Between You & I

by Susan Cairns

  “Okay. Next week I can make a list of the things you want and pick them up when I do my regular shopping.”

  “I can always go with you. I don’t expect you to foot the whole bill for groceries,” I say a little more sternly than I mean to, but she needs to know that this is a two-way street. I don’t need, or want, her to think she needs to mother me.

  I pick up the last shirt from the ironing board and slip it on a hanger as I head back to the closet. When I come back, I find that in the few seconds she was out of my sight, Jennifer picked up after me and left the bedroom. I fold up the board and hang it on the hooks on the inside of the closet door. I can tell Jennifer isn’t the kind of person who leaves things out of place—another thing I’ll have to get used to. Not to say I’m a slob, but I haven’t always been the neatest person. Take ironing, for instance. I do it often, so leaving everything out just seems more convenient. But clearly that’s not going to fly here.

  I grab my wallet and keys from the dresser as Jennifer passes by the door, heading down the hall toward the living room, and I flip off the light and follow her. My coat is draped over the back of the couch, so I slip it on and see she’s standing just outside of the coat closet doing the same. Then she bends to pick her purse up from the floor.

  “Ready?” I ask as I move to pull the door open for us, motioning for her to go ahead.

  Jennifer stops to lock up, so I grab the outside door too. After she passes me again, I fall in step with her, placing my hand at the small of her back to guide her to the passenger side of my Jeep. After opening her door, I wait until she’s settled before I shut her in and round the front to slip behind the wheel.

  I push the button on the dash, bringing the engine to life, then move to plug my phone into the USB, but Jennifer’s hand stops me. “You don’t need your GPS. I can tell you the best way to get there. Besides it’s not going to help you with morning traffic anyway.”

  “Okay, that works for me. I’m pretty good with directions, so I should be good after a trial run.” I wink at her, assuming she probably thinks I’m a typical guy who wouldn’t ask for directions.

  She tells me to turn right out of the parking lot, taking us in the opposite direction from the way I came. Which turns out to be a nice short cut to the expressway. All in all, it only takes about fifteen minutes to reach the exit I’ll take for work. However, Jennifer insists that it can get busy in the morning. I’m used to Chicago traffic though, and no offense to Buffalo, but I’m sure it’s nothing like that.

  When we reach the office, I pull into the lot to turn around so I can retrace our steps, thinking we’d head back toward the condo to shop and eat. But there’s a shopping center right across the street—convenient—so I swing in there. We head to a chain Italian restaurant, planning to hit up Target when we’re finished.

  By the time we’re done eating and wandering around Target—I took up an entire cart myself—it’s dark and I feel as though the day has completely gotten away from me.

  Apparently I’m not alone in my thoughts.

  “I can’t believe you start work tomorrow. I don’t feel like we got to spend any time together,” Jennifer says.

  “I know, I wish I could have made it to town a little sooner,” I say, taking my eyes off the road for a second to glance at Jennifer. “But I needed to take a couple of more days with my family.”

  “I understand. I would have done the same thing in your position. I guess I’ll make sure my schedule is clear next weekend so I can show you around.”

  “You don’t work every weekend, do you?” I ask, because the thought never crossed my mind. Whenever we planned to get together, it always seemed as if she was able to throw the trip together so fast.

  “It’s not required that I work weekends, but I usually do. Most Saturdays I go into the office and Sundays I work from home, but I can always stay later a couple of nights during the week instead.”

  I grab her hand and give it a little squeeze. “We can make plans for one weekend, I don’t want you staying at the office all hours of the night.”

  “Okay, we can do that.”

  Back at the condo, I send Jennifer inside while I make a couple of trips to get the bags. She waits until I’m done to put everything away, wanting to show me where everything goes. At just about ten, we head back to the bedroom, but Jennifer goes to take a shower while I crawl into bed.

  I’m not even sure how much time passes before I feel the bed dip with her weight. I’m so exhausted from driving and unpacking, I can barely keep my eyes open. But as soon as I feel she’s settled, I wrap my arm around her middle and pull her back into my front, burying my face in her damp hair, which has Jennifer tensing up.

