The bar was crowded. Mostly with people from our company. A sea of business casual was between us. Her face was serious as she scanned the bar looking for me. I would pay money to see the smile that spread across her face again when she finally spotted me in the crowd. I made my way toward her. She stood on her toes and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “It’s so crowded here.”
“I know,” I said looking around, “The company’s picking up the tab, so everyone from the Atlanta office came.”
“Well, hello! If it isn’t Kit Campbell,” a voice interrupted us. We both turned to see Charles approaching us. “I can’t imaginethat this is a coincidence.” I rolled my eyes. Charles received the bad news that he would be promoted within his division. I had talked to him about how more retirements were expected in the next two years. I felt confident that, with his work record, he’d be next in line for a promotion—but I could tell he was upset, especially since Meredith had been promoted to vice president. Kit said something polite to Charles, then looked up at me.
“We’ll catch up with you soon, Charles. We’re going to the bar to get a drink for Kit.” I hooked my arm around Kit’s waist and walked her to the bar. I could feel her body relax the farther away from Charles we got. Kit never told me exactly what Charles had said that night when we looked at houses, but Meredith mentioned walking up to Kit and Charles having a conversation, and Kit had looked uneasy. As we made our way to the bar, half a dozen people stopped me to say hello.
At the bar, we ran into Braithway. I introduced them. Kit was her normal charming self. She shook Braithway’s hand. I couldn’t quite hear their exchange because the bar was getting crowded, but Braithway nodded with a laugh. I felt his hand on my shoulder. He leaned in and said, “William I need to introduce you to a couple of guys who are about to leave.”
Kit gave me a reassuring nod and a wink. She turned to order herself a drink. I excused myself and headed toward the door with Braithway.
Chapter 25: Kit
The happy hour wasn’t terrible, but this was nothing like playing pool after work in Creekstone. Everyone wanted to talk to William. Various people approached us and pressed their palm into William’s as they gave congratulations and playful jabs about his new role. William was in good spirits and worked the room well. Mr. Braithway had taken William to meet someone across the room. William crossed his arms, nodding as he listened intently. I knew that look. William was in the work zone. The drink I had ordered arrived. I leaned against the stool and watched William as he examined something on the man’s cell phone.
That’s when I heard it. Someone said my name. I turned and looked over my shoulder to see who was talking about me.
A woman was laughing. “I think her name is Kit. How provincial is that?”
A group of three women were standing clustered together around the bar. I took a step closer to the woman talking but turned my back so I could hear without them seeing my face.
“Alissa, tell Jenna what you just told me,” one of the women said.
The second woman immediately obliged. “I heard Braithway would only give William this job if he could get a land deal done in north Georgia, and there was this one holdout—a woman.”
“Of course, she has some choice riverfront property that Braithway wanted,” the second woman chimed in. “Braithway said if he didn’t close the deal, then he wouldn’t get the promotion.”
“Right.” The first woman chortled. “The woman refused to sell, so William used his secret weapon. He started dating her, fucked her, and had her totally under his spell. She agreed to sell her riverfront property to Braithway & Randall.”
The second woman said, hooting, “And get this. Her name is Kit or Cat or something basic like that.”
The third woman said, “Oh my God! Where did you hear that?”
“Charles, of course, he was running his mouth,” the first woman said. She put her hand on her hip. “But can you believe that? William convinced some poor country mouse he’s interested in her to trick her into selling that land. And I’m sure after that once the deal’s done, he’ll dump her. You know William. He can’t stay with one woman for too long.”
“Unfortunately, I do,” the second woman said with a scoff.
“Can you imagine William with someone like that?” The third woman shook her head.
The sound of the women laughing felt deafening. My cheeks burned. I instantly felt sick. I ran toward the bathroom.
Once in the bathroom I hid in a stall. I fished my phone out of the tiny purse I was carrying and texted Veronica a two-paragraph summary of what had just happened.
She immediately texted back.What the fuck? What are you going to do?
I sat my phone in my lap. My eyes blurred with tears. Could that be true? Could William be so calculating that he’d work me like some kind of real estate mark? The thought made me feel sick, but then why would he go to such lengths to make me think he wanted me to move to Atlanta with him? How cruel was he?
“Kit,” said a familiar voice. “Kit, is that you in the last stall?”
I sniffled as I saw expensive heels approach my stall. It was Addison. “Will you unlock the door? What happened?”
“I can’t.” As soon as I spoke a sob escaped my lips.
“Oh, Kit.” Addison’s voice sounded sincere. “What happened? I’m not going to leave until you at least tell me you’re okay.”
I contemplated how long I could stay in the bathroom. I wished I could just disappear.
I heard Addison jiggling the door handle, then she said, “Kit, it’s unlocked. Is it ok if I open the door?”
