by Gina Henning
“Darling, it’s been too long.” Brianna eyes the waitress who returns with two glasses of Cabernet and this is why she is our favorite waitress.
“Thank you, Beverly, you always have perfect timing.” Brianna takes the glasses and hands one to me.
“So, talk to me…what’s been going on? What’s with the radio silence?” Her green eyes peer into mine and I immediately want to share that I asked Megan and how I’m regretting it but I can’t, not tonight. Tonight, I have to solve the Trent issue.
I shake my head as if it were that easy to shake off this yuckiness. I don’t even want to share what happened with her or anyone. But the problem has to be dealt with and Brianna is the only person who can give me some answers about what to say and to whom.
“What is going on? You have something to spill…do it.”
I laugh. “Something is going on…but it’s not good.”
“What is it? Talk to me, Goose.”
I can’t help but laugh again. Even in this stressful moment Brianna knows how to say the right thing to make me feel at ease. “It’s about Trent.”
“Oh lawd…I told you he had it bad… What happened?”
“He kissed me.”
“What?” Brianna practically squeals in our small quaint lounging local and several people glance in our direction. I cut my eyes from any inquisitive gazes.
“When, how, where were you, what did you do?” Brianna is like a child reciting the possible question cues and forgetting about the main issue—that it actually happened. All the other answers really don’t matter. And they definitely won’t to Jack.
“It happened at work.”
“Oh my lawd, did you report it or him? What did you do?”
“I threw up in his mouth.”
“What?” Brianna is even louder this time and jerks her head back with disgust. The same disgust I felt, but it’s not like I meant to puke in his mouth and further I never wanted him to kiss me.
“Yeah, he surprise-kissed me. Pushed his nasty tongue in my mouth and I threw up in his.”
Brianna blinks her eyes and shakes her head. For once in her life she is literally speechless.
“And then I was so grossed out and knew the rest was coming up so I dashed to the ladies’. I haven’t seen or heard from him since.”
Brianna begins laughing uncontrollably. “I’m sorry.” She’s barely able to say anything in between her fit of giggles. “It’s not that funny. Well actually it is…but it’s just so perfect and gross.” Her laughter continues. “Haha, only you, Lauren, could thwart someone’s continual advances by puking in their mouth.” She shakes her head and wipes around her mouth. “Oh my goodness…that is just too ridiculously perfect.” She takes a sip of her wine. “Okay, I’m all right now. I’m sorry. It’s just…” She laughs again. “No really, I’m done. Speaking of which, what are you going to do about this?” She cocks her head to the right and for the first time since she sat down she is serious.
“That’s why you’re here.”
She jerks her head back. “Oh, honey, I don’t even know. You have two issues to deal with here. One, Jack. And two, work.”
“Exactly, so how do I do it and what do I say?” I take a sip of my Cabernet. It tastes off. Like it’s been sitting out for weeks. Which is not normal for Shantilly’s.
“Well, first off you have to tell Jack. As in as soon as you leave here. If you let it sit for a moment longer, it will cause huge problems.”
My stomach twists. I consider rushing off to the ladies’. No, I’m fine. “Right, but what do I say?”
“You tell him what you just told me.”
“Including the puke?”
“Most importantly the puke.”
I scrunch up my eyebrows. “Why, to embarrass myself?”
“No, to show how grossed out you were by Trent kissing you. That’s why you threw up, right?” Brianna’s eyes run over my face and body like she is a TSA agent at the airport trying to determine if I have contraband. “That is why you threw up, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“There are many reasons why someone might be sick and I’m wondering what caused your puking in Trent’s mouth. Was it because you were grossed out or was it something else?”
“Of course I was grossed out.” I shake my head at her like I’m appalled that she would think anything else.
“Right, but have you been sick at any other point lately?” Brianna scoots closer to the table in between us. “It’s okay to tell me, Lauren. You know it’s safe to talk with me.”
