Who Should I Be Now
Jocelyn Carter was humming. She was actually humming as she walked toward her office past the cubicles where people were hard at work. Dressed in her best dark Ralph Lauren tailored suit coat and pencil skirt that hugged her curves with a magenta-purple, u-shaped, sleeveless silk blouse, her Zita embellished, pointed-toe, four-inch, pumps made no sound on the expensive plush carpet as she walked. She tucked a strand of her long, satiny, dark hair behind her ear while the rest fell in loose curls down her back. She couldn't believe how much her life had changed in just over a few months. She had a successful career at Marmostein and Ribner where she hoped to make partner very soon, a wonderful son, Taylor, who was growing into a man right before her eyes, and a handsome, loving, fiancé, John Warren, who made her feel like she was his whole world.
A bright smile curved her lips, brightening her eyes when she entered her modest office, and saw her boss, Mr. Ribner himself sitting in a chair across from her desk waiting for her.
"Good Morning, Jack, you're making the rounds early," Joss said breezily as she walked to her desk to take a seat in her dark, burgundy, executive chair. "What can I do for you?"
"I just came by to congratulate my best Senior Associate on a job well done with the Szymanski case," Jack Ribner, a white-haired man in his late fifties replied. "I honestly don't know how you find the information you do, but I'm glad you do," he continued with a slight shake of his head. Joss Carter had to be one of the most sharp, intelligent, fierce, intuitive, and yet empathetic and compassionate, associates on their team. That's why he and Marmostein were considering offering her a partnership. She certainly deserved it.
"Trade secret," Joss replied with a sly smile, and mischief in her eyes. "I guess I'll just have to start signing "partner" next to my name until you can get my official title printed?" she asked coyly.
Jack rose slowly from his chair, and buttoned his suit coat. "I didn't know you could read minds, Joss," he said with a wink and a smile then left her office, leaving Joss absolutely stunned.
After sitting in astonished silence, trying to process what Jack had said, Joss couldn't help the small squeal of excitement that escaped her as the full force of it hit her. Partner! It would be a non-equity partner for sure, but in a few years, after she had raised enough capital, she could buy in as an equity partner and have her name added to the moniker. Marmostein, Ribner & Warren, Joss thought. It had a nice ring to it, and then she giggled.
When her initial shock wore off, Joss instantly thought of John. She had to call him and give him the good news! She had met John Warren at a friend's mixer one night seven months ago, and it had been instant attraction. They had talked the whole evening not bothering with any of the other guests at the party. After the mixer, they had gone out for coffee, neither wanting the night to end so soon, even though it was after midnight. He had finally driven her home a little after three in the morning, and had walked her to her front door. He had given her a chaste kiss on the cheek, and had then asked to see her again. They had been inseparable ever since.
John was not her usual type of guy, but when she had noticed him watching her with his piercing, silver-blue, eyes she had been captivated. She had watched his graceful movements as he had walked toward her, and her body had instantly responded in a way that had never happened with anyone before him. He was tall, over six feet, and had been wearing black jeans with a dark red corded sweater that had a short zipper at the neck. His hair dark hair that had a touch of grey at the temples was cut severely short, and along with his bearing, she had guessed, correctly, that he had been in the military.
As Joss reached for her phone on her desk she almost shivered in anticipation of hearing John's soft, sexy voice over the line. She dialed his number quickly, waiting impatiently for him to answer. She had his direct line to his office where he worked as an investment banker so she didn't have to go through his executive assistant. He picked up on the second ring.
"Hello, Joss, to what do I owe the pleasure of a phone call so early?" John asked, his soft voice sending actual shivers down her spine.
"Well, I thought my fiancé might like to be the first to speak to the newest partner of Marmostein and Ribner," Joss replied just as softly, barely containing her excitement.
"What? You made partner? Really?" John's elation at the news apparent.
"It's not official yet, but Jack was just in my office, and he dropped a not so subtle hint that I was going to make partner," Joss tried to downplay it a little, and told John exactly what Jack had said, but knew John would not be deterred.
"It doesn't matter. He practically told you that you were making partner, Joss," John refuted just as she thought he would. "Congratulations Joss, you deserve it. You've worked hard for this," he continued, and she could feel the love in his words.
"Thank you, John. I just had to call you first, and tell you. I love you," Joss said softly.
"I love you, too, Joss," John said quietly, and they didn't speak for a few moments, basking in their love for one another even over the phone. Then he broke the silence.
"Hey, we need to celebrate. Why don't I take you and Taylor to dinner tonight? Someplace nice, so dress-up," John said with anticipation of seeing Joss again. They saw each other almost every night but he never tired of her company or her son's. He and Taylor had forged a close bond while John was dating Joss, and he treasured that relationship nearly as much as he did his relationship with Joss.
