by M. Clarke
Thinking of Nicole’s wedding I said, “Lavender. I believe that will be the new black this season.”
“Perfect. I agree,” Matthew said, standing up. “Great meeting, everybody. Let’s get the ball rolling. Meeting is adjourned.”
Pushing back my chair, I grabbed my notepad and headed toward the door. A hand gripped my arm and pulled me aside. “Jenna,” Matthew whispered. Looking at him up close like this, I could see the resemblance. God, how I missed Max. I had to stop torturing myself and him. This had to end. I felt like I was losing my mind as the anticipation of seeing Max got to me.
Peering up at Matthew I answered, “Yes, Matthew.”
“Have you spoken to Becca lately?”
“Yes. Why?”
“She’s been ignoring my calls and texts. I thought maybe she was sick or something.” he paused.
“Becky is fine. Sometimes she goes to her cave and doesn’t come out. She’s busy with all the reading and editing. She has deadlines to meet.”
“Ok, yeah, I’m sure that’s it.” Matthew released me, then pulled me back in. “Oh Jenna, I don’t know what’s going on, but Max needs you now. He’s miserable and he doesn’t fu…I mean he doesn’t seem to care about anything.”
“Okay,” I said, but I didn’t really believe his words. Max was confident and proud. He didn’t need me. I was the weak and insecure one. I mean, I know he cares about me, but he didn’t need me to stand by him to get through this. Nothing could penetrate through that thick skin of his. He was determined.
When Matthew released me, I headed straight to Max’s office. Now was probably not the right time, but I needed to see him and fix this before it got any worse. Feeling my heart thump rapidly, I had to prepare myself for what Max might say to me.
“Good afternoon,” I said to his personal secretary.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Mefferd. I haven’t seen you around. You must be busy at your new position.”
“Yes, Matthew is keeping me busy,” I replied. Instead of carrying on a conversation, I cut to the chase. “Is Mr. Knight in his office?” My heart started to escalate even faster.
“No. He left a message that he would be with his lawyer. He won’t be coming in today. He said something about a dinner meeting. Shall I leave a message for him?”
“No, thank you. I will call him later. It was nice to see you again.”
“Have a good day, Ms. Mefferd.”
With that, I walked toward my office feeling miserable. I knew Max’s schedule like it was my own. Having to go ask his secretary seemed so formal. It felt like he was a stranger. I didn’t like this feeling at all and it was my fault.
Passing by the break room, I took a detour to the Reception desk to ask where Susan’s office was located. Apparently, there were two Susan’s, so I had to describe her. As I walked to her office, I tried to gather my thoughts about what questions to ask without sounding as if I was interrogating her. After all, Mr. Shaw said not to be the source of any rumors, but this was important. I had to know. I had to help Max, if possible.
“Susan?” I knocked softly. Her door was slightly ajar.
“Come in.”
Peering up at me, she looked surprised. Her cheeks turned slightly pink, most likely recalling the conversation she had with her friend about me.
“Jenna, come in.” She sat up straight and gave me her full attention.
Sitting down on the other side of her desk, I started with my questions. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but I’m here to ask you few questions and I hope you’ll answer them honestly. I’m not upset. I just need the truth. When we are through, I’ll walk out of here like we never had this conversation.
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at. I hardly know you.” Her tone was nervous, but then again, I would be too if I were speaking to the boss’s girlfriend.
“I overheard you talking about Crystal, and I want to know if you could tell me more about the rumors.”
Susan sank back in her seat, looking a bit more relaxed. “Oh, why didn’t you say that in the first place?” Her smile was somewhat genuine. “There isn’t much I can tell you, except that we all disliked her and stayed away from her as much as possible. I had heard a rumor that this lawsuit wasn’t her first. I don’t know who started it or when it started. Supposedly, she blackmailed someone else. The difference that time was that she took the money. I guess she knew exactly how much that guy could fork up. Now with Max, she knows he has the company, so he’s worth a lot more. I’m sorry, that is all I know.”
“Do you know what company she worked for before she came here?”
