Janet (4 page)

I looked over my shoulder to see if Beatriz was listening.

“Who is it?” she asked.

I stepped out of the apartment and closed the door behind me. “She’s…fine.”

Scott stared at me, waiting for me to elaborate. The power of his gaze made me
keep going.

“She’s going through a hard time. I apologize for the blatant way she came onto you. Thank you for taking her home the other day.”

He nodded. “I hope everything is okay.”

“Yeah…”

“How are you holding up, Janet?”

The way he said my
name made my spine shiver. I heard my name spoken a hundred times a day. My boss said it, my friends said it, and my coworkers said. But it never sounded the way it did when he said it. I looked at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. “I’m doing okay.”

“I can only imagine how much work your sister is,” he said. “Don’t let her walk all over you.”

“I don’t.”

He nodded. “Which is why I like you.”

“What?”

“Let me know if you need anything,” he said, extending his card. “I’d love to take you out for a drink to take the edge off. And I know you aren’t a heavy drinker like Beatriz.” He winked at me.

I took the card with a shaky hand, unsure what to do with it.

Scott stared at me, watching me hold his business card. “I look forward to hearing from you.” He nodded to me then walked down the hallway. “Have a good night.”

I stared at his receding back until he disappeared. What just happened? Did he ask me out? I don’t think so…He just gave me his number and said I should call him if I needed a break. Would he have asked for my number if he wanted to take me out? Had it been so long since I’d been hit on that I didn’t know how it worked anymore? I put the card in my pocket and walked inside.

“Who was that?” Beatriz immediately asked.

“Girl scout.”

“But it isn’t spring.”

“She wasn’t selling cookies.” I sat down and scared at the television screen. A mystery show was on but I wasn’t really watching it. Scott’s face was floating in my mind. The more I thought about it, the more I realized he hadn’t asked me out. Scott was a gorgeous guy. And if he wore a suit like that, he obviously had a successful job. There was no way he was interested in me. My sister was mortifying, and he was totally out of my league. The card sat in my pocket, forgotten.

5

The gala came closer as the week came to an end. I found a dress on clearance in Saks Fifth Avenue. It was normally two hundred bucks, but I got it for fifty. I was a hard core bargain shopper. I never spent full price on anything. I could afford quality items, but I chose to save my money. Having a big savings account gave me peace of mind. Life was so unpredictable that you never knew what might happen.

Ryan and I had lunch together, but we were both fairly quiet. Ryan seemed relaxed now that I agreed to attend the
gala as his date, but he was still careful around me, like he was walking over egg shells. I wasn’t sure what I did to make him feel so nervous and uncomfortable, but I’d clearly done something.

When I went to dinner with Layla and Cassie, Layla was acting different.

“So, anything new?” Layla asked.

“No, not really,” I said as I drank my iced tea

She nodded. “Is your sister still around?”

I sighed. “I’m going crazy.”

“Kick her out,” Cassie said. “On that perfect ass of hers.”

“She still hasn’t told you the truth?” Layla asked.

“She will when she’s ready,” I said.

Layla rolled her eyes. “Your sister is a piece of work.”

“I’m well aware of that fact,” I said.

“So, are you still going to that gala with Ryan?” Layla asked, not meeting my gaze.

“Yeah, as far as I know,” I said.

Layla nodded. “So you like him?”

I shrugged. “He’s fine.”

Cassie eyed me. “You know what she means.”

“He’s nice…” I shrugged again.

“Is there something wrong with him?” Cassie asked.

“No,” I said. “He’s a gentleman and he’s sweet. We get along pretty well.”

“Do you like anyone else?” Layla asked.

“I haven’t met anyone else,” I said.

Layla stared at me. “So, no one has asked you out?”

“I would remember someone asking me out,” I said.

Layla looked into my eyes, searching for something I couldn’t see. I wasn’t sure why she was staring at me so intently. Her eyes were fixed on something in the distance in my eyes, something only she would notice. After a long moment, she looked away.

When I came home that night, my sister was already in bed. She was making a mess of my apartment. Dirty dishes were in the sink, lids were off containers in the refrigerator, her clothes were dispersed around the room. It was a total mess. I wanted to yell at her but I kept it back in light of her pain. She lost her husband and her son. What could be worse than that? I did her laundry and her dishes before I went to bed.

