We shook and parted ways. We may not have been friends, but at least we were no longer the enemies Jason turned us into.
Dalton
I tossed my suit jacket over the back of the chair and fell face first onto the bed. This was a nightmare. The situation in Seattle was a disaster. I didn’t know if Jim had fucked up royally, or if the shit hit the fan because he left the place unattended. Either way, it had somehow turned into my mess and I was responsible for cleaning it up.
It was just after ten at night and I was ready to pass out. I’d spent the entire first day going through paperwork that had been grossly mishandled. It was obvious that whomever Jim left in charge wasn’t doing their job. Eight hours into wading through the mounds of invoices, expense reports, and other ill-collected data, I was ready to fix the whole problem with a can of gasoline and a lit match. This was going to take forever. All I wanted was to see Taylor, but I wouldn’t get my wish for probably two more weeks. All we had for now were a few text messages and the promise of a video chat when both of us were free.
The next day was much like the first. I called it quits around six thirty that evening and headed back to the hotel and hit the fitness center. I hadn’t worked out since before my trip and I needed a way to alleviate all the stress from being out here when where I really wanted to be was wrapped up with Taylor in my sheets.
An hour and a half later, I could barely walk and my arms felt like Jell-O, but I was far more relaxed than I’d been in days. I went back to my room and ordered room service, catching up on emails while I waited. Not only did I have to take care of the current issue in Seattle, but I had to stay on top of the work I left at home. There was a lot my team could do without me being right on top of them, but it was still my job to manage them and make sure everything got done. After I concluded this fiasco, I planned to ask for a raise.
When my dinner finally arrived, I inhaled it. I wasn’t accustomed to going so long without food, but after lunch, we’d worked up until the moment we left, and then I went straight to the gym.
With my stomach full, I was finally able to think more clearly. I wanted to talk to Taylor but had no idea what I’d done with my phone. I finally found it in the back of the pants I’d worn to work. I’d been so busy today, I hadn’t taken the time to check it. When I pulled it out, there were a couple messages from her.
Taylor: Interview went great! Hope to hear something soon.
An hour later, she’d sent another text.
Taylor: You’ll never believe who I just had lunch with. Call me when you get a chance.
I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that. Had she eaten with her brother? Did he know about us now? I double checked my phone. I had no missed calls or messages from him, so I doubted that was who she was talking about. Could it have been someone at the school? Maybe they came to their senses and stopped treating her like a damn criminal.
It was late and I wasn’t sure she would still be up, so I fired off a quick text instead of calling just in case she was already asleep.
Me: Hey, sorry I haven’t called. I just got in. It’s a mess out here. You still up?
I waited several minutes, just staring at my phone, willing her to respond. I’d give anything to hear her voice right now. When I didn’t hear from her after ten minutes, I hopped in the shower, leaving my phone on the sink so I’d hear it ring if she called. She didn’t. Slipping beneath the plush comforter of my temporary bed, I fell right to sleep. I didn’t even have time to set my alarm before drifting off.
Somehow, it still went off the next morning, my phone chirping annoyingly at me. It sounded wrong, not like my usual alarm. My eyes flew open and I reached for my cell. It was ringing, the number to the Seattle office flashing on my screen. Shit. It was past eight and I’d instructed everyone to be there by now. I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, silencing the call. My teeth were brushed, my hair was combed and styled, and a clean suit decorated my body within five minutes. I called back to let them know I was on my way. It was technically the truth since I was speed walking down the hall as we spoke.
When I finally made it to the office, everyone was eagerly awaiting my arrival. I assigned them each a task and shut myself inside Jim’s office. I had a call scheduled with him at nine. I needed his input on a few things and wanted to pick his brain to see if I could determine where the breakdown began.
An hour later, I’d finished off my second cup of coffee and had an idea of where things went wrong. Jim didn’t want to point fingers at anybody, but it was clear his second-in-command was the problem. It sounded like Gary had always wanted more power and a chance to prove himself. He’d proven himself, alright, just not the way he hoped. Without Jim there to keep him in line, he had free reign over the projects Jim was overseeing and he nearly ran them into the ground. He would be lucky to keep his job after this.
Gary and I sat down and had a nice, long meeting where we went over everything that had gone wrong over the last four weeks. I asked him to take me through every single task and decision he’d made so we could form a plan of action, and I counseled him on his terrible management skills. He hadn’t delegated appropriately and filed forms incorrectly. His desk and computer were a disorganized disaster. It would take us another whole day to deal with that mess.
We didn’t break for lunch until two. I checked my phone and noticed Taylor had texted me back that morning.
Taylor: Hey, just got this. I went to bed early last night. Sounds like you’ve had a busy day.
Me: Very busy. Today is more of the same.
She responded back immediately.
Taylor: Oh no! Will you have to be out there long?
Me. Probably. I’m guessing a couple weeks.
Taylor: Can you talk?
Instead of responding, I called her. I was anxious to hear her voice and didn’t want to wait another second. Plus, this was the only break I would get all day. She picked up on the second ring.
“Well, hey there, big shot,” she answered in greeting and I smiled. I loved how her playful spirit instantly put me at ease.
“Hey,” I replied, my mood lifting. “How are you?”
“I’m good. I have lots to tell you. I’m glad you called.”
“Yeah, me too. I needed to hear your voice.” Oops. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I heard a little gasp on the other end of the line and then nothing.
“Same here,” she replied after a moment, her voice low and wistful.
She needed to hear my voice, too? Silence hung in the air between us. Why was this so awkward? I’d been inside her. My mouth and hands had explored every inch of her body. Put a few thousand miles between us, and suddenly we didn’t know how to talk to each other. After several long seconds, I cleared my throat.
“So, what did you want to tell me?”
“Oh!” she chirped excitedly. “I got the job!”
“Congrats. That’s awesome! You must’ve really impressed them to already be offered the job.”
She snickered. “I think it’s more like they were desperate to fill the position and I was readily available.”