Chapter 13
“Ryleigh, are you almost finished?” Sadie asked.
I was in a horrible mood. I had to sleep alone the night before and for the next few nights because Oliver was in Vancouver for meetings.
“Give me a fucking minute,” I growled.
I heard her retreating and the door to her room slam. Last night she didn’t come home until late after I was in bed. I wanted to have a talk with her about Finley. Neither one had mentioned their relationship to me, and I was annoyed even though it was obvious.
I stormed out of the bathroom, the slamming of the door echoing my frustration. Sadie”s shower started soon after, but I couldn”t shake the feeling of discontent. My fingers flew over my phone, texting Oliver despite knowing it was the middle of the night where he was. My head wasn’t right today. And with Beatrice”s constant berating for my mistakes yesterday, I’m sure I was in for more today.
In my room, I pulled out a simple royal blue dress from my closet, opting for comfort over anything flashy. After slipping on a pair of white cotton underwear and a bra, I felt somewhat more put together. I didn”t bother with anything sexy; there would be no seeing Oliver for another three days.
As I entered the kitchen, Sadie was already seated at the breakfast bar, nursing a steaming mug of coffee. Her blunt words cut through the tension like a knife.
“You’re a real bitch today. What’s your problem?” she snapped.
“I’m sorry. I miss Oliver,” I admitted, the frustration still evident in my voice.
“That’s no excuse,” she retorted sharply.
“Well, maybe my excuse should be why my best friend and brother didn’t tell me they were together,” I shot back, feeling the anger bubbling up inside me.
Her expression shifted, a mixture of guilt and defensiveness. “We wanted to tell you. We were going to tell you.”
“You had a chance at my birthday party. How long has this been going on?” I demanded, feeling the sting of betrayal.
She stared into her coffee cup. “A couple of weeks. And in my defense, you’re never home. You’ve been spending your nights with Oliver. I barely see you,” she explained, her tone softer now.
“What about my night off?” I challenged.
“One crappy night to hang out? You’re too wound up in him,” she accused, her frustration mirroring my own.
I pursed my lips. “Newsflash, I love him, and we’re not talking about me. How did you two get together?” I pressed, needing to understand.
She exhaled loudly. “Finley stopped by here to see if you wanted to get dinner. He was in the neighborhood. When I told him you weren’t home, he asked me to go. We hit it off,” Sadie explained, her tone more subdued.
“Did you sleep with him yet?” The words were out before I could stop them, a mix of curiosity and resentment driving my question.
Her reaction was instant, her eyes flashing with anger. “You really are a bitch. Why would you ask that?” she shot back, hurt evident in her voice.
I wanted her to feel as bad as I did, to share in my misery. “Because that’s your MO,” I retorted, my own frustration boiling over.
The tension in the room was palpable as Sadie slammed her coffee mug down, hot liquid splashing everywhere. Without a word, she stormed off to her room, the force of her departure reverberating through the walls as she banged her door shut.
I sighed heavily, the weight of the situation settling heavily on my shoulders. Cleaning up the mess, I couldn”t bring myself to face Sadie again. With a heavy heart, I left the apartment, hoping to escape the tension that hung thick in the air.
“What the hell is with you today, Ryleigh?” Candice whispered.
I appreciated Candice”s concern as she whispered to me, sensing something was off. ”Nothing, I”m fine,” I replied, trying to brush off the mounting frustration and disappointment.
But inside, I was seething. I had messed up a few tasks assigned by Beatrice, and she had swiftly relegated me to mind-numbing data entry. It felt like a slap in the face after all the effort I had put in.
Candice saw through my facade. ”You”re not fine,” she insisted, her voice laced with worry.
”I”m sick and tired of doing shit work,” I confessed, the frustration bubbling to the surface.
“I told you that it takes time to earn Beatrice”s trust,” Candice reminded me, her tone gentle but firm.
“On second thought, I feel ill. My stomach hurts,” I lied, needing an excuse to escape the suffocating confines of the office.
“Go home. I’ll tell Beatrice you weren’t feeling well,” Candice offered, concern evident in her voice.
“Thanks,” I muttered gratefully, gathering my things and leaving before Beatrice could question my sudden departure.
As I walked away from the office, the weight of frustration and disappointment lingered in my mind. I seriously contemplated not returning. The day had been terrible from the moment I woke up, and work only added to the misery. But I knew I had to face Sadie and apologize for my harsh words that morning.
Usually, Vlad would give me a ride home, but today I opted for the subway. I needed the solitude to sort through my thoughts. He had no idea I was leaving early, and I didn”t bother to inform him.
