No, this was my fuck up, and I had to deal with it.
On the way to the school, I organized the exams for my first class. I wouldn’t have much time between to get my second class ready, as the paperwork was in my office, but I’d make it work. There was no choice today. No chances for distraction.
I didn’t have time to deal with the card reader, so I paid the cab driver with cash. I preferred to pay that way when I could so my movements couldn’t be tracked. Today, it was just faster.
I arrived on campus around eight forty, already ten minutes late for the final. I had already broken out into a sweat from running around my place, and my shirt clung to me as I hauled ass over to my lecture hall. A blast of air conditioning hit me as I pushed through the double doors into the building. The halls were empty because everyone was where they were supposed to be: in the classrooms, taking finals. Everyone except for me.
As much as I worked out, I hadn’t run like that in a long time. My breathing was heavy as my shoes slapped against the tile floor.
Once I reached the door, I flung it open. Someone stood on the other side, and I nearly barreled into a student named Corey. I stopped quickly enough to avoid a complete disaster, but it was close enough to make Corey skitter backward.
“Professor,” he said, his eyes wide.
I narrowed mine at him. “Where do you think you’re going?”
He glanced at his shoes and then trailed his eyes up to my chest, not reaching any higher. “You didn’t show up, so I figured…” He shrugged.
I shook my head. “You figured that the final was canceled? You were going to get an A if the professor didn’t show up?” I pushed past him and descended the stairs. My earlier annoyance from waking late still soured my mood. “That’s not going to happen. I apologize for being late, but if you don’t sit for this exam, then you fail my class.”
“How can you still give us the test?” Corey asked, still standing by the door. “We lost almost half an hour already. It’s not our fault you’re late.”
“You better write fast.”
“This is some bullshit,” Corey said under his breath.
I couldn’t chastise him too much. After all, he had been here on time. So had everyone else. The rest of my students glanced at me nervously as I made my way to the front of the class. “I’ll curve the exam. So, do your best.”
The group relaxed slightly. I wasn’t going to force them to be late to their next test because I fucked up. I hoped I wouldn’t have to curve the exam too much, since professors who did that usually earned a few side glances from the head of the department. A half hour was a big chunk of time to miss in the two-hour period of the exam, but there was nothing else I could do about it now. I passed the exams out.
Everyone settled into their seats and opened their test packets, and I headed to my desk. Once the room filled with the scratching of pens across paper, I relaxed into my chair. I rarely sat down during classes, except for finals. There wasn’t much else for me to do, other than check for cheaters. No one could use the bathroom or reach into their bags. Today, I needed the break. I doubted any of my students felt the urge to cheat when they barely had enough time to look at their own exams.
I finally took a deep breath and took stock of my life. It was only Monday, and I had three more days to go. Paige would allow me to take a pass on this week, but I didn’t want to disappoint her. I had too much on my plate, and I wasn’t sure how to balance it all.
I went into my phone and set several alarms for the rest of the week so that I wouldn’t repeat the scramble from that morning. I set the next day’s alarm even earlier, since I knew I had to get into my office for some quiet time to grade exams.
I usually graded previous exams during the next test, but this was the first one of the week, so I had a pass. I grabbed my laptop and opened the file I had set aside for Paige. If she texted asking about the building, I’d let her know I needed one more week, and then I was all hers. The prospect seemed nice, and I already wished the week was over.
After two more finals, I took my stack of papers to my office. I passed Chance’s office and was surprised to see him inside. I stepped through the doorway.
“Hey,” I said. “How was your day?”
He took his reading glasses off and tossed them onto his desk before furiously rubbing his face with his hands. “Horrible. I fucking hate my students.”
I glanced over my shoulder before closing the door behind me. “So, not a great day?”
“I don’t even know why I do this,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “It’s like I drone on for an entire semester, and these kids give me shitty answers on the exam. How do they expect to get anywhere in the world without listening?”
I laughed. “I’m sure it’s not all that bad.”
Chance lifted an exam from the pile. “Can you make out this handwriting? I can’t. Was today his first time writing? These kids and their texting. They can’t even communicate like humans.”
I understood where he was coming from, but I wished he’d give these kids a little credit. Chance always turned into this raging monster by the end of the semester, which was why I never tried to talk him out of his mood. By September, he’d forget all about it and come back to school with a more renewed and positive energy. It happened every year, and I already knew what to expect.
Instead of feeding into his anger, I smiled and shook my head. Maybe one day, he’d realize it for himself. “At least you came into work on time today.”
“I thought you died,” Chance said with a chuckle. “I’m surprised you showed at all.”
I shrugged. “I had to give them the exam. I might have to curve it, though.”
“That’s going to add more work for you.”
“It wasn’t their fault,” I said. “I don’t mind doing it.”
Chance narrowed his eyes at me. “You seem rather chipper for having that stack of work to do tonight. What’s going on with you?”
“Not much,” I said.
