I had a great time with you last night. What are you doing today?
As I’m pulling into my spot in the garage, I hear my phone ding twice.
I had a really good time too. :) Working both jobs. Won't be home until late.
btw, know anything about the lock repair on the front door of my building??
I grab my suit jacket and briefcase, and type back as I’m heading to the elevator.
I may have called and threatened your landlord with legal action if he didn't do door repair. Glad he stepped up. You should always feel safe.
My phone doesn’t ding again until I’m stepping out onto my floor. Does she not like me interfering with her landlord? Too bad. There’s no way I’m going to stand by now that I’m back and not make sure she’s safe.
Well, thanks. I appreciate it.
"Billy!" Christine greets. It’s her nickname for me. Once the rest of the board started calling me "The Kid," she told me she was going to put a badass spin on it and at least add "Billy" to it. "He was a cunning and deadly outlaw," she had whispered, making me laugh. "We’ll hear the tremor in their voices when they call you ‘The Kid’ and we’ll know why." Then she had whistled that Wild West Showdown tune and winked. Truthfully, I hadn’t really minded the nickname, though. "The Kid" is a helluva lot better than "Incompetent Idiot," plus I think it has more to do with age than leadership ability and so I live with it. They all show me respect in the boardroom and I know I’m gaining more of it by the day, even with Gwen’s father, Richard. I don’t want anything I don’t earn.
"Morning, Christine. How are you?" I ask, smiling.
"Great. The team is heading into the conference room right now. Coffee and bagels are already out. Your presentation is loaded on the laptop and the screen is down. Reports are at everyone’s places."
"Thanks, Christine. We’d all be worthless without you."
"Tell me something I don’t already know," she snorts and I grin at her.
I drop my stuff off in my office and shoot Evie a text in reply to her thanks.
Anything for you. Headed in to a meeting. Have a good day/night at work. Can I call you tomorrow?
What if I say no?
I grin.
I'll call you anyway. ;) Have a good day, Evie.
I’m glad to know that Evie is working tonight. Going to the benefit with Gwen is going to be bad enough as it is. If I knew I could potentially be with Evie instead, it’d be even worse.
**********
It’s a pretty uneventful day at the office and I’m able to start getting ready to leave by five o'clock. As I’m heading out, Christine says, "See you in your monkey suit later!" She’s going to the benefit, too. It’ll be nice to have someone there to chat with that I actually like. "Yeah, I’m taking Gwen," I say, grimacing.
"Why?!" She asks with a look of horror on her face. She’s not exactly Gwen’s number one fan. Gwen has been as much of a rude bitch to her as she is to everyone who she considers "beneath" her. For the tenth time today, I consider suddenly coming down with the stomach flu. I sigh. My loyalty to Seth wins out though and I resign myself, vowing to make it a quick evening, write a big check and be back at home before eleven o'clock. "Because I was trying to make nice and I ended up shooting myself in my own foot," I run my hand down my face, shaking my head.
"Jake, you don’t need to try to be nice to that girl. I tried for years, every time she’d come by to visit her father, or during the time she had an internship here. She’s just straight nasty, though. You can only be nice to someone for so long before your kindness starts making you feel like a doormat. I sure don’t go out of my way to be her friend anymore. You shouldn’t either. Plus, she doesn’t want to be your friend. You trying just gives her more of an opportunity to get her claws in you."
I laugh a humorless laugh. "You’re right. On all points." I smile at her. "Your kids are lucky to have a mom like you, you know that? I bet you give them great advice all the time."
"I give anyone great advice who will listen to it." She winks. "That includes you."
I grin at her. "Thanks, Christine. I’m glad you’ll be there tonight."
"Me too, and if you need a break from Phony Baloney, scratch the back of your neck and I’ll pry her off you." She grins.
I laugh as I gather my stuff up and start walking toward the elevator. "Why am I afraid I’m going to have to take you up on that?"
**********
I pull up in front of Gwen’s father’s home in Indian Hill and force myself out of the car. I’d rather be eating a Coney at Skyline alone than going to a catered, black tie dinner with Gwen. No contest. But here I am. Let’s get this over with.
Even though I’m in a tux, I take the steps that lead up to their home two at a time and knock on the door with the gold, lion head knocker. It makes me think of Evie and I smile. I can’t wait to call her tomorrow and –
The door swings open and Gwen catches me smiling to myself. Damn it! I do not want to give her the impression this is too pleasant for me. I go serious and say, "Hi, Gwen. You look nice." She looks like Christmas Barbie, swathed in tight, red velvet, adorned in gold jewelry and her hair in a big, blond, swirly up-do.
"Hey," she says, seductively, leaning against the doorframe. "Wanna come in for a few minutes? My father’s already left for the benefit. We can practice being... friendly–" She raises her eyebrows.