Chapter 17
It was now Wednesday, and all Ana could think about was New York. She hadn't been excited for something in a very long time and it was nice. They were leaving at 6pm as Mr Grey had a meeting that he couldn't reschedule. It meant that they would arrive in New York pretty late, but Ana had no problems with that.
She was all packed, courtesy of Kate, minus some little toiletries that she'd used this morning. Mr Grey offered for a driver to pick her up and take her to the air strip but Kate really wanted to drop her off just so she could see the jet. Ana just rolled her eyes at her friend and said fine.
Ros had told Ana to just come dressed comfortably and not in work clothes since they wouldn't be going anywhere. They would literally be departing the plane and then heading to the hotel to sleep. Andrea had begged Ana to get her a bagel from her favourite place and she'd even showed her where the bagel place was on the maps.
Christian hadn't really said much to her about the trip since the email. He seemed less uptight though and flashed her small but genuine smiles now and he would ask her night had been or things like that. Small talk. It wasn't back to normal, but it was a start. It was confusing to her, but she wasn't complaining.
Her excitement was off the roofs. Growing up she hadn't travelled much; her dad being a single dad meant that he was often working and there weren't many opportunities to go far out. She was hoping to get out of the office by 5 so she had enough time to get home, finish packing and do last minute checks.
Andrea and Ana were in the break room now making some drinks when Andrea turned to her all of a sudden.
"That Anderson guy took a liking to you, didn't he?"
Ana turned to look at her with wide eyes. "Huh?" She asked, thrown off guard.
"When he was saying goodbye, he upped his charm just for you by tenfold. And he couldn't stop staring at you." Andrea tinkered about as she spoke. "And when he wanted to say goodbye to you, you should've heard the sigh that left Grey. His annoyance was through the roof for some reason."
Ana didn't say anything just stirring her tea. "I didn't notice. He did come and talk to me for a bit when the meeting took a break. Grey found him and took him back. Maybe that's why he was angry." Ana mumbled.
"Hey, Anderson's offices are in New York! You might see him. it's so obvious he finds you attractive."
Ana shook her head. "No. I don't have time for dating right now. I'm not gonna go seek him out. Anyway, he's so out of my league. It's never going to happen. New York's a big city."
"Sure, sure. You have to admit though that guy is a very fine specimen. He looks like he should be an underwear model. He's got that smoulder perfected." Andrea gushed.
"You sure do find a lot of guys attractive. What does your husband think of it?" Ana teased.
"Pfft. He knows it's harmless and I can still appreciate good looking people despite being married. He knows I love him. I'm only saying they're attractive for your sake, but you just won't take the bait. Have some fun." Andrea said.
"I do have fun. I don't think dating always equals fun. I have time." Ana reasoned. Andrea hummed in response.
They took their drinks back to their desk after Andrea had dropped of Grey's coffee.
"So, what else are you planning on doing in NY? Got any ideas?" Andrea asked.
"I really want to go to central park and spend time there like read a book or something. Times square too but I'm not too keen on the crowds especially if I'm going to be alone. Empire State building maybe. Couple of bookstores and cafés. I'm not sure what else but I'll make it up as I go along, I suppose."
"Empire State building is one of my favourite places. The view is unlike anything I've ever seen. You could take the ferry out and go see the State of Liberty?"
"Hmm, we'll see. Kate's told me about some things to go see too. I'll just see what I can fit in. it's not that much time."
They worked in relative silence for a while until Grey came out of his office and came to stand in front of their desk. They both looked at him curiously.
"Anastasia, I think you can head home early today. I'll see you on the plane at 6." He said.
"Oh, are you sure sir?" She cringed internally when she said sir. "I still have a few things to do." It was only 3 after all.
"Ana, go. I'll finish up for you." Andrea encouraged her.
"I'm sure Anastasia. The choice is yours, but I strongly encourage you to go. The next few days are going to be hectic. Ros and a few others have also gone home."
"Okay then. Thank you, Mr Grey. Thanks Andrea." Ana smiled gratefully at Andrea. Ana got all her things ready and tidied up her desk a little. Andrea and Christian were speaking, presumably about what needs to be done in his absence.
