My Missing Puzzle Piece (Creekside Falls #1)

by Kristin Hoepfl

  After she got herself under control Elle sat at her desk staring out the windows; she couldn’t believe what had just happened. How did she let it get to that point? She loved Trevor so much. Her chest felt so tight and her heart was shattered in a million pieces. She had caused this, she knew that, but how could he think she wanted Rob? She was just trying to help an old friend who was obviously in trouble, that’s all. Her everything hurt and even though she tried not to, she started sobbing again.

  he rest of Trevor’s day was complete hell. He was in such pain it was unbearable.

  When Trevor brought Rob into the conference room later that day he wanted to know why and how he did it and if it was only him, or if Becky and Max were somehow involved too.

  As Rob sat across from Trevor and said, “What’s going on?”

  “Why did you do it?” Trevor asked.

  “Do what?” Rob asked as if he had no clue.

  “Try and sabotage my company.”

  “I didn’t do anything.” Rob denied.

  “The hell you didn’t, I have proof. I just want to know why?” Trevor demanded.

  Rob stared at him a minute, it was obvious he was battling with himself. Trevor said proof, that meant he knew so there was no sense in denying it.

  “Because I got bored, I guess.”

  “You got bored? You’ve got to be shitting me! I know that’s not the real reason, so for the last time, why?” Trevor yelled as he slammed his hand down on the table.

  Rob’s eyes went wide and he took a deep breath, “Because I needed the money.”

  “What?” Trevor asked.

  “Money…I needed the money that the extra hours would have brought in if my team ended up looking the most reliable.”

  Trevor realized then that Jake was right and it had been about money and probably the gambling was the problem. How come he didn’t notice anything before? If his guys liked working for him so much why didn’t they come to him and say something, he couldn’t help wondering.

  “Couldn’t you just ask me for overtime or an advance on pay?” Trevor asked.

  “Didn’t want to and it isn’t that easy.” Rob replied with.

  “So how did you plan to make that happen and why did you need the money so badly, and I want the truth Rob?”

  “Because I gamble and need to pay some people back.” Rob gave a short laugh. “The schedules were easy to mess with. Every route manager has a password to login, all I had to do was hack in, which was easier than you might think, and give myself full access. So I could override anything you put in and change it to anything I wanted. I was doing it for a while before anyone said anything and over a month before you even noticed. To be honest it was almost fun.”

  Trevor stared blankly at Rob in disbelief at how much he just shared and, at how twisted the guy really was.

  “What about Becky and Max?” Trevor asked.

  Rob laughed, “Oh, that was nothing. Last time Max was here I ran into him and saw how interested he was in Becky. It was obvious the guy wanted her. I told him I’d let him know when she was either over you or single and he gave me his information. I emailed him from my personal account to say Becky was interested in him and that I thought something was going on here; that the business was in trouble but you were trying to keep it quiet. I told him not to say anything to you but to ask Becky about it, since she knows everything happening here. Then I told him to email me at my work email because I check it more often, and that I’d keep him up on the situation here and he fell for it. Becky always was nice to Max and had a thing for him too, so of course she just answered his questions and even told him Elle talked to us. She wasn’t anymore the wiser than he was. Max was worried about you when he found out something was going on and wanted to help. So when he knew Elle talked to us he got worried you had found out and couldn’t fix the business he knows you love so much.”

  “You bastard!” Trevor yelled, “all this because you gambled away someone else’s money. You almost ruined my business and my relationships with two people I’m close to.”

  “Yeah well I had to cover my ass.” Rob said with a smile.

  It took everything Trevor had not to beat the shit out of him for all the problems he caused.

  Trevor looked Rob straight in the eye and said, “Glad you had your little fun, now get the hell out of my office and don’t ever come back.”

  As Rob stood to leave the room he had one parting shot, “Tell Elle I said hi and I want to know something, is she as much fun in bed as I always thought she’d be?”

