Chapter 16
A fter an entire week off, I returned to work and went straight to Hazel’s newly selected office.
Immediately after I knocked on the partially open door, she rose from her new modern-style desk and smiled.
We exchanged greetings, and she nodded when I told her I was feeling refreshed and ready for work.
The truth was, I was not feeling anything like refreshed, but I was ready to bury myself in work and start feeling useful again.
When she said Jeff had taken the week off too, my eyes widened.
“Why?”
It was unheard of for Jeff to take more than one day off, ever.
“I told him to,” Hazel said as we both sat down in folding chairs in front of her desk. The rest of the office furniture and decor were scheduled to come next week. Finally. “I think you were both under a lot of stress.”
“Yes, I was. And maybe he was too.” I nodded slowly. “Well, I guess that was a good decision.”
“Of course it was,” Hazel said with a twinkle in her eye. “As if I’d ever make a bad decision.”
I frowned. “Oh, of course not. I didn’t mean to imply—”
She laughed. “Relax, Roxy. I’m joking. Friends, remember?”
“But we’re at work, so …” I trailed off. “You know what, I’m being weird again. I’ll stop.”
“I like your weird, Roxy.”
I felt tears well up in my eyes. I was so lucky to work for such a compassionate, lively woman—and even luckier that she was choosing to call me a friend, for some unknown reason.
I impulsively threw my arms around her for a quick hug. “I’m not a hugger, Hazel. So don’t get used to it.”
She burst into laughter and was still clutching her side when a throat cleared.
Jeff walked in, saying, “Hazel, are you—”
He stopped short when our eyes met. Something in my chest seized.
“You’re here,” he said quietly, his lids heavy over his hazel eyes.
How was I supposed to interpret that? Was he upset I was here? Was he surprised? Was he spooked by something again?
Was he glad to see me?
I almost burst into laughter at that question. Yeah, no.
“In the flesh,” Hazel said, waving an arm in my direction. “Now, what did you want to talk about?”
“Oh, I can just—” He paused, his eyes lingering on me as he spoke to Hazel. “It can wait until you’re done with Roxy.”
Why was he looking at me like that?
I wondered if I had toothpaste on my face or smeared eye makeup.
Probably both.
But his expression was still odd. Impossible to read, but definitely not normal.
“I’ll go,” I said, rising abruptly.
As I passed by, he wasn’t looking at me, but the muscles in his neck tensed as his Adam’s apple bobbed.
“I’ll see you in an hour or two, Rox,” Hazel said. “Peter’s coming to pick me up for lunch, but otherwise, I should be here all day…” She was saying something else, but I lost track.
My head was still spinning with confusion as I headed out of her office. I’d barely taken a step out of the room when I heard the shrill voice.
“Hello? Hello ? ”
I took a deep breath as my eyes landed on Jeff’s ex-wife. Of all the people to be forced to deal with right now. “Hello. May I help you?”
Aileen spun around, and her bright red lips curled in distaste as she looked me up and down. “Rhonda, was it? Can you find my husband and daughter? They’re supposed to be here.”
“My name is Roxy. If you’re looking for Jeff, he’s with the boss at the moment.” I paused, my voice shaky. “Can I leave a message for him?”
Her eyes narrowed to slits as she sauntered over. “ Where is he?”
“I told you, he’s meeting with—”
She scowled as she interrupted, “I don’t have the patience for this, Rhonda.” She cupped her hands together like a megaphone and started calling Jeff’s and Lila’s names.
In a matter of seconds, Jeff bounded out of the office where I’d left them, and Hazel followed.
“Aileen, what are you doing here?” he said, exasperated.
“Where’s Lila?” she demanded, hands on her hips. “By the way, you should fire the receptionist. Very rude and unhelpful,” she said as she jerked her thumb at me.
I gasped. “Excuse me?”
Before she could rant about me, Hazel stepped in. “Roxy is not a receptionist. She’s a project manager.”
“Whatever,” Aileen said, rolling her eyes.
“Why would she be here? You’re supposed to be picking her up this afternoon.” Jeff glanced down at his watch. “In less than an hour. Did you forget?”
The woman had the nerve to snort. “I remember our schedule. Maybe you don’t. You have her on Fridays, remember?”
We all stared at her in disbelief until Hazel finally spoke up. “It’s Thursday.”
“What, no, tonight is—” She halted and then laughed airily. “Oh, usually I go out on Fridays, but this was Carlton’s only free night. I forgot it wasn’t Friday.”
“You have a date tonight?” Jeff’s face was rigid. Was he jealous ? Did he still love his wife? I mean, his ex?
Not that it mattered, of course.
“I do. He’s taking me to this high-end restaurant in St. Paul. And then we’re—”
“I don’t care what you’re doing on your date. Did you arrange a sitter for Lila?”
“A sitter?” She shook her head. “No, I thought you … well, you can watch her tonight, right?”
He nodded. “What are you even doing here then?”
“I was coming to say goodbye to my child before I leave. I thought she’d be with you.”
Jeff shook his head, his entire body radiating anger. “Why? Don’t you know what time the school day ends?”
