I didn't know what I'd thought then, but he was right. Ever since Jordan told me what had happened, I'd been convinced Cal had cheated on me because of some lack in me. That whoever he'd chosen over me was prettier, smarter, or better at whatever else he wanted.
"It's okay, Cal. I can't remember that now. It's just nice to know that what happened wasn't because of some deficiency in me."
He grimaced at the word 'deficiency.' "I'm sorry that you thought that. That's not right. You were lacking nothing, Nina. I was the one lacking in maturity."
We sat there quietly for a long moment before a knock on his office door broke the awkward silence. Calling the person in, he quickly shook off the seriousness of his words and put on his professional face again. As he and his coworker spoke, I stood to leave, having gotten what I'd come for.
His colleague left, and Cal stood from behind his desk. "Would you like to have coffee sometime? It would be nice to be friends, if you think we can."
"That would be nice. I can't promise I won't want to ask more questions, though. Everything's such a blank from around that time. But I don't want you to think I blame you for anything. That was a long time ago, and we've both moved on."
"It's the least I could do, Nina. And don't worry about blaming me. I deserve it. I just hope we can be friends."
I extended my hand to shake his. "It's a deal."
"Good." He wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to me. "Here's my cell number and email. I'd love it if we could grab a coffee before the holidays."
I took the information with a smile and slipped it into my purse. "Me too. I'll email you and let you know when I'm going to be in the city again."
"You still live in Brooklyn? I heard you and Jordan were sharing an apartment in Sunset Park."
His mention of my place in Brooklyn surprised me. I shook my head and said for the first time to anyone since I left the hospital, "No, I live upstate now in Duchess County."
Cal's expression showed his surprise. "You introduced yourself as Nina Edwards, so I thought you were still single. Did you marry?"
"No. I'm still Nina Edwards, but I live with my boyfriend out there. Tristan. Tristan Stone."
I had the sense that the mere mention of Tristan's name changed everything in the room, and Cal's smile seemed to fade just a little.
"You did well for yourself, Nina. Stone's a big deal."
I nodded, unsure of what exactly Cal meant. Turning to leave, I smiled and said, "We'll do coffee before Christmas. Thanks again, Cal. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me."
As I opened the door, Cal said quietly, "Take care, Nina. I look forward to seeing you again."
My talk with Cal had buoyed my spirits. I'd been so afraid that he'd left me because of me that I hadn't wanted to give Tristan a chance to do the same thing. Now I felt like I could truly let him in and begin to make those new memories, just as he'd promised.
Chapter Ten
Tristan
Looking down at my phone as it buzzed against the top of my desk, I saw a message from Jensen. Driving home now. After waiting for nearly an hour to hear from him after his first message telling me Nina had left Macy's and gone to an office building four blocks away, my stomach was tied up in angry knots. The bodyguards who followed us at all times were little help too. All they seemed to know was that she'd gone to the fifteenth floor to some insurance company to see someone named Cal Johnson.
Just seeing that name come up on my phone made my blood run cold. Three little letters and I could barely contain the rage that exploded inside me. Cal, the guy she remembered while I was a stranger. Cal, the ex-boyfriend who had broken her heart. What the f**k could she want with him?
Swiping away Jensen's message, I dialed another number I knew would help me find out what Nina had been up to. A few rings and finally I heard the raspy voice of Daryl Knight.
"Daryl, I have another job for you."
"Tristan. Just the man I wanted to talk to. I finally got something on that Edwards business. We should meet."
Daryl Knight was the man I used to investigate private matters associated with Stone Worldwide, such as researching the actresses' backgrounds to make sure there was nothing unsavory in their pasts before I was seen with them in public. A big, burly guy, he looked more like a mountain man than a private investigator with his full reddish-brown beard and wild curly hair. At first glance, he hadn't seemed to be someone who could find out much of anything without getting noticed, but he'd proven me wrong enough times that I knew if I wanted the details about someone, Daryl was the man to call.
"Fine. Let's say two days from now. In the meantime, I need you to find out everything you can about a man named Cal Johnson."
"Is Cal his real name?" Daryl asked with a chuckle.
