Don’t Go

by Paige, Violet

  “Yeah. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” I hung up the phone and waited for her to knock on the door.

  Twenty minutes later I heard her tap on the door. I swung it open.

  “Darlin’, what’s going on?” I could see it all over her face. I forgot about the shitty calls and the disappointing sales results. It all seemed secondary.

  “It didn’t go so well today.” She dropped onto the couch.

  I sat on the coffee table. Her eyes were red, her mascara smudged. “What happened?”

  “I think they’re going to fire me. Janet wasn’t happy.”

  I shook my head. “No. Fire you? That sounds like a bad idea.”

  “Yes. Janet said there’s nowhere to move me, and I’ve already outed myself as a biased reporter where you’re concerned.”

  “What about the features gig?”

  “It wasn’t as concrete as I thought it was. She was speaking in abstracts.” She looked at me. “I screwed up the whole thing.”

  “Hey, come here.” I moved to the couch, so I could fold her in my arms. “That’s not the only job out there.”

  She sniffed. “It is the only one. I looked all afternoon. There is nothing down here in nowhere Texas.”

  “Why are you only looking here? What about the rest of the state? Or Florida? Or California? God, that place is loaded with reporters.”

  I didn’t expect the hurt look on her face.

  “You think I should move?”

  I realized when the words came out of her mouth what she was thinking. “I don’t want you to move. No. But, I’m trying to think through the practical angles here. If there’s nothing here you’ve got to cast a wider net.”

  She scooted back. “But you’re the reason all of this happened. You are the reason I’m going to lose my job. And you think it’s okay if my net takes me to California?”

  “Ronnie, stop before we end up arguing. That’s not what I’m saying.”

  Her eyes flared. I might have already lost.

  “This is my job. My only job. I don’t own twenty different companies. And my bank account isn’t overwhelmed with zeros.” Her voice rose. “I worked hard to get that job. I moved by myself. I live in a cramped studio apartment. And it’s over.” Her eyes turned on me. “Because I slept with you.”

  “Hold on. I seem to remember this has all been mutual.” I didn’t like the direction this was headed.

  “But only one of us has really been in control the entire time.”

  “You have had as much control as I have. More if you ask me.”

  She shook her head. “More? How could I have more? You’re the one with the car and the trips and the money.”

  “That has nothing to do with you and me. You know that.” I brushed her hair off her shoulder. “You are one of the only women I’ve been with who didn’t care about that stuff. As a matter of fact, I think my money annoys you more than anything.”

  “It is a little irritating.” She scowled.

  “Tell me why we’re fighting right now? Because all I could think about through those calls and meetings was seeing you at the end of the day. God, I’ve never rushed through a day before just to get to the end. What have you done to me?”

  “I can’t stay in South Padre, Aiden. It’s like a big, sick, twisted joke. I told my boss about you so we could have this, and because of it we can’t have it.”

  “You have forgotten who you are dealing with.”

  Her head cocked to the side. “Do I want to know?”

  “Tomorrow, getting a job for you is my top priority. At the very beginning of the list.”

  “And what about tonight?” Her eyes narrowed.

  “Oh, that’s easy. Making you feel better is my top priority.”

  “You think you can do that?” She sounded doubtful.

  I kissed her gently before standing. “You need dinner, a glass of wine, probably a backrub and then a hot bath. Sound good?” I walked to the fridge and began to uncork a bottle of cold wine.

  “Did you read that in a book somewhere?” She watched me while I poured a glass and carried it to her.

  “Not what you want?”

  “Oh, I definitely want it. I’m not going to turn any of it down.” She took a sip and sank back on the couch.

  I pulled out my phone. “Hank’s for dinner? I’ll walk over and pick it up. You can hang out here. Relax.”

  “Hank’s sounds good. I want an enormous cheeseburger. Tell Hank to pile on the fries too.” She rested her feet on the end of the couch, shoving a pillow out of the way.

  I placed the call and ordered two plates to go. “I’ll be right back. Enjoy the quiet. We’ll figure this out. There’s always another deal along the way. We only have to find the right one for you.”

  I left her sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in hand, the wheels spinning in her head about her job. I knew to her it seemed as if the bottom had fallen out, but I knew better. She was smart and talented. There would be another job. When I returned with dinner I‘d have to tell her how many times I had been fired. It sucked, but it made me stronger. She would bounce back more resilient, more experienced.

  Cole was standing next to the bar when I walked in to the local’s hangout.

  “Hey,” he greeted me. “How are you, man?”

  “Where’s Kaitlyn?” I looked around but other than a few guys playing pool, Hank’s looked slow tonight.

  “She sent me to pick up dinner. What about you?”

  I chuckled. “Same. Veronica’s back at the condo.”

  “Think we have time for a beer?” Cole checked over his shoulder as if Kaitlyn was about to walk through the door.

  The cook was still prepping the orders. I didn’t see anything pass through the kitchen window.

  “I think we could have one.” I sat next to him at the bar.

  The wood surface was worn and faded from years of people smoothing their fingers over the waxy coat. I traced the paths their fingers had taken. It hit me my father had probably done the same thing.

