14. Noel
14
Noel
H e couldn’t stop thinking about her. About the silkiness of her hair under his touch. About her bottomless green eyes, the way she studied him while she listened to him drone on and on about his life. Had he bored her to tears?
Something about the way she smiled at him told him otherwise.
About that sweet fragrance she wore that made him ache for his mother. “That’s not weird?” he muttered under his breath. “I shouldn’t be thinking about my mother when I’m with a woman I’m—” He broke off, the direction of that line of thought catching him by surprise.
With a woman he was what?
He’d been about to say ‘a woman he was falling for,’ but… so quickly? Was it really that easy?
For the past decade, Noel had traveled all over the country to different Carpe Diem locations for his job. He’d been attracted to other women before, certainly, but because of his transient status, he’d kept them at arm’s length. He’d dated, but always with the full disclosure that he was not in the position to make a long-term commitment, which often put an end to things before they really started.
He’d never really minded not being in a relationship, not having a family of his own, even friends, in the past. He’d seen little evidence that love was all it was cracked up to be in books and movies or even folklore and legend, and if he never let himself experience it, maybe he could save himself the pain he’d witnessed in so many lives.
Besides, there was always that secret fear lurking in the back of his mind that, although he didn’t greatly resemble Bruno, maybe, just maybe, there were parts of his father still buried inside him. Parts that should never be poked at. Parts that were better kept locked up tight.
Now, for the first time in years, he found himself wondering what it might be like to be in a relationship with someone. With Addison Wedgewood, to be specific. And why not? He no longer had the excuse that he was in town only temporarily—unless John somehow managed to get him fired.
He eyed John and Paula through the glass walls of John’s office just across the small reception area where Paula’s desk sat. The two of them were bent toward each other, deep in conversation. The door was open, but they kept their voices low, making it obvious they didn’t want Noel privy to whatever they were discussing, and every once in a while, one of them would glance his way. If they happened to make eye contact with him, Noel didn’t look away to try to ease the awkwardness of the situation.
It was so childish, this game they were playing. Technically, Paula was Noel’s administrative assistant, too, but he wasn’t about to hand anything off to her. Which was why he’d been working such long hours; he was doing everything himself, something he hadn’t had to do in many years. He’d never realized how much he’d depended on support staff in the past. He’d never take them for granted again.
That said, whatever was happening on the other side of the small Auditing Department, Noel had no intention of making himself vulnerable to their manipulative behavior. As far as he was concerned, John was nothing but a bully, and Paula, his sidekick. And Noel knew all about bullies. They didn’t really need excuses for their behavior.
All he knew for certain was that the company had brought him in to take over some of the tasks that John hadn’t been able to perform, and instead of acknowledging his limitations and being grateful for another team member, the man resented Noel, treating him like an enemy intruder, taking every opportunity he found to challenge Noel's contributions, to question his ability to do the job he'd been hired to perform.
Projecting to mask his own shortcomings. It was every bully's modus operandi, wasn't it?
Sometimes, when Noel looked at John from the corner of his eye, he imagined Bruno’s face sneering back at him. He’d have to blink and look again to clear his vision, but the acid in his stomach took a lot longer to settle.
Noel snatched his phone off his desk and thumbed in a text. Good morning, Addison. Feel like sharing one of Juno’s famous chocolate eclairs with me tonight after work? He sent the message before he could second guess it. Although they were seeing each other again in only a few days, Saturday seemed lightyears away. Getting through today would be much easier if he knew he had time with Addison to look forward to at the end of it.
It was almost half an hour before she responded. I can’t tonight. What about tomorrow?
Disappointment coursed through him. He’d have to endure his own company for the night, something he was not looking forward to. Maybe he’d head into Evansville and catch a movie. Get out of the resort for the evening, even if it was by himself. Tomorrow works for me.
She responded right away. Great! Meet you there at 7?
He frowned at his screen. It would be nearly dark by seven. Meet you at your place at 7? We can walk together.
The three little dots that told him she was texting showed, disappeared, then popped back on screen again. He waited. And waited.
They disappeared again.
Should he take back the offer? Was he being sexist, not wanting her to walk the streets alone at night? This was a small town, after all, where everyone knew everyone else. At least on the south side of the lake.
Finally, her response came through. Compromise. Meet at Juno’s at 7, then you can walk me home.
That sounded fair. And it didn’t sound like she was offended by his offer. Maybe she wanted a few minutes to visit with her barista friend before he got there. He could be sensitive to that. Works for me. Then he added, Started your book last night. Already got a hold of me.
Her response came quickly. That’s a good thing, right?
He grinned at her message. That’s a very good thing.
“Hey, Stewart!” John called out to him from the open door of his own office, impatient and rude. It sounded like it might not have been the first time.
“What is it, John?” Noel kept his tone cool. He laid his phone face down on his desk, but barely glanced in the other man’s direction.
“You’re late getting me the new budget projections for next quarter.”
Noel tried to slow his breathing, to quiet his heartrate, but to no avail. He sent John the full budget projections out of courtesy, because they were supposed to be team mates. He was only obligated to give the guy reports that directly affected him and his role in the company. He peered over the top of his monitor at John, but didn’t speak right away, waiting for his calming techniques to work.
“Well? I asked you a question. You too busy playing on your phone to do your job?” The man was sneering at him, taunting him, his expression all but daring Noel to step into the proverbial ring.
He’s hoping you’ll do something to jeopardize your job, Noel reminded himself, but he didn’t hold back the snide remark that slid off his tongue. “You got a crush on me, John? Seems like you’re too busy watching me to do your job.” He knew he was antagonizing him, that he was lowering himself to the guy’s level, but sometimes, fools didn’t speak any other language. “Check your email. I sent them to you several days ago.”