"I'll see you both later." She said once she had her coat and bag on.
"See you in a few hours. You have the directions for the airstrip?" Christian asked.
"Yes. Kate's got them." She nodded.
Andrea stood up to give her a quick hug, both aware that Grey was watching them.
"Bye Ana! Have fun!" Andrea called with a wave as Ana walked to the elevators. "Oh, and please don't forget my bagel!"
Ana simply laughed and shouted, "I won't!" She gave them a wave and once she'd hit the button in the elevator, she looked up to see grey eyes still trained on her. Her heart started beating fast and she stared back until the doors closed, letting a breath out.
15 minutes before 6, Ana made it onto the plane. When Kate had dropped her off, her mouth had fell open at the sight of the jet with Grey Enterprises Holdings on the side. Kate had nearly drooled. They gave each other a quick hug and Kate left. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do! Stay safe!" She shouted through her car window.
Taylor had appeared and took her suitcase for her with a small barely there smile. Ros spotted Ana and they walked onto the plane together.
Ros was wearing jeans and a jumper with flats on her feet. Even now Ana felt underdressed in blue jeans, a sweater and a pair of sneakers. She put her hair in a bun to keep it out of her face during the flight. The last thing she wanted was to be uncomfortable on a 6-hour flight because of something she could control.
Stepping onto the plane, she was greeted by the two pilots; Stefan and Marco. There was also a flight attendant named Julia who was very welcoming. The cream interior was very roomy. There was a long couch-like seat on the right and two further seats behind that. On the right side, there were 6 seats altogether with a table and the seats could be turned to face which ever direction. Hidden lights illuminated all the furniture. It was amazing and she had half a mind to take a picture of the inside just to flex on Kate.
Mr Grey was already on the plane, reading what looked like a newspaper. He was still dressed in his suit from today but had loosened his tie. Ana was pretty sure he came straight from the office. He looked up as Ros led Ana onto the plane and flashed them a smile.
"Ladies." He greeted them with a nod. Ana followed Ros to the two seats behind Mr Grey. They both greeted him as they passed him. Ana marvelled at how big and comfortable the seats were. It was hugging her from every direction. Even though her and Ros were sat next to each other, there was still enough space for them to stretch out and not bump into one another.
The last person to arrive was a guy from finance that Ana had met in passing and was nice enough. Taylor and Sawyer completed the ensemble and took a seat across the aisle from Grey on the bench. Julia went through the safety demonstration thoroughly and they were soon in the air.
They all spent some time going over their itinerary for New York; the meetings that needed to be attended and the preparation for them. Mr Grey discussed security with Taylor and Sawyer. They discussed work for about three hours before they all dispersed. The sun had set, and they all gravitated towards a corner, ready for some quiet alone time.
Ana headed to the back corner of the plane where she got out a book to read. She had packed five books which was maybe a little overkill but just in case, she'd thought. Julia made the rounds, getting everyone's dinner order. Ana wasn't hungry so she just opted for leek and potato soup with some bread.
The plane was now quiet, and the lights had been dimmed. The only sounds were the occasional clunking of cutlery and the sounds of the engines. She pushed the dishes out of her way a little once finished and resumed reading her book. She had taken her shoes off and her legs were curled up beneath her. This was perfect, she thought.
Julia came to take her dishes. "Thank you, Julia." Ana said quietly, smiling up at her. She caught a glimpse of Mr Grey directly behind Julia and her smile faltered. He was looking at her so Ana stared back questioningly, wondering what he wanted.
She gave him a close-lipped smile. He gestured towards the seat across the table from her. "May I sit?"
"Of course." Ana waved her hand. "It's your plane."
He settled in and took her in. He had taken his suit jacket off now, rolled up his sleeves and his tie had been loosened even more.
Ana still had her book in her hand, but she kept her thumb on the page she was on. She waited for him to say something. After a beat, she spoke up. "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head vehemently. "No. Nothing's wrong." He leaned his elbows on the table and sat forward.
