Chapter 1-Nick’s Offer(1)
Closing my laptop screen I suppressed the urge to throw it out the window. For one I lived on the eleventh floor and I’d hurt someone who was walking down the street, I didn’t want to have that on my conscious. And the second reason was that I needed to pull myself together, finish my article and send it to the editor. She counted on me and I seriously needed that paycheck to keep living the way I did. I wasn’t living large but I did love my apartment, clothes, make-up, and outings with friends. I couldn’t imagine losing it all. If that made me one hell of a shallow person than so be it.
Putting my laptop on the coffee table I got off the couch and stretched a bit. Yawning, my eyes landed on my phone vibrating against the coffee table. I figured it was the editor asking me what the hell I was doing. Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines! Reaching for my phone I nearly dropped it seeing Nick’s picture staring right back at me.
It had been a while since I last saw him. Nick was always busy, moving around town, going from meeting to meeting. Jumping on planes to fly to lively cities in the world to check on his properties. He made time for his friends, but I wasn’t part of his inner circle. That didn’t mean I didn’t like spending time with him, I did. He was just too busy most of the time.
“Hey, Nick!”
“Zoey, it’s been a while.”
It definitely had been a while, I knew Nick was busy most of the time, but I could have reached out. I didn’t because like him life got in the way. Moving into a new apartment, getting new writing jobs and of course spending time with my best friends. It wouldn’t have been too much of an effort to pick up the phone and send a lousy text, but I didn’t do it.
“It has, I’m sorry I should have contacted you sooner.”NôvelDrama.Org is the owner.
“Never mind that. We’ve been busy, that doesn’t mean our friendship is suddenly over.”
“I still feel bad though. I know you’ve been through a lot.”
“I’m fine, my girl is fine so don’t worry about it, okay?” He sounded happy so I assumed he wasn’t lying about it, “Besides it works both ways, doesn’t it?”
It does and I was glad Nick was intelligent enough to figure that out. He handled the situation calmly and always searched for a way to end it on a good note. I loved him for it.
“So how is your girl doing?” I asked, wondering about the girl I had seen pictures of online, they had been the talk of the city for quite some time, “She looked lovely in her silver dress.”
Nick chuckled, “I’ll tell her you said that-”
“She doesn’t even know me, she’ll be confused.”
“Emily is cool.” I could tell by the tone of his voice how much he cherished her, “We should definitely meet up soon so I can introduce you to her.”
I couldn’t help but smirk as I realized where Nick was going with this. I was working for a fashion magazine and gossip was nothing new to me. I knew his girl, Emily, was surrounded by guys. Hot guys. Nick wasn’t someone who doubted himself, but as a confident alpha billionaire, he’d feel better if Emily had at least one female friend in her life.
“Sounds good to me.” I took a seat on my comfy worn out grey couch again, putting my feet up upon my coffee table, “So why the sudden call?”
He was silent for a minute, I heard some movement in the background so I figured Mr. billionaire was on the move once again. Smiling I listened closely, having to suppress a giggle when I heard him curse one of his friends and close business partners Chris. Then I heard a door close, probably a car door and it was completely silent again.
“Sorry, I was getting in my car.” He apologized, “So yeah there is a reason I called you, but I prefer to discuss it in person. Do you have time today?”
“I actually don’t have time right now.” I glared at my laptop sitting peacefully on my coffee table, “I’m working on an article.”
“Okay, how about tomorrow? Lunch?”
“Sounds good to me.” I pulled my feet down and reached for my laptop, holding it carefully in one hand as I moved to my home office, “Where do you want to meet?”
Moving into my home office which was decorated in white, blue and silver I took a seat behind my desk and placed my laptop on the desktop.
“My office, eleven-thirty?”
Glancing at my opened planner on my desk I quickly scanned the date, “Yeah, I can do that.” I had nothing scheduled then so it worked out perfectly, “I’ll be there.”
“Great. I have a few things to take care of so I’ll see you tomorrow and we’ll catch up.”
“Right.”
“Later.”
I smiled, “Later Nick.”
Ending the call I placed my cell phone on my desk and stared at my laptop for a minute. It was great talking to Nick again. Him wanting to meet me at his office meant business though and I was intrigued. Doing business with Nick meant you were more or less set for life. Nick had things figured out and only a bit of publicity with him made sure people knew who you were. Reaching for my pen I quickly scribbled down the meeting time and place in my planner. I was a planner girl and I loved looking back at it. It was more like my diary, great memories were scribbled down in it, along with brightly colored stickers. Putting the pen down I opened my laptop again and went back to work. I had to finish that article so I didn’t have anything to stress about when I was meeting Nick tomorrow.