Just as I stepped out of the station a few blocks from my house, my phone buzzed. The screen displayed Oliver”s face, and I answered quickly.
”Hi, baby,” he greeted.
”Hi,” I responded, relief washing over me at the sound of his voice.
”What”s wrong?” Oliver asked, sensing my distress.
”Everything is falling apart,” I admitted, my voice betraying the turmoil within me.
”Falling apart how?” he inquired, concern evident in his tone.
I recounted the events of the past two days and what transpired that morning with Sadie.
”Two days away and you’re already a mess?” Oliver remarked, his voice tinged with amusement.
”I miss you, Oliver. I miss you so much,” I confessed, longing evident in my words.
”Enough to accept my proposal?” he asked, his voice full of hope.
”Suppose I say no? Will you stay away until I do?” I teased lightly.
”That”s a good idea, but I wouldn’t be only punishing you,” he replied with a hint of playfulness.
”I hate my job. I don’t want to go back,” I confessed, feeling a sense of relief at opening up to him.
”Does that mean I gain a new employee?” Oliver asked.
”You might gain a new roommate because Sadie hates me right now,” I admitted, feeling a pang of guilt for my earlier behavior.
”She doesn’t hate you, but you were rough on her this morning,” Oliver pointed out gently.
”I know. I’m miserable without you,” I said, the truth of my words weighing heavily on my heart.
Oliver chuckled, his voice warm and reassuring. ”I”ll be home on Thursday night.”
”What do I do about work?” I asked, feeling uncertain about my job situation.
”I don’t think you should just walk out of your job. Give your notice, and I’ll get you squared away at Fox when I come home,” he advised, his tone practical.
”What will I be doing?” I inquired, curious about my potential role.
”Personal assistant to me,” he responded.
”Personal?” I repeated, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension.
”Yes. You’ll handle any and all personal requests by me,” he explained, his words teasing.
”Such as?” I prompted, trying to gauge the extent of his jest.
”Ordering and eating meals with me, sharing afternoon orgasms, doing strip teases in my office while I’m on boring conference calls,” he joked, his tone playful.
”I hope you don’t mind parting with your money because I think I have a clear-cut case of sexual harassment on my hands,” I retorted, trying to keep up with his banter.
”You can have it all in exchange for your love,” he countered, his words tender.
”What a bargain,” I replied, unable to suppress a smile at his charm.
”Not really since your love is priceless. We can discuss where you should be placed when I get back,” he assured me, his voice filled with affection.
”I won’t be working for you directly?” I asked, feeling a twinge of disappointment at the thought.
”Do you want to work for me directly? You were worried about familiarity breeding contempt,” he pointed out, his words thoughtful.
”I don’t know what I want right now except you,” I confessed, feeling a surge of emotion.
I heard shuffling in the background, and Oliver’s voice became muffled as he attended to something momentarily.
“I have my next meeting. Where are you anyway? I thought I would leave a message,” Oliver inquired.
“I left work early. I just got off the train,” I explained.
“Why didn’t you text Vlad?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.
“I just wanted to get away from there,” I admitted, feeling drained from the day”s events.
“Go home, relax, and think about your apology to Sadie,” he advised, his voice gentle.
“I love you,” I said softly, longing for his comforting presence.
“Love you too,” Oliver replied before ending the call.
As the line went silent, I felt a heavy weight in my chest. Slowly, I made my way back to my apartment. Collapsing onto the couch, I gazed up at the ceiling, contemplating how I would begin to mend the rift I had caused with Sadie.
After I changed out of my dress, I fell asleep on the couch with the television on. Sadie woke me up.
“I’m sorry for what I said this morning,” I blurted out as soon as I regained consciousness.
She had a sour look on her face. “You were having a nightmare.”
I sat up, feeling a pang of guilt. “Fuck. I don’t even remember.”
“You were whimpering and calling for your father,” Sadie explained.
Feeling a surge of embarrassment, I rose from the couch and followed her, grabbing her arm.
She stopped walking and turned. “You were a major bitch this morning. Why would you say something like you did?”
I hung my head. “I don’t know. I was hurt you didn’t tell me about dating Finley,” I admitted, feeling remorseful.
“I really like him,” Sadie confessed.
“How does he even have time to date? He’s always so busy,” I questioned.
“He’s made time for me, and to answer your question, we haven’t had sex,” Sadie disclosed.
I was surprised by her revelation. Sadie wasn’t one to wait for an emotional connection before getting intimate with a man.
“Are you two dating exclusively?” I inquired, concerned about their relationship dynamics.
