That One Night Stand

23.

The next two and a half weeks, I kept busy. I worked and if I wasn't working, I was at the gym with my personal trainer.

Susie hasn't called me since the other week but I've spoken to Harry, telling him our conversation.

"Yeah, don't take it personally, May. She is peeved, but it will blow over." He spoke gently into the phone. "She is really mad at Conrad, but I think that's it. What lit her fuse even more was at the ceremony there was no speak now part. So she didn't object."

I sighed. "I don't know why she is so hell bent on her brothers relationship."

"Yeah, I don't know either. She just doesn't like this Tiffany."

"I don't know why. She seems nice to me. But I only really spoke to her once here in New York and I didn't really speak."

"Huh? When did you see her?" I could hear the confusion in Harry's voice.

"Wow. You guys need to gossip more." I teased with a laugh. Then my phone vibrated again, an unrecognizable number showing up. "Harry, I gotta go. Talk later." I quickly hung up my call with Harry and answered the new one.

"Maya Campbell speaking." I answered sweetly.

"Ah! Maya, excellent. I'm really sad that we didn't get to have our luncheon the other week." Came the feminine voice.

I frowned deeply, mouthing luncheon. "Who is this?"

"Oh, right. It's Tiffany. Listen, I have an opening in thirty minutes. I was wondering if we can meet up?"

I froze in my actions. "Meet up?"

"Yes." Tiffany said in a chirpy voice. "Have a chat."

"Uh..." I was lost for words. "Is this about my work?"

"Just come in, Miss Campbell. I'll see you in thirty minutes."

The phone call ended and I felt very uneasy.

My stomach was twisting into knots and I really didn't want to do this but I knew it was time. I had to come clean.

Looking around me, I assessed in my head the quickest route to the business. The busy streets of New York City was full of people and I maneuvered my way around them, gripping my bag tightly.

After a brisk power walk, I made it to the large building with five minutes to spare and pulled out the water bottle in my large bag, sipping at it.

I signed in at the reception and took the elevator up to the floor I needed, tapping my foot on the floor. I wanted to run. Get as far away as possible.

The elevator doors opened, letting me out and I saw a blonde sitting behind a desk, tapping away on a laptop.

She didn't even look at me, but waved me through. I knocked on the door and slowly opened it, my hands slightly shaking.

I saw Tiffany then, at the other end of the room, walking around a table. Her head lifted and she smiled upon seeing me and invited me in.

"I'm just going over these shots, they look good." She complimented me as her eyes dragged back to what had her attention. Stepping forward, I saw the table scattered in the photographs of me and Josh.

"So you don't have a problem with my work?" I managed to ask her, still coming closer, slowly.

Tiffany leaned against the table, facing me, her smile wide. I saw the neck coat she wore with the exposed arm slits and I resisted the urge to ask where she got it from.

"No. I think they are great."

That answer left me surprised. "Then, why am I here?"

Tiffany looked at me, slightly lost, not knowing what to say next. She looked like she was struggling on how to say the words to me. That's how I knew it was about her now husband and trying to stay calm and not crack under the glare of Tiffany, even if her glare wasn't harsh.

Why isn't she glaring harshly at me? Why is she still smiling so kindly?

"I'm actually lost for words." She laughed nervously. "I know I was quiet when I first met you and to be honest, Conrad's sister kinda scares me."

I couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"But here, I'm in my element." Tiffany took a deep breath and tried again, the words still a jumble upon her face. I watched the different emotions played out from lost and confusion to maybe disturbed.

"As you know, I've been away if you heard the talks while filming." Tiffany tried again, shuffling the photos on the table, stacking them up.

"Yes. I heard." I managed out in a loud whisper. She left to get married.

"Well, everything was rushed and I had to leave immediately, leaving a huge mess here." Tiffany said to herself more than to me.

Her mutterings were internally driving me mad because I was about to burst. I could feel my face written in guilt.

"So that left me no chance to actually speak to you on what I needed to." She looked back at me as she brushed her hair behind her ear. "You look flustered. Are you alright?"

I gave Tiffany a quick and tight nod of my head.

"Look, I don't know how to go about this. I never thought I would ever have this kind of conversation." She chuckled and I noticed she was hiding how nervous she was. "I'm sorry if I sound crass, but I'm going to be blunt with you, Maya."

Oh god, I thought to myself. This is it. She knows. She knows I slept with her husband. She is going to confront me.

"I know this isn't very, familiar on my part, highly uncomfortable for the both of us, but, I know." Tiffany was no longer smiling but she didn't look sour either. Her face was pretty neutral in fact.

"You know?" I asked not sure what she meant.

Nodding her head, Tiffany sighed out. It wasn't one of relief but of stress. "I know you slept with Conrad."