  Hank slung a towel over his shoulder. “How are you boys doing? The orders are going to be a few more minutes. There was a problem with the fryer, but cook’s got it going now.”

  Cole and I exchanged a look. “Two beers, Hank. We’ll sit for a minute.”

  “You got it.” He turned to pour the amber liquid into pilsners.

  One of the pool players tapped on the jukebox to change the song. I never heard anything other than country music play at Hank’s. Sometimes there was live music. Hank had arranged a squatty stage out of plywood, but Monday night the place was practically dead.

  Hank deposited the drinks in front of us. “I’ll check on your orders.”

  “No problem, Hank. We’ll sit for a while.” I realized I had half a beer back at the condo, but this one tasted good. Cold. I needed to give Veronica a few minutes.

  My fingers rubbed into the grooves on the bar. “Did you and Dad come here a lot? I mean, Pops.” Hell, I didn’t know what to call the man anymore.

  Cole’s head bobbed. “We did. Sometimes we’d close up the office at the Dunes and walk over. But he was more of a whiskey man. Not big on beer.”

  “Whiskey? Really. Huh.” He was telling me new scraps of information I didn’t know.

  “I usually left early. He was a talker. He’d run into someone he knew and they’d start on something, and I let him close down the place.” Cole shook his head. “He had a way of convincing people to do things even when they didn’t want to.” He looked at me. “I guess that’s where you got it.”

  I didn’t take it as a jab. “We didn’t have much in common.”

  “I think you’re wrong about that,” Cole reflected.

  “It wasn’t like we spent that much time together. He’d drive in for a night maybe two at the most. And I never felt like he was really there to see me. My mom came first.” The bottom of my glass clanked against the bar. “I’m glad he put her first though. She needed him. I don’t thin
k he ever realized how much.”

  Cole adjusted his barstool. “I always thought Pops was a simple man. He worked hard. He lived in the same place his entire life. Took me in. But ever since you showed up, I realized he wasn’t simple at all.”

  I tried to picture the two of them sitting here like this. Stones of jealousy hardened under my skin. Cole knew my dad in a way I never would. Half the people on the island saw something in him I didn’t know existed.

  “I don’t know which one of us gave up first.” I swallowed another gulp of beer. “I guess none of that matters now. He’s gone.”

  “What do you think he’d say if he saw us sitting at Hank’s drinking a beer?” Cole asked.

  I laughed. “No telling. Either run because he got caught.” I paused. “Or join us.”

  Cole pushed his empty glass out of the way. “Yeah, I think he’d join us. As a matter of fact, I know he would.”

  Hank appeared from the kitchen, holding up two white bags. “Y’all better get dinner back to those girls.”

  “Thanks, Hank.” Cole took his order and slapped me on the back as he turned. “Have a good night. Uncle.” He said it light-heartedly and it made me smile.

  “Tell Kaitlyn I said hi. And give the twins a hug or high-five.”

  “Will do.”

  I stood to pay Hank for dinner before walking out of the bar. This had been one hell of a Monday.

  Twenty

  Veronica

  There was fidgeting. And then there was what I was doing. I crossed my ankles one way and then the other. I pulled the hem of my skirt so much I could see stress lines in the fabric. I didn’t know how long Janet was going to make me wait in the conference room.

  The door opened and she walked in, only she wasn’t alone. Frannie from HR was with her. Shit.

  “Thanks for coming in, Veronica.” The two women sat across from me.

  “Of course.” I tried to smile, but my lips felt like they would start to tremble at any second.

  Janet cleared her throat. “I had Frannie join us so we can go over everything together.”

  She didn’t need to say another word. I knew exactly what decision she had made. My job at the News & Report was over.

  I sat in silence while they explained the company’s policies on fraternization with a source. Frannie read an excerpt from the employee handbook and presented a copy of the document I had signed when I was hired. I tried to stay calm, but I felt like I was underwater and their words were muffled by the water in my ears.

  “I really do wish you all the best, Veronica.” Janet stood.

  “Thank you,” I tried to make it louder than a whisper.

  “Let us know where you land.”

  I nodded. I couldn’t imagine staying in touch with her, but it felt like a necessary gesture.

  Janet left the room so I could complete the with exit paperwork with Frannie. It was embarrassing enough to be fired, it was humiliating to lose my job because I had slept with Aiden. I might as well be Hester Prynne.

  Frannie smiled lightly when I handed over my press pass and the key to the newsroom. I told her I didn’t have any personal effects in my desk so I wouldn’t need a box to pack.

  She escorted me to the door and watched from the glass as I walked to my car. My throat tightened. I could feel her eyes on my back as I moved across the parking lot. But I couldn’t turn around. I couldn’t let my shoulders slump, or the tears fall. I unlocked the driver side door and sat behind the steering wheel.

  I thought I saw Janet standing at the skinny window in her office, but I cranked the ignition and pulled onto the road.

  It wasn’t until I hit the next stoplight that I let the heat and the anger of my embarrassment spill over. They were hard ugly sobs that wracked my body. I heard the car behind me honk when the light turned green.

