Chapter Seven
Julia
It was a couple of days into the new job and I couldn’t have been happier. Artimus and I were getting along like peas and carrots. I got along with every new staff member I met. It was as if I was meant to be there at WOLF.
A rap on my office door had me pushing the button to see who it was. It was my first visitor, and I was a little excited about that. I looked to the doorway and there stood Lila Banks. She hadn’t been in until that day, and she’d come to meet me first thing. I was impressed with her already.
Her smart pale pink suit, her blonde hair pulled back into a low pony, and her signature matching lips and nails told me that she and Duke had indeed made up, and that she was back on top of the world.
She came in with a smile on her face. “Hi, I’m Lila Banks.”
Hopping up, I went to meet her halfway and shook her hand. “Oh, I know who you are, Miss Banks. I’m Julia.”
Her head cocked to one side. “Miss Banks? No, no, no. Lila.”
“Lila,” I said, and then held out my arm in gesture to the chairs by my desk. “Care to take a seat?”
She shook her head. “No, I actually came to get you. Nina is in my office, percolating magic, and I wanted to invite you in for a cup of heaven and some female gossiping.”
My first invite!
“Sure, thanks so much for inviting me.” I went along with her to the far end of the long hallway. Her office was at the very end, and I couldn’t help but notice that Duke’s was right across from hers.
“Here we are.” Lila slipped the keycard through the detector, then in we went.
The smell of fresh coffee hit me square in the nose. “Yum, it smells so good in here.”
Nina stood by the coffee machine. It was one elaborate appliance, but she seemed right at home with it. “Hey, you. How’s the new job going?” Nina greeted me.
“It’s beyond amazing. Even in my wildest dreams, I’ve never dreamt about this being the thing I would do for a living.” I knew I was gushing, but I didn’t care. “And my boss is the best person in the entire world. He’s just so …” I couldn’t find the exact word for what Artimus was.
Lila laughed. “I think you’re looking for the word ‘perfect,’ Julia.”
With a shrug, I agreed, “Yep, that’s about the only way to describe the man.” Lila pointed to the two pale blue leather sofas that were near where Nina was preparing the coffee. I followed her, taking a seat and leaning back. “This place is so plush. I hate going home each day.”
“Right?” Nina agreed. “I mean, my little office isn’t nearly as nice as these are up here, but I love my little space with the view of the city. Plus, Lila’s been kind enough to let me chill in her office when I need some quiet time to myself.”
“Pretty sweet deal,” I said, then shook my head. “Sorry I can’t offer you asylum in my office. It’s connected to the boss’s, and he might get mad.” I laughed. “Who am I kidding? Artimus Wolfe never gets mad, does he?”
Nina shook her head as she poured rich, dark coffee into the bottom of three cups. “I’m not going to chance it. You know what they say about those nice types. They’re nice only until you tick them off. And I’m not going to risk ticking off our boss-man at all. I love my job, and I love how well we all get along.”
Lila was all smiles, and I just had to ask, “So, you and Duke back together, Lila?”
She nodded. “Yes! And it’s so great to have our relationship out in the open. It was such a struggle before.” She wagged her finger at me. “Duke tells me that you were an integral participant in the conversation he had with Artimus. He thinks that had you not been there and offered your advice, Artimus would’ve let him go.”
“I don’t know.” I didn’t want to take credit for Artimus making what I considered to be the right decision.
“I do,” Lila said as she nodded. “I’ve seen a change in our boss since you started working with him.”
“Yeah, he’s more laidback,” Nina added, then handed me the first cup of coffee. “Here ya go, Julia. Tell me what you think.”
Cinnamon, brown sugar, and thick cream combined with the coffee to create a bevy of taste that blended so well together, it defied imagination. “Oh, God! This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted, Nina. I’m not kidding. This is amazing.”
Lila took her cup, sipped it, then closed her eyes as she let herself savor the drink. “Ah.” Her eyes fluttered open. “Our Nina here was a barista before she came to WOLF. What a godsend, huh?”
I had to nod in agreement. “You know I’m part of your pack now, right? The coffee has reeled me in. You won’t be able to get rid of me now.”
“Good,” Lila told me with a wink. “Because three is better than two. Us girls have to stick together.”
Nina took a seat on the other end of the sofa I sat on, Lila sat across from us, and we drank in silence for a minute, taking the time to enjoy the creamy concoction before jumping into conversation. I knew instinctively that I’d love hanging out with these women.
“So, who has any good gossip?” Nina asked.
“I don’t know if this is considered gossip or not,” I said as I wrapped my hands around the warm cup to embrace the goodness. “But Artimus was sure you and Ashton would come clean about already being a couple, Nina. He told me he sees you two together more than he sees you apart. So, what gives, girl?”
Her dark blonde hair bobbed around her face as she shook her head. “Hell if I know. The man is a mix of actions that I don’t understand at all.”
