Chapter 15 #2
I never knew my life could be like this, and what dreams were even possible.
It was always too daunting to reach for happiness, because almost anything that made me happy ended up getting taken away.
I was content to survive and do my thing.
Over the last year, I started to find the courage to reach again, like becoming a tattoo apprentice and finding joy in it.
Letting the cats into my heart was a huge step, and now Carlo is certainly working his way deep into my heart.
Content isn’t going to cut it anymore, I want to hold on to this level of happiness that seemed unattainable just a year ago.
I quickly wolf down the food, thanking him for how delicious it is.
He made the scramble on the softer side, with lots of cheddar cheese and everything bagel seasoning, just how I like them.
The fact that he knows how I like my eggs and coffee, something so simple and yet meaningful, makes my heart want to burst. I haven’t felt so well taken care of in quite a long time.
Kissing him goodbye, I head to work. My legs are still unsteady after the earth shattering orgasm he gave me, but I manage to not fall down the steps to my car.
I’m smiling and singing horribly off key along with my playlist the whole way in.
When I get into the hub, the usual buzz is quieter since not nearly as many workers are needed on a Sunday.
I kind of like the quieter vibe sometimes, I don’t mind taking Sunday shifts when it’s needed.
The assistant hub boss Don is in charge today since our hub boss is off, and I wave to him through the glass of his office as I go to get my truck ready with my loader. He pops his head out of his office.
“Hey Tania, got a minute? Just need to talk about something.”
“Oh, sure!” I say a little too brightly to cover up the immediate nerves of getting called into the boss’s office. When I shut the door behind me, he motions for me to sit in the chair in front of his desk while he goes back to his seat.
“I wanted to address some rumors I’ve heard from your coworkers.
Apparently you and Carlo are living together, and may possibly have a romantic relationship?
” Every cell in me freezes. This is the exact conversation I did not want to have with my boss and why I’ve been staunchly avoiding workplace relationships.
I’m not going to lie or deny that Carlo and I are involved, though. I can’t stomach the idea.
“We started living together because he took me in when I had a situation where I was about to be homeless. It progressed from there but it’s very new. Why, is there an issue because of it?”
“No, no issue right now. There’s no HR policy against coworkers here dating.
I wanted to make sure I know what’s going on, and just remind you and him to keep things professional here.
You’re both excellent workers and we’d hate to have a situation where we’d have to let one or both of you go because of personal drama.
” I manage to keep my composure, but internally I’m bristling.
Our regular hub boss Jacob has been great about things and not said a word about us coming in together or any rumors.
Why is Don sitting me down like this and giving me dire warnings like Carlo and I aren’t adults?
“I promise we won’t bring any drama to work.
You know there is usually hardly any time to get into drama when we’re here getting ready for the day or wanting to head home.
There’s nothing to worry about.” I keep my tone light and sincere, though he doesn’t deserve it.
I still need this job, but I am beyond sick of men on power trips.
He’s boss for the day and thinks he can go around trying to swing his dick.
“Good,” he says with an oily smile. He looks like a plastic Ken doll and I hate it.
Fake tan, shellacked blond hair, big blue eyes that would probably be gorgeous on anyone else.
“Jacob left the vacation requests you both submitted for me to look at since he couldn’t get to them this week, which is what prompted this talk.
If you two are going to be taking time off together a lot, that is not going to fly.
I’ll approve it this time, but we can’t have two workers out every time you both go on vacation. ”
I can see his point that staffing could be hard if we’re both out, but it still rankles me.
It’s not like we’re short staffed or don’t have subs that can cover.
I’m not going to sit here and argue with him though, and possibly get fired before whatever this thing is with Carlo becomes an issue.
I’ve become pretty adept at picking my battles and this is one I’d lose right now.
“I’ll try my hardest to make sure we don’t strain the staffing if we’re both out. I appreciate you bringing the possible issue to my attention,” I tell him stiffly but hopefully politely enough as I rise from my seat to go.
“Glad to hear it, thank you. Have a good day out there.” His too white teeth gleam as he gives me another fake smile, and I resist the urge to shudder.
I haven’t interacted with Don enough to get a read on him since he usually is busy in the office with paperwork and not out talking to us, but he’s seemed fine up until now.
I’m just glad that Jacob has final say in everything and that Don is only the backup when Jacob is off.
His words nag at me the entire workday, in spite of how much I want to forget our interaction and brush it off as him blustering.
Will Carlo and I be able to make this very fragile new thing we have work if we both stay at this job?
Jacob might think the same as Don, he just has enough sense to not say anything until there is an actual problem to address.
If things go south with Carlo, what will the fallout be at work?
Would we both be able to maintain being professional?
I got so caught up in these big feelings for him, let our lives get so entangled in a matter of weeks that he’s joking about joint custody agreements for the cats, that I’ve completely lost sight of why I wouldn’t go on a date with him in the first place.
It’s not just about mess at the workplace.
I’m terrified in general about how much he has managed to bury himself into my heart in such a short time.
We’ve been having the most amazing time together, and things have been so perfect, that it hasn’t occurred to me how much it would decimate me if things ended up not working out.
I’d be out of a place to live once again, because I stupidly listened when he said to stop looking for another apartment.
Probably out of a job. I also can’t stand the thought of possibly losing someone else I care deeply about.
I’ve let my guard down and started leaning on someone else for the first time in a long time and it just might ruin me.
He might ruin me. My wonderful orgasm glow from this morning is completely gone.
By the time I park at the apartment, I’m in a full on spiral.