I just wish he could remember that I’m here, too…thatIneed him. There are times I’m terrified that I’ll be alone. That I’ll make the news because my landlord comes over to evict me for not paying the rent for weeks and they discover my body. Or maybe the neighbors call the police because they smell something decomposing. It’s pretty depressing to read stories like that. And every time I do, I feel like I might be next.
The steakhouse said they could only accommodate me on Saturday at six fifteen, about forty-five minutes before Grant and his brothers’ dinner reservation. They also confirmed they can seat us at a table far from the one set aside for the Lasker men—although the reservation clerk seemed to think it was an odd request. But I don’t care. I don’t want Grant to see Grandpa. Not out of any sense of shame, but because I don’t want Grant to twist that into something he can use to hurt me. Back in college, I would’ve never dreamed he’d do such a thing, but now…I wouldn’t trust him to not kick a puppy.
Just look at how he abuses the people working for him. He’s still forcing that horrible morning torture on them. Everyone’s miserable. Even Amy comes in looking half-dead.
I’m in the breakroom grabbing some afternoon coffee when Jesse approaches. He looks like warmed-over roadkill. The dark circles under his eyes reach halfway to his chin.
“Aspen.” His eyes seem to glow with an almost religious fervor.
“Hi, Jesse,” I say, taking a small step back.
“I just wanted to say…” He licks his lips, the flick of his tongue like a snake.
I brace myself for anything. Larry surprised me with his rudeness, and who knows what Jesse might do? “Yes…?”
“Do you think you could take one for the team?”
He’s staring at me like I should know what he’s talking about, but I don’t. “Uh, what exactly would this ‘taking one’ entail?”
“Grant was a great, reasonable boss until you showed up.”
“Okay.”I’ll take your word for it, buddy.
“But then he started to get weird.”
He was always “weird,” if by “weird” you mean a complete dick.
“I feel like you’re the problem.”
I fake a smile. “Well, we can agree to disagree.”Jerk.
“It means only one thing.”
“I’m not quitting,” I say at the same time he says, “He wants your body.”
I stop. Jesse does too. We stare at each other. I can’t have heard him correctly.Grant? Wants my body?In what universe is that even a possibility?
“You’re crazy, and that’s putting it kindly.”
“So are you. Why would I want you to quit?” He frowns. “Just…be open to him.”
“I’m sorry?” Maybe there’s another meaning for “be open to him.” Some kind of super MBA lingo.
“He’s not that bad. Supposed to be a great boyfriend. Never forgets an anniversary, all that.”
Jesse must not know about Grant’s heart-rating system. “I’m going to pretend we didn’t have this conversation, not because I’m not offended, but because I feel marginally sorry for you that you have to go to Grant’s place to run at four thirty a.m.”
“But—”
“Unless you’d like me to take it up with HR?”
Jesse slinks away. But I wonder if others feel the same way about me and Grant. How ridiculous. There’s nothing except bitter memories between us. Well, bitter for me, since I’m the one who was made a fool of. Grant just acts like he was the victim because he’s delusional. He’s undoubtedly edited how it happened back then to make himself the good guy.
Besides, if hereallywere a good guy, he wouldn’t be making me deal with Sadie. She’s been bugging me nonstop for an appointment so she can pitch him some supposedly great business idea. She’s been polite so far, which has been a pleasant surprise, but it’s hard for me to credit her with actually growing up. I just can’t forget how cruel she was that morning when Heath and Will went streaking.
But for everyone’s sake, I hope I’m wrong and Sadie surprises me.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
