His face hung with regret, and he remained silent accepting the insults Elena threw his way.
Elena was emotionally drained and didn’t have the energy to continue this back and forth with him. “I have to prepare for the meeting, so if you will excuse me, I rather not go on with this.”
Daniel ran his fingers through his hair. He looked as frustrated as Elena was with the entire situation. “We have to find a way to work together, Elena.”
Elena pulled out a chair and sat down. She opened her notebook trying to preoccupy herself and ignore Daniel. “Yes, you stay away from me, and we will be just fine.”
He walked around the table and took the seat across from her. “That’s not the answer, and you know it,” he whispered.
“Good morning, everyone,” Jody announced, entering the conference room and making her way to her usual spot next to Mr. Wilbur’s seat.
The tension in the room was deafening, and like any pro, Jody could sense the hostility in it. She eyed them with suspicion trying to figure out what was going on between them so she could start her next round of gossip.
“Why, good morning, Jody,” Daniel replied with enthusiasm. For all she knew they had just been telling jokes to one another. He glanced at Elena in a secret warning. Apparently, he also knew of her ability to spread rumors faster than the paparazzi.
“How are you doing, darling?” she asked Daniel. “I heard you both used to work together back in your military days.”
Elena glanced at Daniel, and his eyes whispered memories of the past, but he was no longer Captain Grant, and she was no longer Sergeant Garcia. The intimacy of his stare suggested more than just a knowledge of her past but a deep understanding of the yearnings of her heart.
“Daniel and I were stationed together seven years ago in Okinawa,” Elena stated hoping Judy would not seek to dig any further into her business.
“My, isn’t this a small world, to meet back up again in this small little town.” Jody planted the seed waiting for a reply.
“How is Sam doing?” Daniel said turning the conversation to put the focus on Jody.
Jody waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, you know—same as usual, complaining here and there about his pains.”
“Elena, did you know Jody and Sam have been married for thirty-five years now. They just celebrated their anniversary last month.”
Elena looked up from her notebook. It was hard to seem interested in anything right now. Especially trying to be cordial to Daniel and Jody. “Congrats,” Elena said dryly; cordiality eluded her at the moment. Thankfully, John walked in with a box of donuts, saving her from further conversation. Jody reached in and grabbed a bear claw not even giving poor John a chance to set the box on the table. At least that would keep her mouth busy.
“So, where is everyone else?” John asked as he sat in the seat at the head of the table.
“We still have five minutes; they should be here shortly.” At least Elena hoped. If not, she would have to start rounding up some people.
Troy and Emilio walked in a minute later. “Mmmm…donuts.” Emilio went straight to the box as if hypnotized by its glaze and mountain of sugar. “Oh, hey everyone else,” he said, waving with one hand and shoving a Boston cream donut into his mouth with the other.
Troy took the seat at the end of the table. He was unusually quiet and looked preoccupied with something.
“So, how are my deliveries going?” Daniel asked Troy, his words filled with resentment.
“From what Elena has told me, they are my deliveries now.” His tone surprised everyone at the table as all eyes concentrated on him. He must have grown some balls in the last couple of days because the Troy Elena had met was shy and quiet. Elena looked at Daniel, knowing he was just reeling poor Troy in for the kill.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t get too comfortable. I plan on getting my schedule back,” Daniel promised.
So that was it, Elena thought. That’s why Daniel was being so nice to her—he wanted her to change his schedule back.
“You can plan all you want, Daniel. I heard Mr. Morton has taken a liking to you,” Troy jabbed back.
Elena looked at John to see if he would put an end to this but he was busy talking to Jody. They could probably break out into a brawl right there in the room, and it wouldn’t bother him a bit.
“Who wouldn’t when they have an experienced instructor for a change?” Daniel would never back down, and Elena knew it.
Troy’s face started turning red. “Now, you listen here—”
“Stop it, you two,” Elena whispered to both of them before they ended up in a fist fight. She glared at Daniel who sat directly across from her. This was so typical of him. “People change,” my ass. He hadn’t changed one bit. He lowered his eyes like a kid who had been reprimanded by his mother.
Bridget walked in with Jake trailing after her. She took her seat in the back while Jake sat next to Daniel. Poor kid followed Daniel around like he was a God.
“All right, let’s get this started. I know everyone is busy and has things to do. I’ll keep this short and simple.” John looked over to Elena so she could start handing out the agenda to everyone.
“John, about this schedule—” Daniel began.
“I’m getting there, Daniel,” John interrupted him. “As you can see, some of you have been moved around a bit, and I have gotten very good feedback from our customers. Troy, you have done an outstanding job with your deliveries and scenic tours. And Daniel, I know you have some objections to it, but I think teaching is a good experience to have and I’ve been very impressed with your teaching skills.”
“Thank you for the compliment, but I’d rather get back to my old schedule,” Daniel objected.
“Well, for now, we will leave it as it is. I have a potential new pilot that may be coming next week, and if it all works out, we’ll see what we can do.”
“Thank you.” Daniel looked at Elena with a smug smile on his face like he had just won a victory.
“Why are we getting a new pilot?” Jake asked.