I take in a deep breath and bite my lip. “No. I’m fine.”
“Okay, listen. I’m not saying anything caused one or the other but if anything is making you feel a certain way again, I’m here to talk… Remember, I’m a safe conversation zone. It’s okay to tell me if things are happening again.”
I swallow but my throat is dry again. I take a sip of the wine, which is really nasty. I can’t drink it. I place it down on the table.
“I’ll tell Jack but what do I do about Trent? I’ve already told him a zillion times I’m not interested and now he’s pushed the envelope too far. But I feel if I speak up about it now people will question my timing and the fact that he is doing better than me.”
Brianna nods. “You’re a hundred percent right. You can’t say anything. Well, you could, but it’s best if you don’t. There are two ways to handle this. One, being Jack—”
“Wait, what?”
“Come on, Lauren, what do you think will happen when you tell Jack that Trent kissed you?”
“He’ll be mad.”
“Understatement of the year. He will be furious. If Jack isn’t the biggest alpha I’ve seen to cross your path then I don’t know who is. Listen, he won’t be reasoned with. He will handle it and honestly I think you should let him.”
“What? Why? It’s not his issue. I’m not some damsel who needs to be rescued or something.”
“Actually, Lauren, you kind of are. You’re in a tough space. You can be all I am woman hear me roar in this situation, but your instinct is right—you will be shunned at work and you can forget the next level of promotions because your ceiling will go from glass to cement.”
“Wow, that’s harsh and not necessarily true.”
“It might be harsh but true it is. Your character, your performance will come into question. Let Jack handle it or at least give him an opportunity to guide you on what to do. That’s my advice.” She swallows the last of her glass of wine. “Now, this is going to sound weird coming from me, but I’m calling it a night, because you have got to get to Jack and talk… Every minute is a countdown to how much he will be bothered that you didn’t talk to him sooner about it.”
I reach for my glass and then retract my hand, remembering how nasty it tastes. I can’t believe Brianna willingly finished her glass. Oh well.
“All right. Let’s go.” We pay our tabs and exit into the summer night. The sky is shades of pinks and oranges and makes me think that would make for a pretty wedding bouquet. But will there be a wedding for me to hold a bouquet? I’m anxious, worried, and a bit afraid of what this summer night will hold for me and my future.
Chapter Eight
Wow, today has been a day. I climb the stairs to my townhouse. I just want to ditch my office attire and snuggle up in my comfy clothes. Opt for popcorn and wine on the couch and watch some sort of mindless entertainment. I don’t want to think. But I know what has to happen first. What has to be said and heard and then the aftermath of that. What will Jack say or do in response? I’m worried. The anticipation of the unknown is tearing away at my insides. I let go of all of it and open the door.
Jack jumps up from the couch with his cell phone in his hand. “Hey, I was beginning to worry about you.” His lips meet mine.
I jerk back. “Why? I said I’d be a bit late and I’m not that late.” I glance across the room at the clock. It’s a little after six, which isn’t bad considering it’s a Monday
.
“We are supposed to meet the group at 6:30.” Jack takes a step back and runs his eyes over my outfit. “Did you forget?”
I scrunch my eyebrows together. “What? Noooo…let me run and freshen up really quickly.” I rush past him into the bedroom. Shiat. I totally forgot. Dinner with his work colleagues. He’s been planning this since he moved up here and tonight I was finally going to meet his employees from the Baltimore office. I obviously don’t have time for a shower. It’ll have to be a squirt of perfume and an extra application of makeup to touch up my frazzled Monday appearance. Why did we have to meet on a Monday? I shake my head as I swish some shadow over my lids. I glide back out into the living room, leaving any sense of comfort behind me. Nope. I’ll have to put on my happy face and be present for a few more hours today.