  Blood pounded in Trevor’s ears he was so furious. He knew Rob was trying to provoke him; he’d love nothing more than to have Trevor punch him so he could file an assault complaint against him. He let him walk out knowing that he only had to put out the word and Rob wouldn’t be able to get a job flipping burgers in this town or anywhere in the area.

  He knew things had just ended with Elle but he had to let her know exactly who she was sticking up for so he emailed her about his entire conversation with Rob. Trevor was angry and hurt but he did want to protect Elle from Rob and anyone like him, despite everything.

  After Trevor fired Rob, he called and emailed every business owner he knew to save them and their businesses from the likes of Rob, telling them to spread the word. He called Jake to tell him what went down with him and Rob when he confronted him, Jake couldn’t believe he was such a prick about it. He felt guilty about not saying something sooner, but it wasn’t his fault.

  Trevor also called Max to talk to him about everything that was going on. Max told him everything that happened on his end. He said Rob was the one who initiated their conversations because he made it seem like the business was in trouble and that Trevor was trying to keep it a secret but maybe in some way Max could help. Max had been worried for Trevor. When Trevor hung up with Max he knew they were good, Max kept saying he felt guilty and responsible for not telling Trevor when Rob contacted him. Trevor told him that was crazy, since Rob still would have been doing it he only wanted to use Max as a cover, but it was nice to know his friend and one-time business partner had his back.

  The rest of the week went by for Trevor and Elle in a slow agony. They were so upset and hurt by each other’s words and actions, they didn’t want to be around anyone. Finally on Saturday Taylor and Jake decided it was time to intervene.

  Taylor went to Elle’s with cookies, cake and wine -the perfect dinner trilogy for female heartbreak, which Taylor knew from experience. She let herself into Elle’s house and found Elle on her couch watching a romantic movie and crying.

  “Come here.” Taylor said to Elle as she pulled her in for a hug.

  “He broke up with me.” Elle managed to say as she clung to Taylor and kept crying.

  “I know. What happened?” Taylor said as she handed Elle a handful of tissues.

  “Trevor found out it was Rob who sabotaged the schedules, I stuck up for Rob, Trevor got mad and hurt and said some awful things to me, I said some unkind things back and then he ended it.” Elle said sniffling but wiping her eyes and nose with the tissues.

  “You stuck up for Rob?” Taylor asked sounding surprised.

  “Yeah. I was convinced he wouldn’t do something like that or that if he did he had a good reason. We have a history and we were friends once.” Elle said sounding disappointed.

  “Well obviously he did and sweetie your history with him was a lifetime ago, a lot has happened since then and people have changed.”

  “You sound like Trevor now.”

  “You are my best friend and I’d do anything for you but….ever think he was right?” Taylor asked as she handed Elle a cookie.

  “Yes. That’s what makes this worse; he was right about Rob but not about him and me. I can’t believe he gave up on us that easily.” Elle said as her eyes began to fill with tears again.

  “He only gave up on you two because you gave up on him first.” Taylor said being brutally honest.

  “I didn’t or
at least I didn’t mean to. I was just trying to help Rob.”

  “Well in trying to help Rob you gave up on the guy you love.” Taylor countered.

  “Damn it! Why does love have to hurt so much?” Elle said as she bit into her cookie.

  “It only hurts this much when it’s the real deal. I should know remember. Can you guys get past this?” Taylor asked Elle seriously.

  “I don’t know. He was really hurt and angry with me. I don’t know if I blame him to be honest. He would’ve been there for me and wouldn’t have told me to do something different for a friend unless it was Jake. Even then I still think he would have been in my corner and I did the opposite of all that, for Rob, a guy I have no actual loyalty to. At least if it was you it would have been worth it.” Elle leaned on Taylor while she hugged her tightly for a few minutes as they sat in silence.

