These Things Take Time/CH 7
Betty got into her sweats and a comfortable sweater, and plopped down on her bed, to finish going over more details for the launch.
The issue itself was ready to go to print, and she had her venue, but a last minute scheduling conflict with the original caterer she had booked months in advance had left her scrambling to find someone who could handle an event this large on such short notice.
As she stretched out on the bed, she sighed, shaking her head at how strangely her night had gone. When she started to get ready to meet Daniel and DJ at the restaurant, she had been expecting to get Daniel's heartfelt and sweet, slightly guilty explanation of why he had been avoiding her, what he had been doing (or more likely who) in Paris all this time and why he had even bothered to show up in London if he was just going to run away after a few weeks here.
She could never in a million years have guessed he had in fact, followed her here, had written that sweet letter about her for the world to see and had simply been too scared to declare his feelings for her once he arrived, for fear of 'rocking the boat' with their longstanding friendship over an innocent remark she had made on what she thought was a regular dinner and he had deemed their first real 'date'.
She looked at the time and decided to first call local, then wait to reach out across the Atlantic. "Christina?"
"Yes, luv?"
"It's Betty. I...need to talk. Do you have a few minutes?"
"For you, I've got several. What's wrong?"
"Well...I don't know that there's anything 'wrong' necessarily. Just some weird stuff happened tonight."
She filled both her friend and her sister in on the situation with Daniel and the incident with DJ and his girlfriend. She also asked why no one had told her about the article Daniel had written so clearly about her before now.
Justin and Hilda had read it, but Christina hadn't, (although she told Betty she was running out to get a copy 'straightaway', and she read it online while she was talking to Betty).
Her nephew and sister both told her they had tried to get her to get a copy but she was the one who chose to close the door on Mode and was so stubborn.
Christina simply reminded Betty of all the times she had gone running after Daniel over the years. "I always thought deep down you fancied him, Betty. I just never imagined the idiot was smart enough to see how great you were and actually fall for you. I guess the bloke's smarter than he looks!"
Hilda was more pragmatic, "What the hell are you waiting for, Betty? The man came all that way for you. He left his career and family behind for you. Why the hell aren't you over at his place, right now, making out with him?"
Betty smiled, blushing slightly, "Well, for one thing, his nephew DJ is with him. They got into a big fight because DJ was acting so silly with that Valerie girl. I have to admit, I'm sort of glad she is going back to Paris soon. She obviously has a huge crush on poor Daniel."
"And yet she was letting his nephew take her bra off at your place? Oh my God! I'm so glad Justin is gay!"
"Mom!" Hilda didn't realize her son was still listening in on their conversation. He grabbed the phone from his mother, "Listen, AB. It's simple. Tell Daniel you love him, too. Stake your claim. Before it's too late.
You scared him off the first time he came there to show you he was in love with you, spouting that whole 'friends' stuff, so make sure he understands you're ready to make things more than friends from now on.
The whole time I was there, he was all you could talk about. You're so in love with him, too and you know it. So make sure HE knows it, this time. Don't mess this up for me! I'm counting on you."
Hilda hit Justin, "Justin! Give me that phone back! Mess this up for YOU? This is your aunt Betty's life we're talking about. Look, he is right, though, mami. The man is so romantic, writing that letter and chasing after you like that. Believe me, most men aren't that romantic."
"I love you, baby." Betty heard Bobby yelling in the background.
"Yeah, right. Enough to get off your butt and do the dishes?"
"I said I love you, not I'm crazy."
Betty laughed, "Okay, okay. I get it. I just feel really bad about DJ and Daniel fighting like that.
Do you think I should...talk to Valerie's father to try and tell him DJ was just acting out, because he's upset about his mom getting married and now losing Daniel from staying with them at the same time?"
"I don't know, Betty. You said that little girl is already mad at you. She's likely to get pissed and go after Daniel, make things difficult for you two."
"Why would she do that if I'm trying to help her and DJ, though?"
"I don't know. I say stay out of that whole mess. Just concentrate on Daniel."
"Yeah. You're right, I guess. Besides, it's not like I really have time to do much of anything right now. I need to get some sleep. It's late. Thanks for listening."
"It's okay. I like talking to my baby sister. I miss you, Betty. I wish we could come see your launch next week."
"Me, too. I love you, Hilda."
