“I mean, wouldn’t me cutting you a check to pay it off sort of look the same way?”
He shook his head. “It’ll look like a payment, not a reversal, and you do too much for this company not to have a company card.”
I sighed. “But, JoJo, I--.”
He shot up and wrapped his hand tightly around my throat. “You will return those toys so that this company isn’t punished for your blatant disregard, or you’ll be indebted to me. You’ll owe me more than you’ve ever owed anyone in your entire life because the fine that will come down on this company’s head will be because of your actions. So, unless you’re willing to do some serious favors for me for the foreseeable future, I suggest you return everything and right your wrong. Got it?”
I nodded quickly. “Yes, I understand.”
He released my neck and cupped my cheek. “Good girl.”
He smoothed his thumb along my skin, and I wanted to melt into him. I wanted to show him everything that I had purchased and beg that he try them out on me. My eyes fluttered closed and, for the smallest of moments, I forgot that my parents were hanging out in my apartment with the aforementioned blunder of my ways.
Then, an idea hit me.
If I don’t return them, I’ll owe him.
The idea shivered me to my core.
“You’re free to go,” he said dismissively as his hand fell away from my cheek.
The loss of his touch pulled me out of my trance. “I’ll see you Monday morning, Mr. Ryker.”
“Return the toys,” he said with his back to me, “or suffer the consequences of your actions.”
I rubbed my neck as I slipped silently out of his office. I eased the door closed before I drew in a deep breath and decided on taking the long way back to my place. I rode the elevator down to the parking garage and slipped into my car. I leaned my head back, trying to gather the last of my strength to face the rest of this horrid day that had gone so very, very wrong. I heard my phone vibrating in my purse and fished around for it. I saw that I had a couple of missed texts from Mom, followed by a call from Dad that I allowed to slip to voicemail.
Then, I answered Mom back.
Me: Leaving work now. Just had to talk to my boss about a few things for this upcoming work week. What do you guys want for dinner? I can pick something up.
Mom didn’t hesitate to write back.
Mom: Your father just called. Why didn’t you pick up?
Me: Are you guys hungry or not?
Mom: I don’t really enjoy the tone of voice you’ve been using. We come to surprise you, and this is how you treat us?
I’d had enough of their shit.
Me: While I’m happy to see you guys, it wasn’t as if I had any way to plan for your surprise visit. You walked in on my life, so you don’t get a right to judge what you see. So, do you want dinner, or am I booking you a hotel room?
Mom: Don’t worry. I already told your father to book us a room down the road. We’re heading there now.
Guilt flooded my gut, and my knee-jerk reaction was to apologize. But, for what? It wasn’t as if I had done anything wrong. So, I swallowed down the guilt and reminded myself that I was a fully-grown adult woman with my own bills, my own career, and my own life.
And I didn’t have to conform to my traditional parents’ expectations of me.
Me: Well, if you guys want to get dinner together, let me know. I know of some great places you and Dad would love. Especially this fish taco place that has the best guac I’ve found yet.
She read my message but didn’t respond, so I decided to drive around the city for a while. It gave me a chance to clear my head, it enabled me to pick out what I wanted for dinner, and it gave my parents ample time to clear out of my place. I didn’t have enough time to race home so I could return the toys, which meant I could do that tomorrow.
But really, all I needed to do was return my things and then pay for them with my own money.
“Sucks to be you, JoJo,” I murmured to myself.
And with a plan hatched in my mind, my nostrils filled with the smell of soup and salad as I made my way back to my apartment.