“You look gorgeous, come on. We can’t be late. I made reservations.” Jack grabs my hand and we make our way to his car. I slide into my seat, happy that I chose to wear my gray capped dress with crème jacket and crème pumps today, which can shift to nighttime appearance—even though I didn’t even remember about this dinner when I put it on this morning. What kind of a fiancée am I? I’m disappointed with myself. This is a big deal for Jack and I totally forgot about it. I hope he doesn’t realize that I lied about remembering. I don’t want to make the situation worse than it already is.
“How was your day? You seemed down when you came through the door?”
I let out a sigh. “Yeah, it wasn’t great. Trent… There was—”
“There was what? Why was he promoted again? Are his numbers really that good?”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, his numbers are good, but no they didn’t promote him again.”
“So what’s the problem, Lauren?”
“Okay, Trent kissed me.”
Jack’s face goes from fear to rage in no less than the second it took for the three horrible words to pass from my lips.
“When?” The vein in his throat is pumping like it’s racing to the finish line.
“Today at work.”
“Where?”
“In my office.”
“What was he doing in your office?”
I swipe some hair off my face. “I came back from my morning meeting and he was there in my office. I asked him to leave and he wouldn’t. He said he was trying to help me get my team organized. I explained to Trent that I didn’t need or appreciate his help and he was to leave me alone. He didn’t say anything and I thought I had finally gotten through to him. I was about to open the door and he pulled me into his arms and kissed me.”
I let out a deep breath.
“What did you do?”
I glance down at the ground. This is so embarrassing. Even though I didn’t ask for the kiss in any way or form, the idea that I puked in someone’s mouth is just really disgusting and I’m grossed out with myself.
“Lauren, what did you do in response?”
I let out deep breath. “I threw up in his mouth.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I puked up stomach bile in his mouth. He released me and I dashed off to the bathroom. I haven’t seen or heard from him since.”
A smile crosses over Jack’s face. He reaches for my hand and kisses it. “God, I love you, Lauren.”
I scrunch up my eyebrows. “Because I’m gross?”
Jack lets out a loud guffaw. “No, my love, you are not gross, you are an amazingly beautiful woman and hearing that his kiss made you sick enough to puke couldn’t make me happier.” Jack’s grin is wider than I thought was possible.
I let out a laugh. “Well, I’m glad you think my inopportune puking is a good thing.”
“Hey, that was the most opportune puking that I’ve ever heard of.” Jack strokes my hand. “I can’t imagine a better response to shut someone down.” He laughs again.
“Yes, I hope so. Now that he is a manager too…it just makes everything different.”
Jack tsks. “Lauren, you know he didn’t get there on his own merit. Threats for position? That’s not exactly stellar management. It’s not the way to run things.”
“I know…but it wasn’t my decision. Javier didn’t even think to contact me. It’s not like I was in Iceland and unreachable.”
Jack nods. “Definitely not Iceland; hot summer nights in Texas? Mmm, those I remember. Anyway, that’s not the point. Trent crossed a line today. I’m just glad you showed him how you really felt. And if that still doesn’t get him to back off, I’ll be having words with him. No one kisses my fiancée but me.” He reaches for my hand and kisses my knuckles.
The car swerves a bit to the side. “Jack, be careful.”
“I am careful. If you want to be a backseat driver I can pull over and you can switch seats.”
I nudge his arm. “Haha.”
“Now that I think of it, I wouldn’t mind hopping in the back seat with you.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me.
I can’t help but laugh.
Jack glances over at me. “Do you have a Reykjavik snow globe?”
My cheeks blaze. I swallow. “No.”
Jack guides the car over some bumps. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Why? Iceland isn’t exactly a go-to destination.”
“Anywhere with you is a go-to destination for me.” His eyes meet mine and I’m melting like an ice cube on a hot summer night. “Besides, Iceland is meant to be amazing. Northern lights, the Blue Lagoon hot springs, amazing food… It could be the ideal honeymoon destination, snuggled up with you in front of a roaring fire?”
I pull a face. “I had beaches and sunshine in mind for our honeymoon.”