“No. I didn’t care to ask, but I’m sure Mrs. Ward would know, since she’s the Human Resources Director.”
“Thanks. I appreciate your honesty,” I smiled.
“I hope it all works out for Max. He’s such a wonderful man. He doesn’t deserve this.”
“Thank you,” I said as I left. Susan was right. Max was wonderful, and I didn’t need to add any more to his grief.
Before I stopped by my office, I headed to see Mrs. Ward. I knew she couldn’t disclose any personal information regarding present or past employees, but I had to try.
“Mrs. Ward?” Her door was wide open.
“Ms. Mefferd, come in. How was your New York trip?”
“It was fantastic. Thank you for asking.”
“How can I help you?”
“I have a question about a previous employee. I know you’re not allowed to disclose any personal information and I wouldn’t ask unless it was very important.”
“I see. And whom, may I ask, are you referring to?”
“Crystal.” The name spit out of my mouth like venom. I had come to loathe this woman because she has caused nothing but grief to so many people.
“You’re right. I can’t give you any information.”
My heart sunk through the chair I was sitting on. The little hope I had was fading. How would I find what I was looking for? And where would I search?
“However, Ms. Mefferd, I enjoy working for the Knight family. They are the kindest, most generous, genuine people I know. I’m so glad I never took the job with their competitor. To think, I almost worked for Rave. That is all I can tell you.”
As I sat there, I was trying to understand why she told me about a job she didn’t take, when it dawned on me that she was giving me a not-so-subtle hint. “Mrs. Ward, thank you so much for your time, and may I say the Knight’s are very lucky to have you.” With that, I walked out feeling hopeful.
The first thing I saw on my desk was a sandwich, a heart shaped Rice Krispie treat, and a bottle of water. My heart burst with elation. There was no one in the office to ask who had brought it. Perhaps Max had cut short his meeting with his lawyer and he decided to stop by? Picking up the phone, I dialed Max’s office. It went straight to his secretary.
“Yes, Ms. Mefferd. How can I help you?”
“Is Mr. Knight in his office?”
“I’m sorry, but his plans haven’t changed. Could I help you with anything?”
“No. It’s just that someone left a lunch for me and I thought it was Mr. Knight.”
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Mefferd. It was on Mr. Knight’s schedule. I am to bring you lunch any time your meetings surpass your lunch hour. He knows your schedule better than he knows his own,” she chuckled. “I have to remind him to attend meetings, but he seems to know whenever your meetings are set.”
“Thank you,” I said warily. It was all I could say.
“Not a problem. The pleasure is mine. Anything I can do to make Mr. Knight happy.”
After we hung up, tears blurred my vision. Max’s kindness was not only shown through the testimony of his employees, but through his actions, time and time again. I needed to make this right.
Looking at my lunch, I lost my appetite yet again. This was something that had been happening a lot this past week. Thinking of Max not only made me happy, but it saddened me as well. Placing the wrappe
d Rice Krispie treat into my purse, I heard a low hum sound from my phone. It was another call from Luke, definitely not the person I wanted to hear from. I made a mental note to ask Matthew for a new number after the Crystal situation was over, since the company now provided my cell phone.
Letting out an irritated huff, I ignored the call, deciding it was the best thing to do. When I placed my phone back into its slot in my purse, I spotted Ethan’s business card. I recalled he mentioned he had worked for Rave before. Perhaps he would have some insight. It was a slim chance, but I needed to try.
If I had gotten to pick the restaurant, this would not have been the place. It was one of Luke’s favorite spots, and that alone made me uneasy. Glancing around, I finally found Ethan, and prayed Luke would be nowhere in sight.
“Thank you for meeting me, Ethan,” I said, sitting across from him. He wore a gray suit and a pinstriped shirt opened at the collar. Most likely, he’d already ditched the tie. Holding a cocktail, he slid one of the menus toward me.
“It sounded urgent. What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
“Yes…well, no. I need to ask you few questions and please don’t ask why.”
“O-kay.” He dragged out the word, looking reluctant.
