Carved in Stone (The Stone Series) (14 page)

             
“Yo, girlfriend! What are you doing for lunch?” Greets Alisha.

             
“I’ve had a shit storm of a morning so if I don’t get out for some fresh air and a bite to eat soon, I swear it’s going to get real ugly in here.”

             
“That bad huh?”

             
“You have no idea,” she groans.

             
Alisha is one of Aidan’s three PA’s who I meet a few weeks back and who’s since become a welcome addition to Mia’s and my small posse of girlfriends.

             
Alisha’s a tall elegant mocha-skinned woman with a stylish short Afro, warm coco eyes, fully sexy lips and delicate bone structure. She’s full of sassy attitude, hilariously funny and one of the sharpest women I’ve met. Since meeting Alisha, we’ve made it a habit of having lunch together at least twice a week and once a fortnight Alisha joins Mia and I for ‘girls night out’.

             
Alisha introduced me to William, a young trendy IT expert with an obsession for all things surf related including his bleached blonde hair, is Aidan’s other assistant. The three of us bonded immediately over our mutual dislike of Aidan’s executive PA Katrina Fairchild, aka Cruella de Vil as we not so lovingly refer to her as.

             
Apart from being a grade A bitch, Katrina has the severe hot’s for Aidan, has been maliciously spiteful towards me personally and generally an all round witch to those she feels threaten by – which apparently seems to be everyone from what I gather from Alisha and William.

             
“Sounds good to me. I’ll just finish up this email and I’ll come up and get you in say…” I glance at the time on my watch. “Fifteen minutes?”

             
“It’s a date. Thanks Gabby. Catch you in few,” she says before disconnecting.

             
The elevator doors open up to reveal the luxurious span of the twenty-first floor. Heels clicking, I make my way over to Claire, Aidan’s receptionist, a tall svelte brunette that guards the gateway to the Stone Corporation’s executive offices like a mama bear.

             
“Hey Claire. How are you today.”

             
“Oh…hey, afternoon Gabby,” she replies looking up from her computer. “Just catching up on some work while it’s quiet around here for once.”

             
“Ah, the boss being away makes for a nice change huh?”

             
“Something like that,” she grins.

             
“I told Alisha I’d come get her before we head out for lunch. Can you let her know I’m here?”

             
“Oh yeah…of course. I’ll just buzz her.”

             
Admiring the abstract artwork hanging on the walls, I patiently wait for Alisha while silently noting the atmosphere on this floor is very different than the norm, subdued somehow without the imposing presence of Aidan in the office.

             
The ding of the elevator cart signals the arrival of another person to this level, curious I automatically turn to see whom it is.

             
Out steps a woman in her mid fifties, immaculately dressed in what I’m certain is designer couture from head to toe, perfectly coiffed blonde hair that frames an unflawed yet artificially frozen face and cool calculating brown eyes. Virginia Stone.
Aidan’s stepmonster… I mean stepmother.

Yikes!

I knew I should have met Alisha down in the lobby.

             
“Claire darling, I’d like to see my son,” she drawls, an air of superiority lacing her tone.

             
“Good afternoon Mrs. Stone,” Claire greets politely.

             
“Good afternoon Claire. Can you let Aidan know I’m here please.”

             
“I’m sorry but Mr. Stone is away on business. He’s not due back until tomorrow morning.”

             
“What do you mean Aidan’s away on business! I mentioned to him last week that I would be dropping by today. What business? Where has he gone?” She demands brusquely, her poised civil facade all but vanished.

             
Sputtering, the composed and professional Claire is replaced by an intimidatingly harried Claire. “Ah…err… Mr. Stone didn’t mention anything to me about a meeting with you for this afternoon Mrs. Stone. I’m terribly sorry.”

Thank God
, I’m not the only one who feels intimidated in the presence of Mrs. Stone.

             
Stepping forward, I clear my throat. “Aidan’s in Chicago, Mrs. Stone. He left early on Monday morning.”

             
Pivoting towards me, Virginia’s eyes widen in surprise than just as quickly her gaze narrows surveying me from head to toe, the perusal making me feel a little self-conscious.

             
Recognition slowly dawns in her face. “Tabby, isn’t it?”

             
“It’s Gabby. Gabby Stevens. Aidan introduced us to each other at the Stone benefit a few weeks ago.”

             
“Yes of course. You’re an employee here… however I’m not here to chat with employees,” she snaps, whirling around to pin Claire with a steely glare, “I would however, would like to know why I wasn’t informed about this change in his schedule. I had a meeting organized with Aidan today for twelve-thirty sharp.” 

             
Her tone and her actions are condescendingly dismissive towards me, which only serves in getting my back up. But, wisely I bite my tongue just like the other night with Amelia at dinner but seriously – this shit was getting old fast!

Who does this bitch think she is? Oh yeah – his stepmother.

Be polite Gabby, I mentally chant to myself.

             
“Look at his appointments,” she barks at Claire. “Now tell me, why wasn’t I informed in regards to this change of plans.”

             
A flustered Claire furiously taps away at her computer for several moments then wincing, she says, “I’m sorry Mrs. Stone but you don’t appear to be on Mr. Stone’s Schedule. I rearranged all his other appointments accordingly on Monday morning.”

             
Claire looks absolutely distraught, her eyes wide in fear and her complexion flushed in the face of Virginia’s ire. Hesitantly, stupidly, I decide to step in to defuse the tense situation.

