Chapter Nine
Vivian
I release the breath I didn’t know I was holding because my heart hasn’t caught a steady pace yet.
I’ve been waiting for him to come see me all afternoon after Mr. West had said he was coming up soon to bring me paperwork.
My entire body has been alive with anticipation, and yet the moment the knock came, I practically leaped out of my seat.
This morning when he was talking to his professor, I couldn’t look away as he leaned over the vehicle, turning the tool, the muscles in his back flexing.
My thighs began sweating so much that I could feel the wetness sliding down them.
I practically bit out a moan, but then I remembered why I’d come down there and went straight to Petrol to get some answers on his last tune-up.
Simon’s surly attitude hadn’t made things any easier.
My body had only been more excited by his presence, and I nearly jumped into his arms, as if I had any right to do so.
It wasn’t the right place or time for any of that nonsense.
Simon was healing, and so was our friendship, if you could even call it that.
I’ve barely taken a seat when the door to the office slams wide open. “Simon,” I gasp, pressing my hand to my chest.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s okay. Is something wrong?”
“No, I just forgot to ask how your first day was.” He gives me an off-kilter smile that I’ve seen him toss to his mom or sister when he’s trying to get his way. I’m trying to not melt in my seat.
The brain cells in my head team up and finally work together to respond with a simple, “It was nice.” He stares at me like he’s hoping for more, so I continue. “A little confusing, but I think I can get it.”
“Well, you’re pretty smart. I’m sure you’ll grasp everything quickly.
” He runs his hands through his thick, mussed-up hair.
“How often are you going to be here?” I’m not sure if he’s anxious for me to go or if he wants me here, so I reassure him.
“Your dad said pretty much every day after school, but don’t worry. I won’t harass you.”
He closes the distance between us, dragging me out of my seat so that we’re standing dangerously close. “Vivian, you’re not harassing me. I want to see you.”
I shake my head because I don’t believe it. At least, not entirely. I turn my head to gaze out toward the loading bay. He doesn’t care for it, and he grasps my chin with his strong, rough hand, turning my face to look into his. “I know I’ve been a jerk over the years, but it’s complicated.”
“Is it because I’m too young for you?” He might not remember our conversation, but I do.
“For now.”
I nod, and then confess. “I know.”
He lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m guessing we’ve already had this conversation.”
I gently stepped away, moving toward the sofa, taking a seat. “Yeah.”
“That I can’t remember, right?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s why you’re mad at me?” he asks. His eyes were so soft and gentle as he wonders, and I don’t know how to explain that I’m not quite mad, and at the same time I am.
“It’s complicated.”
His phone goes off. “Damn it.” He pulls it out of his extremely tight jean back pocket. “Excuse me. My teacher is calling me.”
He raises a finger, telling me to hold on a moment. “Hello, Professor Smith. Yes, yes, I’ll be down there in just one moment.” He leaves the office, forgetting to close the door behind him.
I stand up to close the door, but then my attention is immediately drawn to his gait.
He has a limp, and it looks worse than it did this morning, but he tries to ignore the pain.
I wonder if his parents know how bad it is.
I watch him walk to the front where a woman in a tight pencil skirt with a sleeveless pale pink blouse that clings to her chest enters and smiles at him politely.
She looks elegant and mostly professional, except for the obvious overly full set of makeup she has on in this brutal heat and the fact that she’s one of his teachers.
A deep-seated sense of discomfort washes over me.
Is it a general jealousy of a pretty woman, or gut instinct?
Then, her eyes roam over him, and not because he’s recovering.
No—she has that hungry look that I had this morning.
It’s clear she admires his figure, like all women notice a hot man in just a sleeveless shirt.
“Simon,” she says his name in a coquettish way. I almost expect her to twist a strand of her hair around her fingers. She hands him a file folder, pressing her hand on his arm a little too friendly for my liking.
I can’t handle it. He doesn’t like men near me, and he gets growly.
After what happened in Vail, I am about to put my foot down.
I don’t care if he doesn’t remember it. I do.
Before I can open the door all the way and go down the steps, they are interrupted by his mother.
The flirty teacher quickly makes her exit.
And then Mrs. West drags him over to his station a little further before saying something that sounds like what the hell or who the hell , but I can’t make it out.
Mr. West comes into the garage area, and then Simon looks up at the office, catching me staring.
He slams his hand down on his workstation, and I can see his mouth move to make out the words, son of a bitch .
Is something going on between him and his teacher?
Or was she just another woman interested in him?
I close the door and get back to work. It’s not my business, and I have to remember that I work here and regardless of what is going on, Simon and I aren’t together. At this point, we may never be. He can do whatever he pleases.
I barely sit back in the chair and start typing when the door slams open. “Would you stop fucking doing that,” I snap at Simon. He’s breathing heavily, staring at me like a crazed, panicked man. “Are you okay?”
“Am I okay? You’re the one who’s upset at me again.”
I put my hand up. “Are you taking your medication?”
“I’m not fucking crazy, Vivian. We didn’t miss your expression.”
“I don’t care what you didn’t miss. I also didn’t miss that your limp is more intense since this morning.”