Ana just gazed at him with a slight frown. Did he want to talk? Or just sit? Should she go back to reading? He looked like he was collecting his thoughts, so Ana gave him a moment and took the opportunity to look past him and see what everyone else was doing. It looked like Ros was on facetime with someone, the accounting guy was typing away on his laptop, Taylor was watching a football game on the TV and it looked like Sawyer was dozing off.
Her eyes returned to him. She felt kind of awkward sitting like this, in a ball, in front of him, but it would be even more awkward to move so she stayed put. Not knowing where to look, she raised her window slightly and looked out into the darkness.
He started speaking and her eyes flashed to him. "I've been giving you the cold shoulder recently and I know it was out of the blue and you probably think that you did something wrong, but you didn't. I'm so sorry for how I've treated you in the past week or so Ana and I hope that you can forgive me. You didn't deserve it. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I can see now, very clearly, that it wasn't and I'm sorry if I hurt you with my behaviour." He said apologetically, in a low voice. His grey eyes looked very soft and Ana wondered if it was just the lighting.
Ana was thrown off guard. She wasn't expecting this. She closed her book fully and placed it on the table, giving him her undivided attention. "Can I ask why?" She said carefully, crossing her arms almost as if she was protecting herself.
He rubbed his stubbly chin. "I owe you an explanation." Ana just nodded silently, and he continued. "I heard the things they were saying about you Anastasia. Things like you were sleeping your way to the top and other ridiculous things like that. I didn't want those rumours to affect your future. You have your whole life ahead of you and I didn't want some lousy little rumours to tarnish or harm that. So that's when I sent the email. I've now been told that my wording was not the best and I was unnecessarily harsh but at the time of writing I was so worked-up. I care about you and I want you to succeed so I did what I could to put a stop to the rumours.
"Normally I would have just let them talk; it doesn't matter to me what they say but this time you were involved and like I said I didn't want you to be subjected to that. I should have consulted you or my PR team before I sent it off, but I had… tunnel vision. Then I thought that maybe I need to distance myself from you for a while so it can help the rumour mill die down and they don't have more to gossip about. I didn't think about what you would think about it; I just had one focus in my mind. Trust me when I say it was very difficult for me to do. I like speaking to you. I like our odd little talks. I like our friendship outside of employee and employer." He confessed quietly.
Ana processed all that information. Kate had told her as much, but it was reassuring to hear it from him. "I appreciate you doing that to protect my future and reputation, but I don't need protecting Mr Grey. I can fight my own battles and I can figure things out. If you're worried my future's at risk ever again in the future, please do consult me first before you do anything. I don't want to sacrifice a good friendship because of some rumours. That's the last thing I want.
"I could have handled them myself; believe it or not I've got some tough skin. And I don't think people need to know everything that's going on all the time. Let them talk. But I really do appreciate you doing that for me." Ana said sincerely. "I've got to admit though, it confused me so much. One day we were fine and the next we weren't. I was wondering what I did wrong." Ana laughed her insecurities off.
"You did nothing wrong. You've never done anything wrong. It was just me and my idiotic mind. This was unknown territory for me, and I had no idea what I was doing."
He really did look like he was kicking himself internally and he seemed deeply regretful. "Why the change of heart?" She asked curiously.
"Elliot. He came over the other day. Kate told him that I fucked up and he confronted me about it. He knocked some sense into me." Christian said, a little embarrassed. Ana chuckled lightly. Christian smiled at her.
"Will you forgive me?" He asked. Ana couldn't be sure, but it seemed like he was putting on 'puppy-dog' eyes.
Ana pretended to contemplate it. "Of course, I forgive you Mr Grey. Your intentions were pure so how could I not?" Ana smiled at the look of relief on his face. "I'm not the type of person to hold grudges anyway. Life's too short so why I would spend my time being angry with you instead of being happy?"
Christian gazed at her in wonder. She always surprised him with the things she said. He never knew what she was going to say and he usually prided himself on being able to read people well. "Wise words to live by. Thank you, Ana. You have no idea how much that means to me." He flashed her a wide grin that made the corners of his eyes crinkle and her heart miss a beat. "And please call me Christian when it's just us."