  After a little while, Elle said, “I know this sounds so cheesy but if my life were a puzzle he’d be my missing piece and without him now there’s a big hole.”

  “It’s not too cheesy,” Taylor said playfully.

  “You just said how much he means to you…so you have to find a way to make it right with him.”

  “I don’t know if I can make it right.” Elle said somberly.

  “Well, we want this to work between the two of you. You do want this to work out between you guys, right?”

  “Of course I do but I don’t know what to do to make it right, or if it’ll matter.”

  “Wait, we?” Elle said suddenly curious.

  “Umm. Yeah, me and Jake.”

  “You two talked about this?” Elle asked incredulously.

  “Yeah, you’re both our best friends and this is ridiculous. You guys didn’t even get your relationship off the ground before it crashed and burned.”

  “Wow that was so poetic, thanks for that.” Elle said sarcastically.

  Taylor gave a small wince, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean for it to come out like that but you know what I mean.”

  “Yeah I do but it doesn’t make the pain go away.”

  Elle just sat there with her best friend knowing she didn’t want her to go, because she felt like she’d brake into a million pieces and needed Taylor to help hold her together. She had never imagined anything could ever hurt this much. How could loving someone cause so much pain? All she wanted was to be wrapped in Trevor’s arms with him telling her it would all be okay but that wasn’t going to happen since she was the one who broke them. She could not get the sound of the hurt in his voice that day on the phone, out of her head. It broke her heart to know she was the one who had caused him that pain. She wouldn’t be able to come back from this heartbreak in one piece.

  ake walked into Trevor’s condo and saw his friend sitting at his table with his head down on a pile of books. Bruiser was scratching at the back doors to come in. Jake went over and let Bruiser in, than fed him and gave him water. He dropped the beer and pizza he brought on the counter and walked over to Trevor.

  “Dude wake up.” Jake said as he lightly kicked Trevor’s chair.

  “What?” Trevor said, startled from sleep, as he lifted his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “What are you doing here?” Trevor asked, he looked like he’d been to hell and back.

  “I came to see if you were alive, you won’t return any calls or texts and haven’t been to work since Tuesday. I’ve had to handle everything without you man.” Jake said as he shoved Trevor a plate with a piece of pizza on it. “Eat!”

  “Yes I’m alive, see?” Trevor said as he bit into the pizza. “I’ll deal with everything when I come back.”

  “Any idea when that’ll be?” Jake sat down in the seat opposite Trevor and looked at the spread of books and papers on the table. “What were you sleeping on; they sure as hell don’t look like pillows.” Jake asked as he took a slice of pizza.

  “This week, I’ll be back. This is nothing.” Trevor nodded to the books but kept eating.

  Jake looked over again at the pile of textbooks and notebooks. “It doesn’t look like nothing. What is it?”

  Trevor groaned rubbing the stubble on his chin, “Its school stuff okay.”

  “School?” Jake said with a confused look on his face.

  “Yeah, I’ve been taking classes the past couple years for an associate’s in Business.” Trevor said matter-of-fact.

  “Past couple years? You never said anything.” Jake said sounding a bit hurt.

  “I didn’t tell anyone. I’ve wanted to knock this out for a while and figured it wasn’t a big deal, so I left it alone.” Trevor just shrugged.

  “It is a big deal and you should have mentioned it. I’m happy for you man. When do you get done?”

  “This December.”

  “Does Elle know?” Jake asked.

  “Nope never got around to telling her and now it doesn’t matter.”

  “She would’ve wanted to know. What happened with you two anyway? Your text, “it’s over, me and Elle are done,” didn’t really explain anything.”

  “She defended Rob. She even told me to give him another chance. I didn’t understand how she could do that?” Trevor said the wound still raw. “You should’ve heard the whole conversation with him; he’s a sick and twisted bastard that’s for sure.”

