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Closer, “Damn it, get off of me—”
Brian reached the last cube in two strides. Amber was backed up against the desk, Eric cornering her at the wall. Brian’s vision tunneled as he reached out, grabbed Eric by the belt and the back of his shirt, all but tossed him to the far side of the cube.
“Aghgh! What the—” Eric screeched as Brian lifted him up and slammed him into the wall.
“What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?”
“Brian, oh my God!” Amber was behind him, her hands on his shoulders. “Please put him down, he’s done, he didn’t hurt me.”
He looked back, saw the shock and fear on her face. Not wanting to add to it, he released his hold, letting the slighter man slip to the floor.
Coughing, Eric stood up straighter.
“Mr. High School, huh? I should sue your ass for touching me. You’re trespassing, get out of here.”
“I’m not going anywhere, but, by all means, call the cops, I’m thinking they should be here anyway.”
Eric’s eyes darted around the small space. He ducked and grabbed his messenger bag, trying to push past Brian, but ended up knocking himself to the floor when Brian’s mass didn’t give under the assault. The bag flipped open, spilling dozens of CD files and stacks of printed out code.
Amber ducked to her knees, flipping through the slew of paper. “This is my code, Eric. What the hell?” She blanched as understanding dawned. “It was you—”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Those files are confidential, hand them over right now. I was trying to help you, Amber.”
She looked at him aghast. “Bullshit!” Flipping through the pages, she pointed to a line with scrawled purple ink around it. “This code is correct and your notes here are the exact error they found. You were trying to get me fired.”
“No, it’s not what you think. I wanted us to be together, I wanted you to come to New York with me. I was wrong, but it’s because I love you. I’m sorry, give me another chance.”
“Screw you.” Amber picked up the desk phone and started dialing. “I’m calling Michaels and the cops. You’re getting fired and then going to jail.”
Brian stood scowling over Eric, refusing to let him pass.
Listening to the very words he had planned to say come out of Eric’s mouth had made him feel even more pathetic. He had no right to ask for anything.
Eric tried to move for the door, but Brian stepped into his path.
“Just give me a reason.”
Amber glanced over her shoulder at Brian, who had been sitting in the corner since he finished with the cops and her boss had arrived. Excusing herself she walked over to him.
“Brian, I’m glad you showed up when you did, but what are you doing here?”
Even amidst the chaos with Eric, seeing Brian round the corner had brought one thought to her mind. He’d come back to her. But in the moments that had passed since, she’d sensed a difference in him, and wondered what prompted the change, what it meant for their relationship.
“I wanted to talk to you, but not right now, it can wait. I’ll wait…here…until you’re ready to go.”
Holding up a hand at her boss to signal one more minute she turned and smiled nervously at Brian. “No, you go. It’s going to be a while here. I’ve got some work to sort out, but later. Okay?”
“Sure, no problem. Later. Good luck, call me if you need anything at all.”
—
Even at half past seven, the late August air was hot and humid, the sky still bright. Amber’s mind was lost in work, confusion over how she could have missed Eric’s sabotage, as she turned the corner and headed up the concrete stairs of her building. She leaned her back against the wide glass pane and pushed. It didn’t budge. She looked ba
ck with a frown and noticed the shiny copper of a new fitting against the “security” door, which hadn’t actually secured once since she’d moved into the place. Fumbling for her keys, she looked inside and saw Brian coming down the stairs in a worn pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. Her mind snapped to the here and now as he offered a smile and opened the door from the other side. He was waiting for her.
“How did it go back at the office?”
“It was confusing and frustrating to find out what Eric was up to, but I think we got a lot of it straightened out. I’m just exhausted. Is there any way we can just forget about it for now?”