“Why did you leave your position at Rave?”
“Jenna, this is kind of private. Where are you going with this?”
Instead of answering his question, I fired another. “How did you know I was dating Maxwell Knight?”
“I read it in the newspaper. I didn’t know it was you, for sure. I recognized the name, and I knew about the lawsuit.”
Satisfied with his answer, I asked another question. “There’s a rumor that Crystal, the woman that is suing Max, worked at Rave and that she did the same thing to one of the managers over there. Do you know anything about that?” I wasn’t sure of the manager part; I was assuming. Whatever I said got his full attention. His face went pale, and at that very moment, I was sure he knew what I was talking about.
“That’s ridiculous. It’s just a rumor. Who told you that?” he tittered nervously, trying to dismiss it, but I knew better. His eyes gave him away.
“Ethan.” I leaned in closer. “The man I love is about to have his name, and the company his family has worked so hard to build from nothing, get smeared through the mud. All because of a selfish, devil of a woman, who thinks she can get away with it by manipulating, deceiving, and lying. She will rip him to shreds in court and none of what she says will be true. In the meantime, I will be thinking about the person that could have prevented this misery. I believe there is good in most people. People with morals, who will step up, even if it means that person may lose face, just because it is the right thing to do. So let me ask you the question again. Do you know if Crystal did this to anyone at Rave?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His tone was dead. Whatever he knew, I could tell he wasn’t going to budge.
“I’m sorry, Ethan. I didn’t mean to drag you out here and then grill you with questions. It’s just that I don’t know what else to do.”
“I’m sure Max has a top-notch lawyer and he’ll make sure she doesn’t get a dime.”
“That’s what everyone thinks, but no amount of money is going to stop her. She was offered a big payoff, but she didn’t take it. You know what sucks? It’s her word against his. Unless we find solid evidence to discredit her, she’ll win.”
“I’m sure that won’t happen.”
“How do you know? Can you swear to me that Max will win? Can you honestly sit there and give me false hope? Unless you have a crystal ball that shows the outcome will be in his favor, I’m going to think the worst because I’d rather be prepared for it.”
The tears I’d been holding, locked up tightly, suddenly burst out uncontrollably. Embarrassed, I wiped them away as fast as they poured. There was nothing to cry about yet the reality of the situation hit me hard. I had been so mad at Max and Crystal that the anger prevented me from facing what could happen in the future. “I’m sorry, Ethan.” He handed me his napkin. “I didn’t mean to do this.”
“You love him, don’t you?”
I had never told Max that I loved him, even though he’d said it several times to me. I knew I felt something special for him, but it didn’t hit me until just now that I truly did love him. ‘Love’ was something I didn’t say easily. The word held so much meaning, that unless I was absolutely sure, I would not say it. “Yes. I love him. I couldn’t begin to tell you how much. I would do anything for him. I would rather lie or go to jail, just so he could be free of the shame.”
As I smeared away the lingering tears, I could see guilt and sympathy in Ethan’s eyes. “Tell me, Ethan. How much do you love your wife? If she was in Max’s situation, what would you do? How would you free her from that grief?”
“I understand how you feel, but I don’t have any information that could help you. Max is a good man. I’ve had a few opportunities to cross paths with him. He was very professional, generous, and one of the few genuine people in that ugly business. I wish I could help you.”
Sitting here was a waste of time. I knew the longer Ethan went on telling me he didn’t know anything and lying to my face, the sooner I would do or say something I would regret.
“Thank you for your time, Ethan. I need to go.” I stood up, and grabbed my purse and jacket.
“What about dinner? You should at least eat something.”
Looking at my watch, I saw it was already eight o’clock. “I’ve lost my appetite. Please give Kim my regards. I wonder what she would do if she were in my shoes? I just hope this guy will step up and be a real man.” Then I had a thought. “Do you think it would be crazy of me to go to Rave and start asking the women there a bunch of questions? Maybe one of them will rat the guy out. What do you think?” I couldn’t believe I was asking that, but I was desperate. I wanted him to know just how far I would go for Max.
