Chapter 6
The glass door slammed against the wall as Febe stormed into the office. Haylee opened her mouth to say a good morning, but the glare that pinned her to her seat snapped her mouth closed with force. Febe turned her head sharply toward Cherish as though the woman had dared to say or do something without her permission.
Breathing perhaps.
Goosebumps spread over Haylee’s arms and across the back of her neck.
“Cherish, you need to redo the brochures. They look ridiculous and unprofessional. I expect more from anyone using my name to boost their own profile.”
Febe continued to bark orders at Cherish and criticize her efforts on previously praised tasks. Haylee wanted to jump up and deny it, reject what Febe said with a fire of conviction, but every time her mouth opened, she was greeted with silence. Without breaking her stride or waiting for an answer, Febe strutted to her door as though nothing was wrong. But her normally impeccable hair had fallen haphazardly to her shoulders, strands flying across her face. Febe’s voice wavered as her long fingers wrapped around the handle of her door and jerked it open with more force than necessary.
“No one is to disturb me today. If I get a single phone call, everyone involved will be fired on the spot. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Ms. Aarts,” Cherish answered, that confident tone perfectly in place. Haylee envied she was able to do that.
The door slammed, vibrating the walls in its wake.
This left Precious’s firing in the dust. And had that been actual dirt and grass, maybe a leaf stuck to the back of Febe’s skirt? What the hell was going on? Because Haylee was left in the dark, and she hated not knowing.
Then again, Haylee had never been so grateful for being ignored. She remained frozen at her desk, wondering what the hell had just happened. But no amount of curiosity would get Haylee knocking on that door today.
“What was that?” she asked Cherish, who continued to stare at Febe’s closed door.
Cherish cut her a look, telling her to shut up. Haylee balked, the camaraderie she’d thought they’d built vanishing in an instant. After a few minutes Cherish still hadn’t answered Haylee’s question.
Haylee’s heart ached for her. She had never once seen Febe act so cruelly to Cherish, especially when she definitely didn’t deserve it. Cherish was Febe's bitch, sure, but she had never been Febe’s punching bag. At least not that Haylee had seen. Then again, maybe they were both finally relaxing around her enough to let their true selves come out.
Letting out a deep breath, Haylee dared to risk a peek at Cherish.
She blinked, and then blinked again. Cherish had an unusual look on her face, but it wasn’t the one of hurt or anger that Haylee had expected. In fact, the look almost suited Cherish’s blue eyes and wide mouth, softening both features. Haylee studied her a few seconds longer before realizing what the look held.
Sympathy.
Compassion.
It was a stark difference from the adoring crush she had caught Cherish following Febe with. Haylee definitely knew which one she preferred, but for the life of her, couldn’t fit it with the tornado she had just witnessed. A tornado that would have ripped her to shreds.
The iciness that had remained around Cherish dissolved in an instant as she caught Haylee looking at her.
“I’m okay.” Cherish smiled, as genuine a smile as Haylee had ever seen on her. “She knows I won’t take it personally. I never do.”
“Never?” Haylee gaped. What the hell had she missed? How often did this happen?
“Mark this day in your calendar, Haylee.”
“What? Why?” Haylee grabbed her mouse and clicked open the calendar, typing in big bold letters BATSHIT CRAZY and scheduling it on a yearly repeat. She wasn’t even sure she would still be here this time next year. She hoped to be, but her track record wasn’t proving to make that a strong possibility.
“Because this…” Cherish waved her arms around, encompassing the office before stopping at Febe’s door, “…will happen again.”
“Again? What the hell, Cherish?” That snapped her out of her own misery.
“Every single year.” Cherish nodded, a sad smile on her face as she got up from her desk with the gentle tap of fingertips on the edge before the soft whoosh of wheels. Haylee observed Cherish with every fiber of her being as she walked over. The gentle sway of her hips, the curves of her body, the curves of her cheeks that led to her lips—plump, kissable lips. Cherish had a nice walk in those heels, one that could hypnotize the right person. Which was definitely not Haylee. She wasn’t hypnotized or distracted at all.
Cherish stopped at the side of Haylee’s desk. As Haylee turned from her screen to look up into Cherish’s eyes—Christ, those eyes could launch ships—Cherish chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Haylee asked, her cheeks warming. Her thoughts hadn’t been on display like a Sims character, had they? Unsure what had gotten into everyone today, including herself, Haylee refused to let her worries go down that path any longer. Perhaps she had stepped through a portal into the world of topsy-turvy. That was far more preferable than her thoughts being transparent.
