Running From Noel

by Janae Keyes

  “Perfect. She loves stuff like this, and I hadn’t been able to find anything suitably sciencey for Christmas for her. I have dolls, clothes, books, but nothing like this.” I set the two items on my desk and looked through the rest of the box to see what prototypes we have left in the box.

  There were some robotics kits, a new car set, a racetrack, even some of the living baby dolls in the bottom of the box. I would have to talk with the rest of the department and see if any of them wanted to take any for Christmas gifts and give me a full report on them after the holidays and their kids had had a chance to fully destroy them.

  “Anything I can help with? Carrying or anything?” He looked at me with his eyes full of something. He looked like he was ready to pounce. I had to get out of here. Get him out of here.

  “You can take this and follow me while I go talk to a few other people in my department I know have kids. Unless you have something pressing in your department to take care of?” I really hoped he had something to do besides bother me today.

  “Sounds great. Let me grab that for you. I am all caught up for the next hour or so. Besides, if anyone needs me, they can find me. The office isn’t that big.” Noel laughed as he picked up the box of toys and waited by the door.

  Great. I shook my head and walked out of my office door, Noel following behind me.

  I could feel his eyes on me as we walked through the office to my first stop.

  “Hey Jim. Does your boy still enjoy robots?”

  The older man looked up at me with surprise in his eyes. “What do yo need in return for this?”

  “Just looking for people with kids in the company, grandkids. I need to know how well kids like these toys and how easy or hard they are for the age ranges they claim. Just observe your boy playing with the toy and let me know if the product is worth our companies time.” I smiled and motioned for Noel to set the box down by Jim.

  I could understand why he was hesitant; I didn’t ask him for help often. I didn’t ask anyone for help often. I was a perfectionist and I wanted to do it all myself. I assigned my department their tasks and then fixed them how I wanted them to look for the client.

  “That’s it? Just write a review on the toy and whether we should consider accepting their proposal?”

  “Yup. Nothing more. And you don’t have to bring the toy back.”

  I watched as he looked through the box, a smile slowly spreading across his face as he found the robotic kits. Taking one from the box he looked back up at me, “Thank you. This will really round out Christmas this year. And I think that I may be able to work on this with him.”

  Grinning Noel picked back up the box and waited for me to move off. I waved at Jim and continued to everyone in my department until all the toys were gone and all I had left was an empty box.

  I turned to take the box from Noel, but he was already heading back to my office with it. I caught myself staring at him as he jogged through the department.

  Rushing after him I reached my office just after him. “Hey, thanks for helping with that. But seriously, get back to your department and back to work. I don’t need you distracting me while I am trying to finish things before I go home. Today I want to leave on time for once.”

  “Fuck. Do you really think that you can get rid of me that easy? I don’t think you understand something. I don’t stop until I get what I want. I wanted you in college, I got you. I want dinner with you now, I will get dinner.”

  “I already told you after the holidays I would do dinner.” I couldn’t believe him. Did he have hearing and short-term memory loss? It was starting to seem like it.

  “No. Friday. I want dinner Friday. Eleven years I have been waiting to find you again. I’m done waiting.” He closed in on me, his scent flowing over me, trapping me.

  “Do you forget I have a daughter? I can’t just drop everything for you. We aren’t in college anymore.” It was hard to tell him no. I didn’t want to tell him no. I wanted to get him out of my system finally. Once last fling, right?

  “Ask your babysitter to take her for the evening. I’ll have you home by ten. I just want to catch up. Find out what has happened to you over the last eleven years.” His voice dropped as he spoke, becoming raspier as he leaned toward me. “Do I make you that nervous?”

  I laughed, breaking the tension. A flash of the library ran through my head and that was the end of it. “Fine. You get one dinner. Not a date though. Nothing more.”

  I saw the glee fill his eyes as he stood tall, a victorious look on his face. “I’ll pick you up at seven. I know just the place to take you. Friend owns it.”

  “Can we pretend you didn’t say that and sound like a pretentious ass?” I sat behind my desk, writing down a remind to talk with Aunt Gracie about Friday night.

  “If I have to pretend I haven’t dreamt about you every night since you left me outside the library in Boston.” He turned and left my office, leaving me turned upside down. Had he just admitted he still thought of me, same as I thought of him? But that couldn’t be right. I was just a fling, another number on his calling card.

  A voice cleared at her door and she looked up to see her boss standing in her door. “I see you had help handing out toys. Did you find anything for Madison?”

  “I found something that I think she may like. Noel saw something else she may like too. I found plenty of people in my department to test the toys over Christmas with their kids to see if we should accept them into our marketing. I’m hopeful on over half of them.”

  “Good, good. Did I hear you set up a dinner date with Noel? Do I need to remind you about interoffice relationships?” The look he was giving me, and the tone in his voice, was enough to melt ice.

  “We are just old college friends. Not a date. Just going to catch up. We haven’t seen each other in over eleven years.” I hoped this would be enough for him to stop digging into my personal life. I didn’t want anyone asking more questions than I was ready to answer.

