“Agreed.”
“Whatever game this is, you’re the one who sets the rules, and I don’t like that.”
He uses his thumbs to rub his temples. “This is what it is… Let’s move on.” He sounds frustrated with himself.
I claw my hair. “Fine.”
The silence in the room still roars because there’s a storm of tension. I pivot to leave, only to pause. “Julian.”
He flicks his gaze back to me. “Yes?”
“Do you regret what happened?” I shouldn’t ask, I should leave it, but I’m not always logical.
He traps his tongue between his teeth, and it’s a second or two before he audibly breathes. “Would saying yes makes it easier?”
Typical Julian. A blurred answer. It’s an unfair strategy.
“I’m not answering that.”
A sharp muffled sound leaves him. “Of course, you wouldn’t. You don’t make my life easy,” he remarks affectionately.
“Ditto,” I counter softly.
It’s a long stretch of seconds that we get lost staring at each other. My chest thrums, and he appears conflicted yet able to remain reserved.
I pretend to wipe my hands and erase the tone. “Done and dusted. Back to work.” It’s my effort to move us along with the day.
Even if it’s clear that no eraser will help us because neither one of us can forget.
Some peoplereally need to read the instructions better. It would make my life easier. Someone from IT reset the system incorrectly, which set almost everyone back a few hours of work. I have zero regrets that I went out for lunch and did some shopping, including picking up a new box of fruit snack gummies. I’m mentally preparing myself for the hours of work ahead. It’ll be a long day.
When I approach my desk with my shopping bag in hand, my eyes squint because I notice a small box on my desk. I set my things down and shimmy off my sweater as I examine the blue box with a white ribbon. Unlike the flowers, this has a little card with my name on it. I pick it up and open the envelope to pull out the card with beautifully typed wording.
Congratulations on completing your degree.
Haven Crossroads
Strange. Unless Elodie spread news like wildfire, I haven’t informed anybody else. I untie the satin ribbon and lift the lid of the blue cardboard box, brush the tissue paper to the side, and I completely stall because my heart jumps.
A necklace with a key charm.
Why would this be the present? It dawns on me that I mentioned something to Julian. Barely a sentence, yet he must have remembered.
This man.
He’s making my head spin again.
But right now, I can only smile softly and appreciate the gesture. Only to acknowledge with disappointment that it is another turn in the labyrinth of a game neither of us can decide whether we want to win or lose. The tide inside me turns again when I realize how this isn’t a scenario that I should’ve found myself in. It only causes anger, and here I go from zero to a hundred again today.
Storming to Julian’s office, I don’t bother knocking on his open door, as he is busy typing on his laptop.
“Strange.” I grab his attention purely with my voice, and he whips his attention to me. “I received a company gift because of a special occasion.”
“Did you? HR arranges those things.” He plays oblivious as he settles back in his chair.
I’m annoyed that he’s deflecting.
I walk straight to his desk and drop the gift in front of him. His eyes pierce the box, but he doesn’t move. “I’m not a whore.”