  “Night,” I say then kiss the back of her head, hoping to ease her tension.

  She blows out a deep sigh, loosening her body and snuggling into me. “Night, Reid.”

  At ten after eight, I reach the office. Taking Jennifer’s warning about the traffic to heart, I left a little earlier than I was planning, but it wasn’t bad at all. Since my “Welcome” e-mail didn’t say anything about parking passes or permits, I pull into the first available spot after the visitor section. Even though I’m not expected until eight thirty, I slip inside behind another employee, hoping to get the usual paperwork out of the way so I can get down to business.

  The vestibule is bright and modern, with a sitting area to the right of the door and an L-shaped desk just behind it. There’s a black-and-silver Great Lakes Consulting sign on the far wall next to the door that, I assume, leads into the main office. Because I’m early, the receptionist doesn’t seem to be here, so I take a seat on one of the leather chairs and prop my leg up on my knee.

  Within minutes, there’s a flurry of activity. Through the front window, I see the parking lot fill up, and almost all at once, every employee is walking into the building. I feel a little out of place not knowing anyone, but I don’t want to seem like a creep watching people as they pass by, so I pull my phone out of my pocket and flip through e-mails, most of which are spam. About ten minutes pass before the stream of people slows down. At that point, I hear something, probably a coffee mug, bump against the desk behind me. So I slip my phone back in my front pocket, stand, and head to where a young guy is setting up his laptop.

  “Good morning, my name is Reid Mariano. Miranda’s expecting me,” I say to the man standing behind the reception desk.

  “Yeah, she told me you’d be here and wanted me to set you up in the conference room to fill out all of your paperwork. Said she had to meet with Taylor before getting you settled,” he says as if I should know who he’s talking about. “Do you drink coffee?”

  “Um, yeah.”

  “Okay, good, we’ll go grab you a cup before I show you in. Just give me one-second to set the away message on the phone.”

  As he pushes a couple of buttons on the phone keypad, I notice his bright pink button-down shirt and purple bow tie with dark gray slacks, something I wouldn’t be caught dead in.

  “Done, follow me.” He steps out from behind the desk, swiping his card then pulling the door open for me. “I’m Brian, by the way.”

  “Nice to meet you, Brian. Have you worked here long?” I ask after stepping through the door, trying to make small talk.

  “Ummm, I’ve been here for a couple of years. Recently downgraded to the front desk, since Chantal decided to pack it in and move south, but Miranda promised me she’s working on finding an actual receptionist.”

  “So you’re not the receptionist?”

  “Nope, I got thrown into the position because I have a pretty face.” He looks over at me and winks. I can’t tell if he’s flirting with me or just cocky; either way, he’s making me a little uncomfortable. “My actual job is an account associate. Basically I’m your peon—well, not really yours, not yet anyway. I think Miranda’s planning on shuffling people around, but I’m not sure when.”

  Stepping into a small room made of glass, I notice an entire w
all of refrigerators. On another is a counter with a sink flanked by two coffee makers. The middle contains several tables with four chairs each.

  “It’s not glamorous, but it’s where the life fuel is kept,” Brian says sweeping his arm around the room as though he’s Vanna White. “Grab yourself a cup. I’m going to run across the hall, then I’ll take you back to the conference room.”

  “Okay,” I say, because I’m not quite sure how to take him.

  Brian returns as I’m leaning against the counter, attempting to take my first sip of piping hot coffee. Without a word, he waves for me to follow him, and we head back in the direction we came, but we pass by the reception area and stop at the next door.

  He pulls the glass door open and waits for me to enter first. “Everything is laid out on the table for you. The bag”—he points toward a reusable shopping bag—“has a GLC portfolio, a pen, and some other swag for you. When you’re all set, you can put everything in the file folder and bring it out to me. I’ll buzz you back in so you can wait for Miranda. She’s next door, so you’ll see her if she finishes before you. All right?” He sucks in a deep breath, since he didn’t take one between words.

  “Yeah, I’m good. Shouldn’t take me long,” I say, pulling out the chair and waiting for Brian to leave before I sit.