"Te quiero, mami. I love you, too. Betty. Bye!"
Betty hung up, sadly, and drifted off to sleep.
Across town, Daniel and DJ argued for some time, especially after Daniel told Alexis all that had happened with Valerie.
The minute they hung up the phone, DJ slammed the door to his bedroom and yelled, "Thanks a lot, 'Uncle Daniel!' So much for our little deal, huh? You got what you wanted.
You got Betty, so now it's screw you, DJ, you're on your own, huh? You're welcome! You would have NEVER had the guts to even talk to Betty without me and this is the thanks I get? Mom was right about you. You've got no balls!"
Daniel shook his head, not knowing what to do about how upset DJ was with him and how betrayed he knew his nephew felt. Still, he also felt he needed to tell his sister what had happened.
He opened up his laptop, trying to unwind, and saw that Betty was still online. He IM'd her.
DM: What r u still doing up so late, Miss? Shouldn't u b getting some well-earned z's?
BS: Are u talking in ur sleep? I could say the same 4 u!
DM: Just had major blowout w/ DJ. He thinks I'm Satan now.
BS: Well, he's got the horny part right.
DM: NOT helping!
BS: JK. Sorry. I couldn't resist. Too easy. No he doesn't. He's just trying to deal w losing u. If he's mad at u, it won't be so hard for him.
DM: No fair. Ur still smarter than me.
BS: Hey, some things will always b the same.
DM: True. Very true. So...any reactions to my little revelations earlier?
BS: Yes. But I'd rather say them in person. As u said, 'showing' is better than telling sometimes.
DM: :) Hmmm...sounds promising. Should I make sure my top right drawer is...never mind. JK! Or at least, wishful thinking.
BS: Ur so cute, Daniel. I love
DM: WTH? :) Finish sentence, please!
BS: Um...love how funny u r.
DM: Now who's the 'small poultry'?
BS: Huh?
DM: What DJ called me.
BS: Oh. We'll...talk.
DM: Soon. VERY SOON!
BS: Okay. Goodnight. Sweet dreams.
DM: RIght! Ones w happy endings, at least!
BS: Lol! Ur silly.
DM: But cute, right?
BS: Yes. Very cute.
DM: U, 2. Betty. Very cute. Adorable. Sexy. Hot. That dress tonight was….Okay, now I'm not gonna sleep at all!
BS: Lol! Goodnight.
DM: I heart you.
BS: Aww...thanks.
DM: Thanks? That's all I get? Thanks?
BS: I'll c u soon.
DM: Tomorrow?
BS: What about DJ?
DM: Staying up late, sulking, listening to teen angst music, playing video games where he shoots me most likely. I'm going to TRY to sleep now; I'll be up early. Can I bring you breakfast?
BS: Okay.
DM: Ur place or ur office?
BS: Office.
DM: Chicken.
BS: Yes.
DM: Lol! Goodnight, cutie ;)
BS: Night.
Betty smiled, and closed her laptop, sighing and trying to get some rest, as she switched off the light by her bed.
Daniel did the same, but kept waking up, trying to shut off his brain. Finally, he gave up and showered and dressed, knocking on the door to see if DJ was awake.
"DJ? Are you up? Can we please talk about this? I'm sorry. I do appreciate your help with Betty, believe me. And I want to help you, too. DJ?"
He opened the door and peeked inside, worried at first that his nephew had sneaked out during the few brief hours he had fallen asleep. But he saw the boy, sprawled out, snoring loudly, still wearing his headphones.
Daniel shook his head, and carefully took off the headphones, placing them on the night table, and covered DJ up, kissing his forehead lightly. He left a note on top of the headphones and quietly shut the door behind him.
He made sure his phone was charged and stopped to get two chocolate donuts and coffee on his way to Betty's office. The cab let him out and he looked up, berating himself for not coming here months ago and surprising her.
He had some ideas in his restless night and hoped Betty would be happy once she learned what he had in mind to try and make up to her for running away to Paris instead of staying and trying to work things out when he first got there.
He held the bag with the donuts and one of the coffees, and sipped his own coffee gratefully as he smiled at a worker who asked him which floor and he had to look at the directory, "Uh...Betty Suarez? Fifteen, it looks like. Thanks!"
"You look as if you have your hands full."