Jack grins. “Well you in a bikini is also ideal.” He winks at me as he pulls into a parking spot and I’m delighted at the sign above. Mariscari’s—it’s an Italian seafood place. We haven’t been here together. I’m hoping tonight will be a treat besides it being a work dinner.
We make our way to the entrance of the restaurant and I glance up at Jack. His at-ease face is missing. There is a crease between his eyebrows that I’ve not seen before. Is he nervous?
At the host stand Jack advises the hostess of our party and she leads us to the back of the restaurant where a group of six people are already seated at our table. I’m guessing we are late. Damn.
The line on Jack’s forehead is gone and he’s beaming a winning the lotto kind of smile. He is over-smiling almost. This is the first time I’m seeing him in a work environment. Granted I saw him at Vintage Estates but that was something he inherited, whereas these architecture people are from a business he built himself.
“Jack, it’s not like you to be late.” A woman in a red power blazer cocks her head to the right and glances at her watch. Who wears watches?
Jack lets out a hard chuckle. “Kristen, this is Lauren—her beauty alone makes me late to things. I have to constantly catch my breath. I can barely keep up with her.”
I raise an eyebrow. Wow. Okay. I grab on to the chair in front of me. If Jack didn’t have his hand on the small of my back I’m sure I would swoon backwards like in an old movie. But I don’t need a fainting chair because Jack is here with me and he’s already got his hand on me like he wants me to know he won’t let me fall. Physically. Emotionally, I’m already gone. I’ve fallen. This is obvious.
And I was the reason for us being late. Right now I want to be the reason we exit and have a romantic dinner together. Jack is too much. Almost.
Kristen stands and she swipes her dark hair out of her eye before offering her hand to me. “Lauren, it’s so great to finally meet you. Jack has changed from Mr. Grumpy Grump to a semi-decent person to be around since the two of you got together.”
I let out a small laugh. Jack’s eyebrows furrow. I can tell he is not really bothered by her statement and I shall save this one for later to joke about with him in private. Jack as a Mr. Grumpy Grump? I can see this because during our first encounter at the pecan farm he wasn’t exactly buckets of kindness. “It’s great to meet you too.”
Jack squeezes my arm. “This is Patrick, Kristen’s husband. And AJ and Joe, and finally Anders and Katie.”
I shake hands with everyone before sitting down, next to Kristen. A waiter approaches the table and Jack orders a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. I almost want to interrupt and ask that they make sure it’s a magnum. I want to wash away my workday blues and really enjoy this dinner.
“So, congratulations, what’s the date for the wedding?” Kristen is eyeing me with excitement. It’s almost as if I can see her reminiscing about her own wedding. And how she planned things. Weddings and babies are very similar for women. They bond over them. Colors, flowers, cakes, places, names, and the experience of it.
“Thank you, our wedding is set for October twenty-second.”
“Do you already have your dress?” Patrick inspects my face.
“Ha, ah no not yet. I’ve just begun the hunt.” I laugh.
“This woman does not settle either.” Jack beams at me. “She is big on details and sees the whole picture. And sometimes she likes to break the rules. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.” Jack squeezes my hand under the table. My insides are on fire. I know what he’s talking about. I refused to wear a hair net while we were baking pecan pies together. It became a very hot situation between us and it wasn’t the ovens. It was the heat that radiated off of Jack.
“It’s been really fun trying on all the different dresses. I had no idea there were so many options.” I laugh again.
“Isn’t it the best? I loved trying to figure out which one I should get. Picking out a dress is a big deal. I’m the analytical one in this outfit, not an artsy thing about me, and it took me months. Isn’t that right, Patrick?” Kristen pats her husband’s arm.
Patrick nods. “Yes, but I almost think the venue was a bigger deal. It took us forever to decide on a location and then the music.” He rolls his eyes.
Kristen laughs. “And don’t forget the food. How many argu—discussions did we have about the food?”
Patrick laughs with her and their foreheads touch.