“We’re seeing each other,” she responded, her tone indicating uncertainty.
Her words sparked worry within me. Finley wasn’t known for maintaining close relationships with women due to his focus on his business. I didn’t want either of them to end up hurt.
“We’re seeing each other.”
Her statement worried me because Finley didn’t have close relationships with women because he was afraid it would take time away from his growing business. I didn’t want either of them to get hurt.
“I’m happy for you. I hope it works out,” I said sincerely.
“I wanted to tell you, but Finley said we should wait,” she said.
I leaned on the kitchen counter. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around much. Maybe we can have a girl’s night?” I suggested.
She smiled. “That sounds like fun. Let’s ditch the men and go out,” Sadie agreed.
“What about tonight?” I proposed.
She hesitated, then replied, “Finley is meeting me for dinner at 7:30 near his office.”
I gave her a side hug. “Sadie, Finley is so involved in his business. I don’t want you to get hurt if he cancels on you last minute for anything.”
“I’m well aware. We discussed it. You deal with Oliver and his weird schedules. I can take care of Finley,” Sadie assured me.
“I really hope it works out for you two. You both deserve someone nice,” I said sincerely.
She hugged me back, and I went to the refrigerator to get something to eat. I hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch and was starved. Sadie stayed in her room until 7 p.m. when she came out wearing a pair of black Capri pants and a gold halter top.
”Going out to dinner?” I asked, a hint of curiosity in my tone.
”Yes,” Mom replied, her voice tinged with anticipation. ”Finley is running a little late but he said he’d meet me there.”
”Have fun,” I said, offering a small smile. ”I’ll see you later.”
I finished my sandwich and called my mother, feeling a sense of boredom creeping in. The anticipation of her reaction to my news about Oliver”s proposal made me hesitate, but I dialed her number anyway. I decided not to tell her unless she brought it up.
”Ryleigh, how are you?” Mom”s voice sounded warm, but there was an underlying curiosity in her tone. ”I’m surprised you called since we saw you on Friday.”
I settled on the couch, stretching out my legs. ”I just wanted to say hello.”
”How was the boat?” Mom”s question was gentle yet filled with interest.
”Oliver told you?” I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her knowledge.
”Yes. He invited us to join him sometime.” Mom”s voice held a note of excitement.
”It was beautiful,” I said, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. ”We sailed on the ocean for part of the day. I had a good birthday.”
”Your relationship is serious?” Mom”s question hung in the air, filled with concern.
”Are you asking me or telling me?” I replied, a touch of defensiveness creeping into my voice.
”Oliver asked us for your hand in marriage,” Mom revealed, her tone cautious. ”He said he wants to marry you. Don’t you think it’s a little premature?”
”He’s asked and I said no,” I admitted, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. ”It’s too soon. We’ve barely been dating three months.”
”I worry because he’s so much older than you,” Mom confessed, her concern evident.
”I don’t care what they say,” I asserted, determination coloring my voice. ”It’s my relationship. How can I be a gold digger when I have my own money?”
”People don’t know that,” Mom pointed out, her tone soft but firm. ”They might say you’re some young woman latching onto an older man for security.”
”Oliver pursued me, not the other way around,” I insisted, my voice growing stronger.
”Again, that won’t be broadcast to the world,” she said, her words filled with conviction.
”I’m sick of pleasing other people,” I confessed, frustration seeping into my tone. ”It’s my relationship.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she quickly changed the subject. “Have you seen Ty lately?”
I started to play the fringe on the blanket we kept on the back of the couch. “No. He didn’t even call me on my birthday which is unlike him.”
“His mother was very sick.”
I felt alarm because I really liked Ty’s mother. “When?”
“Her heart is not doing well. She has pneumonia and was in the hospital.”
“Why the hell didn’t anyone tell me this on Friday?”
“We didn’t want to worry you on your special day.”
“But I love Mrs. Barnes. I don’t care if it was my special day. I need to call Ty. He must feel horrible.”
“She’s doing much better.”
“I haven’t spoken to him for weeks because I’ve been with Oliver. I’m a horrible friend.”
“You have your own life. Ty wouldn’t fault you for that.”
But couldn’t help feeling I should’ve known. I should’ve called him. I’d been avoiding Tyler because I didn’t want him to question me about my father. It was grating on me and whenever he did, I had nightmares after, but I would never tell my mother or anyone else in my family.
“I feel guilty.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand.”
“I’ll talk to you later. I love you, Mom. Tell Anders I said hello.”
“I will. Love you, Ryleigh.”
