The Hourglass (12 page)

“Julie, is everything okay? I’ve never had to meet with him after an examination.”

Grabbing my file Julie shuffled to the door. “Don’t worry honey, you’ll be just fine.” Pulling my clothes on, I snatched up my purse, which was now full of condoms, pregnancy tests and such as Julie motioned me to follow her toward Dr. Carter’s office. “The doctor will be in momentarily. He just has to finalize a few tests.” Trying to hide my confusion I smiled and scrolled through my phone to answer some of my emails while I waited.

Moments later Dr. Carter walked in and sat in his oversized chair as he exhaled what sounded like a sigh of relief. “Well, Ms. Prescott, I’m happy to tell you that your instant read tests came back clear and you are, in fact, not pregnant. We will have to wait on the blood work and cultures, but based on preliminaries and your exam I am optimistic”

Utterly shocked my mouth dropped open and I stared at him in disbelief. Shaking my head I tried to comprehend his words. “Pregnant! Why in the heck would I be pregnant? And what tests were you running on me?” I shouted.

Dr. Carter’s eyes grew to the size of golf balls as he held one finger up to hush me while he picked up his phone. “Julie, please come straight to my office.” He slammed the phone down, and within moments Julie scurried into the office. “Julie, was it not you who spoke to Ms. Prescott this morning when she called in requesting a full sexually transmitted disease examination as well as a pregnancy test?”

Julie nodded her head, appearing confused. “Yes sir that was me.” Looking at me she continued. “You called in this morning and told me you’d had unprotected sex a few times with multiple partners and that your period was two months late. You asked that I not bring it up during the examination since you were too embarrassed.”

A menacing laugh escaped from deep within my throat and I stood up, furious as I began to rip Julie up one side and down the other. “I assure you I never called this morning. In fact, I was probably too busy to call because I was at home. Having sex — with my
boyfriend
!”

Looking to Dr. Carter I began in on him. “I’m not sure what kind of establishment you run here doc, but I’d have your nurses verify that they are truly speaking to your
patient
as opposed to some Joe Blow off the street. I am less than thrilled that my time was wasted here today. Assuming everything else is fine, I’d like to excuse myself.”

As I slung the strap of my purse over my shoulder, Dr. Carter stumbled over his words. “O-of course, Ms. Prescott. Please accept our most sincere apology, this will never happen again.”

Thrusting his office door open, I glanced over my shoulder, giving Julie a harsh stare. “I would hope not,” I shouted storming out of the building.

Two days passed and I was still infuriated with my doctor’s office. Scanning through emails I deleted all of the junk and tried to answer what was left based on priority. I’d usually been great with keeping up at work, but these past two weeks I felt like everything was out of whack. I was penciling in a shoot that was coming up next week when my assistant rushed into my office. “Savannah, I have Isabella Salvatore on the line. She is extremely upset that you are more than an hour late to their shoot this afternoon.”

I jumped up out of my seat shooing my assistant back to her desk so she could transfer the call into my office, grabbing the phone when it finally rang through. “Isabella, this is Savannah, I think there must be some confusion, I don’t have anything scheduled on the calendar for today.”

Shouting in Italian came from the other end of the phone and then she began again in English. “We scheduled you last week. My assistant spoke with Lisa, she assured me that you would be here, and I don’t see you anywhere!”

Cupping my hand over the phone I ordered my assistant to track down Lisa and figure out what had happened just as Brooke walked by. Glancing at her, I could see her visibly assessing my state of panic.

She snickered. “Pregnancy brain must suck,” she mumbled under her breath just loud enough for me to hear. I felt my body tense and I instantly knew that she was the one who had made the call to my doctor’s office.

I’d deal with her later. First I had to regain control of the call. “Isabella, it appears that there was a lack of communication on our end. I apologize for this. Hourglass will compensate you and your models for your time as well as your travel expenses. I can assure you this will not happen again. In the future, please only book appointments with my assistant.” Hearing the relief in Isabella’s voice when she responded, I thanked her for understanding and hung up then hightailed it into Brooke’s office.

Brooke was sitting smugly in her chair filing her nails when I crashed in, slamming the door behind me so we wouldn’t be interrupted by Monica this time. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you realize how much money you just cost Hourglass by not telling me about that shoot? Isabella Salvatore is one of our biggest clients and we nearly lost her because of you!” I spewed my venomous words toward Brooke as she just peered up, smiling.

“Why Savannah, I have no earthly idea what you are talking about, I’m not sure what has you so upset, but I can assure you I had nothing to do with it. After the whole debacle with the annual reception files
disappearing
, I personally ensured that Lisa forwarded you a confirmation email. See here? She even copied me on it.”

I could feel my temperature rising inside, and I had to remind myself that we were at work, and I couldn’t risk losing my job over my vindictive ex-best friend. “Brooke, I’ve had it with you and your bullshit. This entire situation is ridiculous.” Her eyebrows scrunched together and I could tell her brain was going a mile a minute trying to figure out how to respond. “You need to grow the hell up. Neither one of us is going anywhere, so we need to learn how to be civil with each other so we can
both
keep our jobs here at Hourglass. And as for Luke, you need to get over him. He doesn’t want you.”

Her jaw fell open, but before she could form a response, I rushed out, not wanting to hear a single word that would come out of her mouth.