The next day, I went to work and watched the clock move slower than a snail. When the workday was almost over, Ryan came to my office.

“Are we still on for tonight?” he asked with a smile.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll pick you up,” he said. “What’s your address?”

I wrote it down and handed it to him. “I’ll see you then.”

“I look forward to it.” He left and moved down the hallway.

When I clocked out, I went to my apartment and started to get ready. The dress I found was burgundy and made of fine silk. It fit my curves but also made me appear thinner than I really was. I liked dresses that were somewhat deceptive. I pinned golden earrings into my ear and
wore a matching necklace. When I pinned my hair up, a small strand kept falling. After using a whole can of hairspray, it still wouldn’t stay. I just decided to let it be. Otherwise I’d there all night, going to war with this tiny piece of hair.

“Where are you going?” Beatriz asked when she saw me.

“A gala for work.” I waited for her to compliment me but she never did.

She grabbed a bowl of popcorn
and sat in front of the TV, shoving it into her mouth.

I sighed, knowing it was a lost cause.

The knock on the door announced Ryan’s arrival.

“Hey,” I said when I answered it.

He stared at me, his eyes wide. “You look marvelous.”

My checks blushed. “Thank you.”

“This is a very different look from the office.”

“I hope that’s a good thing.”

“A very good thing.” He pulled a bouquet of roses from behind his back. “For you.”

I smiled, taking them from his hand. After I smelled them I looked at him. “They are beautiful.” I placed them on the kitchen table and came back to the door.

Ryan looked at my sister on the couch. “Is that your roommate?”

“My sister.”

“Oh.”

“I’d introduce you, but she’s very unpleasant.”

“And has ears like fox,” she said, turning toward us. “It’s nice to meet you.”

He nodded. “Ryan.”

“Beatriz.”

I stepped out of the apartment and closed to the door. “I didn’t mean to be rude by not inviting you in
side. My sister is just going through a hard time.”

“N
o need for apologies,” he said. He extended his arm for me to grab. “Shall we?”

“We shall,” I said with a smile.

We left the building and got inside the cab. I took advantage of the opportunity to examine his appearance. He wore a black suit with a matching tie. It was a classic look. His shoulders and chest were evident through his clothes. I could tell he worked out regularly. His brown hair was light and highlighted the color of his eyes. His lips were curved at the end, not straight like mine.

He didn’t reach for me while we sat in the car. His hand grazed mine but he didn’t touch it. The lights from the city passed the windo
w while we sat in silence. I tried to think of something to say but I was at a loss of words. Ryan seemed just as nervous. It seemed like we were in high school all over again.

When we arrived at the gala, Ryan opened the door and helped me get out. He hooked my arm through his and we walked inside. There were too many people to digest. They were dispersed around the lobby of the hotel, drinking from their flutes and wearing their formal attire. Most of the men looked identical in their plain suits. The women wore long length gowns. A few trailed across the floor.

“This looks amazing,” I said.

“I’m sure Mr. Garrison in very happy.”

“It wouldn’t have turned out this nice if I did it all alone.”

“I don’t know about that,” he said with a smile.

We moved to our colleagues and said our hellos. Unfortunately, most of the people in my office were lawyers, which meant they were men. There was one female lawyer that worked for us and she was amazing at what she did, but she and I didn’t along very well. She was too serious all the time, even more serious than I was. If I tried to make small talk with her, it always backfired horribly.

Some of the guys glanced at our locked arms but didn’t comment on it. I suspected to be questioned about it on Monday. Most of the people were strangers, lawyers and legal representatives
from other firms in the city. A few of these events were hosted every year, trying to raise my money for the city or charity.  Personally, I thought it was the time where each firm tries to prove they are better than all the other firms. And that was usually done by the amount of money that was donated from each place. When the lawyer’s at Garrison’s firm donated money, they were always given the best and most lucrative cases. As a result, everyone donated. Since I was the human resources director, I didn’t have to worry about giving away my money just to keep my job.

Ryan grabbed two glass of wine and handed me one. “Are you having a good time?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded then drank from his glass.

“Your suit looks nice.”

“Thanks.” He averted his gaze and looked across the room.

When I stared at his body, I knew it was nice. But it still didn’t do anything for me. What was wrong with me? There was nothing wrong with this guy. There was something wrong with me.