“They’ll kick you out as soon as you start asking questions,” he stammered. His eyes darted in anger, flickering back and forth.
I couldn’t believe he would get upset over my idea. Was he concerned for my well-being or was he truly hiding something? Leaning into him to show how serious I was, I said slowly and with conviction, “I don’t care. I would tear the whole building down, layer by layer, to find whoever could free Maxwell Knight. You know, it’s really a shame. The Ethan I knew in college had balls. Either it’s the age, or you are scared shitless, but your balls are sagging.”
I couldn’t believe what I had just said. With that, I walked away so fast that I almost knocked the waitress down along the way. Feeling heat rise to my face from anger and frustration, my heels clicked away in my hurry to see Max. Then someone grabbed me around my waist. Thinking it was Ethan, I turned into the grasp. I hoped that he had changed his mind.
With one look, my body froze and my heart stopped. “Luke,” I whimpered. Turning red after dodging his calls and seeing that smirk on his face, I wanted to crawl away. Something about him made me feel so small and worthless.
“Jenna. I knew you would come to your senses and meet me. I see you got my text and decided to come.”
“What? I didn’t.”
“Come sit.” Luke practically pushed me down on the bar stool next to his.
Though I was irritated, it was a good time to set things straight. Building up every ounce of courage I could summon, I was going to do and say something out of character, but I knew it was going to feel good to do so. Someone like Luke deserved every bit of animosity I could give him.
I bore my eyes into his, hoping he would get the point. With a sassy tone, I said, “Luke, I’m not here to see you. I haven’t returned your texts or your phone calls because I DON’T want to see you. Not NOW, NOT EVER. I don’t want you. How clear can I get?”
“You wouldn’t be here if you meant that.” His lips curled into a devious smile.
He wasn’t hearing me and I didn’t want to waste my time. My
next stop was to Max’s place and I was determined to get there tonight. “I gotta go. Don’t call or text me again. Move on with your life.”
Luke blocked my way and looked over my shoulder. His eyes kept shifting back and forth. What the hell? What was he doing?
“Jenna. You made me so happy, leaving Max for me.” His voice was loud, and what he said didn’t make sense.
Suddenly, his arms wrapped around my waist tightly as he pulled me in for a kiss. Struggling, I finally managed to pull away. “What the hell, Luke?” I yelped, using the back of my hand to erase the disgusting taste of his tongue from my mouth. After giving him a dirty look, I started to storm away, but he caught my wrist and swung me to him again.
“Let go of me,” I snapped, but Luke was too strong. The customers were curious as many stopped to observe the scene. If I got any louder or if this got out of hand, someone would step in. Maybe the passing waitress or the bartender would intervene. At first, I thought Luke had too much to drink, but apparently, that wasn’t the case. The whole scene just blew my mind. I really wished I had asked Ethan to meet me elsewhere. Sometimes fate does funny things and the worst case scenario turns out to be the best when you least expect it.
“Don’t you fuckin’ touch her, Puke!” a voice bellowed. From the corner of my eye, I saw a fist fly into Luke’s face, throwing him against the stool. While Luke was falling, he held onto my blouse, causing me to fall with him. Just before I hit the ground, I felt an arm around my waist, pulling me up and safely into strong arms.
There was no doubt it was Max. I knew that smell, that voice that beckoned my attention, and that firm grip. Not to mention, his unique nickname for Luke. My body easily succumbed to his, sailing me away into a blissful sea of joy. How I had missed his touch, his hold, and his love. I was dissolving rapidly in his arms, realizing all the days, minutes, seconds of missing him that my anger and pride stole from me.
“Jenna,” he murmured, holding on to me tightly as if I would disappear. I could tell he had been drinking more than usual. I understood. He was under a tremendous amount of stress. “Why didn’t you call? I’ve been waiting for you.” His face dug into my hair, breathing me in. “You’re supposed to be my forever. I want to be yours, Jenna. I need you so much, but you left me. You left us.”