“You were late today,” he said, crossing his arms. “And you’re never late. So, I don’t believe this ‘not much’ crap. Talk to me. Something is going on.”
I raked a hand through my greasy hair and cringed. I suppressed the urge to flee the campus to go home and shower. I had too much work to do. A shower could wait. “I’m just working through a few things.”
“No shit,” Chance said. “Care to elaborate? I’ve never seen you like this before. Normally, you have your head on straight. And you have most of your work done by now.” He nodded at my bag stuffed with paperwork.
As much as Chance was a hothead, he did pay attention.
It was impossible for me to concentrate these days. I should have been spending my time wrapping up the semester, but I wanted nothing more than to work on Paige’s designs. Those had me stuck, too, though. I was running on fumes, and Chance had finally noticed. I wondered who else would notice soon.
“Is it that woman?” he asked, nailing it on the head.
“Not her specifically,” I said, treading lightly. “The side project. It’s a lot for me right now.”
“Maybe you should take a step back from helping her,” he said.
“I don’t have a choice anymore.” There was too much on the line for Paige and me. “Contracts, you know.” It was the best excuse I could come up with on the spot. I hoped he’d get off my back about it. Delving deeper into my past wasn’t a good idea for anyone in my life.
Chapter 10
Finding an interior designer for the warehouse was a much easier task than finding an architect. Apparently, my competitors believed I’d given up, and they’d stopped harassing me. Or Reese’s intervention had worked.
As much as I wanted to know what he had done, I was grateful and relieved for the reprieve from constant threats. I’d pulled myself out of the slums to get to where I was, but I kind of liked having someone in my corner for a change.
Marcie Kane came highly recommended. Wh
en I spoke with several of my clients in the city and outlined what I wanted to do, her name came up more than once. During the conversations, my clients seemed super excited about the new building as well. They were happy for me, and a little part of me knew they were excited about the growth of the company and their investment.
While the temporary space was for my employees only, this was an audition for Marcie as well. If she impressed me, I was more than happy to support another female independent contractor.
I had a feeling she understood how lucrative this job could be. She arrived at the meeting on Thursday with a binder in her hand and a plan on the tip of her tongue.
She was a little taller than me, with a jet-black bob framing her heart-shaped face. Her brown eyes were wide and calculating. The second I met her, I knew she was the right choice. She had a similar drive to me. Her shoulders were back, and I knew she was about to attack the project head-on.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, shaking her hand.
Allison stood behind me and leaned forward to shake Marcie’s hand too. She had a tablet propped in her hands, ready to take notes.
“You, as well,” Marcie said, inhaling sharply. She glanced around the main area of the warehouse. “This space is quite large. You sure you don’t want to stay here permanently? I could do some wonderful things here. I love these older buildings.”
“I’m sure,” I said. “I would like for most of the purchases to carry over into the larger building, if possible.”
“It’s possible,” Marcie said, her eyes sparkling. It reminded me of how Reese looked the day he drew his ideas onto the whiteboard at the closet-office. She had a passion for the project, but I wanted to hear her thoughts before I made any commitment. I was all for supporting women, but I needed this project done right.
“Let me give you the tour,” I said, leading her through the space. “I want this to be the central hub. I was looking for an open-floor plan.”
“Very popular now,” Marcie said. She didn’t write anything down, and I wondered if she wanted to get a feel for the warehouse before giving her ideas.
“Through here are several smaller spaces,” I said, opening the door to the hallway. Even though I was extremely cramped in my current office, after standing in the main area of the warehouse, these offices felt as if the walls were closing in on me. It didn’t help that windows were scarce. “I was thinking of using these as places to unwind. Possibly a small lunchroom and a quiet area, separating the work area from relaxation.”
Marcie peeked inside each of the rooms and nodded. I walked with her to the loading dock, and for some reason, she appeared more impressed by that than the rest of the place. “You have no idea how many places don’t have access to proper loading docks. This is a luxury.” I wasn’t sure how many warehouses she worked with, but I enjoyed giving her a little different space to work in. I always liked a challenge, and I got the same vibe from her as well.
“All right, I have a good feel for this place,” Marcie said. “Let’s go back to the main area.”
Marcie stood in the center of the room and closed her eyes. She slightly turned, eyes still closed, and waved her hand to the side. Then she pointed a few times. When her eyes sprang open, I walked over to her. “What are you thinking?”
“So many things,” she said.
“Can you narrow it down?” I asked.
Marcie smirked. “My apologies. I’m a visual person. I appreciate letting the space work for me.”
I glanced at Allison, and she shrugged.
Marcie continued, not missing a beat. “The impression you’re looking for would do nicely in the bigger space. From what you said on the phone, you were looking for more of an inclusive environment for your employees moving to the city.”
“Right,” I said, glancing at Allison. My friend seemed to be captivated by Marcie. Or maybe she was imagining a desk of her own. She’d been a trooper this whole time with me in the smaller office, so I knew I had to do something special for her.
