Nice Girl (13 page)

I walked into the kitchen that served the hall and found Luke in his adorable chef uniform.

“Lukie, you and Jamie are actually not dressed alike!”

“Wow, Grace.  You look hot.”

“Okay, that was creepy.  You two are not dressed alike but you utter the same thoughts.”

“You should wear your hair down more often.”

“UGGG.”  I stormed out of the kitchen as Jamie was walking in.

“What did I say?”  Luke asked Jamie.

“Don’t ask me to understand women.”  Jamie replied.

Anthony arrived carrying a box of brochures looking harried and preoccupied.  He was dressed in an incredible suit.  It looked designer and costly.

“Hey Grace, can you help me put out the marketing tools?  By the way, everything looks great.  I was here earlier.”

“I think it’s going to be a successful night.”

“I hope so.  I am worried about Vinnie.  He didn’t want to do this event.  He hates dealing with the clients directly.  He is my partner though and I thought it wouldn’t look good if he wasn’t here.”  Then he paused and looked at me.  “Hey, I like your hair down.”

“Thanks.”  I muttered now wishing I DID have a hair tie. 

Jamal and Ivy arrived just then.  They looked like a couple right out of the New York Times social section.  Jamal was dressed in gray pants with a dark purple shirt.   It was a color I knew Ivy chose and it was stunning.  Ivy had on a long dress that went to her ankles that only taller women could get away with.    The dress was casual but had a tie dyed effect of blues and purples that no one could wear but her. 

“Hey Anthony, Jamal is here.  Why don’t you touch base with him and let me finish this.”

“You’re right Grace.”  He took a deep breath.  Wow, he really was nervous. “You’re the best.”

Ivy walked over to me.

“Girlfriend, I am digging that black dress.”

“Just don’t tell me you like my hair down.” And I rolled my eyes.

“Damn.  I was going to say that next.”  She grinned.

“I don’t care what people say this hairstyle was too much work.  Tomorrow will be a ponytail again.”

“Society and their demands on women’s beauty.”  Ivy snorted.

“Amen, sister.”

“Well speaking of women’s roles in society…..what role do you think Carmella is going for?” 

I look up to see where Ivy is glancing.  Carmella just walked in with two of her girlfriends.  All three of them looked like they were going to a sleezy nightclub and not Carmella’s boyfriend’s work event.  Carmella had on a glittery silver spaghetti strap dress that was so short, I almost saw butt cheeks.  I swear my eyes hurt from the glare of how shiny the dress was.  Thick makeup, oversprayed hair, and heels the size of a mountain, she looked like a call girl.  Her girlfriends were not dressed any better. 

She ran up to Anthony and kissed his cheek oblivious to the fact that he was engaged in a conversation with Jamal.  I was watching Jamal’s face and he actually looked repelled.  Anthony seemed to lack any conscious awareness that she was dressed utterly inappropriate.  He just kissed her cheek back and pushed her away to finish his conversation.  She looked miffed but then shrugged and dragged her girlfriends to the bar.

“Ivy, I am speechless.  How can she not know the difference between an office party and a nightclub?”

“If she starts her drinking now, this night is going to get interesting.”

“Well, I did forget to order entertainment.”

As guests started to pore in, I was so busy helping Luke that I forgot to watch Carmella in action.  I was hoping Ivy would have some stories to tell me later.  It seemed as if the minute I filled the serving platters on the tables with food, ten minutes later they were empty.  Luke definitely was a talented chef.  I didn’t get to taste anything but by people’s reactions, the hors oeuvres were a hit. 

Within the hour the place was packed.  Every time I looked up, Anthony, Jamie and Jamal were engaged in conversations with clients.  I was happy for Anthony.  I did notice that one person was conspicuously absent.

As I was refilling one of the platters, Anthony came over to grab a few shrimp bites.

“I’m going to kill Vinnie.”  He hissed.

“I’m sure he is just running late.” 

“No, he is doing this on purpose.  He doesn’t like to socialize and he is sending me a clear message.”

“You too are like brothers.  He knows what this means to you and A and V.   He’ll be here.  I think he just needs to be a little late.”

“Stop defending him. He doesn’t deserve it.”  Anthony said as he stalked away.  He was definitely mad. 

I ran back to the kitchen to get another tray.  Ivy and Luke were laughing it up.

“Well you two are sure enjoying yourselves while I am busting my ass!”  I said with mock anger. 

