by Lisa Lace
I want to haul them both out of the booth and throttle them, but I force myself to remain calm. “Sonia.” I surprise myself with my own serenity. I realize that because of the sound around me, she cannot hear me. So much for remaining calm. I repeat myself, louder this time, but still with an even tone. “Sonia.”
This gets her attention, and she looks up. Her eyes are glazed over with lust. She blinks at me and takes a moment to register my face.
I want to tell her I had the same problem when I was sitting in my booth looking at her, but I don’t.
“Mr. Brideau!” She leaps to her feet and looks around her. She worries her lower lip and wrings her hands in front of her.
“Sonia. Where is she?”
“I–I—she’s at home.” Sonia’s gaze shifts when she talks, and she can’t seem to make eye contact with me.
“You left her alone?” I can’t keep my voice from rising now. I know if I get loud, she may not respond, so I try to make my voice return to its normal level.
“No, no, not alone.” Sonia is shaking her head and looking back at her date for help.
“Well, she can’t be with Helen because she has the night off. If you know where she is, you better tell me now.” I look at the young man square in the face when I speak, and watch as his eyes widen. He scoots out of the booth and mutters something about paying for the drinks. I look back at Sonia. “Well?”
“I left her with a, uh, friend. I told her you’d be a while. Look, there’s a reason why I asked for tonight off. He’s only in town for a night, and then I don’t get to see him for a few months. I didn’t know when you’d be back.” Sonia is rambling now, and I have reached my limit with her.
“You’re coming with me, and we are making sure she’s alright. I hired you to watch her, not your friend.” I feel a desperation rising up inside of me, and I can’t squelch the feeling. I picture Bella at home, wandering the dark halls, looking for me. Going outside in her search, and getting lost on the acres of land behind the house. I want to throttle the nanny for being so selfish and irresponsible. Mostly, I’m irritated at myself because it was my fault for hiring her.
She still looks reluctant and is turning to get away from me. I grab her arm and force her to stay. “You are coming with me.” I don’t care that I’m shouting now. I stop making excuses to myself to remain quiet.
“I can’t!” She wrenches her arm free and turns away to leave again.
I block her path quickly and tell her that if she doesn’t come with me, I’m calling the police. I see a few people have begun to take notice of our fight, but I ignore them. Bella could be lost, for all I know. Even if she’s at home and in bed, as the nanny has assured me, I don’t know who’s been entrusted to watch her.
I pull out my phone and tell her I’m going to call the police. She tries to rush past me, and I grab her arm again.
I hear the crack before I feel it. My head is jerked to the right, and I feel an immediate sting on the left side of my jaw. I’m holding Sonia’s right upper arm, so I know she wasn’t the one who punched me.
I look down to see a furious woman, standing a foot shorter than me, but every inch as imposing. Her green eyes shoot daggers into mine. I rub my jaw, which is beginning to throb to the beat of the music playing through the speakers. I want to know where she came from, and I feel oddly entranced by her ferocious glare. For a moment, neither one of us moves.
But the door to the bar opens, breaking the spell. I look up in time to see the last flash of green of Sonia’s dress disappear outside.
I glance back at the angry woman as she’s being hauled away by Riley, a broker in my office. I blink. It feels surreal to see her here, at this moment, but I don’t have time to investigate the matter. I run ahead and push past the crowd standing outside the door. I can’t move past them fast enough, but luckily, neither can Sonia.
She is weaving through the crowds and trying to keep her head tucked low. I think she forgets how tall I am. I grit my teeth, cringing at the low throb that is spreading in my jaw, and follow her. She makes it to her car and fumbles for her keys in her clutch.
“You have one more chance to come with me quietly, or we’ll do this the hard way.”
Sonia stares at me, and I can see her weighing her options. Finally, she points to the back of her car. “She’s there. Sleeping.”
I peer inside and see a slight form huddled in the backseat.