"You got it Christian." She smiled. Julia came to see if they wanted drinks and Ana asked for a tea and surprisingly Christian did the same. She looked at him enquiringly once Julia had left.
He shrugged bashfully. "Thought I'd try it out." Ana wanted to grin at his face; he looked so cute right now. "So, are you excited?"
"I've been excited ever since you told me I can go. It's my first time in New York." She said excitedly.
"You'll love it. It's like Seattle, but everything is on a much larger scale and it doesn't rain as much." They both chuckled lowly.
"It's the city that never sleeps isn't it? I just feel like anything is possible in New York City. The city of dreams." Ana made a rainbow with her hands.
Julia bought over their drinks just then and Ana watched carefully as Christian took his first sip. "What's the verdict?" She asked, stirring her own tea.
"That is… surprisingly pretty comforting. It's almost like a cup of hot chocolate in winter when you were a child. I think that could put me to sleep. It's soothing." He said thoughtfully.
"It's comforting to me too. Makes me feel warm inside. It's like a hug, which we all need sometimes." She held the cup with both hands and sipped.
They sat in compatible silence, sipping their teas. The plane was silent, apart from the whirring of the engines and the soft sounds coming from the TV. Ana looked out the window into the darkness, thinking about how she thankful that her and Christian had resolved whatever this was and now she didn't have to worry about any awkwardness or tension during the trip.
It was turning out to be a good start so far and she was looking forward to it a lot more.
A yawn escaped her mouth and she tried to hide it, but she wasn't successful. She started to apologise but he interrupted her.
"It's late, I'll leave you alone to rest for a while. You're exhausted." He started to get up and looked at the watch on his wrist. "There's still over an hour left before we land so you have time to get a good nap in."
That was a good idea. The combination of the dimmed lights, the constant whirring, the late hour and the soothing effects of the tea were making her drowsy. She smiled at him in thanks but was pretty sure it appeared dopey and got comfortable on the seat. She watched him grab their empty cups and head to the kitchen.
Ana had nearly drifted off when she felt something soft carefully being laid on her and warmth engulfed her. She slowly opened her eyes and met grey ones who mouthed at her to sleep. Not having to be told twice, she shut her eyes again. After a moment she peeked one eye open and saw Christian's retreating back. Shitting her eyes again, she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face as she thought about Christian bringing her a blanket. It was the sweetest thing anyone had done for her and it made her heart sing.
She thought about her and Christian. She was glad they had 'made up' but they were still not back to how they were before, and she wondered if they ever would be.
Ana woke up the next morning, in a plush king-sized bed with the New York sun basking her room in a light glow. With a busy day of meetings ahead of them, they agreed to leave the hotel bright and early for 8am so Ana thought she best give herself plenty of time to get ready.
They landed just after midnight and had headed straight for the hotel. On the plane, she'd been awoken by Julia before they landed so Ana could redo her seatbelt and sit upright. Everyone had been looking weary and not many words were spoken. On the drive over to the hotel, Ana had to force herself to keep her eyes open. Most of the ride her eyes had been shut but she was awake. Luckily, she was only sharing a car with Ros and Sawyer who were both pretty groggy too, so it wasn't too embarrassing.
They were staying at the Four Seasons, that much Ana was aware of, but she had no idea where in New York they were. When they'd arrived, they had headed straight for their rooms and Ana got ready for bed. She wouldn't have been this tired normally, but the night before her and Kate had stayed up late to pack for the trip and the time difference meant all in all she had gotten very little sleep.
Ros was on the same floor as her and she assumed her room was just as luxurious as hers. She was pretty sure Christian was staying in the penthouse suite or something like that since he had remained on the elevator when they'd gotten off.
The curtains had already been drawn when she arrived, so she padded over to the windows to open them. The carpet under her feet was warm and soft which was a stark contrast to her apartment where they had cold hardwood floors. The light streamed in and she nearly gasped at the view. She was so high up that she could see so much. She could see the trees in central park and beyond that all the high-rise buildings and even the river was visible. It was absolutely surreal. She could only imagine what the view was like from higher up.