“Have you seen Mr. Garrison?” I asked.

“Nope,” he said. “He’s swallowed in a room of suits.”

“You better make your presence known.”

“I made a considerable donation,” Ryan said. “I won’t be forgotten.”

I thought that was a little vain but I kept the comment to myself.

“So, have you been in a relationship recently?”

I wasn’t expecting that question. “No, not for a really long time.”

“May I ask why?”

I shrugged. “I just haven’t liked anyone.”

He nodded. “Me too. It’s hard for me.”

I drank from my flute and averted my gaze. The conversation was awkward and forced. I felt
like we were trying to get to know each other. It wasn’t natural and random like it should be. That’s when I knew I would die alone. Perhaps I was so weird and boring that I only attracted people who were equally weird and boring. I drank my entire glass and grabbed another.

“You’re as beautiful as ever.”

I turned at the sound. Scott was eyeing my appearance with approval.

“This is a lovely color on you.”

“Um, thank you.” My cheeks turned crimson red, the same color of my dress.

Ryan stared at Scott, appraising his features.

Scott was wearing a dark blue suit with a red tie. He was the only man who showed any color in his outfit. He stuck out in the crowd, looking dashing. His hands were in his pockets but his shoulders were straight. He stared at my face, ignoring Ryan entirely. “I’m happy I ran into you.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I’m a lawyer.”

I totally forgot he said that. I was too busy wanting to rip my sister’s throat out to notice last week. “What firm are you at?”

“Jacob Reynolds.”

I nodded. “I’ve heard nothing but good things.”

“We aim to please.” He looked Ryan. “I’m Scott. It’s nice to meet you.” He extended his hand.

Ryan shook it. “Ryan. The pleasure is all mine.”

Scott looked at my empty glass. “Can I get you another?”

“She’s okay,” Ryan said.

Scott looked at him for a long moment, his eyes turning malicious, and then he turned back to me. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself this evening. I know you deserve a break.”

“It’s very beautiful.”

“And how’s the company?” he asked with a smile.

“It’s nice,” I said.

Ryan placed his arm around my waist. “Let’s take our seats.”

Scott eyed the palm on my hip. His shoulders moved back and his arms flexed. I saw the change under his suit even though the movement was slight.

“I’ll see you later,” I said politely.

Scott nodded then walked away.

When we took our seats at the table, Ryan was quiet. He drank from his glass without looking at me.

Scott always made me feel nervous when I was around him. He seemed angry or annoyed most of the time, but there were other emotions below that dark exterior.
His body was packed with muscle and strength. I noticed it when he moved. And he looked incredibly handsome in that suit. His tie matched my dress and I couldn’t help but notice. I wondered if he had a date tonight.

The dinner was served and we ate quietly.

“So, who was that?” Ryan asked.

“My friend’s brother-in-law, in a way.”

“Is he your ex?”

I raised an eyebrow. “No. Why?”

“No reason,” he said.

I eyed him.

“He was just very…threatening.”

“He was nothing but polite.”

“Verbally he was. Silently, he threatened to kill me.”

“Did I miss something…?”

“Is there something going on between you two?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I was just caught off guard.”

I picked at my salad but didn’t eat another bite. I saw Scott sitting at a table with his colleagues. He was easy to spot in the red tie. He was laughing, his teeth showing. He had a beautiful smile. When he was in the spotlight, he seemed so different. He was pleasant and happy. Whenever we spoke, he was deadly serious. I stared at him for a long time, admiring every feature of his perfect face.

The ceremony started and they announced the silent auction taking place in the back of the room. They were selling trips to exotic places, cars, spa treatments, and gym memberships. I’d make an appearance and take a look but I couldn’t afford to spend the money.

More alcohol was brought to the tables. Ryan and I exchanged a few words but nothing of significance was sa
id. I was feeling more awkward by the moment.

“Please excuse me for a moment,” Ryan said. “I need to use the restroom.”

“Okay,” I said.

He left the table, leaving me sitting alone. I stared at my hands in my lap, wondering what the hell I was doing. I was on a date with a guy that I knew I didn’t like. We just didn’t click. He was handsome but I wasn’t attracted to him. I thought spending time with him would change everything but it clearly hadn’t. Maybe I would just die alone after all.