“Your calendar reminder.” Cherish gave a small jerk of her chin, indicating the monitor.
“Oh.” Haylee turned back to see the big letters staring at her. Her breath shortened in anticipation of one of Cherish’s don’t-say-a-thing-wrong-about-Ms-Aarts rants.
“It’s fine. But if you think that was Febe going bat shit crazy, that has nothing on what happened at the gala.” Cherish shook her head a little, a smile playing at her lips but never quite blooming fully.
“Really?” Haylee knew Febe was icy and could cut with words, but until now she had always been in control. She hadn’t been a bully, just cold. There had never been a doubt in Haylee’s mind that Febe would win whatever battle she faced, whether it was firing someone or having to explain to a client the reason they couldn’t get their therapist’s personal number.
“She won’t need much today,” Cherish said with a sigh. “Or rather, what she needs isn’t something we can give her, and she knows that.”
“What about the meetings?” Panic rose in Haylee’s chest. She couldn’t expose this Febe Aarts to the world. The world wouldn’t survive it.
“Already canceled.” Cherish smiled, a devious look in her eyes. “Or never actually booked to begin with.”
“What?” Haylee’s mouth gaped open, a small nervous laugh escaping as the panic disappeared in a rush of unspent adrenaline.
“I hope that one year the day will pass, and she’ll shrug, shed a tear, and move forward. But until that day comes, I’ll continue to treat it as any other day, knowing it’s anything but and being prepared for the consequences. She’ll apologize to me tomorrow.”
“What is it then?” Haylee itched to know. It was yet another small piece of the gala puzzle. It had to be. Another piece that didn’t fit in with the meager few she had collected since first being told she would need to help with the gala. She sighed at the mental picture that formed in her mind. Several isolated pieces floating around a large desktop with no hints for the bigger picture in sight. At the very least, it would be another piece to the puzzle that was Febe Aarts.
“It’s a hard day for Ms. Aarts. That’s all you need to know.” Cherish moved around and returned to her desk, her voice low and soft. “As I said, she won’t need much today. If you would like to have an extended lunch, feel free, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“What?” Haylee’s breath quickened once more. She couldn’t handle much more of this. The ups and downs were too much. What the hell would be thrown at her next? Last week she was being yelled at for not being willing to stay late, and today she was being sent home early? That was a definite sign she would be fired soon. Why would Cherish tease her with remembering the day next year comment? That was just cruel.
“You will of course be paid for the entire day.” Cherish’s lips pursed together with distaste, misunderstanding Haylee’s reaction.
“And what will you do, Cherish?” Sure, getting paid to play hooky would be great, but that wasn’t what concerned her right now, far from it.
“I’ll do my job, just like I do every year,” Cherish replied with a determination that filled Haylee with respect and a little sadness.
“If she doesn’t need us to be here, why don’t we both go out for lunch?” Haylee knew it wouldn’t happen, but she had to try at least.
Cherish’s gaze locked on Haylee’s, and a shiver ran through her. Haylee held her breath. Why had she asked that? Why had she even offered? They hadn’t done lunch together since that one day, when Cherish had snagged her phone and ran back to work as soon as Febe called. She was sure the same thing would happen again. Cherish proved it, repeatedly.
And it wasn’t like she could afford lunch anyway. Her checking account was empty, and her credit cards were nearly maxed out.
“I’d like that.” Cherish’s eyes widened as though she hadn’t meant to let the words come out. “But while she may not need much, she will still need a few things as the day goes on. Like coffee and food.”
“You’re a good person, Cherish.” Haylee’s words hit a truth she hadn’t even realized until now. Cherish might be cold and clipped, professional to the point of bitchy at times, but behind everything she did was a caring kindness that others didn’t see. Haylee certainly hadn’t seen it immediately.
Cherish’s face colored as she dropped her gaze to her screen. Even before Cherish spoke, Haylee knew the conversation was over.
“Have a nice break, Haylee. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Haylee wanted to argue. She wanted to max out that last card for even a little glimpse into Cherish’s world. She wanted to stay and help Cherish deal with whatever verbal abuse might be flung at her when that door opened again.
But really, if Cherish didn’t want her there, what was the point?
Haylee collected her bag and belongings and headed out. Her mind raced, and her thoughts tried to force those few pieces together. What could possibly be so bad that explaining it was worse than whatever had just happened in the office? Or what had sunk last year’s gala? Surely if Haylee understood what had happened, what today meant or triggered, she would be more capable of helping Cherish ensure the foundation didn’t lose its funding and end up closing.
