Chapter 15 - Harper

“That’s very generous, Greg, but the team has filled up now. You enjoy your holiday,” I say to Greg as he shifts his weight from foot to foot in front of me. He’s got his hands in his pockets and his greasy hair is plastered to his forehead as usual. He licks his lips.

“Are you sure? Wouldn’t it be better to have more hands on deck? I don’t have holiday plans and I know that other people do. I don’t mind spending the holidays here with you… and the team.”

Even his voice sends an uncomfortable feeling crawling down my spine. I force a smile.

“Thanks Greg, I’ll look into it. At the moment we won’t need you to come in but I’ll keep you in mind.”

“Ok, thanks Harper. Is there anything I can do in the meantime? To help?”

“No, that’s fine, I’m sure you have a lot on your plate to finish up before the break. Thanks Greg.”

I turn to my screen as if to say, we’re done now, you can leave. I can feel his eyes on me and it makes me want to shudder. I don’t know what it is about him that makes me so uncomfortable. I think it’s the way he stares at me always a second too long, or the way he always seems to pop up around the corner when I least expect him. I never feel at ease around him.

I never found out if it was him who called me and just breathed over the phone, or if he was the one who left notes in my mailbox. The only thing I was able to prove was that he was lurking outside my house and according to HR that was only grounds for a warning. Everything stopped after the warning though: the phone calls, the notes, the prickly feeling at the back of my neck.

He leaves my office and I let out a sigh, glancing through the glass to make sure he walks away. Maybe that feeling is just leftover nausea from this morning. I don’t know what’s been wrong with me these past few days, but I wake up feeling like I’m going to throw up. Even the smell of coffee when I first get up makes me want to vomit, and I drink coffee like it’s water.

It might not be Greg that makes me feel uneasy at all, it’s whatever this stomach bug is that I have. I rub my temples and feel uncomfortable tightness around my favourite ring. I slip it off my finger and place it into the top drawer. Between Greg, the nausea and feeling like my fingers are little sausages this whole day is just uncomfortable.

I look down at my organisation chart and I know we have gaps for the holiday work period. We could definitely use another body to get us to meet this deadline, but I just can’t say yes to Greg. The thought of spending two weeks with him in a half-empty office with long nights and lots of overtime just sounds like a recipe for disaster. If it means I have to put in more hours myself then that’s what I’ll do.

I sigh and get up from my chair. Suddenly I need a coffee, or a snack, or something. Monday morning never seemed so long.

Once in the kitchen I grab a mug and grab the hot pot of coffee. Someone’s just made a fresh pot and I silently thank them, whoever they are. As soon as I grab the pot the smell of the coffee me hits like a wall and I feel a wave of nausea come over me. I put the pot back down and grab onto the counter.

Rosie’s voice makes me jump.

“Harper, are you OK? What just happened?” she whispers furtively.

I turn and see her standing in the doorway wearing a worried expression on her face. I frown, trying to force a weak smile as my stomach quiets down again.

“What do you mean?” I answer. “I’m fine.”

“You look like you’re about to hurl,” she whispers again with a frown. “Is it because of Greg?” She takes a few steps towards me. My heart starts beating faster. I try to keep my voice steady.

“What about him?”

“He left your office and he looked like he was about to punch through the wall! I’ve never seen him look that angry! I mean, except for the time I confronted him about following you.”

My heart is thumping in my chest. It’s not right to feel this uncomfortable at work! I turn to Rosie and she places her hand on my arm.

“Harper, is everything ok? Do you want me to talk to him?”

“No!” I exclaim. “Thanks Rosie, but last time it made such a scene, I don’t want to put you in that position again. Not for my sake.”

“I don’t mind. I’ll slap the fucker if I have to.” Her eyes are blazing. Last year I never would have had the strength to approach HR if Rosie hadn’t supported me.

I shake my head. “It’s nothing. He asked to be on the Latif team. I said no,” I reply. “I lied to him, we do need more people to volunteer. Maybe he knows that.”