  I wiped at my eyes enough to see the road and sped forward. Those were the only tears I would allow myself to have. I had to focus on whatever future lied ahead.

  * * *

  He was dressed in his usual white button-up shirt, pacing on the balcony. I let myself in, so he didn’t know I was watching him. Whoever was on the other end of that call was getting an earful.

  I headed to the bedroom. I had left my phone charger plugged in next to his bed. I wrapped the cord around my hand, and sat on the edge. Aiden slept closest to the door. The pillow smelled like him. I couldn’t help but smile when I thought about last night. As nervous and upset as I had been, he had found a way to make me forget about it.

  He was the kind of man who could draw a bath and wash my back. Refill my wine. Hold me while I fell asleep. Listen to me say the same things over again. Aiden had turned into a completely unexpected man.

  I walked back to the living room to see if he was finished with the call.

  “Hey, I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “Hey.” I was on the verge of losing it again, but I stiffened my back, holding the feelings in.

  “And what did Janet say?”

  I shook my head. “They gave me the HR speech and let me go. You’re looking at an out of work reporter.”

  “Come here.” He moved toward me, locking his arms around my back. “They are crazy for not finding a spot for you at that journal. They just gave their competition an advantage. I consider that a bad business practice.” His thumb smoothed the back of my shirt.

  “I don’t think Janet considers business practices. She’s an editor.”

  “It’s a business. But it doesn’t matter. That’s done. It’s over.” He dropped me from the hold.

  “I guess I should work on updating my resume and pulling together my work portfolio. It’s going to take a little bit of time.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to be necessary.”

  “Of course it is. I have to get another job before word gets out why I left the Record.”

  Aiden looked at the number on his phone when it rang and hit ignore. “I’ll get that later. I have a proposal for you.”

  “Okay?” I sat on the couch.

  “Did you give Janet the story I mentioned the other night?”

  “No. I was going to use it, but I never had a chance. Why?”

  “Apparently, no one has picked up on it yet. I need that good bit of PR to circulate. Combating environmentalists and homeless mothers is bad for business.”

  I thought about Doug’s desk in the development office. The application was likely buried underneath his cheat sheet for Halo. He might get to opening mail today.

  “Anyway, I’d like you to write the article.”

  “I can’t write it. We went over this whole thing. Besides, I’m unemployed.”

  “You can’t write it if you work for a news establishment. You can write it if you are on my PR team and it’s your job to release the information.” He had a wide smile.

  “You want me to work for you? You’re going to hire me?” I didn’t know how to react.

  “I could send the information to my media team, but they aren’t here. They don’t know the details like you do. You’ve already interviewed Quinn, and I’m sure she’d be happy to see you again.”

  “How is this not a conflict of interest?” I pushed.

  “This is business. I can hire whomever I want. I can release whatever information I want. I want you to write a piece on Thomas Corporation’s dedication to relocating a few of the displaced Cove residents. This is what PR firms do every day. My PR firm happens to be in Dallas. You are here.”

  I considered everything he was saying. I didn’t want a handout. I didn’t want to be unemployed either. I had student loans due each month, not to mention a car payment and rent for the studio apartment.

  “But how would it work between us?”

  “Sweetheart, work is work. And when it’s five o’clock we shut that down and it’s just you and me.”

  “What’s the starting salary?”

  “You’ll get the same as what I pay the other two on PR.”

 
“Do you have a number?” I prodded.

  He walked over to the laptop on the dining table. “I need to pull it up. Hold on.” He opened several files before finally giving me an annual sum.

  “And benefits?”

  “Yes, darlin’, you get all the benefits. The whole works.”

  “And I’m based here in South Padre?”

  He crossed the room. “You’re based wherever I am.”

  My eyes flashed to his. I felt the tingles run to my fingertips. This no longer felt like I was negotiating the terms of a new job. I was going to be terrible at separating my feelings from work. I wasn’t even on the job two minutes, and all I could think about was what Aiden was implying.

  “You want me to travel with you?”

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” He shrugged like I had asked if we could share a pizza.

  “Is that a standard part of what your PR people do?”

  “It’s what I want to be standard with you.” His eyes softened, the deep pools of cobalt sucking me in. “I have to leave for Dallas in another day. The idea of leaving you here while I’m up there isn’t very appealing.”

  I held my breath. This was different from the San Antonio trip. I could feel it, even though he wasn’t saying it.

  He turned when his phone rang again. “I’ve got to take this. It’s the west coast.”

  I nodded. I watched as he walked onto the balcony, sliding the door behind him. Ten minutes later he was back inside, his cell phone stuffed in his front pocket.

  “My entire day is booked with calls. I need to know if you want the job.” His eyebrows arched, and for a minute I knew he didn’t see me as the woman he shared a bed with. I was an employee holding him up.

  “Yes. I’ll take it.”

  “Good. I think you’ll like working for Thomas Corporation.” He walked to the table and jotted something on a piece of paper. “Here. This is Carter’s number. Give him a call and tell him to set you up with email. And have a new computer shipped to you at my address. He can overnight an HR packet too.”

  I took the slip of paper. “But won’t they know about us if I tell him that?”