She also discovered that the window was actually doors that could be opened slightly, which she did, and she could hear the sounds of the birds tweeting away and the hustle and bustle of New York City. It was calming and it was surreal that she was here. She spent a moment just breathing in the air and taking it all in. New York air hit different.
Ana located her suitcase and started to get ready for the day with a shower first on the list. Every so often she had to stop and marvel at it all. It was so intricate and luxurious; Ana didn't know what to do with herself and she had to stop and get her bearings a few times.
Kate had mostly packed her usual 'boss bitch' outfits for Ana and she had advised her on her outfits. Today Ana wore a black pant suit with a white blouse underneath and black heels on her feet. She decided to leave her hair out and kept her jewellery minimal.
Her breakfast arrived just as she was finishing getting ready. The options for breakfast were so vast, Ana was spoilt for choice. She kept it simple in the end with some pastries and fruit alongside her usual tea. She had twenty minutes until she had to meet the rest of them, so she situated herself in front of the French doors and called Kate.
Completely forgetting about the time difference, she was surprised to see Kate still in bed. Guilt spread through her when she realised that she had just woken Kate up, but Kate wasn't bothered and made Ana give a tour of her room. Kate had all but whined when she saw the view that Ana had and called her a 'lucky cow'. Ana just laughed in return, munching on some fruit. Kate made her show her outfit and Ana got a hum of approval from her.
After Ana hung up the phone, she left her room and headed to the lobby to meet everyone else. Accounting guy, Ben, was already there and they exchanged pleasantries. They both sat on a couch and made small talk. All the other people in the lobby were definitely businessmen and women. The place screamed classy and rich. Ros strolled in next all fresh and classy. Ana looked up after a few minutes and locked eyes with Christian as he got off the elevator. He smiled at her and came to stand next to her.
"Good morning Anastasia. Sleep well?" He asked. It didn't escape her notice that she was the first person he greeted. Butterflies fluttered in her belly.
Ana smiled up at him, getting a sniff of his cologne. "I did, thank you. You?"
"It was spectacular." He grinned. He greeted everyone else and they started to head out. Christian looked at her when she was stood fully upright. "We match." He chuckled, pointing at her.
"Oh! Like the perfect little duo." Ana joked. She missed Christian's little grin at her words as she walked in front of him.
Once they stepped outside, Ana looked around in awe and wonder, surrounded by skyscrapers. Caught up in the moment, she didn't notice the eyes on her.
Christian and Ros both watched Ana take it all in while they waited for Taylor and Sawyer to get their cars. Ana was looking up and twirling around like something from a movie, with her mouth open in amazement. She looked so small up against the tall buildings; it was a sight to behold.
It was like watching a child approaching a roomful of birthday presents. It was refreshing to see someone not tainted by cynicism. Christian realised that sometimes he needed to take a step back and appreciate the life he had. He was always so caught up in it that he didn't always realise what he had. Watching Ana be fascinated by it all, made him realise that.
"Ah to be young and naïve again." Ros said. Christian hummed. They weren't that old, but he knew what she was getting at.
Ana watched the people on the streets for a couple of moments before she turned around and saw them watching her.
"What?"
Christian shook his head. "Nothing. It's just refreshing to see your reaction to New York." He noticed her eyes were wide with excitement and they looked lovely.
Ana shrugged nonchalantly. "It's New York. It's where dreams come true. All things are possible in the big city. Why wouldn't I be awestruck?"
Ana, Christian and Ros were sharing a car and the whole time Ana was glued to the window, watching the city pass by as they headed for the financial district.
Ros looked at Christian. "God it feels like my kids first day out in the real world. I feel like I need to warn her not to talk to strangers." They both chuckled, Ana oblivious to their conversation; too caught up in her sight-seeing.
When they finally got time for lunch, Ana decided to head to a nearby café to read some of her book that she's started on the plane and to just bask in the ambiance of New York. The atmosphere here was electrifying, it was like anything could happen in New York. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was living and doing something worthy in her life. Being here made her feel inspired and her determination to work in publishing just increased.
