Web of Lies

by Elizabeth Knox

  “Hey, glad I caught you,” Ian’s reflection appeared behind her. “I wanted to explain.” He placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “No need, you’re allowed to have friends,” she flashed a smile she wasn’t feeling.

  “How about I take you out to dinner?” he offered.

  “You know what, I’m not feeling well. I should go home.” Holding her tears back, she riffled around in her purse for her sunglasses— a girl’s best friend when it came to hiding teary eyes.

  “Well, I’ll see you at work tomorrow, right?” Ian held doubt in his voice.

  “See you there,” she said without turning back. Being confused wasn’t a feeling she enjoyed, but unlike the time she thought the back of thong underwear was the front, Audrey knew she wouldn’t get over her bewildered feelings quickly. Life wasn’t just a garment you could flip around and make comfortable again.

  Chapter Seven

  “Morning,” Audrey looked up from her laptop to see Ian in the doorway, a paper cup of coffee in each hand. “Feeling better today?” he asked, then slid a cup across the desk to her.

  “Yep.” She curtly replied, then pushed the cup away. “How was your evening with the bestie?” There wasn’t a chance in hell she would mutter what’s his faces name. He didn’t deserve it.

  “Low key. Just a few beers,” he said while taking a seat in his usual chair.

  “I’m sure he told you all kinds of fun things about me,” she said under her breath.

  “Actually, we didn’t talk about you at all. It’s none of my business.” Okay, he was polite about it. She’d give him a point for that. “I’d rather talk about us.” Ian pointed between them.

  “Us?” she reconsidered the coffee and picked it up.

  “It’s no secret that I like you. I mean, that kiss last night was . . .”

  “Sssssh,” she put her finger to her lips as she stood, hurrying to the door. Once it was shut, she turned back to him, “Workplace romances aren’t allowed here. Keep your voice down.”

  “Oh. Then I’ll turn in my resignation immediately.” He said.

  “Get real.” Audrey rolled her eyes.

  “I’m serious. You’re worth it,” he proclaimed.

  “Yep, clearly worth it. Just enough to tell someone on the phone that you aren’t in love with me, ha!” she slapped her desk.

  “That was a mistake.”

  “Then you are in love with me?” she cocked her head to the side, considering him for a moment.

  “No. I mean. Shit. You’re making this really difficult on me.” It was kind of cute to see Mr. Put-together all flustered and out of sorts.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled.

  “Last night was great— except for you doing an inventory of my condoms. But obviously you have unresolved issues with Lance.”

  “Could you please not say his name? It makes me want to papercut my own vagina.”

  “Ouch.” He scrubbed a hand over his freshly shaven face. “Lance and I have been friends for longer than I can remember. I don’t want things to come between any of us.”

  “I get you want to play peacemaker here. But if you had any idea of what that man did to me, you would want to toss him off a tenth-floor balcony. Trust me, I do.” She snorted.

  “I’m here to listen,” Ian offered with pleading eyes.

  With a sigh, Audrey sat back in her chair, staring at the non-gay hotness of a man who had crashed into her life. Should she burden him with tales of the past, or keep her mouth shut?

  “Audrey,” the office door flung open. “This article is crap. I want a new one on my desk by lunch, got it?” Mr. Banks snapped.

  “I’ll take care of it,” she politely smiled. If the universe gave out signs, hers was just displayed in neon letters. Ian wasn’t getting the scoop now. “Looks like this will have to wait.”

  “Want me out of your hair?” he stood from his seat, his crotch eye level once more. Damn it.

  No, you beautiful man. I want you to shove the papers off my desk and pretend I’ve been a bad boss lady, was what she wanted to say. However, only, “That would be great,” came out of her mouth.

  “I’ll be down the hall if you need help,” he offered before disappearing from the office. Every time he left; the woodsy scent of amazingness lingered. He was like one of those little tree air fresheners that hung from a rearview mirror. You never noticed the scent of it until you weren’t around it for a while. If someone could figure out how to get the unique Ian scent into one, they would be wealthy beyond compare. But, enough about Ian, she had work to do and a deadline to do it in. After glancing at the clock, she realized the deadline was in three hours.

  “Where to begin?” She opened her laptop, staring at a blank document as if it would write the article by itself.

  An hour later, Audrey sat back in her chair, cracking her stiff knuckles. Her poor fingers hurt from typing at lightning speed, but the first draft of her article was done.

  Your Thong Did What?!