“We can’t help it.  Ivy was telling me about some friends that Vinnie and Anthony grew up with.  They just arrived and they looked like they were extras right out of a mob movie.”

“Oh yeah, I saw them.  They are almost as entertaining as Carmella and her girlfriends.  ALMOST.  Now, Luke, we need more of those spinach puffs.”

“Wow, those are gone again.  These people are pigs.”

“No, Lukie.  I think it is your delectable cooking.”

I went back to the hors oeuvres table carrying my spinach puffs remembering that I had told myself in January I wasn’t looking for a waitress job.  Next time I plan on hiring a serving girl.  Anthony would’ve paid for one.  I knew I’d forget something.  I just didn’t think that the result would be me becoming the wait staff. 

Both long tables of appetizers were crowded.  Great.  I couldn’t even get to the platters that were empty.  I set down the tray at the corner of the table and waited for a lull in the crowd.   I scanned the room to see if I could be amused by Carmella’s antics. 

Instead, my eyes met Vinnie’s.

He had just walked in the door.  He wasn’t dressed in a suit like Anthony but he was sharp looking just the same.  He was wearing black pants with a midnight blue silk shirt.  He didn’t have on a tie but the shirt was so luxurious looking that he really didn’t need one.  It was excruciating not to fixate at his bulging biceps that seemed encased by the shiny flimsy material of his shirt.  I would absolutely kill to see him with his shirt off.  I imagined those hard muscular arms around me.   I thought I could finally have my first orgasm by him just holding me. 

I looked around for Anthony and saw him deep in conversation.  He didn’t notice that Vinnie arrived.  When I looked back at Vinnie, I noticed with horror that he was walking right towards me.  My mind was full of all the sexual positions I could do with him.  The last thing I needed was for him to be able to read that on my face.  I quickly decided the best move to detract my thoughts was to try for cheesy humor.

“Well someone’s in big trouble.”  I tried to joke but my voice was still a little shaky.

“Do I look like the kind of guy who avoids trouble?” 

Damn that husky sexy voice.  I could actually feel my insides tingle.  My body was acting ridiculous. 

“I don’t know.  I’ve never seen Anthony this angry.  You might have met your match.”

“Met my match?  Grace, by now you must have realized I never back away from a fight.”

Then, I heard Anthony call out Vinnie. 

“You’re being paged.” 

Vinnie didn’t move.  Our eyes locked.  I wanted to look away but I felt frozen at that moment.  He was just so damn mesmerizing. 

“Vinnie!”  Now Anthony said it louder.

Vinnie turned his head and finally broke our stare.  He nodded at Anthony then turned back to me. 

“Back to work.  Go network.”  I barely squeaked out.

“I’d rather network with the prettiest girl in the room.”  And then he walked away.

At that moment, I realized how much trouble I was in.  Jamie and Luke called me hot, it did nothing.  Anthony loves my hair down, I feel no reaction whatsoever.  Vinnie says I am the prettiest girl in the room and I almost collapse from my legs giving out.

I appreciated that I had a table to lean on at that moment.  I kept telling myself he was just being polite.  After all, I was dressed up more than usual. 

The rest of the evening was a blur.  I focused too intently on filling those serving trays.  Now I wasn’t mad at myself at all for not hiring a serving girl.  I needed something to take my mind off of Vinnie.  Of course, it didn’t help that whenever I looked up, he was staring at me.  I would quickly look away and run to the kitchen like a frightened rabbit.  I am so pathetic.

I was relieved when the crowd started to die down.  The stressful night was finally coming to an end.  Jamal and Ivy had to leave early for one of her NYU events.  Luke and I started to bring the empty serving trays to the kitchen. 

As I was attempting to juggle two different sizes platters, a man stepped in to help me balance them.  He was one of the “guido” group that Ivy and Luke nicknamed earlier.  I knew he wasn’t a client but an old friend from Anthony and Vinnie’s younger years.   Ivy was right.  He totally looked the part of mob wannabe.   Christ he was even wearing an Italian horn necklace.  I wanted to laugh but here he was saving the platter from crashing to the floor.  I couldn’t be rude.

“You are working too hard.  I hope Anthony is paying you well.” Said a heavy city accent.

“Anthony and Vinnie are great bosses. I have no complaints.”

“Oh yeah, Vinnie, the boss.”  And he rolled his eyes.  I wasn’t sure what he meant by that but I found I really didn’t care.

“Well thanks for sparing me from picking up glass.  I better get these in the kitchen.”