"Yeah. I just hope I get here before she has to run off to a meeting or something."
"Who's the lucky lady?"
"Huh?"
The older woman nodded at the coffees and bag, "You're bringing some lady...this Betty person her favorite breakfast, right?"
"Right. She likes chocolate donuts."
"So...what else are you bringing her? Bad news?"
"No. I just sort of hope she's going to give me some good news."
"She's pregnant?"
"No! God, I hope not! No...we're not even dating or anything, yet. I just...haven't seen her for a while until last night and I told her I….well, I love her. So...you know, I'm sort of hoping she feels the same."
"Ah! The reciprocal I love you. Of course. Well, good luck, young man. I hope you get the response you're looking for. Have a good day."
"Thanks. You, too."
Daniel took a deep breath, as the doors to Betty's floor opened. He looked around at her office. Quite different than the bright colors and dazzling whites of Mode's offices, or even the modern if slightly more traditional ones of Meade's other floors.
Everything here was young, trendy, upbeat, and colorful, but in a rather haphazard way. It suited Betty, he thought. It was lovely, but sort of...offbeat, quirky.
He smiled as he caught a glimpse of her, standing over her desk, pounding out something on her desktop, and the only one there this early in the morning, except for her somewhat weary looking assistant, he assumed. A young, slightly plump girl, with a huge smile who was running around, trying to help Betty and seemed just as much in a hurry as her boss.
"Betty?"Daniel called out, as he saw her turn and blush, seeing him approach, holding two coffees and a bag.
She smiled, that smile that made his stomach feel like it belonged at the Olympics, especially ever since the moment at the Guggenheim when she held his hand tightly and nervously as she got her braces removed.
"Daniel! You came! What did you bring?"
She hurried to greet him, and was so excited, she bumped into him, spilling some of the coffee onto her blouse.
"Betty! Careful, honey! Are you okay? Did it burn you?"
"No...I'm fine, thanks." She looked down, rolling her eyes at her own clumsiness. So much for making a good impression, she thought.
Same old klutzy Betty! No matter what side of the Atlantic you put her on. She sighed and he grinned at her, "Do I make you nervous? I would have thought the kissing last night might have changed that."
She blushed, taking the coffee from Daniel as her assistant ran to hand her a cloth, "Here you go, Miss Suarez."
"Thanks, Samantha. This is my former boss, Daniel Meade. He's um...moving here from Paris."
"You're French? C'omment allez-vous, monsieur!" Samantha stuck out her hand and Daniel gave her a look, shaking her hand, "Uh, thanks, but Betty meant I was visiting Paris. I'm from New York, originally. You look...really familiar."
Betty made the connection, "Oh! Right! Samantha used to work at Mode UK, not too far away. But they laid her off, and she came to work here a few months ago."
"Oh, right. That must be it. Nice to meet you, Samantha. Thanks. I'll...get that."
The girl seemed to want to stay and listen to their conversation, but Betty smiled, leading Daniel into her office. She closed the door and took her jacket off of her chair and started to put it over her blouse to cover the coffee stain.
She looked down, "Better?"
He nodded, but walked over to her, and kissed her, holding her by her arms. When they parted, Betty's eyes widened, "Wow! Um, good morning to you, too, Daniel. Thanks. That was...nice! Really nice."
He grinned, glancing down at her blouse, "You know, that stain is going to set if you don't take off your blouse and soak it out, Betty."
Betty's eyes widened, and she put her hands up to her top, "Daniel! I'm not taking off my blouse!"
He shrugged, "I promise to turn around. You could just wear the jacket by itself. It looks great."
"You don't think it's a little…low cut that way?"
"So? It's a power move. How much you want to bet you get everything you ask for from every guy you ask today, Miss double D?"
She blushed, turning him around, "I am not...that!"
He smirked, "Really?"
She blushed, "Not...double. You just...keep turned around, Mister. I suppose I'll listen to the fashion guy."
"So now I'm the 'fashion guy'? Is that what you're going to call me when we start dating? Because, I gotta tell you, Betty. It's not all that masculine sounding."
After a few minutes, she quickly took off her shirt, and put hurriedly buttoned back up her jacket, glancing down to ensure it was high enough for good taste. "Fine, you can turn around, now."
He turned slowly, and pointed to a mirror on her wall, "That's okay. I had a nice view."
