7. Naya
SEVEN
NAYA
"Thank god this meeting ended a half hour early. I need to get on the road and take the family to the parents," one of my colleagues said as he rushed out of the meeting room the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
It was a pivotal meeting for Project Phoenix, and it had gone well.
I was relieved. Amias was treating me decently, and I appreciated it, though I was surreptitiously looking for a new job.
It grated on me that he'd done Nolan a favor by hiring me.
I was good at what I did, and I didn't want his charity.
I was looking far and wide for the right next step.
I didn't need to live in Boston any longer.
Sure, I'd miss Magnus and Darren, but I'd make time to come see them whenever I could.
Maybe if I could live and work from a less expensive place than Boston—I could pay off my father's medical bills faster and start to save up to maybe buy a house and build a life for myself.
As people left the conference room to wishes of Happy Thanksgiving, I watched Amias as was my habit and then wanting to break that very bad and embarrassing habit, forced myself to look away.
Stop staring at him, woman, it makes him uncomfortable. He already doesn't like having you around.
But he was so handsome that it was difficult to not just stare at his face.
Today, he was in dress pants and a button down.
He had cufflinks on. I liked that he always wore cufflinks.
His suit jacket was probably in his office.
His hair was longer than usual and curled at his collar.
Sometimes he'd roll up his sleeves, and I loved watching his large hands and muscular forearms. I'd seen him in t-shirts and knew that he had one of those bodies—the ones that graced romance novel book covers.
He was fit as hell. Kara had started to nag Nolan to work with Amias' physical trainer as he was getting a little round around his belly.
"I can't afford his trainer, Kara. He works with some guy who used to train the Patriots."
"If you ask him, he'll let you join him. I'm sure," Kara had protested. "In any case, you need to hit the gym, Nolan."
I had wanted to defend Nolan, but I knew he wouldn't appreciate me putting my foot in it.
He'd mumbled something about when did she think he had the time to work out.
I knew that he was stressed about money.
He and Kara had bought an expensive home in Beacon Hill because they wanted to fit in with Nolan's wealthy friends.
But then Kara stopped working right after Magnus was born and refused to go back, which was straining their finances.
Nolan was looking for a new job where he hoped to advance his career and make more money.
I didn't blame him. I was also hoping that I'd make more money in my next job and get a promotion as well.
"What are you doing for Thanksgiving, Amias?" a colleague asked as he packed up after the meeting.
I focused on closing down my laptop but listened intently. As always, I was trying to get as much information as I could about Amias. It was pathetic! I also couldn’t help myself.
"Heading to New York," he replied.
"Your parents live there?" someone else asked.
Amias was usually friendly with his employees and since he'd stop beating up on me, people on my team were interacting with him more easily.
"Yeah," he said. "It'll be a full house. With parents, my brother and his family, and my sister and her family."
I was about to leave the conference room when Mila asked as she fell into step with me, "What are you doing for Thanksgiving, Naya?"
"I'm home." I avoided expounding on that.
"At home?" Amias asked and surprised me. I hadn't noticed that he was right behind us.
I kept my head down. "Yes."
"I thought Nolan and Kara were going to her parents' place." I wanted to ask him to not talk family at work. Mila and Ethan knew that Amias was friends with my brother, but no one else did. I'd be humiliated if people found out I got a job because of nepotism.
"Yes." Kara's parents lived in Maine, and they had already left.
We walked out of the conference room, and I gave Mila a hug and wished her happy holidays. I sat down on my chair in my cubicle and swiveled the chair around, my feet lifted up.
Ah, holidays. A break. I would sleep in. I would read books. I'd work out. If the weather didn't suck, I could even go for a run.
"Naya?"
I stopped mid swivel by putting my feet down when I heard Amias. My face heated, I was being silly swinging around my office. I faced him and I put my feet down on the floor. "Hi. Can I help you?" I asked politely.
He leaned against my cubicle, his arms folded. "What exactly are you doing for Thanksgiving?"
I cocked an eyebrow. "I'll be home."
"Are you going to spend it with your boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend?" I asked surprised.
He nodded. "Ah…Darren?"
I chuckled. "Darren isn't my boyfriend. He's a friend. And no, he's in Miami with his family."
I rose, turned my back to him and started packing up, putting things into my backpack. I didn't want to be caught making googly eyes at Amias, especially now that he knew about my crush, and I knew he didn't like me.
"Are you going to be all alone at home for the holidays, Naya?"
I slung my backpack on my shoulder. "I guess." I didn't look at him and wished he'd leave me the hell alone.
"This is your first Thanksgiving since your father passed."
He was stating facts, and I wasn't sure what he was getting at. "Yes."
"And Nolan and Kara didn't take you with them?"
I frowned. "Why would they? It's Kara's family. I don't know them very well." Or like them. Kara's parents and siblings were a lot like Kara.
I fidgeted with a strap of my backpack that was hanging down. "Do you need anything? Work wise? Ah…feedback about the meeting?" I wasn't sure what he was doing at my cubicle when the office was emptying fast and furious. Shouldn't he be on his way with Ann to New York?
"No, Naya, I have no feedback and I don't need anything from you."
He sounded angry, and I had no idea why. I couldn't figure this guy out. And I didn't even want to anymore. I was tired of being snapped at by people who had no reason to be rude to me. I was quiet. I minded my own business. I didn't cause drama. I was every bully's pet project!
"Okay, then. Have a great Thanksgiving. I'll see you next week."
He straightened as I walked past him out of my cubicle.
I was in the lobby, picking up my bicycle from the storage room there when I saw Amias again. He was talking to the security guard, his backpack with him.
I nodded at the security guard. "Have a great Thanksgiving, Fred."
"You too, Naya."
I looked outside and sighed. It was starting to snow. Good thing I had gotten winter tires on my bicycle two weeks ago because it was getting dangerous on the ice.
Amias surprised me again by joining me outside. I let the bicycle lean against me as I tightened my scarf and pulled my hat around my ears. It was gonna be a chilly ride!
"Naya, why don't you have a car?"
He was asking a whole hell of a lot of personal questions, and it made me uneasy. Was he just collecting information to tell his girlfriend so they could make fun of the drab fashion-less Naya? God, didn't these people have anything better to do?
"I like to bicycle," I replied.
"In this weather?"
I chuckled. "It's not always pleasant or fun. But I've got to get home."
"Are you not getting paid enough?"
"Excuse me?" I couldn't believe he'd said what he had. What business was it of his how I spent my money?
"I don't understand why you don't have a car."
"Because I don't want the car payments."
"Are you short of money?"
I sighed and felt irritation flare. "It's really none of your business." I was usually not rude, but he was pushing all my buttons.
"It is if you're not getting paid enough to even buy a car."
"I'm paying off my father's medical bills. Insurance didn't cover everything and so…until then I have to be careful. You pay me fine."
"I thought Nolan was helping you with that."
I couldn’t stop a laugh and then pursed my lips, regretting the outburst. "He and Kara just bought their house, and he doesn't have money to spare."
"I see."
"Okay then, bye." I got on my bicycle and pedaled as fast as my legs would allow so I could put some distance between Amias and me.