"I have no idea. I just know I want everything you can find on this guy."
"Okay. I'll have it for when we meet. You looking for this for business or personal use? You know I don't care and it's none of my business, but do you want me to focus on the gorier details?"
"Both. I want to know where he lives, what he eats, how he makes his money, who he's fucking and if she likes it. You understand me?"
"Got it. What time are we meeting?"
"Thursday at noon."
I ended the call, pushed my phone away in disgust, and leaned back in my chair. I had to hold myself back from racing home at a hundred miles an hour to ask Nina why she'd lied and snuck off to some office where her old boyfriend spent his days.
Jealousy coursed through my veins, and my stomach turned at the thought of her with any other man. In my mind, I saw her naked body sprawled across his desk as he fucked her next to his low budget sticky notes and dollar store stapler. He wore a cheap suit and feared being found out, so he didn't even take his shirt off. Muffled grunts came from his mouth as he rammed his co**ck into her, his middle manager features all twisted into an ugly sex face while he hovered over the woman I loved.
Over and over, the awful scene played in my head until I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't just sit there in my corner office torturing myself all afternoon. Pressing the intercom on the corner of my desk, I called for my assistant.
Michelle opened the door to my office and stood waiting for my instructions. The last showing of the ugly movie of Nina cheating on me played in my mind, and I heard Michelle say, "Mr. Stone? You wanted me?"
I shook away my thoughts and focused on the woman in front of me. In many ways, Michelle reminded me of Nina. Gentle and sweet, she cared about her job and me, always making sure every detail was taken care of for every assignment I gave her. Slightly older than Nina, she had dark brown hair, brown eyes, and was married to some advertising guy whose main claim to fame was the semi-successful campaign for some Greek yogurt made here in the States before every yogurt maker in the business began doing the Greek thing. I vaguely remembered her referring to him once as Jeff or Jess and saying they lived in Queens.
"Yes. I'm leaving, so cancel any meetings I have this afternoon. Message me if anything comes up that I need to know about."
"Yes, Mr. Stone. Should I call a car for you?"
Shaking my head, I stood from my desk and slipped back into my suit coat. "No. I'm taking my car."
"What should I say to Mr. Dreger if he calls?" she asked as I walked toward her to leave.
Karl would surely be calling if he got a sense that I'd left the office. The man had basically taken to stalking me since he'd found out about Nina, which had necessitated the two bodyguards who followed Nina and me around whenever we went out, and Nina whenever she was alone.
"Tell him I chose to work from home today. If he presses you for details, tell him you know nothing more and have him call me directly."
Michelle smiled and stood aside as I opened the door. Remembering Karl's penchant for trying to sneak around behind my back to spy on me, I added, "And lock this door when I leave. Do not let anyone in."
She looked at me with surprise in her eyes, but I knew she understood what I was telling her. "You can trust me, Mr. Stone. No one will get in."
"Thank you, Michelle. I'll message you if I'm not coming into the office tomorrow. If I don't, the same thing applies. No one gets in. No one."
"I understand. Have a good night," she said with a sympathetic smile, likely sensing there was something wrong but never asking since we weren't that close. She wished me a good night anytime I left the office, and rarely had I made the effort to say it back to her.
For some reason, the way she was looking up at me at that moment made me want to say it now, though. "Have a good night, Michelle."
My simple effort was rewarded with a broad smile, which made me feel better until I thought of Nina smiling just like that for Cal as she left his office, her light brown hair and her clothes all disheveled from her time with him. Disgusted, I turned and stormed out to get into my car, eager to take my aggression out on the highway between Manhattan and home.
Jensen was outside the garage when I pulled up to the house. I parked the Jag and saw he wasn't there by coincidence. He was waiting for me.
"Mr. Stone, I want to apologize. I neglected my duties and Miss Edwards could have been harmed."
Jensen's mouth turned down in a frown as he stood waiting for me to respond to his confession. While Nina might not remember anything of the recent past, he did and he knew I did. After the attack on her at the apartment by that guy fucked up on whatever drugs he was on, I'd been clear with Jensen that if she was hurt again, it would mean his job.