  “Well, then I’ll leave you to it,” he says, backing out of the room and pulling the door shut.

  Sifting through the papers in front of me, I start with the tax forms then work my way through to the personnel information sheet. Like I told Brian, it takes me no time at all to get through them. The only thing holding me up was the sound of muted voices coming from next door. The room where Brian said Miranda was meeting with someone named Taylor. It sounds like a one-sided argument and I’m starting to wonder if this Taylor is going to have a job by the time I’m done.

  Finishing in less than fifteen minutes, I shove all the documents into the file folder then head out to drop them with Brian. As promised, he buzzes me back into the main building, but instead of going back into the conference room, I lean against the cubicle wall opposite the door where I heard the yelling. Propping myself against the wall, I cross my arms and cross my feet at the ankles, making myself comfortable as I wait. At the sound of the door unlatching I look at the floor, not wanting to seem intrusive.

  Two high heels step out into my line of vision. Slowly, I bring my eyes up from the carpet, taking in the toned calves, followed by a tight black skirt encasing hips with a slight curve, leading to a tucked-in royal blue shirt covering a chest that could only be described as a nice handful, framed by soft blond curls. Finally I make it to a face with creamy white skin, lips covered in erotic-looking red, and the most stunning sapphire-blue eyes I’ve ever seen. By her pursed lips and raised brow, I know I’ve been caught staring. Not that I would have been able to hide it—she’s striking, and my eyes are stuck like a moth to a flame. Gawking probably isn’t the best impression for me to make, but hell this girl—no, woman—is beautiful. Tipping one side of her mouth up, she gives me a knowing grin then passes me without a word. Like a magnet, my eyes follow until she rounds the corner and is out of my sight.

  The sound of my name, coming from Miranda, snaps my attention back to the door the beauty walked out of.

  “Reid, I didn’t expect to see you standing out here. I’m assuming you finished all your paperwork?” she asks, taking a couple of steps toward me.

  “Yeah, it’s all set. I gave the folder to Brian.”

  “Great. Ah, well, then let’s introduce you to the crew.”

  Miranda moves down the same hall the gorgeous blonde just took, and I follow. Passing two rows of cubicles, we enter what looks to be the common area, and it’s already lined with employees. I take a minute to look at the faces around the circle, but I stop when I reach the space directly across from me. The blonde is standing next to a brunette with wild hair and a crazy style. The same knowing smirk is on her face, and for some reason, I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from it.

  Chapter Three

  Taylor

  For the first time in two years, I’m walking into work at the same time as all of the other employees. At some point this weekend, I decided that busting my ass isn’t worth it. I even stopped and grabbed coffee for Casey and me on my way, just to add a little extra time to my commute. If I planned it right, she should be right behind me, so I can pass one of these hot-ass cups off to her.

  “Hey!” Casey yells across the parking lot, as if on cue. “A little late, aren’t you?” She shuffles up to me, her heels dragging across the asphalt.

  “Nope, the way I see it, I’m right on time.”

  “You know what I mean. You’re always here at least an hour before everyone else. What gives?” Casey asks, falling in line with my steps as we cross the parking lot.

  “There’s no point in getting here early. It’s not like I can’t get my work done in a normal eight-hour day.”

  “I mean, I’m not trying to complain, but Tay, you’ve always thrown yourself into work 110 percent. Don’t let this hiccup stop you from being the most amazing employee Miranda has. Show her she made a mistake by not promoting you,” Casey encourages, seeming to be the voice of reason this morning.

  Ignoring her comments, I thrust the coffee cup into Casey’s hand. “I stopped for coffee, so at least there’s a benefit to me coming in later.”

  “Gah, you’re so stubborn! I just don’t want to see you throw away everything you’ve been working toward.”

  “Ugh, I know. You’ve made damn sure that I know how you feel.” I roll my eyes before changing the subject. “Speaking of working for it, I didn’t hear from you again after I left Friday night. How did things go with Josh?” I step into the large crowd of people filing through the door.

  “Well…” She drags out the word. “It went exactly how you think it did, but I think I might actually like this guy. We hung out all day Saturday and, get this, he actually called me yesterday to make plans this week!”

