Nemesis(40)

Well, ouch.

Hearing the word ‘disappointed’ from someone is always the worst. I’d rather just be yelled at.

“I’m sorry,” I tell them. “This isn’t something I planned. It just happened. But I would never let it affect my job, or my productivity here. I’m good at what I do, and if Cohen hadn’t told you, you wouldn’t have known what was going on here. That is evidence that we’re both capable of maintaining professional etiquette whilst in the office.”

Jason studies me, swirling on his chair, left and right. “Okay, just let us talk and we will get back to you on our course of action.”

I guess I’m being dismissed.

I exit, a nervous wreck, and sit back at my desk, wondering if this is even my desk anymore.

If I lose my job, I’m going to be upset.

It’s such a f*cked-up thing that Cohen’s job isn’t even in question—not that I’d want him to be in trouble with me, of course—but I have to wonder if I was the lawyer and he was the receptionist, would we still have the same outcome? It just feels like it’s always the woman who comes under fire in these situations.

I glance at my phone; I’d put it on silent, and there are missed calls and messages from Cohen. He left for court after the meeting, and I guess he’d been trying to warn me, because one message said they wanted to speak with me. I wring my hands together. I don’t want to call Cohen back, in case Jason comes out to call me in again. I feel like I’m in court about to be found guilty or innocent.

I tap my foot.

What feels like an eternity later, Jason calls me back into his office. This time, we’re alone; the other men probably returning to their busy days.

“So we’ve decided that, because of your good work ethic, we’re going to let you stay on.” He pauses, then adds, “We aren’t happy with the situation though, and we’re asking you to keep your relationship away from the office. Stay professional, and don’t let it affect your job in any way, or we’ll have to let you go.”

I nod and tell him that I understand.

I walk back to my desk, feeling relieved and annoyed at the same time. Are they going to treat me the same after this, or have I lost their respect? I don’t want to work here if they aren’t going to treat me the same. Are they going to be watching Cohen and me closely? I feel like maybe we shouldn’t have said anything. We should have waited until we were getting married, if that happens. Now we still can’t act like we’re together and they’re going to be breathing down our necks. Or maybe everything will be okay?

I don’t know. Only time will tell, I guess.

Cohen is still in court during lunchtime, so I eat alone. He only returns in the evening, rushing straight to me.

“Are you okay?” he asks, looking worried. “I’m so f*cking sorry they spoke to you when they knew I wasn’t here. You know what? We should quit. We can easily find new jobs. It’s their loss. Fuck them.”

I glance around, making sure no one else is nearby. “It’s fine. They said I can keep my job, even though apparently it’s a conflict of interest. Let’s not make any hasty decisions, let’s just see how it all goes.”

His jaw is tighter than I’ve ever seen it. “I just don’t like how they handled it.”

“And they don’t like us being together, and we knew there’d be some consequences, so let’s just keep it cool. This is only day one,” I tell him, not wanting him to react then regret it. We need to be smart about this.

“Yeah, okay,” he says, running his hand through his hair. “I’m not f*cking happy though.”

“I can see that,” I remark, rolling my eyes. “You better go, I know you’re busy all day. I’ll see you after work.”

“Okay,” he agrees, giving my hand a squeeze. “I love you. If anyone even looks at you wrong, call me.”

“I will,” I lie.

“And?”

“And I love you too,” I tell him, smiling widely.

Hearing those words leave his lips will never get old.

*****

I’m sitting on the kitchen counter, watching Cohen pace and rant about what happened today. Sadie is sitting next to me, wide-eyed, listening to him.

“It doesn’t sound that bad,” she concludes. “Jacinta gets to keep her job, and Cohen, it sounds like you just got a stern frowning-upon. It will all blow over, and soon they won’t give a shit.”

Cohen stops in his tracks, looking between the two of us.

“And Jacinta can handle a little telling off without you,” Sadie adds, smirking. “She’s a big girl. You don’t need to feel guilty that you weren’t there, even though you’re her accomplice in crime. She took the heat. She’s a ride-or-die kind of girl, just go with it.”

His lip twitches. “You’re absolutely right, Sadie.”

I throw my hands up in the air. “Oh, so her you listen to.”

“I am very wise,” Sadie says, nodding. “Unless it comes to my own love life.”

“We should introduce her to Chad,” I state, and not for the first time. “What do you think, Cohen?”

“I think that I’m not getting involved in that,” he says, stepping closer to me and resting between my legs. “So when Chad f*cks up, you can’t use it against me.”