She hit his arm, "Daniel! You're as bad as your nephew! No wonder he's following your bad example!"
"Hey, I yelled at him for half an hour last night for that. I swear, I don't know what the hell he's talking about. He claims Becks and I were getting drunk, having some kind of contest on dummies at the mall with him. But I don't remember doing that at all!"
"Is he sleeping now? Did you two make up?"
"Not really. He was asleep when I left. I left a note, and asked him to meet me at Harrod's today and I'd take him out, wherever he wanted to go. But I just wanted to see you this morning first thing, because...well, I couldn't sleep."
"Why not?"
"Why do you think, Betty? I was thinking about you all night. About...you know, us. Is there going to be an us? Do you...I mean, is that what you want?"
She nodded, and crossed over her desk to him, and he stood up, swallowing nervously, "It is, Daniel. Very much."
"Yeah? You're sure?"
"I'm very sure."
"Good." He smiled as she stood in front of him, and he placed his hands around her waist.
"Great!" She looked up at him, putting her hands on his shoulders.
"So...what should we do next?"
"Maybe...we could go on a date?"
"That sounds nice."
"Well, there's my launch, of course. And Alexis's wedding next week, you said?"
"Week after that. So...that gives us some time to, you know, go out a little more first. We could go out tonight, but…"
"You need to deal with DJ first."
"Yeah. Kind of. I want to resolve things with him before he drives back to Paris, all pissed off at me."
"Right. Do you want me to talk to Valerie's dad for him, Daniel? I'd be willing to do that if you think it would help."
"You don't have time. And besides, I don't think I want you talking to that guy. He may have a right to be pissed at DJ, or even me, but he doesn't seem like he's so great, either. Cheating on his wife, and leaving DJ and Valerie alone at the restaurant like that."
"We left them first, Daniel."
"Yeah, but with him there. We didn't know he was going to ditch them."
"Well, they were...doing what they did with us in the next room. Because we were...distracted."
"Yeah. Distracted. So, do you want to distract me right now a little? Before I have to go deal with a moody, pissed off teenager all day and night? Give me a little… incentive? A little motivation, maybe?"
He pulled her closer, and held his lips just above hers, bringing his voice down to a whisper.
She nodded, "I suppose I could...do that."
She reached up on her toes and their lips met in an eager kiss that lasted for several minutes, as Betty's hands wrapped around his back, and Daniel's ran through Betty's hair. "Mmm.." She felt as if her lips were on fire as Daniel gradually backed her up towards her couch.
The door suddenly flew open, "Betty! Samantha said you were busy but ...Oh, sorry! I… should have knocked. Daniel? Daniel Meade? Is that you?"
Daniel reluctantly allowed Betty to push away from him, as he looked up to see a man he hadn't seen in years, "Clark? What the hell are you doing here?"
"I've been working at Dunne ever since my Sammy left. I followed her here. Sorry, darling, but Mode UK without my sammykins was bores-ville. How the devil are you, Daniel, darling? And what are your lips doing attached to our new fearless leader here? Do tell!"
Daniel laughed, and went to shake his old friend's hand. "Hey, Clark! Good to see you, man. Listen, I've got to run. I'm here with my nephew, DJ and I don't want him to wake up and run off with the little French girl he's been hanging around with. I just needed to come see Betty.
I'm moving here, Clark. Call me sometime. We'll catch up, okay? But it's great to see you! Bye, Betty. I'll call you later about that...date, okay?
Maybe we can figure out a way for me to...help you some more before your launch so we can spend some more time together that way, even if it is a 'working date'. We still make a great team. Oh, by the way, I found you a great caterer. Do you mind French food? I made them promise me, no snails!"
He headed for the door, and Betty's eyes popped, "You really got me a new caterer, that fast, Daniel? Oh my God, thank you so much! I love you!"
He grinned, and came back from the door of her office, and kissed her thoroughly, dipping her, "I love you, too, Betty." He walked out, quickly, texting to make sure DJ hadn't woken up yet.
Clark grinned and raised his eyebrows, "Well, well, Betty, dear. What happened to that whole 'Daniel Meade and I were just friends'! business you sold me months ago? You're going to have to tell me all about that little scenario over these…"
He took out one of the chocolate donuts Daniel had left and started munching on it.