be patient with Charlie, to be supportive to the mother of his unborn child. However, she really was driving him out of his mind. She seemed sweet and undemanding when they first met.
But it was like ever since he had tried to tell her about Betty, this competitive, evil side of her had surfaced. All he could hope for was that the pregnancy hormones were to blame and things would improve after the baby was born.
He knew one thing, if those DNA results had proven he wasn't the baby's father, he would have never had to tell Betty he was eventually going to return to Tucson. In fact, he found himself fantasizing almost nightly about being her knight in shining armor, the "Black Dragon" to her Princess Daisy. But the life that he hoped would revolve around Betty Suarez never seemed to have a chance.
First, he had asked her out on Halloween, and her idiotic boyfriend Walter showed up, then, after he had been trying to get to her at the Mode Christmas party, that crazy ex of Daniel's, Erin, the model, had laid one on him right when Betty was watching, apparently sending her running back to Walter, at least temporarily. Long enough for him to totally mess up his chances with her forever by going home for the holidays and sleeping with Charley.
Betty was the best thing that never really happened to Henry. He knew he wasn't the only one who thought "that way" about her, though. He knew when he first laid eyes on that damn Gio that he was trouble! The guy made it pretty obvious that he was going after Betty.
Honestly, at this point, Henry felt almost resigned to his fate. He had to be a good father to his son or daughter. He had decided that he would at least try to make things work with Charley, so they could be a family. He had no idea what the future held for him. Who knew; maybe some time in the future, he and Betty would cross paths again and he would be free and so would she. But it seemed that for now at least, their time had passed them by.
He would always love her, he knew that. She would always be the "one who got away" for him. There was so many good, wonderful things about her that a lot of the crazy fashion world at Mode seemed to blind and superficial to see. But he knew that sooner or later, she would shine like she had at the fashion show Daniel had thrown for her. Daniel...Henry scratched his head, wondering what the real story was between his would be girlfriend and her boss.
The guy was a total dog. If he were honest with himself, of course a part of Henry was envious of the man's playboy lifestyle. But that just wasn't him and never would be. Not that Daniel was a total player anymore either, though. It seemed being around Betty had slowed him down, made him more human, more real. The man seemed kind of nice now, actually. She had that effect on people.
"Henry." he almost felt as if he had conjured her up, since he had been thinking about her for so long.
He did a double take, "Betty? Is that...really you?"
She nodded, telling herself not to cry. This was going to be "fierce". She had given enough of her tears and her heart to this man. She HAD to force herself to walk away. Now, before she got even more desperate, and tried to hold onto a doomed relationship like she always did. Her refusal to cut Walter loose when she initially should have was partially what had caused this situation in the first place, she told herself. Be strong! You can do this!
She sniffed in the one tear she allowed herself, and smiled, the same fake smile she often used at Mode, "It is. Listen, Henry...I think we both know we're fooling ourselves, trying to pretend things are different than they really are. You have obligations. Charley needs you. I need…"
"What do you need, Betty?" Charley approached, holding her bloated stomach like it was some sort of prize she had won and grabbing Henry's arm like HE was her prize as well. "Ooh, look at you! You finally got those ugly braces off, huh? Sorry! But they looked totally cute on you, of course!"
Betty narrowed her eyes, giving Charley the megawatt smile she had often dreamed of and now actually was enjoying to no end, "Thanks! My former orthodontist, Dr. Farkus, who I think you two met, right? Anyway, he apparently had kind of a mental breakdown his nurse said, but the new lady ortho, Dr. Frankl was super nice! Ha! Farkus and Frankl! Funny!
Anyway! Yeah, there are big things ahead for all of I'd say. Good luck with the birth! I'm sure it won't hurt that much! My sister Hilda said having Justin did, but...she's really not that tough. You look much sturdier." Okay, she had copied that from Amanda and Marc, but...hey, if she was going to show a LITTLE payback to Charley, she figured they were the experts on mean!
Immediately, though, she almost regretted saying that. Being mean just...wasn't her style. She WAS planning on throwing the girl a baby shower, after all. She took a deep breath and shook her "rival's" hand, "Seriously, Charley. Good luck with...everything. I wish you and Henry and your little one all the happiness in the world!"
Then she did the hardest thing she had ever done. She barely glanced back at Henry, but she could see he looked both sad and rather proud of her, as she turned and walked away. And kept walking. And walking. And walking. God! She thought it would feel...better somehow. She felt...alone.
There was only one person she really thought of when she felt that way that she knew would make her feel better. But she wasn't quite ready to deal with whatever was happening between them to change their dynamic right now. Why did things have to keep changing, anyway?