Haylee sat at the stop, waiting for her bus. A half-hour wait with the sounds of cars driving by and snippets of stranger’s conversations keeping her company. It was a nice change from the intensity of the office that morning.
“I hate asking for help. I don’t want it. Please, John, all I need is your understanding.” A lady, harried and weighed down with too many bags, spoke into the phone cradled between her shoulder and ear. She pushed through the spill of passengers disembarking from the latest bus that had screeched to a stop.
The words hit Haylee like a slap to the cheek.
Before she could second guess herself or her plan, she stood up and walked away.
It didn’t take her long, but when she stepped back into the building, she knew she’d made the right decision. It was strange riding the elevator alone. She couldn’t remember if it had happened before. She normally arrived at the same time as many other workers and left the same way. Even when she did stay late, she always left with Cherish. Her smile widened, and she stared at her reflection in the elevator’s mirrored wall.
Her cheeks were pink. She shook her head, and she imagined her reflection stepping away from its role of mimicry and revealing the truth behind her out-of-character reaction and subsequent actions that brought her back to the office on what could have been an unexpected day of freedom. Unexpected and paid for. What on earth had compelled her to come back?
Cherish.
The answer came to her mind, and the smile slipped a little from her face. She admired Cherish and had slowly gotten to know her a little better, but that’s not what that voice or those rosy cheeks meant.
“No,” Haylee whispered to her reflection. But even as she said the word, her groan that followed confirmed she knew the truth.
Damn it. When had she started thinking of Cherish as anything other than her icy work colleague?
No, she couldn’t be attracted to Cherish. She didn’t feel anything but normal coworker friendship.
She just really needed to get laid. That’s all this was.
“What are you doing here?” Cherish looked up when Haylee walked back into the office. Haylee had steeled herself against her realization. What she was feeling was nothing more than just a little crush. Not even that really—it was more a transference of gratitude.
The hints of a smile at the corners of Cherish’s mouth as she took in the bags of food Haylee had snagged on her way back caused a flutter of butterflies in Haylee’s stomach despite the overwhelming anvil weighing her down with the fact that she’d maxed out two cards, not just one.
“Well.” Haylee smiled, ignoring the heat that increased in her cheeks and forcing the lump in her throat out of the way. “I figured while you’re busy making sure Febe is taken care of, there’s no harm in me making sure you’re taken care of.”
Haylee looked up and froze. Behind Cherish’s shoulder, Febe stood in her doorway staring at the two of them.
Cherish’s smile disappeared, and she cocked her head, eyebrows pulled together in question. Haylee played back the words she had just said and hoped the floor she stood on suddenly opened up and swallowed her whole.
“Cherish, I need coffee.” Febe’s voice had returned to its former quiet control, but there remained a waver that made Haylee’s muscles tighten. She rounded her shoulders and pulled them inward toward her chest.
“Of course.” Cherish’s entire body language changed, her attention solely fixed on Febe. Haylee knew that she could have stripped naked and performed a pole dance routine and Cherish would do little more than purse her lips and potentially roll her eyes.
Damn it, getting a crush on Cherish was not going to do her self-esteem any favors. Cherish was nothing more than a colleague she didn’t hate. She would be happy with that—it was a big enough step for her. She just had to remind herself of it regularly, until the butterflies and heat disappeared.
“I’ll get it,” Haylee said, her voice holding more strength than she felt wobbling around inside of her chest. “And there will be a delivery just after lunch from Pete’s Coffee.”
“Thank you,” Febe spoke, another look on her face Haylee couldn’t interpret. A new one to add to her ever-growing list.
Haylee nodded, a forced smile on her lips before she left them to whatever it was they talked about when they were behind closed doors.
Haylee pushed away images of Cherish and Febe doing far more than talking behind those doors.
Once the coffee and food were given out and Febe had returned to her office, Haylee sat down and turned her computer back on.
“Thank you for coming back, Haylee.” Cherish’s voice was lower than normal, and it stroked Haylee’s arms like a physical touch.
“You’re welcome.” Haylee looked up, and damn if those eyes weren’t pinned to her. The smile on Cherish’s lips made them more inviting than they had ever been. And damn it, this kind and gentle side of Cherish, the one that cared about Febe beyond her own crush, looked beautiful as it tangled with her red hair and softened those piercing blue eyes.
Oh yeah, she would be just fine. Nothing to see here, folks, except of course yet another unrequited crush. And this one she got to see every single day.
She wished Febe would call Cherish in, just so Haylee could be all dramatic and drop her head to the desk and groan.