She stuck out her bottom lip. “Now I remember why I divorced you,” she snapped.
He just glared at her, shaking his head and then looking away.
So she probably wasn’t the one who’d asked for the divorce.
Leaning back against the reception desk, Hazel swept a hand out dramatically, her voice abnormally cheerful. “So, what’s everyone’s holiday plans? I just love turkey, don’t you?”
“My family hosts every year in Cancun. It’s one of our little traditions.” Aileen’s voice was dripping with condescension. “Isn’t it, Jeff?”
His lips were pressed together as he nodded once, and she smirked.
“I’m just staying home, going to relax and do some online shopping,” I said flatly, realizing how boring that would sound to most people, especially people who were used to celebrating a U.S. holiday outside the country.
Hazel looked surprised. “Don’t you usually fly home to your parents’ house in Nashville?”
It was Chattanooga actually, but I shrugged. “Sometimes. It’s no big deal.”
Hazel smoothed her long hair behind her shoulders, and her eyes lit up. “Oh, Roxy, you’re welcome to come to our house! Peter’s a surprisingly good cook, and Mari and Terry are coming over too.”
I winced. “Oh, don’t worry about me. I’d just be a fifth wheel at your house. But I do appreciate the offer.” I schooled my features into calm acceptance. “I’ll be fine, seriously. I’ve been alone on Thanksgiving before.”
“How sad,” Aileen said, fluttering her eyelashes with mock sympathy.
The ensuing silence had us all shifting our feet, wishing to be anywhere else.
Suddenly, Jeff spoke quietly, facing me, “Do you want to join us?”
Mine weren’t the only eyes that widened at that question.
“Oh, I couldn’t intrude—”
“You wouldn’t be intruding,” he said firmly. “Lila would love it.”
I blinked a few times, and my mouth opened for an awkwardly long moment before any words came out. “Um, OK,” I managed to say, shocking myself.
“You’ll come?” he said while Hazel mouthed “Oh.”
“Yes?” I swallowed the lump in my throat and shrugged as if I hadn’t given the most bizarre answer ever. “Sure.”
I would later wonder why on earth I accepted his invitation and would conclude it was Aileen’s presence.
She was not a nice person, I’d realized, and my acceptance would probably irk her.
It was petty, but I couldn’t think of any other reason.
None that made sense, anyway. It couldn’t be that I wanted to spend a holiday with my work nemesis.
“What?” Aileen screeched. “You’re inviting her , your co-worker?” She pointed at me rudely and then narrowed her eyes toward him and then back to me. “Is something going on between you two?”
I tried to stifle a giggle. “No! That’s not something you ever need to worry about, trust me,” I said, avoiding Jeff’s eyes .
Jeff was silent for a moment, and I heard him breathe out slowly. “Aileen, we agreed to let Lila decide where she spent the holiday. And she chose my house over Cancun, remember?” he reminded her.
She bristled. “Well, I can change my mind—”
“No, you can’t. And you won’t.”
She glared at him and then at me. “Whatever. I’m going to go pick up my daughter. Be ready at six tonight.”
“Bye,” Hazel said, a little louder than necessary.
When Aileen stomped off, Jeff rolled his eyes. His shoulders lowered, and he immediately looked less tense. Just his normal level of tense.
“Sorry about that,” he muttered.
“I still wonder how you ended up with that woman,” Hazel said with a laugh. “And stayed with her for seven long years … I don’t get it. Was it because of Lila?”
As he nodded once, I shook my head in astonishment. Seven years of that must have been challenging, even for a robot like him. For the first time, I felt some sympathy for him. “Wow. That couldn’t have been easy. She’s … a lot.”
“Honestly, this was nothing. She’s much tamer now, actually.” He shook his head, looking down and shifting from one foot to another. “Wasted years,” he murmured.
My eyebrows traveled up my forehead. “Oh … wow. I’m sorry.”
When his eyes met mine, his expression spoke of pain and, oddly enough, uncertainty. I almost gasped, shocked at the raw feelings I’d never seen him show, subtle though they were. He exhaled slowly, lightly shaking as if to clear out the feelings.
I looked to my left and suddenly noticed Hazel had gone. Had she not said goodbye? Had I missed it? My cheeks colored as I realized I’d been staring. For who knows how long.
“Well, I guess—”
“I should—”
We both stopped talking for a moment and then spoke simultaneously again .
“I need to—”
“We should—”
I pressed my lips together but felt a grin tugging at my lips.
Why was I grinning? I had no idea.
Why was he grinning?
Wait, what? He was grinning?
I stared at his mouth, the corners upturned slightly, revealing a small dimple on his left cheek. He was …
Hot.
Jeff Chamberlain was gorgeous.
How had I been deprived of this smile for these last few years without even knowing it?
Get a hold of yourself.
His smile faded, and his brows scrunched together. “Are you all right, Roxanne?”
I blinked quickly and nodded. At least I think I did.
Roxanne. You’re only Roxanne to him.
He called me Roxanne to denote how little acquainted we were. We were not even friends.
So why on earth was I still thinking about those upturned lips and the unexpected dimple as I headed back to the office?