Lila was looking a bit tight-lipped, which I thought was kind of odd. But I didn’t really know her yet, so who was I to say anything about it?
So I asked Nina, “What kinds of actions?”
Nina leaned up and put her coffee cup on the coffee table between the two sofas. “Okay, I’ve caught him looking at me. He’s spoken to me in ways that make me think he likes me. But then two seconds later, he’s going out of his way to act like we’re just friends, even going so far as to play-punch me in the arm like I’m his pal or some shit. And then he’s always calling out to me when he’s heading out to grab a bite, telling me to come with him.”
“Clearly, he likes your company.” I tapped my fingers on the cup I held. “But that does sound a little confusing. I have to admit, when I first met you guys at lunch on my first day, I noticed things between you two. It seemed as if you’d known each other for a long time. And he clearly thinks you’re beautiful, too.”
“Yes, he does. That slips out of his mouth often, believe it or not.” Nina looked confused. “So, if he says those things to me, and looks at me the way he does at times, then why is he keeping himself in the friend zone?”
Lila looked like she wanted to say something, and I caught her opening her mouth before snapping it shut and taking a drink. Nina noticed her odd reaction too, then looked at me as she jerked her head toward Lila.
I took the hint. “So, Lila, what’s your take on the Ashton situation?”
Her blue eyes darted back and forth between us. “Can you two swear to me that what I tell you will never leave this room?”
Now I was intrigued, and so was Nina, obviously. “You’ve got our solemn promise, Lila,” Nina replied. “What do you know about Ashton Lange that I don’t?”
“Not that long ago, Duke told me something, but he told me not to tell anyone.” Lila put the coffee cup down and gave us each a stern look. “So, if this gets out, I’ll know why. You got me, girls?”
“I got you,” I said.
Nina agreed. “Me too. Come on, Lila. You’ve got my wheels going. What’s up with Ashton?”
Lila was finally going to let us in on the big secret. She sat back and laced her fingers together, resting them on her lap. “About two years ago, Ashton was engaged to a woman.”
Nina gripped her stomach. “What? Why wouldn’t he tell me something like that? We’ve talked about so much. I just can’t imagine him not saying a thing about that. I mean, he told me his last relationship left him cold on dating. He said she was a liar and a cheat and only wanted him for his money. Is that the fiancée, Lila?”
Lila shook her head. “That woman was before the fiancée. Ashton doesn’t like to talk about his fiancée. And he’s got good reason, too.”
Nina was thoroughly confused. “Lila, cut to the chase already. I’m over here letting my imagination go to some crazy places. Like, what if Ashton is a woman beater or a cheater or something? Why else wouldn’t he tell people about her?”
“He’s not a bad guy, Nina,” Lila assured her. “Unfortunately, he thinks he is one. You see, the two of them had been engaged for six months after dating for only three months. They were on a trip to upstate New York. He was driving, and it began to rain. The road got slick, and he lost control of the car. They careened into the median. It was covered in trees, and he hit one.”
My hand flew to cover my gaping mouth. “She was killed, wasn’t she?”
Lila nodded. “And he blames himself for that.”
Nina went pale. “My God. That poor man.”
I thought the same thing. And I also thought he needed some help to stop blaming himself for an accident he had no control over. “Nina, if you really care about that man, then you need to stop waiting for him to make a move. You need to go to him.”
Lila nodded. “I agree. I don’t think Ashton will ever allow himself to have you in his life the way you both want. He’s too guilt-ridden. And worse.” She looked at us with such sorrow in her eyes. “He told Duke that he has nightmares about it at least once a week. He can’t stop reliving that terrible night in his dreams.”
My heart clenched. I felt so much sorrow for the man. But I knew the love of a good woman could make miracles happen. I’d seen it before.
My own mother had saved my father from a life of loneliness. He was a Marine who’d seen too much over the span of three separate tours. He was a drunken mess when she met him, using alcohol as a way to hide from the horrors that filled his mind. She helped him, and with her help, they were able to find him even more help, psychological help. He’d needed her to get him on that right path toward professional help, and things got better for them both.
“Nina, do you think that’s something you can manage in the beginning of a relationship?” I asked her. “Because it will take a person with tremendous strength to help him.”
She shook her head. “I have no idea if I can be the woman he needs.” She looked at Lila. “Thank you for telling me about that. It all makes much more sense now. The man is hurting.”
“But no one is broken beyond repair, Nina,” I offered.
She only shook her head again. “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do that. I’ve always been the type to let the man make the first few moves. I don’t even know how to take the lead. And I sure as hell don’t know how to help someone who has suffered such a tragedy. I can be his friend, but anything more than that might be a bit too much for me.”
My heart ached for her and Ashton, now that I knew so much more about him. I’d always been an empathetic person. It was hard on me at times, feeling so much emotion from others.
Empathy was a gift and a curse, especially when you couldn’t control a damn thing that happened to the people around you.