  “Okay. Well how is the planning on the party coming along? Have we heard anything from the restaurant since yesterday? Do we have a total number of people going this year? Do you think we should do presents or gift cards this year?”

  “I am counting the totals tomorrow, and what about a silent auction for a charity this year and door prizes?” I hoped he would agree to this. Madison’s school had a new STEM program that I was wanting to see if we could sponsor with the auction.

  “I’ll approve it, but it’s on you. Just make the party work.” He turned and walked out of my door. What was it with all the men in my life being assholes today? And bossy ones at that.

  I leaned back in my chair and looked at the clock. Half past four already. I hadn’t even noticed the day fly by. I scanned my desk, checking on what I had left to do. Nothing that couldn’t wait until tomorrow if I really wanted to let it go. Except… Well I should just get calling my aunt out of the way before I forgot so I could let Noel know for sure about Friday.

  Picking up the phone I started to dial the number when there was a knock at my door. My head shot up to see Ashlee standing in the door. She looked terrible, like she had been drinking all night.

  “Yeah?”

  “I was asked to bring this packet to you. Something about the party.” She squinted in the fluorescent lights from the ceiling, almost like she had a migraine she was trying to ward off.

  “Thanks Ashlee. Why don’t you get a cup of coffee? You look like you could use one.” I took the packet from her and shooed her from my office. I watched her stumble to the breakroom, wondering if she had gotten a taste of Noel the night before. How she looked was how I felt all those years ago.

  Hungover.

  A feeling no one had been able to give me since. Not that I had been looking for anyone. Madison was all I needed anymore.

  I closed out the programs on my computer before shutting it down for the day. I placed the packet in my bag, grabbing my phone. I would call Aunt Gracie from the car. I couldn’t dea
l with Noel again today. I needed air, space, something that when he was around, I couldn’t get.

  I sat in my car holding my phone, staring at the dial pad. Did I really want to ask Aunt Grace to watch Madison so I could go out with her dad? Lord how was I going to tell him that he had a daughter. That our tryst in the library had resulted in my greatest gift?

  A dad for Christmas. Could I do that for my daughter? Could I tell them both the truth and let them connect? I was still scared for what would happen when I told him he had a daughter. I still hadn’t told Madison anything about her father. She had never asked me about him. I wasn’t ready for when she did.

  I thought of the lie I had been telling my family all these years. That was what I had been prepared to tell her, but now there was more to the story. The past had finally met with my present.

  Sighing I pressed call on my phone. I would have my answer about Friday soon enough.

  Chapter 5

  Noel

  Finally, she had agreed to dinner. Fuck. That was easier than I had thought it was going to be. If all I had to do was carry a box and push a couple of buttons, I would have done that yesterday.

  I watched Ashlee stumble through the last of the afternoon and got an idea. I put together a packet of ideas for the Christmas party to give to Everly.

  “Hey Ashlee? I need you to run something over to Everly for me.” I watched the hungover secretary wobble into my office.

  “Yes Mr. Canali?” She looked at me with doe-like eyes, big as possible. I held out the packet I had put together and she took it from me. I watched as she turned around and attempted to saunter out of my office.

  I found amusement in watching her try to be sexy and hungover at the same time. I could tell last night she didn’t drink often with as easy as it was to get her drunk and talking.

  My eyes closed as a wave of air brushed over me, carrying the scent I wanted over me. Everly smelled as sweet as ever, just as I remembered her from all those years ago. I couldn’t believe I had let her slip through my fingers. And she had a daughter? She had changed so much over the years, but not at all.

  I reached down and adjusted my pants; glad my desk was solid so no one could see as they walked by. I looked at my clock and saw that it was closing in on four thirty in the afternoon. Finally. I had no more appointments or work scheduled for the rest of the day, so I decided to leave early.

  Before that though I called to set up reservations for Friday. No matter what happened someone was going to be at dinner with me. I just hoped it was Everly.

  I stood from my desk ten minutes later and stretched, stifling a grin when I noticed that Ashlee was staring from her desk in the hallway. She really didn’t hide her interest very well. Oh well. I could have had a piece of her last night, but she was too drunk for me to enjoy her, and definitely for her to enjoy me.

  I waved at her before I put on my jacket and closed the door to my office. I poked my head into Mr. Carson’s office, but he wasn’t in there.

  “He left early. He just never shuts his door. Only management can leave early. Unless they let the employees leave. I wasn’t allowed to, though because I came to work so late, because of someone.” She gave me a heavy wink as she glanced down at my cock. It wasn’t doing a good job of being limp around all these women. In fact, it was making a permanent imprint in my pants right now.

  “Thank Ash. I think I am going to take off a bit early today, I need to go get my car detailed.” I was hoping to get a rise out of her, but instead she just huffed back into her seat and glared at me.

  “Going to get someone else drunk tonight?”

  “Not tonight. I did that last night and it didn’t turn out as good as I wanted it.”

  “Yeah. Next time you want information on someone just ask. I would have answered your questions without you getting me drunk. I would have done anything you wanted without getting me drunk. Offer still stands. If you need anything…” Her voice trailed off as she stared behind me.

