Chapter 9

Rob

It’s been two weeks since I saw her, felt her, and first fell in love. For the first time in forever, I’ve worked ninety hours a week because working is the only thing that keeps me away from my condo and from the pain of missing Rebecca. I feel like a fucking shell of myself, but I haven’t told anyone. I canceled dinner with my buddies because I can’t handle them sensing that I’m fucked up over a woman. None of them have ever been in this motherfucking position. It’s not what I had planned, and it’s messed up my entire existence.

Liz knocks on my door, and I let her in. “How can I help you?”

She’s changed out of the clothes she had on earlier. The only reason I notice because the shit is a short Christmas dress that wouldn’t be acceptable during work hours. I roll my eyes because she could have come in before she changed. I’ve got the sick feeling that she’s trying to get me to fall for her. “I need you to sign the contracts, and I want to know if you’re going to make an appearance tonight at the Christmas party.” Shit, I don’t want to go, but I’ll have to greet and make a speech.

“Yes, I’ll be there in an hour.” The party isn’t too far from the office, so I can catch a cab and take it back and get home by nine.

“Great, sir.” I sign off on the documents and hand them to her.

“You need to get out of here too, or you’re going to be late,” I remind her.

“Maybe we can take a cab together. If you’re ready to go right now.”

“No, I’ll be there a little later. Go on ahead.” I just don’t want to take a cab with her. The only one I want to be sitting that close to is Rebecca. It’s crazy how I’ve wanted to avoid being seen with any woman even professionally because on the off-chance Rebecca sees me and doesn’t say anything because of another woman.

“Are you going to bring your girlfriend?” she blurts out as she reaches the door.

I knit my brows, wondering why she would mention it or how she knew about Rebecca. I’ve never mentioned her or any woman before. “What makes you think I have a girlfriend?” I ask skeptically.

“You were passing by on your cell phone with your mother, and you mentioned it.” I don’t recall talking to her at work, but these past weeks have been a blur. My mind wasn't in the right place.

“Oh, well no. I’m not,” I remark. I’m not going to tell her that I’ve been lying to my mother and my woman ran out on me.

“Same here. My boyfriend isn’t going to be able to make it,” she rambles. I didn’t know she had a boyfriend and I really couldn’t care less about it. I don’t want to be in my employee’s personal business unless it affects their work.

“Well, maybe next time,” I mutter abruptly, hoping she’ll get the hint to go and she does.

I’m looking over my emails, and I have one from my mom. I read it and don’t respond. She's ridiculously perceptive. She can tell the mood shift in me. Fuck, now I remember the conversation with my mother that I had in the office, but I swear I didn’t leave my office for it. She wanted more details on my woman, but I had nothing to give her. It’s hard to get any information on a woman I didn’t even know the last name of and her company wouldn’t give me her contact information. I tried to find a private investigator, but I didn’t know where to start.

I think about the fact that she left me that note. It sits in my wallet as a reminder not to give up. She rushed off in fear or at least that’s what I tell myself to make it through the day.

An hour later, I leave the office and make it to the party. I don’t want to be here. It’s not that I’m unfriendly with my employees, but my heart desires to be dancing around the room with Rebecca. It’s in full swing, and I sneak in unnoticed for at least a short time before Liz finds me. She’s drinking, and I can see her eyes are glazed. She looks like she’s three sheets to the wind.

“Wow, you made it,” she whispers, leaning into me a little closer than necessary.

“Yes, I did. How many have you had?” I question pointing, a finger at the glass in her hand. The company only gave out two drink tickets not because we were cheap, but we didn’t want anyone to get sloshed and something bad happening to them.

“Only two,” she says, but I don’t believe her. “Why don’t you dance with me, Robert?” she slurs, pressing her hand on my sleeve. I not so politely tug it away.

“I don’t dance. Excuse me, I need to speak with Ed.” I walk by her to Edward, my director of HR. I don’t have anything to say to him, but I’m sorely tempted to fire my best assistant because she’s coming onto me. I let it go because she’s shit-faced.

“Hey, Ed. How’s it going?”

“Okay, Rob. Are things okay with you?” He glances in Liz’s direction, but I don’t turn because I don’t want to give her the impression that I’m talking about her, or that I’m interested in her at all.

“Yeah, everything is good, but do you think that she’s been drinking more than the two drinks?”

“A couple of employees were tossing back a bottle outside before they came in.”

“That’s what I thought. Damn, I can’t do anything about it. It’s not against the rules or anything, but please let me know if you hear something wild happening. I’m going home before I fire her,” I grumble. “I’m going to call a cab for her. Tell her after I leave.”

“Sure, Rob,” he nods. We shake hands, and I sneak out.