Disgruntled (8 page)

On the way to practice, Reva shook the discussion with
Brent out of her head and reminded herself that tonight
she’d see Todd for the first time since her brothers accosted
him. What a disaster. It had not been a pretty sight and she
feared he wouldn’t speak with her. She had attempted to call
him twice without answer. At first, she hoped the kiss had
been as interesting for him as for her. When he hadn’t
answered the phone, she assumed that wasn’t the case. Still,
as much as she wanted to deny it, she needed a repeat. Of
the kiss, not her brothers’ antics. Was she really getting that
desperate?
Reva ran to the ball field. A quick glance at her watch
reinforced that she was late and they had likely already
warmed up. Still, she managed to maintain her usual routine
caution. Cars cruised by and she avoided them. A few
neighbors were out walking their pets after the animals had
spent a day penned up. The ballpark lights were on but dusk
hadn’t fully swallowed the sun yet. The shadows were deep
over the field of players.
Reva scanned the group, searching each figure. He wasn’t
there. Of course not, she reprimanded herself. Why would
he show up after
what happened?
He probably had a
hellacious bruised face and ego. Not to mention that she
now qualified as a crazy woman with equally crazy family.
“You’re late.” Todd’s voice? Jeff, their team captain posted a
line up for their scrimmage on the fence. When he moved
away, there on the bench sat Todd. He had bent over tying
his cleats before gathering his glove from beside him.
“Yeah. Someone stopped by my office for a chat just as I
started to leave. I tried to rush him to finish but no such
luck.” She squinted at Todd’s face. Yellow and gray marks
showed faintly on the swollen cheekbone below his eye.
Reva felt a stab of regret and squelched an urge to touch it.
“How are you doing?”
“Sheesh,
who
won?”
Jeff
asked
as
he
noticed
Reva’s
bandaged arm and Todd’s bruised face. He laughed and
anticipated they would join him in the humor. They didn’t.
“Uh, sorry.” He shuffled to the field and gathered everyone
up to start batting practice.
“I’m good. You?” Todd answered. He pounded his fist into
the supple baseball leather on his hand. Well, he showed up.
That had to be a good sign. Right? The bruise proved less
severe than expected. She wondered if it felt tender to the
touch. The urge surfaced again to stroke a finger across the
lump and she sighed.
“Fine. Guess I’d better get out there.” Reva grabbed a bat
and rushed out to take first hits. A quick glance over her
shoulder as she exited the dugout caught Todd’s eyes firmly
planted on her pockets as he sauntered to his position in the
field. She moved to home plate suppressing a grin. Okay, the
conversation was awkward but maybe there was still hope.
She had no idea what for, but she’d figure that out later.
After
all, she
had no
interest
in men
at the moment.
Although it had become a bit harder to convince herself
after kissing him.
Wolf whistles from the stands caught her attention. Great.
Some sleaze ball intended to make a scene. Really? “Knock
the hell out of it, Rev!” Tim’s voice. It had to be. She turned
to look just as the pitch flew past her.
“Strike,” Jeff called. “Good thing this is just practice. That
pitch
was
served
up
perfectly
and
you
let
it
go.
Pay
attention.”
What the hell is Tim doing here? Had he become so
protective that he intended to follow her around as if she
were twelve? Reva frowned and burrowed her head in

concentration as the next pitch approached. She nailed it. It
was a nice line drive right down the third base line and she
made it to second.
“Woo! Way to go, sis!” And that was Ben.
Unbelievable.
They
both had showed up? Obviously, they hadn’t believed her
story about Todd and intended to make their protective
presence known.
Todd had been assigned to take shortstop and he grinned
her way. “Looks like you have a cheering squad.”
“Don’t you mean bodyguards?” She snorted.
“Basically the same thing, isn’t it?”
Jeff was second up and hit a fly ball to the outfield, sending
Reva around the remaining bases before George in the
outfield made a diving catch, then rolled and sailed the ball
back to the pitcher. The guy had a great arm but seriously,
who names their kid George nowadays? Reva rationalized it
had to be a family name. They continued until everyone had
a
chance
to
bat
twice.
Another
team
showed
up
to
scrimmage and they took the field. The game lasted about an
hour with Tim and Ben whistling and cheering like it was the
minor leagues. They laughed and carried on like kids. Reva
stepped closer to the fence at one point and shushed them.
“Quit acting like idiots. It’s just a scrimmage.” She narrowed
her eyes and took in the beer cans under the bleachers. “Oh.