“Did you come to babysit me? Is that why you’re here?” he snaps.
“Don’t fucking turn this shit around on me. I’m just concerned, asshole. I won’t give a shit, then. Limp, be in pain, and then go fuck your stupid slutty professor, okay?” He’s on me in a heartbeat. My body is up and out of the chair. His hands are in my hair.
“You are such a damn brat. I’m not fucking anyone.
I’ve never fucked anyone. I only want to be inside you, and one day soon, I will be.
Trust me. I am tempted, and I think everyone is trying to push me over the edge.
I’d love to bend you over this desk and fuck you so damn hard you’d understand that no one else matters. ”
“Then what the hell was that shit down there? If you want me, what is she?”
“A professor who just crossed the line. She had no reason to come here today. My final math class is online. There is no reason for her to show up, so I’m not understanding it either, but as soon as I saw her dressed like that, I knew damn well what her game was.
I politely told her that I’m engaged to be married and not interested in anything except math. ”
“Why—did she think she had a chance?”
“She wanted to use my time off against me. What a bitch. I hadn’t thought she’d come here or anything. It’s all recorded, and she’s a fool because she’s married with kids.” He shakes his head. I wonder how he knows so much about the teacher since he’s not in school.
“It’s in the school bio in the online course,” he says, answering my unspoken question.
“Are you going to report her?”
“No. I’m not interested in causing any drama. I just want to graduate.”
“That’s wise.”
“You have nothing to worry about, Vivian.”
I nod. “We’re friends, Simon.”
“We’re more than that, and you know it.”
“Why the change? Do you even know why you suddenly stopped pushing me away?”
“I almost died.” I nod, biting down on the edge of my bottom lip. He doesn’t know that he let his jealousy give in and he showed me more of himself before pushing me away.
“I know. I can’t forget it.”
“Hey, what am I missing? What did I do?”
“I need to finish this paperwork.”
Mr. West taps his hand on the door frame as he ducks his head inside the office.
“Hey, you two. We’ve given you both enough time to talk today.
It’s time for you to head home, Vivian,” he says.
He looks knowingly at Simon. “Same to you, Son. You need to eat and get some rest. Don’t even dare argue, either.
I’m going to drop Vivian off, and you’re going home. ”
“What about the work?”
“It will be there for Monday. My wife and I will be here on Monday morning to handle it, and whatever we don’t finish, you’ll work on it when you come in.”
“Okay.” I smile at him and walk around his body to avoid going near Simon.
****
Two months have passed, and I make trips only three days a week to the garage, pretending to actually care about learning the ins and outs of working in accounting and management when all I really want to do is see Simon.
It’s not like I don’t enjoy it, but it’s not the most exciting thing to do after a long day of school.
Every day, I watch as Simon puts in so much effort to physically return to normal.
His muscles struggle, and fatigue kicks in faster than he wants to admit.
It starts later in the day, and then he drops his tools.
That’s when he lets out a string of curses.
One of the men has to get him to stop. They all know that he’s one of the future bosses, but in order to be in charge, he’ll need to fully recover.
I make sure to stay away when it happens because I don’t want him to be uncomfortable. He always looks toward the office, as if he’s afraid I’ll see him falter. What he doesn’t know is that I’d do anything to help him.
“How is it going, Vivian?” Mrs. West asks me as she rubs her baby bump that’s growing larger every single day.
“Great, great,” I answer way too quickly to be telling the truth.
“Come on, Viv. Please don’t lie to me. Your mother used to hide behind that facade, and all it did was make things worse.”
I nod knowingly. My mother reminds me often. “Yeah, she told me.”
She pats my cheek. “So don’t repeat it.”
“Well, I can’t just go moping around.”
“Have you even spoken to Simon?”
“No. I want to give him the space he needs.”
“What he needs is some attention and support. Why don’t you bring him this lunch I brought for both of you and something to drink? Have a talk about nothing and catch up. It’s not like you can’t talk.”
I dip my head, feeling too embarrassed. “I…”
“Do you still believe that girl…she already confessed that she lied…” That isn’t the issue. I hate that girl, but her bullshit lies were far from my mind. Not her trying to fuck him in his room, though. I wanted to rip her hair out for that.
“I know that. She’s a shifty bitch who is just like most women who try to get their clutches into Simon.”
“Then what’s wrong? Are you no longer sure about your feelings?”
I nervously dig my toe into the flooring, as if it will help open up a hole to swallow me.
“Talk to me. I promise it will help, sweetie.”
“That’s not it…I’m the reason he left.”
“But you’re not the reason he was hit, so stop it.
We can’t change what happened to him. If I hadn’t demanded he go on this vacation, he wouldn’t have been in the position to get hit either, so there is that.
As his mother, I assure you that has been on my mind more times than you can count, so please stop.
Go have lunch with my son before the food gets cold.
” She pats my cheek and sends me from the room.
I’ve never been more afraid of her than I am at this moment.
Mrs. West isn’t the kind to be calm when angry, so when her words come out soft and so gentle, I know that I better do as I’m told or there will be hell to pay.
Who knew that in a matter of minutes, our worlds will just change all over again.