“Good question and it’s actually what I wanted to bring up next. I want to expand the company and extend the level of services we provide. To do this, I’m creating an opportunity for a marketing manager position. This position, of course, will focus on promoting our business and widening our footprint. I would like to advertise this position internally first before going out to the public to give everyone a fair chance. In order to compete for it, anyone who is interested needs to bring me ideas on how we can improve our company.”
Elena’s wheels started to turn—this was her chance. Being a secretary was just a stepping stone for her; the marketing position would allow her to turn to her creative side and play a role in bringing change.
“Those interested should submit their proposal no later than next week.” Mr. Wilbur went through the rest of the agenda and concluded the meeting in less than thirty minutes. “Let’s get back to work, folks.”
Everyone started getting up to leave. “Well, aren’t we getting all fancy with a marketing director,” Judy complained as she reached in to grab a second donut. “I have been here for twenty years and have never needed a marketing person.”
“New times, Judy, call for some much-needed change. Even for us veteran folks,” Mr. Wilbur said, trying to impart some positive into the sea of negativity.
Elena was gathering her things to leave when Emilio addressed her.
“Hey, a couple of us are going out for Latin night on Friday. You should come; it will be fun,” Emilio said.
Latin night sounded like just what she needed to escape the reality of her life right now. “Yes, I could use the distraction. It’s been ages since I’ve been dancing.”
“Okay, so after work on Friday, you can meet us there around nine. I’ll text you the address. I would offer to pick you up, but if I’m in luck, I won’t be going home that night.” Emilio winked at her and took off.
“We need to finish our conversat
ion,” Daniel interrupted.
“No we don’t, and listen, you can stop the act now. John said he’s not changing your schedule, so this whole trying to be Mr. Nice Guy and acting like you care attitude can stop, and you can go back to being the same old jerk you’ve always been.”
Daniel took a step closer to Elena. “You know what your problems is?”
Elena squared her shoulders in defense. “Yes, I do. It’s you.”
“What makes you so self-righteous and me the constant villain? I was trying to look out for you back then, and whether you believe me or not, I am deeply sorry for the way things turned out. But I have this gut feeling that no matter what I say, you will never accept my apology.”
Daniel was right on one thing: she would never forgive him for what he had done. “Give me a break. You were looking out for yourself and trying to get back at me for not doing your bidding and bowing to your command,” she said. “But on one thing you are right: I will never forgive you. So now you can leave me the hell alone.”
“I thought that in seven years, you would have grown up a little bit but I guess not.”
“And I thought that karma would have bit you in the ass by now. But I guess that’s why I’m here—to make you pay for the sins of your past.” Elena pushed him out of her way and left him there standing alone.
After taking care of a mountain of paperwork, Elena walked over to talk to Jake, making sure to avoid running into Daniel in the process. Jake was, as usual, hands-deep working on an airplane. “Knock knock…you rang?” Elena announced her presence.
“Oh hey, thanks for stopping by.” Jake wiped his hands, leaving engine grease on the towel. “I know you haven’t been working here long but you look like the type of person I can trust,” he said, too serious for his age.
Elena was happy Jake felt comfortable confiding in her. “As long as you’re not confessing to murder, I’m good,” Elena joked.
Jake chuckled. “Oh gosh no, I just have a question about a girl.” He shyly looked down at his feet.
Elena thought Jake was completely adorable and she had a hunch which girl he wanted advice about. “No problem. I’m all ears.” She grabbed the stool by the wall and sat down on it, preparing to impart her wisdom on how to woo a girl.
Jake shoved his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched forward. “Well, you see, there is this girl I’ve had a crush on for a long time but I’m not sure if she likes me, and I don’t know how to approach her.”
Jake’s abashment in his sentiments for Bridget pulled at her heart. If only the men she had met in the past had been as sweet at this one, she would be happily married by now. “And would this girl be shy by nature as well?” Elena tapped her finger on her shin.
Jake eyes lightened. “Yes, she is very shy. Kind of like me.” He frowned as if realizing how difficult this was going to be if they were both timid.
“So why haven’t you just approached her and asked her out for coffee?”
“Because I’m afraid she will say no.” His eyes were filled with defeat before he had even tried.
Elena was well versed in the fear of rejection. But nevertheless, she wanted to root for Jake. “Well honey, if you never ask, the answer will always be no. Besides, what’s the worst thing that will happen?”
“She says no.”
“Well, obviously. But at least you can say you tried.”
Jake leaned against the airplane, battling the demons inside his head. “But then it would be awkward because I would have to see her every day.”
“I think Bridget will say yes if you ask her out,” Elena blurted out.
His eyes widened in shock. “You knew?”
“Honey, everyone knows.”
“Is it that obvious?” he asked.
“Yeah, but it’s a nice obvious. We are all rooting for you.”
A flicker of hope sparkled in his eyes. “So, do you think I have a shot?”
“I tell you what. I’m having lunch with her today and I can see what it is she is looking for. Sound fair?”
He sighed in relief. “Yes, thank you.”