No wonder. You two are seriously buzzed. Time to go
home—both of you.” She wiggled a finger from one to the
other.
“Nah. We’re just getting warmed up. Besides we said we’d
stay till it was over,” Tim said.
“Well, I don’t need you to stay. Scratch that. I don’t
want
you
to stay.” She pointed to the parking lot. “Go.”
“No can do, little sista,” Ben teased. “You’re stuck with us.
Now get back out there. Your team needs you, slugger--” he
swooshed a dismissive hand, “and tell that coach of yours
that if he pats you on the ass one more time, I might have to
come out there and beat his.” They both burst out laughing.
Reva growled. “Shut up, or at least keep your voices down.”
She punched a finger at both of them to punctuate her
words and returned to the team.
In the fourth inning, Reva hit a grounder that bounced over
the
pitcher’s
mound
and
landed
conveniently
in
the
shortstop’s glove. He subsequently threw her out at first and
received a scolding from her brothers. The scrimmage ended
after five innings with the teams tied.
The other team’s catcher, an athletic but attractive blonde,
approached as she packed her bag. “Your family’s cute,” she
said. “They might need a ride home, though.”
Wonder
where
she
got
that
idea
.
Reva
acknowledged
her
brothers’ lack of musical talent as they screamed “Take me
out to the ball game” while swaying side to side on the
aluminum bleacher. Yep, they needed a ride…and a cup of
coffee—correction, a gallon of coffee—each.

Reva felt Todd standing behind her before he said a word.
His scent was deliciously familiar even with a little sweat
added to the mix. “Can you believe this?” she asked. “I can’t
take a step without a family member under foot. I don’t
know why they think I need to be followed around.”
“They care about you. That’s not so bad, is it?”
“No, but I’d rather they do it at home. I didn’t ask them to
come up here and make a scene screaming at the top of their
lungs.”
“No, you sure didn’t.”
“And I don’t want them sticking their noses in my business.
Who invited them to butt in anyway?”
“I did.” He moved next to her.
“Huh?”
“I invited them.”
“Really?”
“Yep. They called to apologize for the other night.” He
turned to Reva. “I told them if they were that concerned,
they should come watch our practice and see just how things
really are. Of course, I hadn’t planned on this.” He waved at
the two burly guys in shorts.

“So, I have
you
to blame for the two drunks in the stands?”
Reva asked.
He laughed. “No, they brought the beer. I just told them
where we’d be. I didn’t know they intended to make a party
of it.”
“At least Mom and Dad aren’t with them. Dad’s the worst
when it comes to obnoxious fans. Those guys don’t even
come close.” She hooked a thumb toward the bleachers,
noticing that her brothers had left.
Still, she loved the lugs and had missed them when she had
been too far away for their visits. Growing up, their constant
ribbing and interference had been a staple in her life. In
Maria’s too. She’d found it frustrating when she was younger
but now, as much as she complained—she appreciated the
sentiment
behind
their
actions.
She
wondered
if
their
meddling would have helped with Nick, had she stayed.
Duh. She’d have never met the asshole if she’d stayed.
A breeze lifted Todd’s hair from his brow and tossed it from
his face. Reva peeled her eyes away and dropped her glove
into the sports bag. She flipped the bag over a shoulder.
Time
for
a
subject
change.
“Well,
our
first
game
is
tomorrow. That should be fun. We’ll see just how good we
really are.”
“Or aren’t,” Todd answered.
She smiled. “True, but a little pessimistic. See you then.”
Reva turned to leave. The few cars around the ball field had
begun
to
depart.
Ben
and
Tim
rolled
a
cooler
to the
trashcan, tossed their empty cans, then loaded it into Ben’s
truck. They sat on the bed of the vehicle, eyes on their
sister’s approach.
“You played pretty good for a girl,” Ben joked. He nodded
to Todd. “He wasn’t so bad either.”
Reva grinned. “I bet I could still whip both of you if it came
to that, but I know you’re both too chicken to try to take
me.” She put a hand on her hip and felt sweat trickle down
the side of her face.
Tim reached into the cooler and pulled two beer cans from
it. Reva marveled that there were any left to retrieve. He
popped the tab on one and passed it to her. “We’re not
chicken
Reva,
but
we’re not
stupid
either.
You
played
softball from the time you were nine. When you weren’t on
the ball field, you were running track or cross country.