             
“Well actually Mrs. Stone, I also happen to be Aidan’s girlfriend and I’m sure he overlooked his appointment with you by mistake. The Chicago trip was unexpectedly brought forward,” I said with confidence, only because Aidan told me Sunday afternoon when we were in the pool but no need to add that little tid-bit.

             
“Girlfriend, “ she scoffs, whirling around, pinning me with her scowl.

             
“Oh Gabby dear… it is Gabby isn’t it?” Her tone dripping with sarcasm.

             
I nod in the affirmative, knowing full well she knows my name – the fucking cow!

             
“Well here’s a bit of free advice Gabby, Aidan doesn’t do
girlfriends
my dear. I’m his mother, I should know.”

             
“Stepmother,” I correct, my temper soaring from a level one to a fucking level ten in two seconds flat.

             
“Correct, stepmother,” she snickers lifting her chin, narrowing her eyes further. “Aidan has tête-à-têtes, brief flings with fleeting dispensable bed partners, usually they’re with women of more… shall we say… refined breeding, sophistication than yourself,” she sneers pausing for effect.

And man, the bullet she just fired was aimed straight on target, strategically pointed for the most destructive impact.

Ouch!

I can only imagine what’s about to spew out of her mouth next…and she wastes no time in saying it.

             
“So don’t you think for one minute, you are anything more than a temporary distraction who’s simply warming my stepson’s bed during the interim. Aidan’s a very strewed successful business mogul, he can spot gold-digger from a mile off so don’t count on getting a dime of his money. When it all comes down to it – you’re nothing more to Aidan than a fleeting fling. He will never marry you my dear.”

             
With that, she turns back to Claire, completely discharging me as if she expects me to slink away back to the deep dingy bowels of the gutter where she so obviously thinks I belong.

             
Through the thunderous drumming of blood boiling to a near life-threatening level in my ears; I hear two sets of gasps – Claire’s no doubt, the other is probably Alisha’s but my incensed indignation has all my attention narrowed sharply like a laser on only one person in the room.

             
“Oh no she didn’t,” puffs Alisha.

Yep, Alisha’s
here too and witnessing this fucking train wreck. Yippee!

             
“With all due respect Mrs. Stone,” I bite out between gritted teeth.

             
Virginia whirls back to face me, her expression rigid with contemptuous distain instantly causing the worn tread of my temper to snap and shatter the last of my self-control.

Respect my ass!

             
“You have no fucking clue with regards to the nature of mine and Aidan’s relationship – and yes, it is a
relationship
. A novel concept for Aidan, I’ll grant, but nether the less a seriously committed relationship. And further more,
my dear
, I couldn’t give two flying fucks about Aidan’s money. He could be the janitor here for all I care and I would still find him the most interesting, intelligent, passionate and charismatic man I’ve ever met. As for marriage, I don’t need to marry a wealthy man to be a woman of value or worth – unlike yourself,
Mrs. Stone
.”

             
Face flushed red; she spits spitefully, “So crass! Aidan really is scraping the bottom of the barrel with the likes of you.”

             
As if to make her point even further she scoffs in disgust while raking her beady gaze over my body once more from head to toe.

             
Livid, I fire back, “And you’re a fake plastic step-ford wife who’s completely devoid of all decency and decorum. Now as you can clearly see, Aidan isn’t here today. I don’t believe you have an office on this floor and your
name
doesn’t appear on the door so I think it’s time you left. I’m sure Claire will let Aidan know you came by.”

             
“Aidan wouldn’t have any of this,” she spits bitterly swooping her arm in a wide arc indication the office. “This corporation wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for
my
husband’s company in the first place so no cheap gold digging little whore will tell
me
when to leave it,” Virginia finishes on a shrill shriek.

             
I have to give it to the woman’s plastic surgeon, her voice is hoarse from screeching, her fists clenching and unclenching in barley contained rage and yet not one single frown line mars her froze plastic forehead, while all four of us stand mutely in some bizarre standoff, neither of us willing to be the first to make a sound or to move.

             
Well, it’s mostly me and Virginia locked in a standoff, Claire and Alisha are stood frozen witnessing this whole fucking catastrophe.

             
Why… why do I allow my temper to get the better of me? No good ever comes to stooping down to another’s contemptuous level.

             
“Okay then… well I think we’d best be leaving now,” says Alisha hesitantly, gripping my elbow and steering me towards the bank of elevators. “Claire, I’ll be back in an hour,” she calls over her shoulder.

             
Shell-shocked, I let Alisha to steer me into the elevator, utter mortification and remorse swamping every fiber of my being.

             
“Holy shit girl!” Exclaims Alisha. “ I can not fucking believe that scene. That was some intense shit Girlfriend. I half expected you two to smack down right there in the foyer. Claire had her finger on speed dial to security just in case.”

             
“Oh. My. God!” I pant my heart’s beating, thumping rapidly in my chest.

A
wave of nausea bubbles up my stomach and to my throat as I bend over bracing my hands grasping my kneecaps in an attempt to breathe. “ I feel sick. I think I’m going to throw up!”

             
“Deep breaths Gabby,” sooths Alisha rubbing gently circles over my back.

             
“Ohmigod, Ohmigod, Ohmigod” I chant grasping for precious air. “I can’t believe I just spoke to my boyfriend’s mother like that!”