Jesse did as he’d promised and went with Travis on Saturday to get the items that I hadn’t packed up when I first left the house. I stayed at home with Nan and the kids but apparently everything went smoothly. Rob acted politely so Jesse and Travis also did the same. All in all it went very well and the kids were pleased to see some of their home comforts around them.
I thanked both Jesse and Travis and I’d extended the offer of staying for some food but they both assured me that they had some things they needed to catch up on over at the site. Then they left together, but not before Jesse planted a kiss on my lips so sweet and tender I was almost going to beg him not to leave and to stay here with me.
I didn't see Jesse for the rest of the day but we kept in touch over messages. In fact I didn't see him at all over the weekend, he was that swamped with paperwork and preparations with upcoming site visits. He’d seemed so down when I spoke to him on the phone, annoyed that he hadn't spent any time with us over the weekend but I reassured him that it was fine and we knew he’s a busy man.
Nan hadn't been around much either. She’d spent most of the weekend out visiting one friend or another but at least there were no repeats of when she’d drank too much port. My Nan with a hangover was something I’d never want to deal with again.
I’d also called around and spoken to a few law firms and I’d secured an appointment with a lawyer who seemed nice enough on the phone. The day couldn't come quick enough for me. It was the start of getting everything officially ended between Rob and me.
Rob never returned my call and over the course of the weekend he still hadn't called me, so that’s another weekend he had gone without seeing his children. Like I’d thought before, it’s ultimately his loss.
To say that I was nervous when I arrived at the site for my first day of work was the understatement of the century. Nate and Kaylee had wished me luck this morning as I drove them to school. Nan told me to knock them all dead. Jesse had even messaged to say I had nothing at all to worry about but I here I am, nervous as hell.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Jesse greeted me as I entered the office. He was sitting behind one of the messiest desks I’d ever encountered.
“Hey, Will. You all set for your first day?” Travis asked me. He too was sitting behind a desk, his slightly tidier than his best friends.
“I am,” I told him. “But I’m nervous as hell so I might make a few mistakes.” I wiped my sweaty palms down my navy blue pencil skirt.
Jesse got up from his desk and came over to where I stood. “What have I said, Will? You're gonna do fine. Don't stress so much. You look hot as shit by the way.” His eyes blazed with his desire for me as he leant down to give me a kiss. “Good morning, baby,” he said as we broke apart.
Travis fake clearing his throat had me stepping back from Jesse. “Can I get a good morning kiss too, Willow?” He shot me a boyish grin. That no doubt worked on other girls but had no effect on me whatsoever.
“Come on, Willow. Let's go meet the rest of the guys.” Jesse flipped Travis the bird as he steered me out of the office.
The men who worked for Jesse seemed like a great bunch and they made me feel so welcome, which had those nerves settling down somewhat. Travis spent a few hours sitting with me showing me the ropes and what my duties would include as administrative assistant. He had just shown me the appointments system when Jesse strolled back into the office.
“Wanna tell me why you're sitting so close to Willow?” he asked Travis as he placed his hard hat on his desk, leaning against it, crossing his arms across his chest. He seemed pissed off at the proximity of how close we seemed. Travis didn't even bother looking up from the computer screen but I couldn't take my eyes of him. The way the muscles in his arms bulged as they pulled taut across his chest. The dark green tee stretched tightly. The color setting off the dark brown of his hair, hair that I really wanted to run my hands through. His eyes were also locked onto mine, the look in them conveying his need for me. I felt my cheeks heat up in response to his stare.
“Showing her the appointments system means I need to sit next to her not across the room, J. Lighten up, man,” Travis said as he clicked a few buttons on the keyboard trying to show me what he was doing but I was so lost in Jesse I was paying no attention to what he was saying to me.
“Want me to give you two a few minutes?” Travis joked breaking the sexual tension that had built between Jesse and me. “I could step outside. I'm sure Jesse won't take long.” Travis laughed, winking at me.
“Fuck you, Travis,” Jesse grumbled still not moving his eyes off me.
“I’m sure that it's not me you wanna fuck right about now!” Travis teased him, trying to get a rise out of him.