  I’ve always seen myself as a resilient person— I fall down, then I get back up. Granted I am usually battered and bruised, but even the most beautiful diamonds have flaws. They manage to distract from them with their brilliant shine and luxuriousness. But what happens when you lose your sparkle because the past comes crashing through your door like an overly excited Kool-Aid man? Usually, I would give the advice to find the positives in your life and focus on those. But I’ve found myself in a predicament I can’t seem to will myself out of. That’s right, the one person I vowed to hate for the rest of my existence, was dropped in my lap like a terrible spirit stick and I’m doubting whether I can drop it or hang onto it. I mean, we all have a past, right? Our previous experiences make us the people we are today. Unfortunately, part of mine included successfully morphing me into a cynical beast that doesn’t believe in relationships any longer. Okay, I get it, you’re reading my column for advice on relationships, so I’m sure you’re disappointed to the max. Personally, I think it’s time for me to be honest with you. I’m not perfect. I don’t live in a heart-shaped bubble filled with romance and happily ever after. In fact, I’m the last person you should be taking advice from, believe that. I sit here, day in and day out, spinning a web of lies so my boss can sell papers. What a crock of sh*t. The fact of the matter is, we are all flaming messes who hopscotch through each day, just trying to keep our heads above water. I’ve been at this desk for a while now and I hate it. I never wanted to be a relationship writer, my sights were set on more important and engaging topics. I’m sure as soon as I turn this article in, I won’t have to worry about my woes here though. If I'm one hundred percent honest, it scares me, but I’m okay with it.

  I will leave you with this. Don’t take advice from someone else, make your own way in your relationships and whatever in life. Carve your path the way you want it, and never settle for less than you deserve.

  Love and Thongs

  Audrey smiled to herself as she uploaded her article into an email, then clicked the send button. Well, that was it, she was going to be unemployed in a matter of minutes. What a way to go out. But at least she was honest with herself and everyone else for once in her life.

  “Lunch?” Ian looked up the see Audrey standing in the doorway of the vacant office, a genuine smile on her face.

  “Sure.” He chose not to question why she held such a jovial expression for fear she would tear him apart for it. But in a way, he regretted not asking because he loved to see her out of sorts.

  “Got my article turned in.” she smiled wider.

  “That’s good,” he waited, not sure whether he was supposed to continue the conversation or let it be.

  “I’m about ninety-nine point nine percent sure I’m getting canned over it,” she laughed as they rode the elevator to the bottom floor.

  Ian turned to her in the semi-crowded space, bumping his shoulder into that of a twenty-something woman who wore too much perfume. “I hope you’re joking,” he said.

&nbs
p; “Nope. You told me to start being honest.” Damn it, her smile was gorgeous. It was much more pleasant than seeing her usual scowl.

  The elevator stopped on another floor, more people flooding onto it. “Maybe you shouldn’t have, if it means you are now in the unemployment line.” He let out a sardonic laugh, followed by a snort. Almost all of the other passengers turned to stare at him.

  “It doesn’t bother me. This has been a long time coming and today I took the leap.” She looked proud of herself as if she’d successfully finished a marathon without throwing up.

  Ian scrubbed a hand over his face, then straightened his crooked tie. The conversation would have to continue once they weren’t trapped in a floating box with nosy bystanders. Has elevator music always been this irritating? He thought to himself.

  The doors slid open, every passenger jamming themselves out the exit. Ian hung back until it was clear. “Maybe you should go back up and talk to Mr. Banks,” he suggested.

  “Are you crazy? It wasn’t an accident, Ian.” She huffed.

  “But this is your career,” he mentioned.

  “No, it’s not. This crap was supposed to be a steppingstone to something better. I’ve slaved away at that desk, for what? A tiny paycheck and a pen name? I want to write something meaningful, with my own name attached.”

  The responsible side of him wanted to throw her over his shoulder and force her to make things right. But deep down, he admired her for what she’d done. It was a shock to say the least, but clearly her mind was made up. “I support you in whatever you want to do,” he said.

  “Good, because tonight, I’m getting my first tattoo,” she slapped him on the shoulder.

  Chapter Eight

  “I know you have ink plans tonight, but I’d really like to take you out,” Ian said as he shoved a piece of sushi into his mouth with a pair of chopsticks. He was kind of cute when he ate.

  Audrey finished her drink of sake, “What for?”

  “Uh, on a date,” he replied, a sensitive smile covering his face.

  Hmmm, a date. She hadn’t heard that word since Little Bush was president. However, her newfound confidence had her wanting to get out there and do things she hadn’t done in a while. “Yeah, let’s date.”

  “How about I pick you up at your place?” he asked.

  Oh no, she couldn’t have him see the squalor she lived in, especially after seeing the billion-dollar view from his fancy pants penthouse. “I’ll meet you at your place,” she didn’t make eye contact.

  “That’s not generally how a date works,” he laughed. “You know, guy picks up girl. Then he walks her to the door at the end of the night. That sort of thing.”

  “Then let’s change all that. How about we have an unconventional date? I’ll pay for dinner too.” She poked her sushi with a chopstick.

  “Are you sure? You kind of don’t have a job anymore.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. Bring your platinum card, I like to eat.” She hooted.

  “Noted.” Ian’s phone began to ring as it sat on the table near his plate. “I need to take this.” He excused himself from the table.

  Was it just her, or was the Miami sun shining brighter than ever? It must’ve been her because she was the only one sitting at an outdoor table with a smile so wide she could be a walking billboard for a dental group. When Ian returned to the table, concern littered his features.

