Chapter 3

Jason

All day long, Ryan and I were running around the office attending a thousand meetings. It was so crazy he didn’t even have time to sit down to lunch with Megan, so she called Jana, and they were meeting at some restaurant across town. Every time I heard her name I couldn’t help but hang my head in shame. I couldn’t believe that I had gotten that drunk and wasted $17’s worth of Woodford on some English douche’s shoes. The guy completely deserved what he had coming to him. Okay, maybe he didn’t deserve it but damn if it didn’t feel good until Jana came and blew fire down my throat.

I sighed, leaning on my hand and watching the accounting manager, Cynthia, go over figures at the front of the room. Luckily since Ryan was the CEO of Walker and I was just his lackey, I didn’t have to remain focused and on point. Well, at least that was my take on it. Ryan might have a different view on things. The old Jason would have sat here admiring Cynthia’s long legs, and stereotypical accounting porn star looks, but this new pathetic Jason really had no interest. Instead, I kept running Jana’s gorgeous ass through my mind, even the part where sparks shot from her eyes in anger.

The day continued to rush by with little to no time for me and Ryan to sit down and actually talk. He had texted me this morning that he wanted to talk to me about something but by the time I got to the office everything was in full swing. The new plant had just opened successfully, thanks to Megan, and there was more work than ever. With the usual new facility mishaps coupled with the possible strike of union workers on our hands, it was definitely not a time for relaxation at Walker.

I didn’t even understand how you could have a threatened strike just a couple months after opening a facility, but Ryan said it was union wide not unique to Walker. Either way, I was just happy that he got to do all the talking during those meetings.

When the clock hit three in the afternoon, I gave a little fist pump knowing we only had one more meeting left, and that was with Megan and the environmental team. Everything had been going so great on that side of things I couldn’t imagine it would last too long. As I walked toward the conference room, Cynthia grabbed me and pulled me into the lounge. I looked at her awkwardly and then behind her where at least ten of the other employees were standing, holding cake and gifts.

“I appreciate the gesture but my birthday isn’t for another few months,” I said, looking longingly at the creamy white icing.

“It’s not for you, dummy,” Cynthia said, slapping my hand away from the cake. “It’s for Megan and Ryan for their engagement.”

“Ahhhh,” I said shaking my head. “What do you need me for?”

“You are leading us in,” she whispered. “You are the one who approved the budget for this little party.”

“I did what?” I looked at Cynthia sideways not knowing what she was talking about.

“I might have slipped it in with this month’s advertising budget papers, but either way you signed it,” she hissed. “Now get moving, they are already in there.”

Another engagement surprise. At least this one wouldn’t have any whiskey and Jana wasn’t likely to show up. As I walked into the conference room, Ryan and Megan looked at me strangely. From behind me, they heard a huge collective, “Surprise!!” followed by Cynthia walking in with the cake. While Megan was thoroughly entertained by this, I watched Ryan struggle to gain his composure, ready to go home and relax. The office shifted in and out of the room, bringing in gifts, balloons, and grabbing a piece of the cake.

I was starving, so I pretty much ate a small village sized piece, glancing up at Cynthia who was glaring down at me. She was the reason I wasn’t currently sitting in the diner down the street swallowing a giant triple cheeseburger instead so she could keep her nasty looks to herself. Everyone was more than excited to take a break and celebrate the couple’s engagement, but you better believe when five o’clock rolled around they were leaving the balloons and heading for the elevator.

While Ryan and Megan stood in the hall embraced, talking about their plans for the evening I waited around, knowing he wanted to talk to me. I picked up the abandoned plates and cups and cleaned up the boardroom a bit. I could tell they were talking about me when they both looked up and through the glass. I smiled and waved and watched as Megan kissed Ryan, softly and walked to the elevator.

To say I was jealous of their relationship was an understatement and that confused the hell out of me. I was the guy that was never going to settle down. I loved the fast life and being in a relationship was something that was completely foreign to me. Girls did not sleep over, and it was very rare they got a callback. Now all I could think about was Jana, and it was driving me crazy.

Ryan walked into the room and leaned against the doorway, the look of love disgustingly dripping from his face. I laughed as I pulled the balloons from the ceiling and tied them to the back of his chair at the long mahogany table. He sauntered into the room and plopped down in front of the cake, grabbing a fork and eating right from the box. I groaned at the thought of putting any more cake into my body and sat down across from him.

“So what’s up, man? It has been a crazy day,” I said, yawning.

“I know, this union crap is killing me. I just want to be on my way to the Bahamas for my honeymoon,” he chuckled.

“I hear you dude,” I said leaning back, not really wanting to listen to what he stayed after to tell me. I felt like it was going to be a lecture.

“So I have something to ask of you,” Ryan said, leaning forward.

“What’s that? Oh, take the lovely Megan off your hands? Sure no problem,” I joked.

“Yeah right, she’d destroy you,” Ryan said laughing. “No, I want you to be my Best Man in the wedding.”

“Awe man, I’m speechless. Of course, I will,” I said, genuinely touched. I figured he would have grabbed one of his cousins or someone from the club. We are close, but I am kind of an idiot sometimes. “Is Jana going to be in the wedding?”

“Yeah, she is the Maid of Honor,” he replied.

“Oh, cool,” I said trying to play off my excitement. I didn’t want Ryan to know just how deep this attraction to that girl actually went. “So, what does that mean?”

“I don’t know the ins and outs, that’s something you will have to get from Megan, but I do know it means you will be spending more time together. And that means you can’t be pulling any stupid shit like the other night. Though it was pretty hilarious, Jana is not going to stand for it,” Ryan said, shoveling cake into his mouth.

“I know man,” I said leaning back and running my hand through my hair. “I’m sorry about that. I really just don’t know what was going through my mind.”

“Woodford was going through your mind,” Ryan chuckled. “And I appreciate the apology, but I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I sulked. “I’ll make sure to make things right.”

“Make sure you do,” Ryan said standing up and grabbing his jacket. “Now that that is settled, I am going to go home and cuddle up to my beautiful future wife. I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, fake saluting him.

I sat and watched as he made his way out of the door and toward the elevator. He was singing Justin Bieber’s Sorry at the top of his lungs, and I laughed to myself. I really did love that guy like a brother. He always knew how to tell me to pick my shit up without completely demolishing my ego. I guess that’s what you get when you’ve known someone for so long.

I sighed and picked up my jacket and briefcase looking around at the disaster of a room. I actually felt bad for the janitor who would be here in an hour or so. As I walked through the office, I started whistling the song to myself. It’s never too late to say sorry. Well, I sure as hell hoped that was true.