Neither Ben nor I were into baseball, so any attempt to keep
up with you would have been a losing battle. Not to mention
the fact that you’re a bit younger than both of us. Besides,
Todd here seemed to do just fine.” Tim passed the other can
to Todd as he approached.
“I can hold my own. You guys want to walk back with us?”
Todd suggested.
Reva recognized that he’d inferred an
us
that made her
uncomfortable. There wasn’t any us with Todd. There was
him
and
then
her.
Separate.
Not
together.
He
just…just…oh, why try to explain it? “Are you inviting them
to your house or mine?” She asked.
“Doesn’t matter. It depends on how much everyone wants
to walk. I’m one block farther away.”
“Judging on the way these two were singing, I’d guess the
extra exercise might do them some good. You know with
the fresh air and all.”
Tim frowned. “What are you trying to say now?” He ran a
hand down his flat-as-a-pancake stomach and patted.
“Just that you probably need to dry out a little before you
think about driving that truck. Don’t worry, I wasn’t calling
you fat or inferring you had a beer-gut. Yet.”
Tim and Ben slid off the truck bed, and followed Reva and
Todd. She noticed Tim’s prolonged glance at the pretty
blonde from the other team.

***
Two brothers would have been heaven, Todd thought as he
remembered sharing a bathroom with his older sister. He
wondered what it had been like for them as children. For
him, it had been pure torture. Undergarments consistently
hung over the towel bar, make-up and hair dryer scattered
over the bathroom counter. Where he had been meticulous
and organized, she had been everything but. It more than
annoyed him to snag a pile of her nasties from the bathroom
floor and toss them into her room. He hadn’t cared what she
did in her own space, but he refused to let Terry’s laziness
creep into his. Nor into the spaces they had shared through
their teenage years. She had found it a game.
He looked out over the park and reminisced that he wished
for that frustration now. His sister had married and moved
an ocean away to be with her husband and his new job. It
worked out well for her since they were both journalists. As
much as she annoyed him then, their biweekly conversations
were a blessing. Reva complained but Todd sensed her
appreciation for the two somewhat inebriated human guard
dogs behind her. He had no doubt that even in that state,
they boded trouble for any man that meant harm for the
beautiful woman at his side. He shot a glance sideways. Yes,
beautiful. Even with sweat trickling down her neck and dirt
smattered across the pockets of those tight shorts. Reva’s
brothers had their work cut out for them.
“Did you eat before practice?” he asked.
“I didn’t have time. I have some leftovers in the fridge,
though.”
He noticed she glanced around the street. Always kept an
eye on her surroundings. She had perfected the art of being
present yet separate. He purposely stepped closer just to see
what happened. Nothing. Wait. Ah, she added distance, a
little safety.
“I’ll fire up the grill and feed all of you tonight. I have
everything for burgers if that’s okay,” he said.
“I…um. Sure. Just long enough for them to get some air in
their lungs and food in their stomachs, though. I have some
work to do. I had a personnel issue this afternoon that I
need to document while it’s still fresh in my mind.”
He didn’t respond. A personnel issue. Her work seemed
plagued with those. That was something he rarely had to
deal with in his own business. Since he owned the whole
thing, no one gave him grief. In fact, just the opposite. His
business had blossomed and the few people he’d added over
the past few years were long-time acquaintances and friends.
People he trusted to be as dedicated as he, himself with his
dream. They came to work with energy and enthusiasm
every
day
and
knew,
without
a
doubt,
that
their
contributions
mattered
. He had no need to constantly assure
them. They knew. That was the beauty of a small enterprise
rather
than
a
larger
environment
such
as
hers.
Fewer
personalities, therefore fewer personality differences—in his
opinion, of course. It had also meant that everyone had
pulled their weight and more. Just last night, he had been at
the office/shop/warehouse to help package a large shipment
and get the billing done.
Should he be concerned that she had escaped an abusive
relationship in her recent past, and had personnel issues that
required documentation? What, exactly, did that infer? He
had
never
documented
any
of
the
few
incidents
he
encountered at work. He’d done so intentionally. Much of
the time it was for the benefit of his staff but he also felt it
best not to constantly rehash old troubles. Documenting
such became a permanent smear for the person involved. As
a result, he chose only to document the good—and often
skipped that too. Instead he made sure he talked them up
when they excelled and made them aware when they didn’t.
Periodic adjustments in their pay substantiated their effort.