The rest of the week I chose to work from home. I’d had it with Brooke after her childish stunts, and I wasn’t in the mood for another knock-down, drag-out office fight.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Brooke

AS LUCAS LOADED
up the Range Rover, I sat in the passenger seat still griping about Savannah. “It’s just so hurtful, why would she say you don’t want me, I don’t get it. What happened to my best friend?”

Lucas slid into the driver’s seat and gave me a sorrowful look. “Brooke, babe. Let it go. I don’t know who Savannah is anymore. Really, I didn’t before, she was just a fun piece I got when I didn’t know what I was looking for in a relationship. Before you,” he crooned as he caressed my cheek. “Now like I told you when you came rushing up to my office on Wednesday, I love you. I want you. Don’t let her hurtful words get to you. Let’s get out of town for a few days and just enjoy our time together. It’s you and me.”

Nodding in resignation, I said, “I know, I know. I’m sorry. No more Savannah. Hey speaking of, the property manager of the condo called and I can get in sooner. I’m moving into the condo next weekend. Do you think you can help me?”

“Say what?” alarm came through on Lucas’s voice. “Crap, babe – I’m out of town for work. I thought you were moving after that. I’m sorry, I can’t.”

Defeated by the constant obstacles in my way, I placed a hand on his forearm. “Lucas, it’s okay, I got it. It’s probably better this way. Now, I can get it all set up and arranged before you see it.” Forcing a smile, I wanted the tension in the car to evaporate as we headed to the airport. “So where are we going?” I half begged, but Lucas just smirked and shook his head.

I unlocked my phone so I could check us in and post we were going out of town, smiling as I pecked away at the keys. I basked in the bliss of a spontaneous getaway. In a flash my phone disappeared from my hands, and I followed the blur toward the culprit.

“No way lady, we’re unplugging this weekend. No phones to steal you away this time.” He winked before slipping our phones into the glove box and slamming it shut.

His hand at the small of my back ushered me to the ticket counter. The outbound flight monitor displaying endless possibilities gave me no clues as I tried to figure out which one we would be lucky enough to get on. Lucas spoke in hushed tones to the girl at the ticket counter. I tilted my neck trying to listen in, but no luck.

“All set,” Lucas, said handing our luggage over and taking the carry-on bags. “Here, I got you this because I know you’re going to find out once we take our seats at the gate.” He handed me a small red gift bag. When I slipped my hand inside, I grasped a tiny item. First, I pulled out a small key chain of the Empire State building, next a small matchbox figurine of a yellow taxi, and finally an “I love New York” shirt.

Laughing, I looked up to Lucas.

“You know in case the key chain and taxi didn’t give it away,” he teased as he pulled me into his grasp.

“Well Lucas Wellington, I am insulted,” I taunted back stepping up on tiptoes to place my lips on his. In a breath, his lips were sealed to mine, his tongue teasing and caressing my own. Just as quickly, he released me and spun us around, and we were off on our weekend getaway.

The weekend had been amazing. We were staying at Lucas’s penthouse in downtown New York, and he had given me the full tour yesterday, hitting every popular spot in the city. Having such a great time, we decided to stay one more day before heading back to work and reality. Watching all the bustling people make their way to work on the black and white crosswalk was mesmerizing, but I severely missed the rustic feel Denver offered. It was the perfect mix of urban and country back home and I ached for a tree and some grass.

“Hey, Lucas,” I called into the penthouse from the balcony.

“Yeah, Brooke?” He came up behind me.

“Can we go walk around Central Park? I need some nature,” I admitted with a smile.

Lucas took my hand and led me out of the penthouse to my sanctuary with a carefree grin. The beginning of spring was upon us, and the new buds of leaves had just appeared on the trees. The grass was breaking through in patches where the snow had melted away. Pulling in a deep breath through my nose I closed my eyes and let out a contended sigh. Lucas let out a hearty laugh behind me. “My God, I need to get you back to Denver, huh? And here I was hoping to get you to move here.”

Glancing around I tried to visualize living with Lucas, the busy life of our two jobs trying to collide together. A memory flashed through my mind from a day in college when a sorority sister had announced to Savannah and me that she was engaged.

“Oh Savannah, I just can’t wait to find the one.”

Savannah laughed out loud at my fantasy, swearing that I
had
watched one too many Disney movies growing up.

“You just wait Savannah, he is out there, and when the day comes, I expect you by my side.”

“No doubt.
You are stuck with me for life,
Brooke
Reid!” she swore with a smile.

A woman dishing out orders broke me from my bittersweet memory. “Get your skinny ass over there, I’m in charge, I say what goes,” she bellowed.

Focusing my eyes on the scene in the distance, I saw some models and a photographer busy at work. Walking closer, I squinted trying to place the photographer in my memory.

“Brooke, what are you—” Lucas’s voice began behind me before freezing. Turning to look at him, he was gritting his teeth in irritation.

“She looks familiar, do you recognize her?” I asked, still trying to place her in my mind. Snapping my fingers as the realization came to me. “Oh I know! That’s the New York photographer, Kat. I haven’t met her just seen her in a photo of Savannah’s and spoke with her over the phone. I should go say hello,” I declared as I began walking over. Noticing the attention, Kat was now looking at me as well with an odd expression.