  “That’s cold man. I don’t know how she could do that but she was wrong. I don’t really know her but I do know she was wrong to suggest giving him another chance especially because of what happened to the business, but from what I saw she seemed crazy about you dude. Did you try to talk about it after you both cooled down?” Jake asked Trevor.

  “Nope. Didn’t you hear when I said we’re done, so that also means we’re not talking either.”

  “Don’t get your damn panties in a twist. Jeez!” Jake sat back and stared at his friend for a few seconds then he leaned in with his elbows on his knees and said with genuine concern, “you look miserable.”

  “Thanks man. Just what I needed to hear.” Trevor said with a scowl. He got up to get a beer from the fridge.

  “We think you’re both idiots and there has to be a way to move on and get past this.”

  “Who’s we?” Trevor said as he eyed Jake suspiciously.

  “Me and Taylor.”

  “You two have talked about this?” Trevor said almost outraged

  “Yeah we have, our two best friends got together for a whole two minutes, fell in love and threw it away. So yeah we talked about it.”

  “You’re right we were together only two minutes and dumb enough to fall in love too quick but I didn’t throw anything away.”

  The two of them just sat there in silence the rest of the time. Jake knew Trevor didn’t want him to leave yet and even though he never said, he knew his friend needed him there. He’d stay as long as Trevor needed him.

  Trevor didn’t know if this would ever get easier he was in such pain. He felt like someone ripped out his heart and ran a dump truck over it. He was miserable and as Jake so helpfully pointed out he knew he looked miserable. He wanted this to at least get bearable because everything was going to hell around him, he wasn’t able to handle things at work, thank God Jake was there to help. Finals were coming up soon for this semester and he had papers due and studying to do. He couldn’t concentrate on anything more than five minutes. His mind kept wandering to Elle and how she was doing. He told himself to stop and focus on what he needed to accomplish, on him, because right now there was no we. He had never felt like this before about any other woman and knew he didn’t want to go through this kind of heartbreak again.

  For the next week Elle and Trevor went about their lives the best that they could. It was all a blur. Having to fake your way through a week was tough and took a toll on them. Jake and Taylor helped them stay busy, let them talk and even suggested they should call each other but neither one gave in. They were still to proud, neither wanted to be the first one to give in.

  Trevor was busy mending things at work; he had to say at l
east that part of his life was starting to go pretty well. Jake had done a great job keeping things afloat while he was out. His guys really stepped up to help with the extra workload and had his back when they found out what Rob had done. They were all pissed and couldn’t believe Rob had done that and that they had all been clueless. Only a few of his regular clients had found out about the situation but they were so loyal to the company they weren’t going to say anything, especially after his guys explained the situation to them. Man he was so thankful for the men he had working for him.

  Friday morning Elle got up early and saw it was gorgeous out, she thought about going to the park and run, when she remembered that’s where Trevor and Bruiser went. She didn’t want to chance running into him. They hadn’t seen or spoken to each other since that last horrible conversation over a week ago. Her heart plummeted at the thought of him and the idea of possibly running into him with Bruiser at the park. She knew she couldn’t handle seeing him and what on earth would she even say to him? She knew she should call him and apologize but didn’t know if she could take the anger and rejection he would throw her way. She knew she deserved it but she still knew she couldn’t handle it and she also didn’t think he should have ended things the way he did. Elle shut her front door and went to go run on the treadmill where she knew there was no chance she would run into the one person she couldn’t stop thinking about.

  When they broke up Elle thought about back to the short but amazing time they spent together. Trevor helped her to gain confidence but also open up emotionally and physically. Physically she became willing to try various things and become spontaneous. Like the time she surprised him after work. He called to tell her he had to work late to get caught up on some paperwork and scheduling so he probably wouldn’t see her. On her way home she stopped by to surprise him. She walked into his office, shut and locked the door. He had his back to her and was on the phone, she unzipped her dress. When he finished and turned around she wiggled letting her dress slide to the ground; she was standing there in only her black lace bra, panties and black heels.