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She let out a breath on her end. “I know you’re upset now, but I hope we can talk when I get home.”
“Sounds serious.”
“It is.”
I didn’t like the tone of her voice, and my hackles rose in suspicion. Whether it was about us—whatever Taylor and I were—or our jobs, I had no idea, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t like this “talk.”
“I’ll see you later, Novak.”
“Bye…Dean.”
* * *
I still wasn’t in a much better mood by Monday morning. Taylor and I had texted a few times, but I couldn’t seem to be able to center myself, which was pathetic. I was angry at the situation I’d unwittingly put myself in, and I felt myself falling down a hole that I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to pull myself out of.
Even though it wasn’t the same—Iwasn’t the same—I didn’t want a repeat of what had happened with Patrick. I couldn’t let myself get so wound up in a woman that I forgot about everything else. So, it was probably a good thing Taylor and I had spent the weekend apart after being together twenty-four seven for the last three weeks. Yet, it didn’t feel right.
I was off and ornery, and Seth didn’t help the situation.
“Yo,” he said with a backhand to my shoulder, where I was leaning against the counter in the break room. “You’ll never believe what I just fucking heard.”
I rubbed my fingers against my eyes. “I don’t have the patience today. Can you—”
“No, you want to know this. I was about to knock on Dominic’s door, but it was open a little, and I heard him on the phone. They’re going to offer the partnership to Taylor.”
I set down my coffee mug and turned my full attention on him. “What?”
He nodded, waving his hand out toward the hall. “I don’t know who he was talking to, but yeah. It’s going to her, man. Can you believe it?”
I sank my forearms to the counter, running my hands over my hair as Seth jabbered on.
“She walks around here with her nose up in the air, like who the fuck does she think she is, you know? I mean, I know you have a thing with her, but not after this, right? You deserved that promotion. Not her.”
My stomach roiled with guilt and disappointment. This had to be because of last week. One single mistake, and Taylor got the job. She was perfect all the time; I knew that. That was why I was always such an asshole to her, an attempt to crack her veneer. Yet I was the one who slipped up.
“Fuck me,” I muttered then thumped the side of my fist on the counter, straightening up.
Seth gripped my shoulder. “It should’ve been you. I know it, you know it. They’re only giving it to her because of her last name.”
I shook my head. He hadn’t heard what’d happened on Friday, and I didn’t want to rehash it at this point.
“What are you going to do?” he asked me.
“I don’t know.”
“Certainly not continue fucking her.” He snorted a laugh, and if there was ever someone I wanted to punch, it was him. “She’s not worth it. Dude, if I were you, I’d tell them all to fuck off, starting with that bitch. You could get a job anywhere with all your experience.”
I walked to the other side of the room, folding my arms over my chest so I didn’t deck him.
“Hey, we’ll go out this weekend. We’ll find you someone new. Someone who isn’t your boss and who won’t snap your dick off.”
“Just go away,” I told him, my shoulders curving in, focus on the floor. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, especially him and his incessant fucking misogynistic whining. “I’m not in the mood right now.”
He started to maybe laugh, but it came out choked, and I whipped my head up at the click-clack of heels on the linoleum.
“You have something you want to say to me?” Taylor asked Seth, her head tilted on an angle like she was ready to strike.
He glanced to me and then back to her before shaking his head and shuffling out.