Chapter 13
The restaurant was buzzing with people. The chatter from the other tables was so loud Elena could barely hear herself talk. “So, what was it you wanted to talk about?”
Bridget had approached Elena last week seeking a lunch date to get together and ask her opinion about something she was too embarrassed to talk about at work. Elena wasn’t sure if she was the right person to be imparting advice right now, as she was in a conundrum of her own.
Bridget hesitated, playing around with her food. “Well, there is this guy I like. But I don’t know how to let him know I’m interested.”
This was perfect. Elena sat up straight, ready to play matchmaker to Jake and Bridget.
“So, do I know this guy?” Elena was just dying to ask if it was Jake but she didn’t want to scare her off.
“Um, yeah, you know him.”
This was like pulling teeth. “Well, why not just ask him out for a cup of coffee?” Elena was having a déjà vu from this morning.
Bridget’s shoulders slumped. She put her fork down, no longer interested in her food. “Because he is totally out of my league.”
“Sweetie, no one is ever out of your league. You are a beautiful young girl, and any guy would be lucky to have you.”
“Really? You think I’m beautiful?” Her face was filled with hope again.
Bridget’s self-doubt resonated with Elena. “I don’t think so; I know you are beautiful inside and out. All you have to do is believe in yourself. Be more confident—men love that.”
“I wish I could be strong like you.”
If Bridget only knew the demons Elena had battled to get to where she was. As a young girl in South America where thin silhouettes were valued more than the beauty within, she had been ridiculed for every flaw they could find in her. Elena had been obsessed with losing weight and trying to fit it with the skinny, curvy girls who had the perfect weight in all the right places. Until she met Kat, who showed her that being unique was the sexiest thing in the world and built the confidence in her that had been stolen as a young, insecure teenage girl. “Like me?” Elena gave a half-hearted laugh.
“You have all this air of confidence I wish I had.”
Elena made a promise to return the favor Kat had done for her, and she would lift this beautiful young girl up. She grabbed Bridget’s hands. “You can be confident too. First, you have to appreciate yourself and what you have, and when you see yourself shine they way I see you shine, others will see it too.”
Bridget smiled, and for a moment it looked like the sun was beaming off her face. “Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll ask him out, but where?”
Elena remembered about salsa night; it would be the perfect place for Jake and Bridget to go. Let the Spanish music and margaritas do the rest. “I have an idea. I am going to salsa night with Emilio on Friday night. That would be a perfect opportunity for your first date. That way you won’t feel so uncomfortable being alone.”
Bridget beamed with excitement. “I would love that, but I don’t know how to dance.”
“Don’t worry about it. Emilio can give you a couple of lessons.”
“Oh no, I would be mortified and—”
“Listen, do you want to look confident and sexy at the same time?” Elena interrupted.
Bridget nodded her head in agreement.
“Then you let Emilio teach you how to dance.”
She sighed. “Okay.”
Elena was excited about going out to dance. Every time she heard her Spanish music, the lyrics and beat transported her back to Venezuela where a part of her father’s heritage lived within her.
Today she would close her eyes and let the rhythm infuse her and bring her back home. Moving from New York City to Venezuela, her father’s home country, at such a young age had been hard on her. She had left all her mother’s side of the family behind—a family she adored and was very c
lose to. In Venezuela, everything was new and foreign. Elena couldn’t even speak the language, and as a result, she had been made fun of at school.
It wasn’t until Elena was an adult that she was able to understand the sacrifice her mother had made to leave everything she held dear to her heart and take her only child to a country she knew nothing about, to face a wilderness she had only seen in the movies to follow the man she was head over heels in love with.
Her father was the total opposite of her mother. He was adventurous to a fault and had started his journey at eighteen years old as a stowaway in a plantain cargo ship with empty pockets and the dream of a new life in the Big Apple.
Elena knew her parents’ dreams were carried on with her when she left, and she wanted to make her parents proud. Looking back, Elena was grateful for every hardship she went through because it made her the person she was today.
Today, she would enjoy herself and forget about her past troubles with Daniel who had been too busy teaching to bother her for the rest of the week. His words had tormented her these last days. I didn’t know. I’m sorry. Was he truly sorry? It didn’t matter. He had no right to do what he did. The price she had paid for his actions had been too great. Elena didn’t know how she could continue working with him, but one thing was for sure: he would not drive her away again. This was her life now.
She donned a black dress she had bought for tonight. At first, she was hesitant to wear the clingy backless dress that came down to her mid-thigh, but once she had tried it on, she had fallen in love with it. It fit her in all the right places. Finding a dress that fit her larger-than-normal bottom along with a smaller waist could be quite the challenge, but she had hit the lottery with this one. It was like it was made just for her. She checked herself out in the mirror one last time and was happy with the results. She strapped on her high heels and texted Bridget to make sure she wasn’t going to chicken out tonight. Elena was so proud Bridget had followed her advice and asked Jake out. She hadn’t been able to get around to talking to Jake again because he had been sent offsite to fix a plane and had been gone the rest of the week. They would make such a beautiful couple, and Elena couldn’t wait to see their relationship blossom.
The Man of My Dreams Page 9