1. Brant
Brant
I prop the sole of my boot on the door frame of my Tacoma to work the laces. The crisp breeze grazes my short hair, and Bryan’s voice rings from my periphery.
“You living out of your car now, or was it a wild night?” he chirps.
Assuming he’s referring to my sock-clad foot planted on the blacktop, I smirk. “My night was eventful. Not sure I’d classify it as wild,” I reply, shifting to slip my other boot on. “Got a text from Jared on the way here. We have a last-minute site visit to conduct today.”
“Where?”
I grab my backpack from the seat before straightening to meet his chestnut eyes. “A restaurant under construction in Bohemia.” My hand slaps the truck door closed. “The owner’s been riding my ass non-stop.”
“Have you met a client of ours who wasn’t a dick in some capacity?” Bryan asks.
I whip my attention to him as we walk side by side. Shining a tight-lipped smile, my head wags. “I’m just a glutton for punishment.”
Bryan expels a chuckle before we travel the concrete walkway lined with shrubs. “That, or this architecture firm just really needs you.”
Sunlight bounces off the glass of the large windows bordering the entrance. My palm curls around the metal handle of one of the double doors, swinging it open to let Bryan through first.
“Yeah, let’s go with that,” I say, slipping inside the building behind him.
We journey through the lobby and up to our company floor. The staggered glass partitions instantly greet me, murmured conversations floating about.
“Hey, gentlemen!”
I veer my attention to the right. Behind the tall glass of her office, Debra’s waving from her leather computer chair.
“Good morning, Debra,” I greet, raising one hand.
“Brant?” she drags out.
There’s a dramatic inflection in her tone. I don’t miss the way her chin slightly dips, or the way her blue eyes pop over the oval frames of her glasses.
I know that tone and look.
I lift a finger to my ear. “I got this wild ear infection last night out of nowhere, so it’s really tough for me to take orders. Imagine how hard it would be for me to follow through with them, so…” My teeth grind together as I shrug a shoulder. “Yeah, that’s a—”
Her mouth dips in the corners, her eyes pleading with me.
My arm finally drops at my side, and I toss a smirk. Both of us know I’m willing to commit to anything she asks. I’d like to consider myself an overachiever, but moreover, she’s the business manager of Nexis. I don’t have much of a choice.
Or a choice at all.
So, here I am…walking toward her with piqued interest.
My palm wraps around the strap of my backpack while the other digs into my jeans pocket.
I eventually cross the threshold of her office as I tease her.
“It should be illegal for you to come at me like this on a Friday morning. But hey, if you’ve accepted who you are,” I sigh, idling in front of her desk, “then I guess I have as well.”
She props her elbows on the desk, interlocking her fingers under her chin. Her expression is unamused, and I drop my shoulders as I flip a palm out.
“Shoot,” I offer.
“Can you please contact Mr. Patel and follow up about his monthly payment that’s overdue?”
I wince as I chuck my head to the side. “Bryan is such a slick bastard,” I scoff, returning my attention to her with raised brows.
“He always waits to greet you until after I do.” My index finger pokes in Debra’s direction.
“You know he always primes me in the parking lot, right? Before stepping in here. Makes small talk with me to throw my focus off, just so I’ll respond to you first.” My eyes pinch as I rotate my head to look out the glass walls of the office.
“I knew he didn’t give a shit about my night. ”
“And yet, you fell for it again,” Debra acknowledges flatly.
I gently nod as I mutter. “I fuckin’ fell for it again.”
She tilts her head with a smile, her feathered locks whisking with the movement. “I’ll buy you a drink at our next happy hour.” Then she straightens in her seat, sympathy flooding her eyes. “For the phone call to Patel, but more importantly, your disturbing lack of wits around Bryan.”
“Debra,” I say, leaning my palm on the chair in front of her desk. “When was the last time we had a happy hour? If you can recall the exact date and time, I’ll pay for everyone’s drinks.”
Her face tenses, surely trying to scrummage up a believable answer.
“Okay, fine,” she withdraws. “We don’t typically have them, but I’ll set one up just for you.”
“I’m not a big drinker, but I can give credit where credit’s due,” I sigh, peeling my palm from the chair. When I straighten, my brow climbs as I add, “Unless, the next time you need a favor, you simply can’t find me.”
There’s a question at the end of my sentence. A gleam in my stare that tells her to catch on.
Debra’s eyes narrow. “Unless I find Bryan first.”
