Fucking hell, our office date night.“By ‘third party,’ do you mean my actual boss?”
He cleared his throat. “It doesn’t really matter. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. But that’s what rushed through my mind when you asked. I wondered if you were simply using me as a filler, or a place-holder, since you couldn’t have him or something.”
I scoffed. “Believe it or not, I don’t allow the men in my life to make those decisions for me. If I wanted him, Michael, I’d be with him. But I wasn’t out with him bowling, I was out with you.”
“I know, I know.”
“And another thing: my boss doesn’t get to dictate what the relationship is between him and me. Only I get to do that. JoJo and I have a very interesting relationship because we grew up together. We experienced some pretty shitty things together. I remind him of a lot of bad, and that grinds his gears sometimes. But it’s his issue. Not mine.”
“Of course. Yes. I agree with you, one hundred percent.”
“Then, you should have come to me with this sooner. Communication is paramount in any relationship.”
“I’d really like to make this all up to you, if you’d let me. It’s one of the reasons I called. I miss you, Rebecca. I miss our conversations. I miss that laugh of yours. I miss the light you bring to my life. And if groveling on my knees gets me another chance with you, I’ll come to your office and do it in front of your entire workplace.”
I grinned. “Sounds intriguing. Go on.”
He barked with laughter. “I miss your sense of humor, too.”
I took a long pull from my coffee. “I take it you won’t confirm that my boss was the one that confronted you with this.”
He snickered. “That feels like a bad decision either way, yes.”
“Right. So, I honestly don’t know where to go from here. I just talked about communication, yet you can’t even confirm for me where the rumor came from in the first place. I know JoJo was the one that trashed our in-office date, so I’m as close to one-hundred-percent sure that it was him that dropped the bomb on you. Which makes me wonder why you still won’t confirm it.”
“Because he’s not the only one who’s going around saying things like that, and I don’t want to kick up drama. I don’t want to get in anyone’s way, nor do I want to create anymore heartache for you. I just want a second chance.”
I had no idea what the hell to do with what he had just said. He wasn’t the only one saying something about it? What the actual hell? Who the fuck else was telling him that JoJo and I were a thing? I wanted to pack my shit up and run for the hills. I wanted to quit my job via email and find another city where I could settle down, become a librarian, and lose myself in stacks of books while people left me the fuck alone. My blood boiled as I pulled into the underground parking garage of TechGiants. And as Michael stayed silent, I threw my car into park.
“You still there?” I asked.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m here.”
“Look, I don’t know if this is such a good idea right now. I’ve got a lot going on in my life and--.”
“All I’m asking for is a meal. We can even make it coffee first thing in the morning. Just thirty minutes of your time.”
I gathered my things and headed for the elevator to take me up to my office. “I can’t give you that right now. I’m hurt, and confused, and your lack of answers to my questions doesn’t give me much hope for our communication skills.”
“Okay, twenty minutes.”
“Michael.”
He groaned. “What can I do to make this better? What can I do to get another shot?”
I shrugged as I jammed my hand into the elevator door button. “Just sit tight, if you really mean it, because right now, I’m just not ready to go out with you again.”
I hung up the phone before I stepped into the encasement and rode it all the way up to my floor. Michael tried calling me again, but I let it slip to voicemail. Pain rushed through my veins. Confusion clouded my mind. And as I stepped off the elevator, I kept staring down my co-workers, trying to figure out who the hell was still spreading rumors about me and JoJo.
I’ll find you. And when I do…
“Morning!” Brit chimed in.
I held my hand up to her face. “Too much.”
“Uh oh, someone looks hung over.”
I scoffed. “I wish. Staying up late doesn’t quite have its perks.”