“What did you say, boy?” John surged up from his desk, startling Paula, who scrambled backwards, nearly tipping over her chair. Fortunately, the thing had wheels, and she was able to right herself without mishap.
Noel froze, everything inside him going still, the room around him narrowing into a tunnel of darkness in which were only John and him, facing off. In a quiet, tightly-controlled voice, he said, “Don’t call me boy.”
But a fool, John certainly was. The man put his hand to his ear. “What was that, boy? Don’t call you what?”
In his periphery, Noel saw Paula slowly get to her feet to sidle back to her desk. She left her chair behind in John’s office.
Noel didn’t move. This was not the right way to handle things. He knew it deep in his bones, but an all too familiar emotion had him in its grip and wouldn’t let go. No one had stirred up this much moral outrage in him in a very long time.
No one had called him ‘boy’ in that contumelious tone since Bruno.
“Paula, would you give us a few minutes?” Noel asked, still in that carefully modulated way. He kept his gaze locked with John’s.
The secretary made a frightened sound, scrambled for her purse from one of her desk drawers, then scuttled out of the office, pulling the door closed hard behind her.
Abandoned by his sidekick, John seemed to deflate noticeably. He stayed standing, but fumbled a little, pushing a few papers aside so he could brace his hands on his desk like he needed the support to remain upright. “You know she’s calling security."
“I hope she does.”
John scoffed. “Why? You scared of me, boy? You need someone to hide behind?” But he wasn’t fooling anyone with his false bravado.
Noel stood to his full five-feet-ten-inches and shook his head slowly. “Nope. But I’m tired of the way you’re treating me and I’ve decided I’m not going to sit here and take it any longer. I figure by the time Paula gets a hold of them and they get up here to the sixth floor, you’ll be needing them to get me off of you.” He rolled his shoulders, shook out his arms, and cocked his head from one side to the other like a boxer warming up before a match.
Oh, he wasn’t going to fight anyone today—he wasn’t stupid. In fact, he knew he should cut the act now before things got out of hand. But the look on John’s face spurred him on. “You think you can bully me and get away with it? Let me tell you what happened to the last guy who tried.”
“Bully you? What are we, in high school?” mocked John. But the way he shifted from one foot to the other belied his belligerence.
“He’s lying in a hospital as we speak,” Noel continued, making fists with his hands, then slowly, methodically, cracking his knuckles. “And he’s not leaving that bed anytime soon.” He shrugged. “Maybe in a casket, if there’s anyone left in the world who will fork over the cash for one. I’d bet not, though. I’m thinking it’s more likely he’ll end up in one of those freebie plastic boxes you get from the crematory.” He almost laughed at the irony of it all. He was telling this weasel the truth. Bruno wasn’t leaving that room except in a body bag. And maybe, in some small way, Noel had, indeed, put him there. Maybe the burden of Bruno’s guilt and shame over the loss of both his wife and his only son had become too much for the man to carry, and his body had malfunctioned on him.
“Are you threatening me?” John’s voice shook, but to his credit, he stayed on his feet.
“Naw. Just sharing with you a few details about my life. Since you seem so interested,” Noel added with a taunting smirk. “But if you’d like to come a little closer, I can give you a few more.”
“Sounds like a threat to me,” John shot back. Then he dropped hard into his seat and held up the cell phone that he’d been covering with one hand. “And it’s all on record now.” He tapped the screen, presumably to end the recording, and added, “You’re going down, boy.”
Noel had to hand it to the guy. John Sheridan was a much wilier opponent than he’d given him credit for. In his blind rage, he hadn’t even seen the cellphone.
John hadn’t grabbed the desk to steady his weak knees. He’d only pretended to fumble around, shuffling papers the way he had, to mask what he was doing. He’d either called someone or hit record somehow, and now everything Noel had just said was, according to John, on record.
I’m going down. Noel eased slowly into his chair. He should have known better than to stand up for himself. Hadn’t he learned anything from his own past experience? Keep your head down and your mouth closed, because the bad guys always get the last word.
There was a knock on the office door.
“Come in,” John called, his voice unsettlingly calm, his eyes locked with Noel’s. The door opened, and Ace Jackson cautiously stepped into the room.
Noel had always thought the guy had the perfect name for a security job. Ace Jackson.
“Everything all right in here?” Ace asked, his gaze darting back and forth between the two men who sat behind their respective desks on opposite sides of the room. “Paula said you all might need security?” The expression on Ace’s face said they weren’t fooling him. It was obvious that he could tell something was amiss.
John shook his head slowly. “She must have been mistaken, Ace. Everything’s good in here, right, Stewart?”
Noel met the security officer’s eyes, ignoring John. Everything was not good in here. “I’m sorry she sent you up, Ace.”
“So, she was mistaken?” Ace asked, his brows furrowing in suspicion.
Noel nodded. “A misunderstanding.” The whole thing felt way too much like high school, like they’d been caught fighting in the hall between classes and were both pretending it hadn’t happened. “Again, sorry to have bothered you.”
Ace studied them for a few more moments, his gaze moving slowly back and forth between them. Finally, he nodded and said, “Gentlemen, please understand that we take calls like this seriously here at Carpe Diem.” He knew there was still trouble brewing between them, and the statement was a thinly-veiled warning, a charge to behave, plain and simple.
Noel had a sinking feeling that Paula had done more than just ask Ace to check on them. He could only imagine what kind of scenario she’d painted for the man. And whatever she’d told him could now be backed up by the recording John held in his hands.
So why wasn’t John acting on it?
Noel nodded. “Understood, Ace.”
John held his arms out at his sides, palms up like he had no idea what the officer meant. “I’m just a man doing his job over here.”
As Ace finally turned to leave, Noel clenched his teeth together, a wave of infuriation washing over him. He didn’t look at John. He felt sick to his stomach.