The Design(31)

When Nicole strolled in at lunch time looking like the cat that ate the canary, I ripped my phone out of my purse and shot a text to Brooklyn.



Cammie: Do you have anyone you can set me up with?

Brooklyn: Sure, let me get my rolodex out. Any preference on age or occupation?

Cammie: I'd prefer them to have an age and occupation.

Brooklyn: Alright, that rules out Larry, the two-toothed hobo on the Q train.

Cammie: Your jokes are not appreciated right now.

Brooklyn: Sheesh, alright, let’s get you laiddddddddd.

Cammie: Also, no prostitutes.

Brooklyn: Dont worry, we already ruled out Larry.

Cammie: ghdkuygl.

Brooklyn: I’m not even sure there are any guys in LA that meet your unreasonable standards.

Cammie: Grayson brought Nicole in for a lunch booty call today.

Brooklyn: That’s it. I’m unfriending him on Facebook.

Cammie: Wait, what does his relationship status say on there?



I hated that I wanted to know, but I did.



Brooklyn: Single.

Cammie: Good. Now find a non-homeless person to set me up with.

Brooklyn: On it.





Chapter Twelve





My annoyance with Grayson kept growing as the next few days passed and he continued to ignore my presence. I’d work up some courage, make up my mind to storm into his office and tell him off, and then I’d remember that I was a normal person that didn’t do things like that to her boss.

On Monday, I strolled into the conference room for a mandatory department meeting and scanned for a seat. The only open chair was beside Grayson, at the very front of the room. I was shocked to see that Hannah hadn’t already claimed it, but then I remembered she and Alan had left a few minutes earlier so that she could shadow him at a job site.

Whatever, I could sit by him. I’m an adult.

I slid into the open chair and dropped my legal pad onto the table with an audible plop. We didn’t even acknowledge each other, and then the meeting began a few minutes later. I scribbled down notes on my legal pad, trying to ignore every time Grayson shifted in his seat or the fact that he was wearing that damned spiced aftershave, as per usual. I wanted to hate that scent, but I couldn’t.

Midway through the meeting, when the monotonous drone of the HR representative was too much to bear, I wrote a question for Grayson on the legal pad.

“Why are you ignoring me?”

I tilted the pad so that it encroached on his space and when he cleared his throat, I knew he’d read it. He reached forward and pushed the pad away with a flick of his hand.

I bit down on my bottom lip in anger and then tried again, this time opting for a more declarative approach.

I crossed out “ignoring me” and replaced it with “an *”. Then I underlined the new question five times so that’d he’d definitely see it and know how much I meant it.

Without a thought, he reached for the pad and ripped the top page off, crumpling it in his hand. The noise cut through the conference room, interrupting the HR representative so that his sentence about ethics in the workplace was cut short.

“Are we almost done here?” Grayson snapped with a dark tone.

Everyone shifted in their chairs, trying to become invisible so that Grayson’s wrath wouldn’t become directed toward them. I grunted under my breath and shifted away from him.

“Sure, uh, we can finish this up another time,” the HR representative stuttered, closing his binder as quietly and quickly as possible.

“Great. Let’s get back to work,” Grayson said shoving his chair back so hard that it hit the wall.

I gathered my stuff and turned toward the door, keeping my eyes focused on the back of the associate architect walking in front of me. I was the second to last person out of the room thanks to my placement at the front of the conference table, but just as I was about to step out, Grayson reached around me and slammed the door shut.

We were alone.

“Do you have any idea how unprofessional you’re acting right now?” he asked behind me, his breath hot on my neck.

I didn’t turn around.

“Everyone can hear you,” I countered, my eyes focused on the solid wood door.

“You seem to be confused about how things will be with us, so I’ll clarify it for you. I don’t date employees. When I’m at work, I’m focused on my work. You are nothing more than an employee.”

I ran my tongue along my bottom lip, trying to calm my anger. It didn’t work. Nothing would work. I took a step back so that my heel sunk into the toe of his shoe. He didn’t even flinch. One more step brought me against his chest, our hips perfectly aligned. His belt buckle dug into my skin through the fabric of my dress and I reached back to grip the top of his thigh through his suit pants.

Neither one of us moved, but I could see the tendons shifting in his hand as he leaned into the closed door and closer into me. Maybe he didn’t realize he was doing it or maybe… maybe he actually wanted to be closer to me.

I took a breath, slid my hand an inch higher on his thigh, and aimed for the truth.

“For whatever reason, you think you’re doing the right thing by pushing me away. Maybe you’re scared,” I said.

He pulled away from me and laughed under his breath like my statement was ludicrous. The sound made my anger brew over, out of my control. I was insane if I thought I could change Grayson. I had been about to tell him that he was wrong, and that I didn’t want him to stay away anymore. After he laughed, I decided to change gears.