“Should’ve thought of that before you hired him. Him of all people. Have you lost your mind? Wait, maybe it’sbrain-eatingamoebas you might have contracted from all that swimming in the Amalfi Coast, huh?” I asked, completely coming unhinged as I stood to leave.
His dramatic eye roll proved he knew how far I’d ventured into hysteria.
I had been in the R&D department for years after graduation, under his mother’s leadership, until she retired and appointed me as the department head. Two years ago, when Luke got married, he promoted me to CEO, and the board appointed him as CFO. It was an accomplishment for both of us at thirty-four that we were very proud of.
The change in positions allowed him to travel back and forth with his wife, Sofia, to Italy, where her family owned a company similar to ours.
I loved that he got to do this, especially now that they were parents, but this was too much.
“Come on. How was I supposed to remember your college nemesis’ name?” My eyebrows lifted so high I was sure they’d disappeared into my hairline.
“Remember?Remember?” I hissed. “Are you serious? How many times did I grouse about this man? Hmm, let’s see,” I said, tapping my finger on my mouth. “Maybe,every single dayfor the last year and a half of my college life.” I was shouting now, my blood pressure rising. I was surprised Jaz hadn’t rushed in the door to come to my defense.
“You said that guy’s name was Nick, not Nikolas Demir,” he answered, standing in the doorway of my office.
“SurelyI mentioned his full name at some point, dude. I was not far from evoking incantations over this man. He’s insufferable. Arrogant. Self-absorbed.”
I raged on as I turned back toward my desk, Luke following me. I turned suddenly in the middle of my list of offenses just in time to see him stop mouthing my exact words when I glared at his stupid, mocking face.
“See!Youdoknow exactly who I’m talking about if you know what I’m about to say.” My finger was so close to his face, I was sure he’d bite it. Wouldn’t be the first time.
He slapped it out of his way and said, “Yes, I know everything about the guyNickwho almost got you kicked out of chem class your junior year, but I’m telling you. I didnotknow his full name.”
“Whatever. But even so, why did youdothis? I’m the CEO.Imake these big hiring decisions. What were you thinking?” I raged like a bull who’d seen red.
“Listen,” he said, lowering his voice and giving me those puppy-dog eyes he used on me when he wanted his way. “You need to calm down.”
Luke leaned toward me, his hands out in front of his body as if he were dealing with an out-of-control animal. So I did what any woman would do in the face of such provocation.
I flicked him hard on the forehead, making him grab his head dramatically and walk backward away from me, howling as if I’d maimed him.
“Don’t think those weepy eyes are going to fix this, Lucas Austin. That may work on your sweet wife, but not on me.”
He growled, then took a deep breath, likely trying to decide whether to flick me back or walk away. We may be the CEO andCFO of a multi-million-dollar company, but we were still Leyla and Luke, two goofball surfing besties.
“Leyla, look. I’m sorry. I honestly didn’t know who he was. The man’s CV is stellar, unlike any I’ve ever seen. Yes, I saw that he graduated from UCSD, but so did several thousand other students that year,” he said as he used his phone camera to check the red welt that was already raised on his face.
Serves him right. Luckily, his wife and my friend, Sofia, would back me up on this and not be mad that I’d marred her pretty-boy husband’s face.
“Just…unhire him. Tell him you made a mistake, found someone else,” I said, putting down my bag and pacing around my expansive office, knowing how ridiculous that sounded.
“What I was trying to say before you took out myeyeballwas…well, you’ve been different. We’re all worried about you. You’re not yourself. Haven’t been for a long time. Ever since you-know-who. Iknowyou can do this job. Better than I even did, but something has changed. You’ve lost that light, and I just wanted to take one thing off your plate.”
Being a tactile, passionate, and demonstrative person, I was a bit louder than most women. I lived loud, laughed loud, played hard. I had always been an extrovert, but I was trying very hard to change that lately. That light my best friend was talking about. Yeah, I had been trying to snuff that out for two years.
You’re too loud, Leyla. You’re just too much for me.
I pushed back my ex-boyfriend Ethan’s hurtful words, feeling their impact on my heart. This wasn’t the time to confront those repressed memories.
I sat down with a loud exhale. Luke followed, taking a seat in the chair opposite my desk, still rubbing his forehead.
“I just, I’m fine, Luke. I don’t need your help. I should’ve been the one to find another department head for R&D when Samantha decided to resign.”
“Youdoneed the help,” he said firmly, leaning in toward me and putting his hand on my arm. “You’re stressed, quiet, sullen, working nonstop. Won’t respond to texts or calls. You constantly make excuses about hanging out or coming to dinner. Sofia and Vicky are one step away from an intervention.”
I huffed out a laugh. Sofia and his brother Miles’ wife, Vicky, had become close friends whom I adored. And he was right. I had pulled away from everyone, using the job as an excuse.
“I’m sorry, Leyla. I don’t want to hurt you. It’s just that you’re not what I’m looking for anymore.”