  “Listen, I have some matters to take care of. Come by around eight tonight.” He surprisingly leaned down, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

  “See you then,” she waved goodbye, watching him walk away in an immaculately fitting suit. Alone, again. What now? She didn’t have a job to get back to, and shopping was out of the question since her job prospects were nil. Pulling her phone from her purse, Audrey dialed the one person who could tell her she wasn’t crazy, Patrick.

  After a few rings— he was notorious for not wanting to look too available— he finally picked up. “Hey, Aud.”

  “I may or may not have written an article that caused me to lose my job,” she blurted out before she lost the courage.

  “Are you crazy?” Patrick screamed into the phone. So much for not appearing crazy.

  “This’s going to be a good thing.”

  “Then what’s the plan now? Hooking on Ocean View drive until the New York Times calls you? If that’s the case, you’re going to need to groom your Muppet. Clients don’t appreciate a full bush like they did in the seventies.”

  “First off, my stuff does not look like a Muppet. Secondly, I’m going to figure something out.” She tried to sound confident but wasn’t feeling it right then.

  “I used to think you were the twin with the brains. Now? I’m not so sure.”

  “Could you stop acting like my guidance counselor and be my brother for five seconds?”

  “Does this have anything to do with Mr. Not Gay?” he asked.

  “Of course not. But he did ask me out on a date tonight,” her smile and confidence returned.

  “At least that’s one positive thing to come out of today, I guess.”

  “Look, I just wanted to tell you all of this because, well, you’re my brother and I love you.” She sweetly said.

  “Okay, you’re scaring me,” Patrick chuckled.

  “I’m finally happy, Pat.” Audrey whispered into the phone, tears filling her eyes.

  “I can tell.”

  “What’s so important it couldn’t wait until after four?” Ian walked into his office at the Miami Gazette to see his brother with a grim look.

  “The board is selling,” Lance passed a stack of papers across the desk.

  When Ian picked them up, he glanced over the heading. “This can’t happen without both our signatures, you know that.”

  “Well, they have mine,” his brother stood, letting out a sigh.

  “You’re giving up?” he tossed the stack down with force.

  “This paper has been going downhill for the past few years, we both know that. Unless you have a miracle stashed up your ass, we are fucked.”

  “I can’t in good conscience just sign my name on a paper that will dissolve what our family built.” Hurt and disappointment coursed through his veins.

  “What’s with you? You used to be about the bottom line and now you’re trying to play superhero here.”

  “When you love something, you fight for it.” Ian couldn’t believe the words that came out of his own mouth. He wasn’t the type to wax poetic phrases or stop and smell the roses. He was about business and that was it. Well, until he’d met Audrey. “I have to tell her, Lance.” He stared out at the Miami skyline.

  “Yeah, because that’s going to solve all of our problems. No, what you’re going to do is walk away from her.”

  “Why, because you did?” Ian shot back.

  “Don’t go there. You know nothing about what happened with us.”

  “Then how about you enlighten me. Because from what I understand, you caused her a lot of unwanted pain,” he slammed his fist on the desk.

  “I didn’t have a choice.” Lance sat down on the sofa, crossing his legs. “You know how dad was. He wanted us to find a higher class of woman. Audrey didn’t fit that bill.”

  “So, you just dumped her?”

  “I didn’t do anything. Hell, Ian, I was twenty, I didn’t know what to do.” Regret hung in the air as Lance continued. “She refused to let me walk away so dad took care of it.”

  “Shit,” Ian breathed, knowing what his father was capable of.

  “He wrote her a check for a hundred thousand dollars to leave the family alone.”

  “Bribery?”

  “Pretty much. The crazy thing is, she never cashed the check. That money’s been sitting in an escrow account since then.”

  “I don’t blame her for not touching it. Heck, dad probably made her feel like trash by offering it to her.” So, there were things in his family Ian didn’t know about.

  “Now you see why Audrey can’
t stand to even look at me.” Lance stood. “But I can’t change the past.” He shrugged.

  “No, you can’t but you can help me make it right.” Ian checked the time on his phone. “And we will.” His date with Audrey would definitely be one for the record books.

  Chapter Nine

  The evening breeze blew across Audrey’s legs as she walked toward Ian’s building. She’d taken a chance with the strapless little black dress, and her current confidence level was at an all-time high. Wasn’t it funny how a simple twenty-dollar dress could make a woman feel like a million bucks? She’d even worn her hair down— quite a change from the tight bun she wore for work. One thing she wasn’t expecting to feel, was extreme nervousness. Even though she knew Ian now, it was strange to know they were going out on a date. It was surprising to know she cared for him the way she did in such a short period, but life was weird like that. When you weren’t looking for something, it dropped right in your lap. Hopefully a new job would do the same soon, or she’d be on the streets.

  “Hey,” Ian met her outside.

  “Oh, hey there. I figured I’d meet you upstairs.” Audrey pointed to the door.

  Ian’s body language worried her. “Look, I do need you to come upstairs. But when you do, please keep an open mind.” He grabbed her hand in his, practically pulling her toward the entrance of the building.