“You don’t need to utilize the entire building,” Marcie said. “It’s a wonderful space for a corporate company with hundreds of employees. But since you’re a smaller outfit now, I suggest keeping everything in this big room. Right here, closer to the door, you can have all the desks, configuring them to give privacy to each of your employees while also providing a close connection with those around them.” Her heels clicked against the floor as she shuffled toward the back of the room. “The lounge area. You can set up one or two dividers, but I think it would work to have a kitchen and couches over here. That way, there is a constant connection between everyone, but with the separation, they’ll be switching between work and breaks.”
“I like that idea,” Allison said.
Marcie nodded. “The lack of windows in the other spaces might work against you. I mean, we can set up one room for private client conferences, but all you need is a desk and a computer.”
Like our other space. I could easily move all that furniture into one of the back rooms, but I appreciated her view on everything else. It aligned with my vision.
Marcie gave me a much more detailed version of her thoughts, down to the minutiae. If I didn’t have the only key to the warehouse, I would have sworn she’d already become intimate with the place before today. Since that was impossible, I had to assume she was just that good, which wasn’t surprising, considering all the positive recommendations from people I knew.
She wanted this place to welcome the employees, who were picking up their lives elsewhere and moving to an unfamiliar place. From the moment they came through the door, Marcie wanted their shoulders to relax and their minds to open up to the possibility of each work day being their best.
She was part motivational speaker and part interior designer, but she had me sold.
“I’d like to work with you on this project,” I said to Marcie.
Marcie smirked and nodded her head. “I appreciate your support. Now, would it be too forward of me to ask for a budget? I know you are under time constraints, and I’d like to get started right away.”
I liked the way she thought. “Money is not an issue at this point.” Marcie’s eyes widened slightly. “Though, as I said, I want purchases which can be used in the new building.”
“Sounds good,” Marcie said. “I’ll have my assistant send over the contract this afternoon.”
“Perfect,” I said.
Marcie took several photographs of the empty space before saying goodbye.
When we were alone, Allison turned to me. “I liked her.”
“Me too,” I said.
“I can’t believe we’re finally doing this,” she said. “Everyone is going to be so excited.”
“I hope we can fulfill their expectations. Once they’re settled in, there’s more work to be done.”
“Why don’t we stay here?” Allison asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Like Marcie said. This place is big enough. It’s already built. We won’t have to move again.”
I shook my head. “We need something for our clients to see we’re a real business.”
“Anyone who looked at the books would know we were real,” she said. “Think about it. We make this place our own and then there isn’t a headache. We have enough to purchase it from Reese.”
“I said no. This is temporary.”
Allison held up her hands in defense. “All right, I was just making a suggestion.”
“I know,” I said. “Sorry, but I have a vision for my company, and a warehouse isn’t it.”
“How have things with Reese been going?” Allison asked. She had a knack for moving from one uncomfortable conversation to another.
“He’s a great guy,” I said, unable to hold back my smile. “Today is his last day of finals. He seems stressed lately, so I haven’t been bothering him about the plans for the building.”
“Are you going to see him this weekend?” she asked.
“I
don’t know. It depends.”
“I bet he could use some rest and relaxation. Why don’t you go surprise him?”
I checked the time on my phone. His classes were still in session. “I don’t want to bother him.”
“You could never bother anyone. He likes you, and I know it would put a smile on his face.”
I chewed on my lip. It would take a little while to get to Cornell. I could make it if I left now. “Can you lock up?” I handed her the key.
“Go get him!” Allison cheered.
I sprinted to the door and ran to the corner. I wasn’t used to running in heels, and my calves ached with the effort. But I’d already made my decision. I couldn’t go back now. Besides, I wanted to see Reese too. Not to talk about the building, but to have a real conversation with someone I enjoyed spending time with.
I managed to get a cab quickly and gave the driver the address.
On the way over, my stomach tied in knots. What was I doing? Bubbles of excitement popped within me, and I felt like a teenage girl ready to ask someone out on a date. Reese always came to me when we went on dates. What if my surprise wasn’t what he wanted?
My mind went into overdrive, and I wondered if I’d see him with another woman. We hadn’t made any concrete boundaries in our relationship, but I didn’t want to see it for myself.
A few times, I almost told the driver to turn around and take me home, but I pushed through. If seeing him today was going to reveal an ugly truth, I wanted to face it head on instead of shying away from trouble.
I arrived at the campus about ten minutes before classes let out. I followed the signs to the faculty parking. In our time together, he mentioned he had an older model, blue BMW. I checked the lot twice and only saw one of them.
In a bold move, I lifted myself onto the hood of the car, praying it wouldn’t dent under my weight. But it appeared to be solid. After a few looks from others walking past, I started to feel like a pin-up model. Instead of leaning back, I tucked my legs closer to me, but not enough to flash anyone, and I waited.
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