Her face contorts with worry. “It didn’t look like he took it well. Look, I’ll work. Would that help?”

I smile. “That would help a lot, actually. Are you sure?”

She nods and I take a deep breath before turning back to the pot of coffee. The smell is still overwhelming and nauseating. I don’t know what to say.

If Greg was mad, that’s bad news for me. I try not to think of those months last year when I was consumed with fear and paranoia. I’ve convinced myself there’s no need to worry, but Rosie’s face says it all.

“What am I supposed to do, Rosie?” I ask as I turn back to her. I shrug and plead with her with my eyes. There are a thousand unsaid things weighing on me but with one look I know she understands.

“We’ll figure it out together,” she responds, straightening her back. I see her resolve strengthen and the fear leave her eyes. “Record everything about the conversation. I’ll write down what I saw. If he causes any issues we’ll have everything on paper.”

I nod. “Ok.”

My thoughts fly back to that Friday night two weeks ago at the Christmas party, to the stack of plates on the floor. The nagging feeling comes back to me like a wave.

“Rosie,” I start. I don’t even know what to say. “The Christmas party…”

“What about it?” She takes a step towards me. I glance around to make sure no one is within earshot and I lower my voice.

“I think someone was here, you know, while we were…”

Rosie’s eyes widen and she takes another step towards me. She’s a couple inches taller than me and she bends her head closer to mine.

“You think it was Greg?”

“I don’t know!” I exclaim, shrugging my shoulders. “I don’t know! There could have been no one here.”

“Why do you think there was someone here?”

I take a deep breath. Suddenly it seems silly to think that a stack of plastic plates would mean that someone saw me with Zach. I force myself to say it out loud to Rosie, who’s staring at me intently. Maybe if I say it, the nagging fear that we were seen will go away.

“We were in his office and I heard something. Like a noise or a bang or something out in the main room. Zach went out and didn’t see anyone and then we… you know.” I look around again and whisper. “Slept together.”

“Right,” Rosie says with a grin. “You told me about that part already.”

I can’t help but smile. My smile fades as I tell her the next part. “When we were leaving I saw a stack of plates on the ground. I know I put them on the table. I remember putting them on the table! But then when we left they were on the floor. But you know, the place was a mess so I could be wrong. It was a disaster with food and cutlery and decorations everywhere. We were fooling around near the table and they could have fallen off, but I swear I remember them being on the table! I’m probably wrong, but I don’t know, Rosie, I just have this feeling.”

“Like someone knocked them over and that’s what you heard?”

“Yes!” I exclaim. I inhale deeply and Rosie puts her hand on my forearm.

“Maybe. But let’s not panic,” Rosie says gently. “It’s possible someone was here, and it is possible it was Greg.” I shiver, and Rosie continues. “BUT, it’s also possible that you were all hopped up on wine and endorphins and your sex-addled mind was hearing things and thinking things. I mean, at the end of the day you slept with Zach Lockwood AT THE OFFICE! Who knows what kind of tricks your mind would play on you in that situation!!”

I chuckle. “I definitely wasn’t thinking straight.”

“So let’s not panic, ok? Let’s just write everything down and if things get weird with Greg we’ll have some backup. We can operate on the assumption that no one knows about Friday night except you and me.” She pauses and cocks her head to the side. “And Zach, obviously.”

I grin. “Oh right, him.”

“Did I mention how generous it was of you to spend all that overtime locked up in this office with him over the next few weeks? What a sacrifice you’re making for the team.”

“Shut up, Rosie,” I laugh. “You’d do the same.”

“I’d do worse,” she replies with a laugh. I giggle and then sigh. Rosie gives my shoulders a squeeze and I sigh again. I feel better.

“Thank you,” I say softly.

“You know I’d do anything for you, right?”

I smile. “I wouldn’t have made it through the past year without you.”

With one more squeeze of my shoulders she winks at me and we head back to our desks.