2. Amias #2
I tried to compute what Nolan was saying, but before I could, I needed to shut Kara the hell up. "She's not screwing up, Kara. In fact, according to her boss, she's one of his star employees."
Kara sighed. "Well, she has no life, so it's a good thing she has her career, right? She doesn't date, doesn't go out…it's so sad."
"Come on, Kara," Nolan said wearily. "You know why that is."
Why was it? I wanted to ask, but I didn't want to seem overtly interested when I, in fact, was not interested. I was not!
However, reflecting on Nolan's mention of her overhearing a conversation, I wondered, my mind racing as I considered was she might be referring to.
I stilled. She'd come into my office right when Ann was leaving. My jaw tightened as I remembered we'd been talking about Naya. I couldn't recall exactly what Ann or I had said, but none of it had been flattering.
Fuck! Had she heard us? Damn it. I remembered saying something about how awful she looked and how she had no fashion sense.
"You okay?" Hayes asked.
I nodded.
"You have to come see this, Kara." Ann dragged Kara away.
"Hey, Amias, I'm looking for my next opportunity," Nolan began, "if you see something, let me know, yeah?"
"Yeah, of course, man."
"Ah…you got anything in finance at Midas?" he asked uncomfortably.
Nolan had gotten an MBA and was a senior director of finance at a tech company. Midas would be a great next stepping stone for him. But I knew from the tech grapevine that he wasn't the highest-rated employee. He was average, and I wasn't about to hire average at Midas, especially in a senior role.
"Not right now, Nolan, but if anything changes, I'll reach out. But let me look around. I'm sure we can find something for you."
He held out his hand, and I shook it. "Thanks, man. I knew I could count on you."
Nolan left Hayes and me on the patio.
"I never liked him much in MIT, but since he married that woman, he's become even less likable," Hayes mused, lighting a new cigar. "Why is he so desperate for a new gig?"
"He bought a house he can't afford, and Kara quit her job," I murmured.
Hayes picked up his drink. "Something spooked you. What?"
I ran a hand through my hair. "Fucking hell, Hayes. I think Naya may have overheard Ann and me talk about her. That's the only place she could have heard about me hiring her because Nolan asked me to. I've told absolutely no one that except…Ann yesterday evening."
Hayes raised both eyebrows and took a long puff. "Did you hire her because of Nolan?"
I shrugged. "He told me she was coming back, and I knew she was going to be her father's primary caregiver. You know Nolan wouldn't lift a finger. Kara wouldn't let him, even if he wanted to. I just wanted to help out."
"But?" Hayes persisted.
"But we may have talked about how she looked and…hell, something about how she has a crush on me. Ann was doing her green monster routine." I remembered seeing Naya by the elevator bank, how she didn't look at me, pissing me off some more.
"Why is she jealous of Naya? No offense, man, but your girlfriend is a horrible person.
Naya is a sweetheart. She fucking takes care of everyone.
I mean, she's babysitting Nolan and Kara's kid on a Saturday night.
And you saw how loyal Kara is to her?" Hayes liked Naya.
Amongst all of us, he was the one who talked to Nolan's baby sister.
"Yeah."
"She's a bright girl, you know that, right?"
I nodded. "Ann said something about how she went to a state school, so how good could she be?" Fuck! Had Naya heard that too?
"Of course, she went to a state school. Her dad didn't have the money to send her anywhere else—'cause he spent it all on Nolan's ungrateful ass." Hayes shook his head in disgust. "What's your problem with Naya, man?"
I finished my drink and set it on the bar table we were standing at. "It's just how she looks at me."
"Oh, you mean the way she idolizes you? Looks at you with adoration?"
I sighed. "Yeah."
"Does she do it in the office?"
"Fuck no. She's very professional and I don't see her much; I work more with her boss." The boss who was now on paternity leave having handed over many of his responsibilities to Naya. We'd be working more closely in the near future.
"Then what?" Hayes prodded.
"The whole, gray-eyed sad story routine watching my every move makes me uncomfortable and pisses me off."
Hayes glared at me. "I think being with Ann is turning you into an asshole."
Hayes didn't know the half of it. As I recollected more and more of what Ann and I had talked about yesterday, I cringed. I remembered mentioning how she had no curves and that she was boring.
God! What a goddamn shitty thing for her to overhear.
"I may also have been a bit of a hard ass to her at a few meetings," I confessed.
"Why?" Hayes raised his hands, palms out in defeat. "What the fuck has she ever done to you?"
"She rubs me the wrong way."
"Why?"
"I don't know," I exclaimed. "She just does."
"You gonna fix this?"
"How?"
"You're a guy with a high IQ. I'm sure you'll find a way," Hayes mocked.
I shook my head. "No. First, she shouldn’t have eavesdropped on a private conversation. I'm going to pretend it never happened. We'll just keep it professional."
"You're an asshole and a coward."
"No, I'm not. I just don't think my bringing it up is going to change a damn thing. She heard what she did. If I apologized, it wouldn't change how I feel, and she'd know that. So, what the fuck is the point?"
"The point, Amias, would be to be a decent fucking human being. Ditch that bitch; Ann's polluting you with her narcissism."
"You can't talk about Ann like that, Hayes. She's my girlfriend."
"Whatever, man, it's your life." Hayes went inside my apartment, obviously disgusted with me.
I stayed on the patio and talked to guests as they walked by, feeling an unfamiliar weight in my chest.
That night I told Ann that Naya may have overheard our conversation, and she shrugged it off as she got into bed.
"Come on, Ann, we said some terrible things about her." How could she not feel guilty? I definitely did.
"All true things," she said nonchalantly. "Everyone loved the party. People had a really good time. What did you think?"
Honestly? I had no fucking idea how it went. Since I realized that Naya listened in on our conversation, I was having trouble processing other shit.
Ann snuggled up to me, and her hand went straight to my dick. "How about I make you feel better?"
I was about to tell her to can it because I was tired, but she moved quickly, and before I could protest, her mouth was on me. Ann gave excellent head.
So, I leaned back, closed my eyes, and let pleasure divert me.