“Shall we get back to it?” I butted in, trying to change the subject away from Jesse and his staying power when it came to sex.
“You hungry, sweetheart?” Jesse inquired. I smiled over at him, glad that he cared about me so much.
“Yes, darling. I’ll take a club sandwich if you're offering,” Travis responded, not giving me a chance to answer.
“Remind me again why you work here?” Jesse threw his hands up in the air then proceeded to run them through his hair. An action which wasn't missed by me.
“Because you love me and I make you a shit ton of money. Now go get my food, I’m famished!”
Jesse crossed the distance that separated us from him. “Come on, Willow. Let's leave this dickwad to play with his computer.” He held his hand out for me to take. I stood up from the desk, moving around it to take it.
“Remember to wipe the search history, dude. That shit can come back to bite you in the ass,” he quipped as he led me out of the office over to his truck.
“You two always like that?” I asked him as I climbed into his truck with as much dignity as I could muster while wearing a tight pencil skirt. Trucks and pencils skirts were never going to be a match made in fashion heaven.
“Pretty much. Reckon you can handle it?”
I nodded my head. “You’ve met Betty, right? Little old lady, mouth of a sailor with the attitude of a gangster? After growing up with her, you and Travis are a breeze.” I chuckled, amused with the idea that he thought I'd struggle to deal with his and Travis’s bantering.
“So,” he started. “I knew you’d probably have been too nervous this morning to pack something for lunch, so luckily for you I packed one for you!” He reached behind him into the backseats, grabbing two brown paper bags and handing one to me. “Hope you don't mind us eating in here. Normally we’d eat in the office but I had to get away from that idiot.”
I leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. “Thank you for being so thoughtful.”
He shrugged off my praise. “It’s ham and cheese. I asked Betty what your favorite sandwich was and this is what she recommended.”
This man really was something else. He took it upon himself to find out my sandwich preference just so he could make sure I had something to eat today, knowing I wouldn't have thought to get anything together.
“You're too kind, Jess,” I told him as I opened my sandwich and took a huge bite, suddenly starved.
“Just looking out for what's mine, is all,” he said before biting into his own sandwich, cutting off our conversation as we both devoured our lunch.
The afternoon flew by just as quickly as the morning had and before I knew it, it was time for me to leave and get the kids.
“I’m going now, Travis,” I said as I packed away my things. Over the course of the afternoon he’d left me alone, allowing me to familiarize myself with things at my own pace. He was currently sitting at Jesse’s desk frowning at his phone.
“Ok, Willow. I’ll see you in the morning,” he dismissed me, distracted. I know I hadn't been around him much but I knew enough to know that something was bothering him.
“Everything alright?” I asked as I gestured to the cell phone in his hand. He nodded and gave me a weak smile that didn't meet his eyes. “Yeah, just girl trouble. Nothing I can’t handle, Will. Now get out of here. Don't want Jesse busting my balls for making you late to pick up Nate and Kaylee.” He tried for another smile, this one weaker than his last attempt, but I let the subject drop. He would only talk if he wanted to, I couldn't force him to open up to me.
“Before you go, Willow I think some reassurance is in order,” he said hesitantly. “I saw you looking out the window earlier toward douchecanoe’s office. I wanted you to know that he won't bother you here. He would be a fool to even try it. He wouldn't make it five steps onto the site before one of us took him out. You're safe here. Always.” His eyes went back to his cell phone, his pep talk over dismissing me for now.
I felt touched that Jesse’s best friend had my back. It did indeed make me feel safe. Travis was good through and through exactly like Jesse. I didn’t know what to reply as my mouth clogged up with emotion so I went for the safe option.
“I’ll see you in the morning then. Bye,” I choked out.
I left the office quickly not wanting Travis to see how his words had affected me. Something told me he would hate the fact he’d been the one to upset me even though it was in a good way.
My eyes moved between the men milling around the site to see if I could catch Jesse before I left.
“He’s had to pop out.” Travis stuck his head out of the doorway to inform me. “I’ll tell loverboy you said goodbye.”
It was my turn to flip him the bird over my shoulder as I walked to my car. Travis’s laughter followed me.