  “Holy shit! A guy who actually might want to have a relationship with you. Who woulda thunk?” I say sarcastically and probably a little too loudly, since several heads turn in our direction.

  “Whatever, you know what I mean.” Casey looks at me with a hint of pink to her cheeks.

  “By the look on your face, I’m thinking you actually might like this guy enough to let him stick around.”

  “You might be right.” She grabs the door from the person ahead of her, then waits for me to grab it as she passes through. “He seems different, like he’s actually going somewhere in life. What about you? You could have called to check in with me, or were you too busy with Adam?”

  A head of dark hair to our right distracts me, so I don’t answer Casey. The new guy, Reid, is sitting in the lobby. No one seems to notice him, or if they do, they just don’t care. It’s not like he stole the rug right out from underneath anyone but me. Without trying to be obvious, I let my eyes linger on him while we slowly file in with the crowd. I can’t see much because his head is tipped down, his eyes focused on the phone in his hand. But I kind of feel bad for him sitting alone with no one acknowledging him. Thinking back to my first day at Great Lakes, I don’t think I spent a minute by myself. Actually, I know I didn’t. Lucky me, I started with a whole crew of people, none of which are still here—except me, of course.

  “Yo, are you going to answer me?” Casey’s voice breaks me out of my head as she waits for me to take the internal door from her.

  “Sorry, I was daydreaming. Yeah, Adam, he seems nice. I’m not sure if anything’s going to come from it, but who knows? I’m open to hanging out with him again.”

  “Right, because I’m sure the two of you did a lot of ‘hanging out,’” she says, making air quotes to emphasize her point.

  “We did ‘hang out.’ He stuck around for a while on Saturday. We had breakfast, exchanged numbers, then I took him home. Granted, it was nothing like your match made in heaven, but I�
��m willing to give him a chance if he wants to see where things could go.”

  “But it’s not something you want to pursue?” Casey asks, looking back at me as we turn the corner toward our cubicles.

  “I don’t know. He’s a nice guy, seems to have his head on straight, good job, potential, but there wasn’t a spark there. Plus, I need to focus on making Miranda realize she made a mistake not hiring me for the account executive position,” I throw Casey’s earlier comment back at her.

  “That you do. And props, my friend, that was an awesome dodge.” She turns her head to give me her signature stony look, which makes me giggle.

  I’m about to show my appreciation for her compliment when I enter my cubicle and nearly take out Miranda. “Oh, sorry, Miranda, I didn’t notice you there.”

  “Good morning, ladies,” she says.

  “Morning, Miranda,” Casey responds, nodding to our boss as she continues to walk. “Taylor, I’ll catch up with you later.”

  “Good morning, Miranda,” I say, passing by where she’s leaning against my desk.

  “It was a little surprising to not find you sitting here when I came in this morning,” she says with a curious tone. “Not that it’s required for you to come in earlier than the rest of the staff, but since you’ve been doing it for at least the past year, I’ve come to expect it. I hope my decision to hire Reid hasn’t deterred you from wanting to go above and beyond, because that’s something that doesn’t go unnoticed.”

  “Just got a late start this morning.”

  “It’s Monday. It still surprises me that I’m able to get here on time.” She smiles, and I return it. “I’ll let you get settled, but can you meet me in conference room B as soon as you’re done?”

  “Sure, I just want to check my e-mail quickly, then I’ll be right there.”

  “Great.” Miranda pushes herself up then disappears around the corner.

  After docking my laptop, I sit down and wait for the computer to boot up. I really don’t need to check my e-mail, but I do need to give myself a minute to mentally prepare for what I’m assuming Miranda wants to talk about. Although after her comment about my arrival time this morning, it might end up being about slacking off. But shit, if she’s going to hold one day against me, she’s not the manager I thought she was, and up until last Friday, I thought she was the most amazing boss in the world. She’s always encouraging me to take on extra tasks, work beyond my potential, and share my ideas, no matter how big, small, or out of this world they might sound. Which is why it’s throwing me so much that I didn’t get the job.