I look back at Sonia. “You are terminated. I’m going to call the agency and tell them what happened.” I see her trembling, but I don’t care.
I yank open the door and scoop Bella up in my arms. She stirs in her sleep but nestles her head in the crook of my shoulder. A wave of tenderness sweeps over me, and I feel grateful but uneasy. I can’t trust anyone to watch over her. I’m frightened for her. I want to protect her, but how can I keep her with me every hour of every day?
Laura
I rest my hand on the small of my back when I straighten up. My first day on the job, and I already feel like I’m doing manual labor. As a temp, I can’t complain much, though. The job description was for someone open to all areas of work.
Rubbing my back, I glance around the conference room. At least it’s quiet in here. I’m not opposed to socializing, but when it comes to a new workplace, I want to give the best first impression. I already got started on the wrong foot last night when I singled out the CEO and punched him. Granted, I had no idea at the time that he was the CEO, but it doesn’t help me feel any better.
The light is streaming in through the windows and warming me. I step into it fully to defrost. The air conditioning is on full blast, and I’m finding it hard to stop shaking while I work.
It’s already ten minutes past noon I realize as I eye the clock on the wall. Riley said she would swing by to take me to lunch. I’m not entirely sure who I need to notify when I take my break, but I assume it’s Samuel. He gave me my first assignment, but I haven’t seen him since this morning.
I step out of the room and walk the few yards down to his office. Thankfully, I find him there, bent over an open file on his desk.
“Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I’m leaving for lunch soon,” I tell him.
“Oh, hey. Yes, of course. How is the work coming along? Did you have any issues?”
“No, I’m getting in the groove. I’ll let you know if I have any questions, though. There are just so many files to sort through.” I laugh. “It should keep me busy for a while.”
“Well, I’m glad Riley recommended you. I’ve been putting off hiring someone to do the job for a while because I thought I would catch up on my own. Anyway, there’s plenty more where that came from.” I see his eyes travel down to where my hand is still rubbing my back. “Your back okay?” He sounds concerned.
“Oh, yes. It’s fine.” I drop my hand to my side. I don’t want him to think that I can’t handle the job.
“If you need help lifting those files, please let me know. I apologize; I didn’t think to ask you.”
Touched by his kindness, I flash him a smile. “Oh, it’s fine. I could use the arm workout.”
“Okay, that’s fair.” He chuckles. “But lift with your knees, or call me next time.”
I go back to the conference room and see Riley getting off the elevator. “You ready?” she asks, linking elbows with me.
“More than ready,” I agree. We stop in the conference room so I can grab my purse.
“I know a great deli just around the corner from here,” Riley says as we click down to the elevator.
The sound of our heels echoes in the long empty hallway. The marble floors are clean and reflective, as shiny and sleek as this corporation’s office. I feel a little out of place because this filing and heavy lifting isn’t what I’d usually do. Normally, I work at a front desk or deal with phones, not wrestle with years of stored paperwork.
“Anything sounds good. I’m starving.” I place my hand on my stomach for emphasis.
Ri
ley punches the button before turning to grin at me.
“Back in your first year of college, you ate enough for five and still stayed so tiny,” she marvels. “Do you still eat like that?”
“I still have an appetite, yes,” I say sarcastically. “But I probably only need three people’s worth of food these days, not five.”
Riley laughs, and we get on the elevator.
We check our phones, and I remember something. “I tried calling you this morning, but it said your number was disconnected!”
“Oh, shoot,” Riley says. “I forgot to give you my new number. I had to cut off the old one because I was getting so many collection calls for strangers.”
“Well, wait. I got a text this morning. Isn’t this you?” I show her my phone, and she squints at it.
“No. Oh, that’s from Mr. B. It’s a courtesy text when you join the company. But just store his, too, because he sends company-wide texts from time to time.”
