The "Stylist" | Book I in a Series of Mistaken Identities

SINKING IN

Charles

The moment I heard Melissa's voice echo through the building I knew I was in trouble. The effect her voice had on me was enough for my body to implode and explode at the same time with a mixture of fury, sorrow and desire all at once.

She just came waltzing right out of there as if she already owned the damned place, and who the fuck was that guy with her? I didn't appreciate Tommy setting up a meeting with her at the same time, but apparently, she had stayed longer than he'd expected and apologized profusely that my competition was right here. Little did he know it was more than that for either one of us.

It wasn't my first time there; I went to double-check something my contractor had flagged. I don't usually get hands-on like this, but it seems the universe wanted to play games with me today.

As I walk back to my office and past Laurie's desk, I notice the box on her desk. Oh shit, it's her birthday present, the one Melissa would have arranged for her.

I never told Laurie about what happened in the Bahamas. I told her whatever it was between Melissa and me was over and that was the end of it. As the days passed, she asks fewer and fewer questions.

I pick up the already open card and see Melissa had written it herself. I look inside and see a handbag. Really? That's it?

"Don't touch that!" I hear Laurie shouting at me from the doorway to my office and she runs over to grab the bag out of my hands. She squeals and hugs me, "How did you know? It must have cost a fortune; I can't believe it. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

From Laurie's reaction, I guess Melissa knew exactly what she was doing. Laurie looks at the bag and carefully puts it back in the box. "I guess Valerie must have told you I wanted one of these."

"Something like that," I shove my hands in my pockets and wait for the questions.

"I'm still surprised you found one, there's only fourteen of these left, and the last one sold for nearly half a million," I shake my head, maybe I didn't hear her correctly.

"I'm sorry, how much?" Laurie looks at me and her smile drops.

Laurie picks up the card and re-reads it, "This is from you right?" She looks up at me and shows me the card with my name clearly written on it.

"Who else would it be from," I kiss her on the top of the head and give her a little hug, "Happy Birthday Laurie."

I headed into my office and sat at my desk, utterly confused by what had just happened. I never gave Melissa a maximum spending limit for Laurie's gift, then again, I never gave her any funds to use either. I checked with my accounting department; they didn't get any invoices from her. This means Melissa Martin just gave my little sister a very expensive, and apparently very rare handbag that she knew she wanted on my behalf.

I need to set this right. I can't have her put me in her pocket like this. I don't like owing people any favors. I keep an even keel with everyone, and Melissa will be no different.

The idea she might have used this as a way to have me reach out to her crosses my mind. She's no idiot, and it's very clear she knows how to play these sorts of games. I decided to leave it for the day and go work out at the company gym downstairs.

As I leave my office in my gym clothes, I tell Laurie to take the rest of the day off. She doesn't question me and just grabs her birthday present and runs to the elevator before I have the chance to say anything else.

I work out my frustrations on the punching bag in the gym, and it's been one hell of a frustrating week and all I seem to be doing is punching holes in all the reasons I should stay angry at Melissa. She told me her name right from the start.