Their morning had been go go go so it was nice to sit down for a while and take a breather. It was just after the lunch hour rush so the coffee shop she was in wasn't too hectic and she managed to get a seat by the window. She spent her time people watching, reading her book and taking bites of her sandwich.
It was so fascinating. There were people from all walks of life here. Even in the financial district where it was predominantly businesspeople, there were still so many others. Families, groups of teenagers and couples. She was going to miss this when she left. Sure, she could people watch anywhere but there was something about doing it in New York that made it all the more special.
She was always aware of the fact that she wasn't going to experience certain things ever again, so she was always trying to memorise everything that she experienced in these moments. It made her appreciate everything a lot more.
"Miss Steele?" Came a deep voice from behind her.
Ana startled; she was so engrossed in her book. And she certainly wasn't expecting anyone to recognise her in this coffee shop. She didn't know anyone here. For a hot second she thought they were talking to someone else who just coincidently had the same name and was in the same coffee shop at the same time as her.
Glancing up, she met deep blue eyes. It took a moment for her to gather her bearings and put a name to the face. He was smiling down at her in surprise. "Oh! Mr Anderson! How are you?" She smiled at him politely. Well wasn't this just a coincidence.
She half stood up to shake his hand. "Just Scott please. I thought it was you. Isn't this a pleasant surprise? What are you doing in New York?" He questioned, holding her hand for a beat longer than necessary.
Ana let go and sat back down. "I'm actually here for work with Mr Grey and some others. We got here last night." He was still very good looking and Ana was very aware of the glances he was getting from various admirers as they walked past them. She tried to stop her face from getting warm at the attention and she hoped it worked.
"Really? I wonder why Grey didn't mention it on Monday. Our offices are based not too far from here. How long are you in town for?" Scott asked.
"Not long. Just until Saturday." Ana didn't want to divulge too much information.
"We should get together while you're here. Is this your first time here?" He asked curiously. His attention was flattering, but it was sort of weird. She was just an assistant and she was pretty sure he came across plenty of those in his line of work. She was no one important so why was he so interested in her?
"It is..yes." She said.
"Great. I could be your tour guide and show you around if you'd like." He offered enthusiastically.
"Oh, um… I don't think we'll have time to sight see much. I know your busy too…" Ana said slowly, trying to make up an excuse.
"Nonsense. Well hey… if you find yourself having a little bit of free time, I'd be more than happy to show you around so why you don't give me a call." He reached into his jacket pocket and got out a card and pen. Ana watched him lean down on the table and scribble something on it before handing it to her. "My cell number is on there too so don't be afraid to call."
Ana looked at it. "Oh… thank you… I guess. If I get a chance." She smiled at him politely.
"I really wish I could stay but I have a meeting in about five minutes which I'm already late for." He was very apologetic.
"Oh, no, of course, go please. Don't let me keep you." Ana said.
"If I don't see you before you leave, have a great time here. One of the best places in the continental US." He smiled. "See you around Miss Steele." He waved as he left.
"Bye Mr Anderson."
After he left, she just stared at the card laid on the table. She'd just gotten a guy's number. Said guy is uber rich and ridiculously handsome but he wasn't the only person that she knew of the sort and quite frankly she preferred the other guy. Ana was very glad that he didn't ask for her number so he couldn't get in touch with her unless it was on a professional basis. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but she was scared in getting involved with anyone. She hasn't had much experience in the dating world.
She had no problems with Scott, she just wasn't really interested and didn't think that getting involved with him would be a good idea. She knew if she did call him, it would be awkward, and she didn't want the little time that she had in New York to be spent being in uncomfortable situations. She wanted to enjoy her time here and she would do that more by herself than with him. Nevertheless, she pocketed his card anyway and got back to her lunch. It was still nice of him to offer.
She huffed out a little laugh when she realised that Andrea's hopes had come true. Clearly New York wasn't big enough. Ana could imagine her reaction when she tells her that she ran into Scott Anderson of all people, in a random coffee shop.
The irony.