My stomach does a nervous flip at the sound of the boss’s name. I remember seeing him last night in his crisp, fitted plaid shirt and dark denim. He stood out in the crowd of younger, less polished men. His hair was neatly combed to the side, and he could have easily looked preppy, but the glint in his eye gave him a certain edge that excited me.
“Did you run up and punch him again?” Riley asks in a teasing voice. I’m not ready to joke about it yet. After she told me who he was last night, I spent half the night sure that he would fire me and the other half determined to stay so far out of his way so he couldn’t.
“It’s too soon,” I groan. “Just let me lay low, do my job, get paid, and go home.”
The elevator doors open, and Riley shoves her phone into her purse. “Okay, but I’m ready with my jokes when you’re up for them. Until then, let’s eat, and then I’ll give you the new number. I don’t even have it memorized yet.”
We order our food and sit down outside with the plates. There is a beautiful wooden awning with lattice work around the sides above our table. It hides the full force of the sun but casts lacy shadows over us.
Riley bites into her sandwich with glee and rolls her eyes up before dramatically closing them like she’s having an orgasm. “Heaven,” she mumbles.
I giggle and taste mine and moan in agreement. The explosion of tangy mustard and peppery pastrami hits like a symphony in my mouth. We eat in silence, looking up to watch the other patrons.
Riley finishes before I do and tears open a bag of chips. “Share with me,” she demands, pushing the bag in my direction and popping one chip into her mouth.
“Pass,” I tell her. “This sandwich is amazing, but I’ve got butterflies in my stomach from this job.”
“Don’t worry about it. Worse comes to worse, we can hold a meeting about it. The CEO isn’t an ogre. He’s actually a really great guy. I mean, he and Samuel are brothers, if that tells you anything. I think he just has to put on this façade if you know what I mean.” Riley talks around her crunching. “And you’re not a friend if you let me eat this bag by myself. You know I’m trying to drop ten pounds.”
I take a chip reluctantly and wish I can afford to be blasé like her. After all, I punched the guy. It’s kind of a major deal. I’ve never been compelled toward violence, but last night, I don’t know what came over me.
Riley shakes her head, dusting off her hands. “You’re overthinking it. If you make it a big deal, it will be one. First of all, you weren’t technically employed here when you did it. Also, you didn’t punch without a cause—well, wait. What was the reason again?” She has a small smile playing on her lips.
I scowl at her. “He wouldn’t let that woman go last night! You saw him!” I sit back to sip my drink and look away. “Clearly, the man is used to getting away with things like that—just look at him! He commands the room, even when there’s no need for him to do so.” I shiver, recalling his piercing gaze. I wanted to back down, but I knew men like him thought they could get away with anything.
“I think you definitely interrupted something, but I’m positive there’s a reasonable explanation. He’s a well-known guy in this city! There’s no way he would harass a woman without it becoming front page news. I mean, especially with so many witnesses.” Riley pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I’ve never actually seen him so angry, so I wonder what made him react that way.”
“You seem like a huge fan of his,” I point out to her. “I’m not saying you’re biased or anything but…”
Riley laughs. “Yes, I’m a little biased. He takes care of his employees, and he makes sure everyone is onboard with his vision, from the mail clerk to his brother Samuel, and everyone in between. That’s not the type of person who walks up to a random woman in public and tries to haul her off. I mean, he has a little girl at home.”
I chew my food quietly, but I replay the scene in my head. It just doesn’t make sense. “Yeah, but men can be different with their daughters. You said he’s a single dad. Was he married before? What was he like with the mom?”
“Yes, he was married briefly. I didn’t know him during that time, but I’ve heard a lot about the situation from different people—mostly Samuel. Basically, he was married, and his wife got pregnant soon after. She wanted a wedding but not a marriage, so she was looking for a way out when she found out she was pregnant. She didn’t want the baby, but she realized it was the best way to squeeze some money out of him since he wanted the baby. She threatened to abort it unless he agreed to pay her some fixed amount to carry it. So they stayed together until she gave birth, and then he gave her a huge lump sum, and she willingly forfeited her parental rights to her child. That’s as much as I know, but it speaks volumes to me about the kind of person he is.” Riley pauses to drink her diet cola. “And how she is for that matter.”