“Wait a minute.”  And he blocked my path.  “What’s your name?”

“Grace.”  I said curtly hoping he got the hint.

“Hi Grace.  I’m Sal.  Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you.”  I kind of mumbled.  I was now tired.  My feet hurt from wearing heels a little higher than usual.  I was ready to go home.

In the kitchen, Jamie and Luke had all the trays stacked up on a cart.  They were starting to push the cart through the hall when I almost ran into them. 

Then Jamie pointed out, “I just realized that we only have the two seats up front.  Luke, you’re going to have to sit in the back with the trays until we get Grace home.”

“Jamie, you’re not going to have Luke sit in the back of that dirty van.  He is wearing white!  I can take a cab home.”

“Grace, I don’t mind.”  Luke was way too sweet.

“No, I don’t feel right about this.  You guys picked me up and I saved cab fare there.  It’s no big deal.”

“Grace, you are not going home alone.”  I couldn’t believe how overprotective Jamie was being.

“I’ll give her a ride home.”  It was sleezy Sal who was offering.  No way was I going to sit in a car with him.  He was leering at me in way that made me very uncomfortable.

“Thanks but we got it, man.”  Jamie said over his shoulder as he and Luke wheeled the cart out.

I didn’t even turn to look at Sal.  I made a beeline for the kitchen.    I noticed right away that Jamie left the van’s keys on one of the counters.  I grabbed the keys to run back out to give to them before they noticed. 

That’s when I heard the most ludicrous display of male ego.  At that point, the only people left in the hall were Carmella, her two girlfriends and the mob boys.  All the clients had left and Vinnie and Anthony were sitting at the bar relaxing.  Sal was walking back toward the bar with some elaborate gesture that looked like fucking.  He stopped halfway and stuck his pelvis out and started to move his arms back and forth.

“Oh yeah. I am taking that sexy secretary home and getting me some sweet pussy.”

The absolute nerve of him!  What a pig.

I had never been so furious.  I planned on walking right up to him and shouting “When did I say I was going home with you?  In your dreams.”

But I didn’t get a chance to say it.   Vinnie had him smashed against the wall within seconds.  It was with such force that it may have even dented the wall.  Part of me was hoping not so that Jill wouldn’t be mad at me.  The other part of me was hoping Vinnie did use the wall to crush Sal.  Vinnie had his massive arm pushing against Sal’s neck.  Sal’s face was already turning red.

“Anthony, do something.”  I think it was Carmella who screamed.

Several of the guys were trying to get Vinnie off of Sal.  Anthony stood at the side as if knowing that no one could move a powerhouse like Vinnie.  Anthony instead tried to negotiate.

“Now come on Vinnie.  Grace is smart enough not to get within two feet of a scumbag like Sal.  You know Sal was just talking shit. “

“Vinnie, you’re going to choke him!”  One of the guys shouted out.  “He didn’t know she was with you.  No one is ever with you.  Just let him go.”

It wasn’t working.  Vinnie looked like a crazed man.  But then Anthony got closer and said in a calm soft voice. “Vinnie, nothing is going to happen here.“

Vinnie released him but didn’t move.  Sal didn’t move either.  Almost as if he was afraid that the slightest budge would set Vinnie off.

Before Vinnie turned away, he moved his face to the point where his nose almost touched Sal’s nose.  I saw Sal grimace.  Then Vinnie said in that deadly voice I heard on my first day at A and V.  It was the same hostile voice he used when he threatened to kill the last guy he served a subpoena to.

“You ever come near her, you won’t be breathing.” 

Sal just nodded.  I took off and ran to the kitchen.

“What just happened?”  Jamie’s voice made me jump.

I couldn’t answer.  I still hadn’t found my voice.  All I could do was shakily hand his keys to him.  Just then Vinnie appeared in the kitchen.  I held my breath.

“Grace, I will drive you home.”  He said in a forceful you-will-not-argue-with-me voice.  And then he left the kitchen.

“Jamie, I’m a little scared.”  I whispered.

“Why?  I feel better now.  You wouldn’t be safer than if the Incredible Hulk was escorting you home.”

We quickly finished cleaning up. When it was time to walk back into the party room, I practically hid behind Jamie and Luke.  Sal and his friends had left.  I was able to breathe easier.  Carmella’s girlfriends must have left with them too.  All that was standing there was Anthony, Carmella and Vinnie.  Carmella was glaring at me like it was all my fault.  I had no emotional energy to give her a hateful look back.