I was upset. Ty’s mother was sick and I didn’t even know. I dialed his number and waited. He was probably on duty but who knew since I hadn’t talked to him in a while. He wasn’t angry and wished me a happy birthday which I was thankful for.
“I got so busy with my mother, work and your father’s case.”
I was silent for a few seconds. “You’re still working on it?”
It was what I didn’t want to hear. Suppose he solved the case? I thought of how I would feel, how we all would feel when the assailant was caught.
“I told you I want justice. Your father deserves it.”
“I hope you haven’t told my brothers or mother you’re investigating.”
“I wouldn’t do that until I have credible evidence.”
“Then why did you tell me?” my voice cracked.
“Because you’re the only witness. I had to.”
“But I don’t know anything,” I protested.
“You said that.”
“You doubt me?”
“No but I still think you should see a hypnotist. Maybe they can help you remember.”
“Ty, even if I did see the killer’s face, what good would it do? You can’t put a face to a person you don’t know.”
“I was just asking. Don’t get upset. So lunch?”
“Where?”
“The Iron Horse.”
“What time?”
“1:00.”
“You won’t fall asleep on my couch after, will you?”
“I promise I won’t. I miss you. It’s been a while.”
We chatted for a few more minutes and Ty had to go. After I said goodbye, I got ready for bed and slipped under the covers. Exhaustion took me until Sadie woke me. I squinted at the light on my bedside table.
“Again?”
She nodded. I looked at the bedside clock and it read 12:42 AM.
“Fuck.”
“Do you want me to sleep here?”
“Would you do that for me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
She clicked out the light and slipped into bed on the other side. Having two nightmares in such a short span of time was not good. It meant that I was stressed. I hoped Sadie next to me would curtail them.
I called in sick the next day. I just didn’t have the energy to put up with Beatrice and her stupid demands. I spent the morning watching game shows and eating cereal from the box by the handful. It was just a lazy day for me.
I finally moved myself and went to take a shower at noon, standing under the water and wishing I was in Oliver’s bathroom instead of mine. He called me at three when I was back on the couch flipping through one of Sadie’s magazines.
Oliver called me full of concern because I had told Vlad I was staying home. I knew he would worry. I finally conceded, telling him I couldn’t work for Beatrice any longer. Each day was a struggle for me to go to work and I didn’t want to feel miserable when I woke up each morning. He laughed as we discussed what my role would be at Fox Asset.
“I’m sure we can fit you somewhere into a department.”
“What would I do without you?”
“Fall apart apparently.”
“Shut up. I just needed a mental health day.”
I didn’t tell him that I wished I could take a mental health day for my two weeks notice so I never had to see Beatrice’s pointy mouse face ever again.
“You have two weeks to deal with your job and you’re done. Can you handle it?”
“I think so. Knowing that the end is near will help make the pill easier to swallow. I’m sure Beatrice is not going to be happy. She’s constantly telling me she chose me over many applicants.”
“Then she should be using your skills and intelligence properly. I’m sure they won’t have a problem finding someone to take your place.”
“I’m sure,” I said dryly.
Oliver changed the subject. “What did you do today?”
I smiled to myself. “Absolutely nothing. I’ve been watching television all day. What have you been doing today?”
“I had three meetings and a tour of a potential piece of property I’m interested in purchasing.”
“Busy man.”
Our conversation was kept light though I wanted to tell him how much I missed him, and I wish he was here with me. I needed his support, but I didn’t want him to feel guilty about being away.
After I hung up with Oliver, I got my laptop and turned it on. Sure enough, an email from the Fox Asset Corporation HR department was sitting in my inbox. I opened it and printed out the pages. I hated filling out paperwork. The offer letter was in a separate email, and I was astonished to find the salary was just under six figures even though a position hadn’t been decided.
I would have to talk to Oliver when he got back because I didn’t want any special favors because I was his girlfriend. I filled out all the paperwork and was scanning it when Sadie walked through the door.
“Did you have a good day?” she asked.
“I needed it. I’m leaving my job, I decided.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You’re quitting?”
“I can’t deal with the bullshit anymore. Oliver offered me a position.”
“At least you’ll still be in the same building. What will you be doing?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t the slightest idea, but I asked Oliver if I could work in the PR department.”
She snorted. “You hate PR.”
“No, I hate my boss. I was nothing more than an errand girl. I’ve been there for almost three months and all I do is get coffee or make copies. It’s ridiculous. Beatrice is a major bitch and I have to adjust to her moods.”
“What do you think they’ll say?”
I smirked. “I have no idea and what’s more, I don’t care.”