“That said, as long as I’ve known him, he’s always been with different women. A serial dater. He doesn’t get too close and isn’t really a PDA guy. Plus, I’ve never seen that lady in the bar around the office before,” Riley adds. “I don’t think he was dating her.”
“You make him sound halfway decent, but I still don’t know. I know what I saw. It didn’t look so innocent to me.”
“Excuse me. We can’t all be as perfect as you, Laura!” Riley laughs and crumples her napkin to toss it in my direction. “When was the last time you dated anyway? You turn down every guy I try to set you up with!”
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, but I don’t say anything. I haven’t dated since I was a freshman in college. I was devastated when I witnessed my fiancé cheating on me. After that trauma, I decided to focus on myself and my career. At least I could trust myself. “If that’s what’s out there, I don’t want anything to do with dating.” I flash her a half smile.
“Look, you need to forget about what happened in college. Jason was an exception, not the rule. Not every guy is stupid enough to make that mistake. Make yourself available. I promise I’ll find you so many eligible men, your phone will blow up.” With that announcement, Riley sits back and brushes her hands on her slacks.
“It’s not that, exactly,” I hedge. “It was traumatizing enough, and then I joined that group counseling, and the women there had a dozen more stories like mine. My story was by no means unique, it was one of many just like it. It’s hard to trust someone, and I can’t bring myself to do a casual relationship.” I break off before I tell her too much. I love Riley, but I can’t confess my biggest secret even to her—not yet. Knowing her, she’ll try to solve that problem, too, and that’s the last thing I need.
I peek at my phone. We have only ten minutes to get back to work. In these heels, I’ll need to use every second wisely. “We should get going. Give me your new number before I forget.”
“I’ll just send you a text, and you can store it,” Riley says, rising from her seat. “Give me your number again? My new phone messed up all my contacts.” I rattle off the numbers, and she hits send. I feel my phone vibrate in response. “Done.”
Maxwel
l
My feet pound the pavement, and I block out all other sounds. I concentrate on my breathing and will myself to add speed. I lengthen my stride and hear the footsteps pounding after me. A part of my loves how Sam is always striving to be just like me. When we were younger, he used to follow me everywhere, and it would annoy me. But now I relish the way we can challenge each other and keep reaching for something higher.
The air is a little dewy, and it makes breathing that much more difficult. But I can see the house up the hill in the distance, and I focus on that. Soon, I will quench the thirst that’s building inside me and relax. A blur passes by me, and I realize belatedly that Sam has taken advantage of the fact that I am lost in my thoughts. I begin to sprint faster before I drop my pace back down and decide to let him win. He is used to losing to me, and I think winning will boost his confidence.
“Finally,” Sam pants to me when I approach the driveway. His hands are on his knees, and he cranes his neck up to watch me.
“You did good, kid,” I tell him. I clap him on the back, and he chuckles before rising.
“I did good, but you didn’t. You let me win.”
“You beat me, don’t overanalyze it,” I say. I lead us into the house and poke my head into the kitchen gallery to tell the staff that we’re ready to take our breakfast on the patio.
Once we are settled and eating, Sam produces a notebook from his bag. “Remember how I told you that I had to hire an assistant? I asked Riley to hire a temp, and she started this week. So far, so good, but I haven’t given her too much of a load yet.
I chew my food slowly and frown. “Temp? I don’t remember this.”
“She’s a friend of Riley’s. She just graduated actually. Anyway, she’s good. I might hire her on permanently as my assistant.” Sam gulps his coffee down, and I study him carefully.
“Does she have green eyes by any chance?” I ask him on a hunch, remembering the woman at the bar.