  I turned to see my other boss, Mr. Johnson, glaring at her. “Ashlee, are you hitting on the new manager already? Didn’t we have this conversation with you last time?”

  “What do you mean last time?” I was genuinely curious.

  “Nothing Mr. Canali. No Mr. Johnson. I was just asking Mr. Canali if he needed anything and reminding him that if he needed help finding anything around here that I was available to show him around since I have lived in LA my whole life.” She sat up straighter, pulling her shirt down and giving the man an easy smile.

  I could just imagine that her pouty lips had been around his cock a time or two in her time her. Maybe more than her lips with the way he was staring at her tits. It made me wonder if she was the office whore and who else she may have fucked.

  “Okay. I need to see you in my office in five minutes to take some notes for me since Mr. Carson is gone and I let Elaine leave early because her morning sickness is getting worse. Five minutes.” He gave her a smoldering look at turned away, strutting down the hallway like a man with a purpose, or a massive hardon.

  “I’ll let you get back to Mr. Johnson. He seems to need your help more than I do now. I’ll let you know if I need anything. Thanks Ash. You’ve been a big help.” I winked at her and lowered my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I don’t think his notes can wait for much longer. He looked a little pressed for time.”

  The blush that covered Ashlee’s face was priceless and I turned and headed to the elevator laughing.

  The rest of the week went by with a blur, and before I realized it, it was Friday morning and my nerves were shot. I had to make it through the workday still before dinner with Everly tonight. I couldn’t wait to see where this would lead us.

  I pulled into my spot, early again. I had started leaving early from home so I could leave early from work. This worked better for me, living in the Palisades. I missed most of the traffic that way, and it helped me avoid the bars and women.

  With a bounce in my step I walked into the lobby and almost ran into someone. Catching their arm, I pulled them to me. Her curves and subtle vanilla and jasmine scent flowed over me. I smiled knowing exactly who I had caught.

  “Are you ready for tonight?” The words left my mouth without a though.

  “Excuse you?” The voice was not that of who I expected. I stepped back and looked again. Nope. Not Everly. Instead the woman staring back at me was older, greyed, but bared a striking resemblance to her.

  “Sorry. I thought you were someone else.” I swallowed hard and finished backing away from the older woman. “Can I help you with anything?”

  “No. My Everly forgot to bring her food. She must have something on her head to forget that. You are cute though, so thank you for making an old woman’s day.”

  There was no way this could be her aunt. I had seen pictures of her aunt and this woman looked nothing like the woman in the pictures. This woman was solid and looked like she would take no nonsense from anyone.

  “I work with Everly. I can take that up to her if you would like so you can get going. It’s not too far out of my way from my office to hers. Unless you have something else you needed to talk with her about and then I wouldn’t mind taking you up to her office with me.” I held out my hand and my elbow. My parents had taught me to be a proper gentleman, even if I did like playing the field. I was trying to make a good impression here, because I wanted to be dating her niece after dinner tonight.

  “Thanks. I want to talk to her about tonight, so I will let you take me up to her,” she took my arm and squeezed it. “Well, you are a strong one. At least I don’t think I will fall holding onto you heading up those stairs. Thank you, young man.”

  “Noel Canali. Pleasure to meet you…” I couldn’t remember the woman’s name but didn’t think it would be okay to address her by it. I had never met the woman to begin with. I didn’t need to make things even more awkward for Everly.

  “Everyone calls me Aunt Gracie. Even Everly’s co-workers. So, you can t
oo. Noel you said? Hm. I don’t think I done heard ya name before. You new here?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I just started working here earlier this week.”

  We stepped onto the elevator and I pressed the button for the company’s floor, wondering what I could pry from this woman.

  “Everly told me someone new just started. They hire a lot of people around the holidays. Hm. You look familiar. You sure you only just started working here? I swear I’ve seen your face before.”

  “No ma’am. I’ve never even lived in SoCal before now. I’m having a hard time adjusting to the lack of snow around here.”

  “Yeah I can tell ya ain’t from ‘round here. Neither am I though. I’m from ‘Bama. I don’t miss it one bit though. I would rather deal with the heat here than there.” She let out a long laugh and squeezed my hand as the elevator doors opened.

  “Do you know your way from here? Or would you like me to walk with you?”

  “I think I can make it, but if you don’t mine walking with me, I sure am enjoying ya comp’ny. Not often you find someone with good manners round these parts. It’s refreshing. Your parents don’ raised you right.”

  I just nodded and kept my arm out for her. I tried and I knew my parents did too, but there were times that it seemed impossible to get anywhere. But if I had earned the approval of her aunt, then there wasn’t much more than to earn the approval of her daughter.

  I couldn’t just try and win Everly’s heart anymore. Now there was a little girl attached to the woman I wanted.

  Knocking on Everly’s door I stuck my head in to see if she was in. She was sitting at her desk and scowled when she saw me at the door until I moved, and she could see her aunt standing in the doorway as well. “I bring a delivery for you. Have a good day.” I backed out of her doorway before she could say anything to me and left the two women alone.