My gaze lights up when she completes my thought. I hold my arms out, a smirk drawn across my lips. “It’s like one mind.”
She laughs as I spin to exit her office. “You’re the best, Brant!” she calls.
The clicks of keyboards echo as I walk to my cubicle. I place my bag on the wood floor, then press the power button on the computer tower.
A dull buzz vibrates from the back pocket of my jeans. While my desktop is starting up, I view the text message from Sean as I sink into my chair.
Sean
Up to grab a beer tonight?
My thumb taps the screen of my iPhone to check my message thread with Julia. It’s only been one date, but she captured my attention enough for a second.
When I see that she’s agreed to another night out, I return to Sean’s question.
Me
I’m going out with Julia again.
Sean
Oh shiiittt. It’s finally happened.
Me
Yes, yes. You caught me.
Sean
I hear wedding bells …
I rest my phone on the desk, running a hand over my hair after. At twenty-eight, I’m as single as I’ve ever been. There’s variety, wild nights, and numbness.
Same shit, different location.
I get to feel without feeling too much. I get a distraction from the potential truth I’m not ready to uncover. Should my nightmares manifest into real life, at least I’ll have a crutch when I inevitably collapse.
My fingers greet the keyboard and mouse, sifting through my email tab to compose a message to Mr. Patel. Hopefully he responds today. But when you work with people who have a lot of money, more often than not, we’re on their time.
“Morning, Brant,” Matt greets, parking in his cubicle next to mine.
I flick a quick glance at him. “Hey, how’s it going?”
He sighs, scrubbing his hand through his black hair. “Nothing like working a full day on four hours of sleep.”
“Ah, baby was extra generous last night,” I toss.
A laugh slips from him. “That’s one way to look at it.”
I lean into the leather of my seat, swiveling in it to face Matt. “You know, instead of coming here, you should really be a guest speaker at schools for birth control. I mean, if you’re ever looking for a different career path.”
His dark brows pop up as he nods. “Funny.”
I sigh a lax chuckle, shifting in my chair to face my computer again. “How’s Melissa holding up?”
When I murmur the words, Jared’s Oxfords tap along the wood. He stands at the glass of my cubicle, and I lift my head from my screen. He’s holding his usual cup of Starbucks against his navy, tailored suit when he greets us.
“Good morning. How are we doing?”
Matt and I respond in harmony before a smirk pricks the corner of Jared’s mouth.
“Brant, can I see you in my office?” he asks. The crow’s feet around his right eye bolden against his fairer skin, and I just know it’s crucial. “Nexis has picked up a big project for an important client, and I’d like to discuss it with you.”
I bob my head once, straightening slightly. “Of course. Do you want to discuss it right now?”
His free hand gently waves at me, shooing my eagerness away.
“No, no. Wrap up whatever you’re doing, I didn’t mean to interrupt.
I just wanted to catch you sooner than later, that’s all.
” Then his attention springs over my head.
“How are the changes coming along for the dentist office?” he asks Matt.
“I think I was able to smooth over Adam’s outrage over the original layout I drew up.”
“Hate to break it to you, but it’s not going to be your last time getting reprimanded by a client.”
Matt’s only been working as a project manager for a year, so his experience is younger. That being said, he’s still one of the hardest workers I’ve collaborated with.
When Jared walks off, I run both hands over my head as I sink into my chair. “A big client means big stress. Any bets on which way this is going to go?” I sigh.
“You’ll be fine,” Matt assures. “This place would tank without you, and they know it.”
With my attention still averted from his, I continue. “So, what you’re saying is…this has to be a residential project?”
“Since Jared wants you on the job, I’m sure it’s residential.”
“Guess we’ll find out,” I exhale, rising from my seat.
Turning around, I travel the narrow walkway to Jared’s office at the rear of our company floor. Through the glass walls, he unfastens the button of his suit jacket before sitting behind his desk. Then he’s gathering some papers.
“There he is … my most valuable player,” he coos once I cross the doorframe.
I flash a crooked grin, stationing myself in the seat across from him. “Alright, what do you have for me?”
“Jesse Miller.”
His weathered hand glides a piece of paper over the polished surface of his desk. I lean in, my brows mildly crimping when I pluck the page from him.
“He just bought a home in Hampton Bays a few months ago. He’s interested in having someone design an addition for it.”
“This is great,” I say, my eyes roaming the printed email chain between Jared and Jesse. “I’d be more than happy to take this on.”