She felt like two different people sometimes. Part of her craved challenge and adventure and that definitely included a lot of changes. But part of her liked things to stay safe, stay the same. She leaned across the railing, looking out over the East River when she heard a familiar voice.
"Hey there, gorgeous! What the hell happened to you?"
"Gio? What are you doing here? Why are you here?" she really wasn't in the mood for one of Gio's little "I know you better than you know yourself" speeches right now. She got enough of that from Daniel.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, shrugging in his long coat, "Oh, actually, Daniel told me this was...your "special place" that he took you for your all night date that time. I talked to Hilda and she said you were supposed to go pull the bandaid off tonight with Eggy and his baby mama. So, I figured you could use a little pep talk. I took a shot. Look at that! I guessed right! Who loves ya, baby?"
She rolled her eyes, "Gio...why are you and Daniel hanging out? You know those models who hang around him aren't going to jump into your bed. Are you trying to…."
Gio made a face of disgust at her suggestion, "I'm shocked and deeply hurt by your accusation, Suarez! You honestly think I'm only hanging out with Daniel to pick up his "sloppy seconds"?"
She rolled her eyes at his dramatic grabbing of his chest, "Okay, Drama King! Hold off on the Oscar routine, will you? I don't know WHY you two are together."
"Because he knows I'm a gentle lover. I assumed you told him?" he grinned, making her laugh, in spite of the pain she felt right now.
He gestured to a bench, making a show of brushing it off for her, "My lady!"
"So...how did it go?"
She shrugged, keeping her head down, "Okay, I guess."
He raised his eyebrows, "You look totally hot, by the way! Love the smile, without the picket fence. Amazing wattage! How do they feel? I was so happy to get mine off. I kept licking them for a week till my tongue got raw!"
She laughed again, nodding, "I know! I keep doing that, too! They feel so smooth, weird, naked."
He took a breath, "Yeah, uh...speaking of naked. I paid a little visit to Hotel fancy pants to check up on our mutual friend, Mr. Sickington the other day. I believe I just missed you as you were running to the elevators. What had you so spooked? You looked like you'd seen a ghost or…."
Betty's eyes grew wide and she turned bright red as her hand flew to her mouth, "You KNOW? Oh my God! He told you? Why? What...I...um...I have to go. Thanks for checking on me, Gio. I'm fine. I've got to go!" She jumped up and started walking away at breakneck speed, as if her life depended upon leaving right that second.
How did he know about the kiss? Why would Daniel have told Gio about it? Unless it didn't mean as much to him. Maybe he had made fun of her...little crush on him being real after all, and he and Gio had had a good laugh at her expense.
Gio managed to run after her and put his arm out to stop her, "WAIT! Betty! Listen. He didn't want to tell me, okay? I had to drag it out of him. The truth is; I followed you there because I didn't trust the man. But...he tried to convince me the kiss was simply you two...showing each other gratitude for saving one another's lives or some nonsense."
Betty looked relieved, "Oh...right. Of course! That was...it. So, that's good. I'm glad he explained it to you."
Gio rolled his eyes, looking into hers, sans her signature red glasses, "Wow! You're really going to try and pull this off, too? Jesus, Betty, do you honestly think I'm that stupid? Both of you are full of shit and you know it! I knew the minute he tried to lie about that kiss that it meant a lot to him.
When I first showed up, he called me "honey or baby" or some crap, thinking it was you and that he could apologize for kissing you! Which, in fact, I hear you sort of started? So much for being all "in love" with Egg Salad, I guess, huh? You may have convinced yourself for a while that that damn moron Henry Grubstickle was your true love or whatever but you and I both know the truth.
There's only ever been one man for you, Betty Suarez! And it damn sure as hell isn't Egg Salad! Open your eyes! Look, I guess a part of me will always love you. And...that's okay. But...just like I'm not still suffering when you had your Prince fire me for not putting enough damn Sun dried tomatoes on your sandwich. I rose to the occasion and overcame that setback. I'm going to do the same thing with loving you. I'm tired of being lost in Betty Suarez land."
"Betty Suarez Land? What is that? Gio, what are you talking about?"
He gestured towards the "unknown", "I'm talking about a huge self-discovery. I've decided that I need to go to Italy and look for new cheeses and find my real passion-sandwiches! And who knows, maybe there I'll meet someone who does for me what you do for...well, a lot of guys you meet...inspire us to be better men.
But I want to see in some hot Italian chica's eyes what I see in your eyes every time your Prince walks into the room. Don't get stuck again, Betty. Cause I won't be here to keep setting you on the right path. I've got my own worlds to conquer. Goodbye, Betty."
He leaned down to kiss her, just as Daniel got out of his town car and saw them.