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I slammed the wall with my hand. What the fuck was I supposed to do here?
Should I fire her? After that little stunt she pulled, she was a liability. It was a liability to keep her, and it was a liability to let her go.
Besides, it wasn’t like I could just stop this whole production, anyway. I had employees’ I had to pay, people counting on me. I had jobs I was creating, and contracts that had to be honored. Even if I could go back and undo it, it wouldn’t make any financial sense to do so.
Of course, the woman I had let my guard down with would come waltzing back into it with the power to take low and dirty shots at me. Things were said, conversations were had, with the expectation that we would never see each other again. Suddenly, intimate details of my life were being fired back at me with disregard. She knew my wife cheating on me had hurt me, and she hadn’t wasted a moment whipping that out of her back pocket. Talking about David like that. It was unforgivable. And I would not forgive her for it.
As if I hadn’t already considered that maybe it was partly my fault that my wife cheated on me, that I was away too long. Or that it was my fault that I couldn’t save David; as if I didn’t spend every damn night dreaming about the nightmare of that day, and wondering if I had done something differently, if it would have made a difference.
Addison had read me like a book, and she went straight for the kill without a second thought.
If she dared show her face back in this building, she would have another thing coming. We may have shared an intimate connection in Hawaii, but here, she would answer to me, and if I didn’t fire her first, I was going to run her into the ground. I’d make her job so miserable, she’d quit on her own.
After this, I doubted she would show up for work tomorrow, anyway.
I pulled up the security cameras on my computer and didn’t see her at her desk.
As my anger slowly began to dissipate, I looked around my office seeing the mess we’d made, mere moments of ecstasy chased down by vengeance seconds later.
I reached down and grabbed the crumpled Horizon View contracts off the floor. It was merely a copy. We’d already reviewed and signed it with our lawyers.
I kicked myself. What were the odds that she was in that building, and what were the odds that I had this damned contract out on my desk? If I’d have treated her professionally right out of the gate, instead of finger fucking her on my desk, maybe I’d have avoided this situation all together. I went and stood at my window and rubbed my temples, watching the traffic creep by below.
I was such a fool. I knew better than to mix business and pleasure. It always blew up in your face. Always.
* * *
The next morning,I arrived bright and early, with no sign of Addison at her desk. I wasn’t too surprised knowing I usually came in early, beating everyone into the office, so this didn’t necessarily mean she’d quit. Though I hoped she had, then I could wash my hands of her and this situation.
I sat at my desk trying to work, and occasionally checking the security cameras from my computer, looking to see if Addison had arrived. I shook my head. That was probably that. I’d need to let Rebecca know soon if we needed to start the search all over again.
Just one more thing putting us behind schedule.
Finally, I managed to focus myself enough to dive into work, responding to emails, and taking some calls. I stood at the window while I negotiated the building details with Charlie.
“It looks like we’re all in the clear. For the Horizon View building to come down, I’m just waiting on the official permits to come through, and then I can give the wrecking crew the go ahead.” Charlie reported.
I heard a small knock at the door, and I whirled around, surprised.
“Come in.”
Addison pushed the door open and stood fidgeting in front of me.
“That’s great, Charlie, keep me posted.” I responded over the phone.
“You know I will.” He said, and the line went dead.
“You came back.” I said to Addison, with a colder tone than I intended.
Looking at her, there was no doubt I was still furious at the stunt she pulled yesterday, but I couldn’t deny how beautiful she looked with her honey-blonde hair softly pulled up, wisping around her face.
“Yes. I really need this job.” She gritted her teeth, “Seeing as you put me out of business.”
“Is this how it’s going to go?” I snapped.
“The only way this is going to work is if we treat this as a professional relationship.”
“If that’s what you want.”