When he could afford it, of course. It seemed appropriate to
do both and it worked. So far. An attorney would likely
argue
his
methods
but
he
didn’t
care.
One
can’t base
decisions on the remote possibility of lawsuits.
Burgers with Reva and her brothers was hilarious. They
mercilessly teased everyone and it seemed obvious they had
the wrong impression about his relationship with Reva,
which wasn’t a relationship at all. He had no clue what it
was, but definitely not that. Todd admitted that Tim and
Ben had the type of easy confidence that was compelling.
Had he known them growing up, they likely would have
been friends. Had he not been completely immersed in work
these past few years, these were the kind of people he would
have enjoyed spending time around.
Two hours later, the burgers had been demolished. Tim and
Ben had walked back to their truck in much better condition
than before. Todd appreciated that they seemed comfortable
enough with him to leave Reva, although he did notice a
private interchange between them as they departed. Reva
grabbed tea glasses, paper plates, strewn trash, and carried
them to his back door.
Todd realized that the whole of his early years, he had been
obsessed with achievement. His obsession had taken root
and blossomed. The success of his business wasn’t a fluke. It
had come with pain, sweat, and a lot of late night hard work.
It had also come with a price and while he hated to admit it,
there was a tinge of loneliness and alienation that lurked in
the fringes of his life. He rarely acknowledged it as he
normally just covered himself up in work when he did.
Tonight, though, as he watched Reva with her brothers, it
hit him hard. This was what he had missed. What Todd had
hoped for in his family life since he left home to conquer
college and then the world. What had never really quite
happened with Annie. The only bright spot in all that had
been Eric. Apparently, he’d never
understood
her.
“I’ve put the dirties in the dishwasher and bagged the trash.
I left the bag by the door as I wasn’t sure where to put it.”
Reva smiled. “Thanks for feeding us. I’d better get back and
write up that report.”
“Need help with it? I’m great with words.”
“You wouldn’t enjoy this. I had a staff member voice his
displeasure with the way I speak with him. Since this isn’t
the first time he’s had a problem, I thought I’d better write it
down just in case something comes of it.”
“What’s his problem?” He didn’t mean it to sound critical
but recognized it did.
“Apparently my tone of voice. Or at least how I say what I
say, rather than the actual words. If that makes sense.” The
lines between her eyebrows dented as he watched her frown.
“He sounds hyper-sensitive.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. Isn’t everyone hyper-sensitive about
something at some point? Anyway, I need to write it down
while it’s still fresh. I’ll admit I can be abrupt at times.
Mainly because I believe in stating the facts, outlining what
needs to be done, and then doing it. It frustrates me when
people don’t do what you ask of them. It especially frustrates
me when they pretend to know something they don’t and
then screw things up because their ego won’t let them ask
for help. But that’s only part of the issue, as far as I’m
concerned. If someone asks a question, I assume they want
my opinion and an answer. I give it and most times, I don’t
sugar coat it. That’s where this particular person has an issue.
Personally, I think he’s not comfortable with a woman
expressing opinions and giving direction quite so bluntly. I
can’t say that though. That would be discriminatory.”
“Discriminatory in pointing out that he’s
discriminating
against you as a female in business, and let’s not forget
you’re his boss? Or that it’s very likely he can take the exact
same words from a man but not from you?”
“Ah, you get it. That’s the dilemma in this. If I point out his
prejudices, it sounds as if I am prejudiced against him. As a
boss, that’s a huge no-no. So, even though I know much of
his anger toward me wouldn’t exist if I were a man saying
the same things…in truth, as a man, I could be even
stronger and he’d be fine with it. I also know it would be
disastrous to my credibility and career to point out the
obvious. Plus, and this is the big one, I didn’t get this far by
complaining about how I’m treated in my work and I sure as
hell am not going to start crying wolf now.”
“So, in other words, you’re letting him have the upper
hand?”
“No, I’m documenting it. Word for word. Should problems
continue and his projects don’t get back on track, he will be
officially reprimanded and I’ll have the data to support it.”
Todd sighed. “And if he documents it differently, then what
happens? People can write whatever they want to on paper,
that doesn’t necessarily make it fact—or even honest. I’m so
glad I don’t work in the corporate realm anymore.”
Her
eyes
widened
in
surprise.
“But
you
do.
You’re
a
business
owner
and
an
entrepreneur.
That’s
about
as
corporate as it gets.”
