Megan didn’t even bother to say hello, and marched down the hallway like she had somewhere to go.
Right now, it was like she didn’t exist. Nate had acted like she didn’t, and Megan didn’t acknowledge her presence. Why would she? People like Megan thought they were above workers like Manuela. Nate’s ex had always been polite and kind, but there was a certain distance to her that spoke of superiority. Privilege.
She waited until she had the ping of the elevator to take Megan down to walk into his office.
He was lost in thought, staring at the wall when she entered.
“I didn’t know she’d be here,” Manuela said.
He rocked back in his chair, stretching his long muscular legs, seemingly unfazed by her comment. “Neither did I.”
Manuela stood, too restless to sit down. “I also didn’t know you two had sex after you broke up.”
He shrugged. “Once.”
Was it true? He’d lied once already today, to Megan. Was he lying to her now? If he lied about these things, what else did he keep from her? “What does that mean though? Do you still want her back?”
He lifted an eyebrow. The contours of his face hardened a bit, hinting he didn’t enjoy where this conversation was heading. “No.”
She couldn’t let him off the hook so easily. She loved him, yes, and could put what she had with him on the line by questioning, pressuring. But at the same time, part of her makeover had been about expressing herself more. “When she asked if you were seeing someone, you said no.”
“Because I thought we agreed not to tell people for a while.”
“Not to tell people at the office, yes. But by saying no to your ex, you’re letting her believe you’re still available.”
He stood, hands perched at his waist. “Manuela, come on.”
“Come on?”
“Are you that insecure that you had to listen behind the door?”
“Yes… I am insecure. But how should I not be? Until I changed my looks, you never even looked at me.”
“What does one thing have to do with the other? I’m confused.”
“I’m an idiot. I went through that makeover to impress you. To win you over. Because I’ve been into you ever since I started working here. But maybe even you being with me was part of the fantasy—a fantasy I created and believed.” Why hadn’t he told his ex that he was seeing someone? He didn’t have to say her name, but just acknowledge there was a special person in his life and close that door to the past for once and for all in Megan’s head.
Would this be her life? Always waiting for him to give her more than what he was ready to? “Not much has changed. I look a bit different and progressed when it comes to being with you, but not nearly enough. I’ll take the rest of the day off, and write a resignation letter tomorrow.”
Nate clenched the phone. Voicemail again.
She’d left, hours ago, and he’d been handling the calls coming to him, trying to figure out how to login to her computer, and focus during a work meeting.
He’d failed all. Miserably.
She’d done the makeover for him. She had a crush on him, and he had no clue.
When he had a chance to show her how much she meant to him, he told Megan he wasn’t seeing anyone. Sure, he’d done so because he didn’t want to answer to all the follow-up questions that his ex would ask. He’d meant to finish the conversation and move on.
What he’d shared with Manuela was so special, he didn’t even want to hurt it by talking about it with the last person that would cheer for them as a couple. It seemed wrong.
Now, he understood Manuela’s feelings. He let her down. On the first chance he had to tell someone he was no longer single, he lied. He put her back into that place where others couldn’t know how she felt.
Damn it. How would he make it right? Ideas raced through his mind.
Isaac knocked on his door, startling him. “Hi.”
“Hi, what’s up?” he asked not in the mood for small talk. He picked his briefcase from the top of his desk.