"I'd love to John, but it will have to be just me and you, I'm afraid. Taylor is with his dad this week," Joss said with disappointment lacing her words.
"Oh," John said shortly. Then taking a deep breath he said, "Maybe we could pick him up and take him back to his dad's after?" John probed, not expecting it would happen.
Joss sighed softly before she answered. "John, you know how Paul feels about you. There's no way in hell he's going to let us pick Taylor up without a confrontation," she said gently, not wanting to hurt John.
Yeah, John knew exactly how Paul felt about him. Paul had made it abundantly clear that he didn't like John the first time they met. John felt that Paul probably thought he might have had a chance with Joss again until John showed up, and Paul's hostility only increased after John asked Joss to marry him a month ago. Paul believed Joss was rushing into marriage with John only after knowing him for six months, and it was true. It was fast, but they loved each other, and John had learned the hard way that not following your heart led to disaster. John pulled his thoughts away from the past, and back into the present.
"That's okay, Joss," John said with understanding. "We'll celebrate with Taylor when he gets home, but I still want to take you out tonight, so get yourself dolled up, okay?" John said with a smile in his voice.
"You bet I will. You won't know what hit you," Joss said seductively.
"Mmm, I can't wait. I can't wait to peel whatever it is off of you either. I'll pick you up at eight. I love you," John replied huskily.
Joss shivered again at the image his words provoked. "I'll see you at eight. I love you, too," she said a little breathlessly, and they disconnected.
Joss settled back in her chair and lost herself for a moment in thoughts of her and John, and how he would peel her out of her clothes then what they would do after.
"Ms. Carter," her executive assistant, Clare, broke into her delicious musing.
"Yes, Clare," Joss replied.
"You have a call on line three."
"Thank you, Clare," Joss said as she reached for her phone. Time to get the day started, but all through the day her mind would wander back to John and their "celebration" tonight.
John Warren replaced the receiver to his desk phone back in its cradle with a smile on his face. He couldn't believe how happy he was. He didn't think it was possible for him to ever be this happy again until he met Joss Carter, and she had turned his life upside down. They had had an instant connection that, to this day, he couldn't explain.
John had not planned on going to the mixer that a mutual friend had put together, but for some reason had found himself there, and thank god he had been. He had been there about a half hour, bored out of his mind, until he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen walk through the door. After she had removed her dark coat she had revealed a sapphire-blue, sleeveless, deep V-neck, chiffon dress that gathered at her small waist and fell to just above her knees. The color had been splendid against her supple, dark, golden-brown skin. She had worn a pair of strappy impossibly high heels that had accentuated her impossibly long legs for someone of her stature. He had guessed her to be about 5'5" without the sky-high heels. He had watched her as she worked the room. Her long satiny hair had fell down her back in soft curls, and his hands had itched to run his fingers through it. Her laugh had been musical, and her smile had been bright and contagious. When she had looked up and caught his eyes her large, soft, dark-brown eyes had mesmerized him. He had never been affected by a woman like that before, and he had found himself walking toward her. They had been inseparable since that night.
The decision to ask her to marry him had been a no brainer. He was deeply in love with Joss, and he knew she loved him. Their connection was deep and strong; a bond that would not be easily broken. Unless, of course, she found out whom he really was. But he would never let that happen. Who he was then wasn't who he was now. He had put all of that in his past, and left it there. He was a new man, with a new life, with a woman he loved, and he would fight heaven and hell to keep it.
There was a knock on his door and he looked up to see Alexis, his executive assistant at the door.
"Your nine o'clock appointment is here, Mr. Warren," Alexis informed him.
"Thank you, Alexis. Send him in," John replied, and she nodded then turned to carry out his request.
A few minutes later Alexis arrived with a small man of average height that seemed to have a distinct limp. He wore thick black rimmed glasses, and had a small polite smile on his face. He reached out a hand toward John in greeting as he reached him. John took the man's hand in his, and was a little surprised at the strength and warmth of the handshake as the other man covered both of their hands with his other hand.
"Hello, Mr. Warren. It's a pleasure to meet you. You can call me Mr. Finch," The man introduced himself looking John directly in the eye.
John returned the man's gaze, and instantly felt drawn to him. This puzzled John because he didn't trust people easily. In fact, other than Joss, he hadn't trusted anyone for a very long time, but he felt like he could trust this man.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, also, Mr. Finch," John replied as he released Finch's hand, and motioned for him to take a seat across from his desk.
After they both had gotten settled John asked, "How can I help you, Mr. Finch?"
Finch smiled softly and replied, "It's not how you can help me, Mr. Reese, it's how I can help you...or rather, how we can help each other."
John felt his stomach drop. How did this Mr. Finch know his name? His real name?