“No, that’s small business. No fancy offices, no big staff,
and only a few corporate policies, none of which take
precedence over common sense. If I had an employee like
that working for me, well, he wouldn’t work for me long.”
Reva shot her head up and her eyes flashed. “Why? Because
you’re a man and you can handle it better?”
“No. Because I’m a man and he wouldn’t try that shit with
me. It wouldn’t work. Don’t you see?”
“That’s my point! That’s exactly what’s wrong. I should be
able to say exactly the same things that any man in my
position would and expect him to do his job. I can’t and he
doesn’t.”
“Then fire him.”
“Without even giving him a chance to correct things? That
would be cruel.”
“That’s business. He would do the same to you if the tables
were turned.”
“But they’re not, are they? I have to believe that our legal
system and our generation make it possible for both of us to
be successful. Not in an
I win, you lose
way either. I want him
to resolve the problems on his project. I want him to stop
being so concerned with what I say or how I say it, but what
needs to get done and how to do it. And I especially want
him to stop making mistakes and overpromising to the staff.
If he doesn’t, I’m prepared to make a change but I’d rather
not. Any time you change personnel, there’s a huge learning
curve to get past. That will delay his projects even further.
So, I’m keeping my hands in it deep enough to take over if
needed but still give him room to fix it.”
“You should tell him that. Exactly like that. If he doesn’t get
it, then he doesn’t want to.”
“Then I fail?”
“No, Reva. It’s not about failure. It’s about success. If he
doesn’t
understand
what
you
tell
him,
then
he’s
only
concerned about his own success and you can’t afford that.
Or at least that’s how I see it.”
“He scares me.” Her face and body stilled in a “calm before
the storm” way as she spoke. “I’m overreacting I know, but
something about him reminds me of the past.”
“You
mean
of
your
ex?
Jesus,
Reva.
That’s
not
even
remotely funny.”
“It’s not meant to be. I know it’s a stretch. I shouldn’t have
said it. See? I’m overreacting.” She pulled the tie from her
hair, smoothed the lose strands into place, then tied it all up
again. The simple act seemed to normalize her words.
“Reva, I don’t know a lot about you but I do know you’re a
smart woman. I’d bet you’re very good at your work.” He
sensed she needed confirmation. He stepped toward her in
his small kitchen. Did he think she had overreacted based on
prior experience? He had no idea. In truth, he had no
understanding of women in business at all. Obviously. Yet,
in a way he understood exactly. She wanted this employee to
turn things
around. She wanted him to succeed. Todd
doubted the employee wanted the same for her.
“Okay, I’m giving you warning that I’m going to touch you
now.” He’d been increasingly aware of Reva’s evasiveness
through
the
night.
Whenever
he
moved
closer,
she
countered by adding distance. Sometimes it was small. Other
times, it was significant. She did so in an unobtrusive natural
way. Still, he noticed. He had eased closer and if she was
comfortable it remained that way for a while. Then, as if a
lock clicking shut, she would perform some small action that
added space to her comfort zone. During their conversation,
he had eased to her side and she hadn’t moved. It was a
stupid cat and mouse game and he wondered why he
bothered to play it. The kiss, of course. She’d gone at him
with a hunger he found seductive.
He inched his hands up to cup her face. She looked at his
wrists. He waited. And waited. “Reva. Look up.”
“What?” She stared at his nose.
“A little more.” Her eyes met his. “There. See, not so bad
right? Look, not every guy is abusive.
Maybe this guy’s
attracted to you…”
She let out a laugh. He tightened his grip just slightly.
“Don’t laugh. It makes sense.”
“You’re a psychiatrist now?”
He kept his hands in place and wouldn’t allow her to back
up. “No. I’m trying to understand why he might be difficult
as an employee. That’s what you did, didn’t you? You tried
to find a reason, an excuse for his obvious disrespect of your
authority.”
“Yes.”
“I
usually
don’t
care.
That’s
why
women
make
better
managers as a general rule. They care more.”
“I don’t see that as a plus. If I didn’t care, I would have fired
him and moved on.”
“But you can’t do it. And I’d bet you didn’t because you
know how hard it is for a person to recover from a firing
and move on with their life.” He watched her face. Bingo.
“Yes.”
He smiled. “Reva, that’s why you’re a good manager. You
make decisions not only on what’s best for your company
but
also
what’s
best
for
the
staff.
Even
if
they
don’t
recognize it as that.”
She rolled her eyes and spoke. “How much do I owe you for
that wonderful evaluation and advice, Yoda?”