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I stuffed the note in my pocket, looking up at the shut door in front of me, not being able to tell if Liam was on the other side of it or not.
But hours passed, and Liam was nowhere to be found. I should have felt relieved. It was much easier this way. Yet, somehow, I couldn’t help but have mixed feelings about his absence. I couldn’t understand the uneasiness swirling around in my stomach either.
I wasn’t prepared to face him, but I was counting on it.
He was supposed to oversee my integration. Give me my assignments and guide me regarding the project I was going to work on. I knew nothing about the Verten building, so I lurked around the other people working around me, trying to figure out as much as I could.
But I felt lost and alone in this room filled with people. Like a little skiff adrift in a high, violent sea.
I sat at my desk for the rest of the morning, staring at the screen, thinking I had made a mistake by accepting this job. It was more than clear that Liam didn’t want me here. He hadn’t held back on that fact during the interview. And since he was my direct supervisor, it was easy enough for him to find ways to have me fired. Maybe I was just wasting time I didn’t have.
By lunchtime, I was sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, alone, nibbling on a sandwich I didn’t exactly feel like eating, while theories of Liam’s absence swarmed my mind. This whole situation was making me feel uneasy. Like I was in deep trouble, just waiting for the painful consequences to catch up to me and bite me in the ass.
I was so deeply lost in thought I hadn’t realized there was someone sitting in front of me.
“Hello there…” The voice of a girl around my age snapped me out of my daze while she waved her hand in front of my face. “Anybody home?”
“Oh! Hi, sorry. I wasn’t quite here,” I replied awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck.
“Yeah, your mind left the building for a minute there and your body didn’t get the memo,” she chuckled, “You’re Jamie, right? I’m Alison. Nice to meet you.”
“Yes, I am. Nice to meet you, too.” I smiled back at her, shaking her hand.
“Hard first day?”
“Something like that.”
“Sorry to barge in on your thoughts, but apparently Mrs. Parker thinks I’m the bubbly welcome party of the herd.” Her face lit up in a smile along with mine as her little joke made me feel somewhat lighter. “I still remember what it’s like to be the new girl as if it was just a month ago. It was just a month ago.” She whispered that last part, making my smile widen. “I thought you could use a friend. Plus, you’re the only one here who still doesn’t know I’m a little unhinged.” The scrunch in her nose broke the final barrier of loom that had fallen over me.
“That would be great,” I laughed. “I think I’ll be accepting your offer. I can deal with unhinged.”
“Perfect.” Alison leaned closer, looking both ways as if to make sure no one would hear her. “Let me put you up to speed on the office gossip then. Katie from IT is definitely rolling around in the hay with Alex, Mr. Dornier’s assistant. If you need a day off, the yogurts from the vending machine are almost always expired, so that’s a safe excuse. And last but not least, Michelle, assistant to the AD stars and Liam’s fan numero uno? Her boobs are as fake as polyester,” she blurted before holding her silence and nodding with her eyes as wide as saucers, confirming all the above in a fake shocked expression.
We both burst out laughing at her theatrics, and just like that, my day got a whole lot better. She seemed friendly, and her candid face somehow made me feel I could trust her.
“Thank you, I needed that.”
“No need to thank me. To be honest, I could use a friend, too. If you know someone willing to take the spot, let me know.” Alison teased me with a wink.
We exchanged phone numbers and made plans for lunch for the rest of the week. Hopefully she was as trustworthy as she looked. Having a friend sounded amazing and could give me the sense of belonging I craved so much.
I was in better spirits as I left the cafeteria towards my baren desk. It didn’t last long, though. As much as I tried focusing on something else, the shut door in front of my workspace pulled me right back to Liam.
Was he avoiding me, or was this just a coincidence? For someone who didn’t believe in those, this one was pretty huge, considering the elephant in the elevator.
“Good afternoon, Miss Harden.” Mr. Dornier stood in front of my desk, an annoyed eyebrow cocked upwards as his overpowering presence shook me to my core. I was so lost in thought I hadn’t noticed him arriving. I scrambled to my feet, almost ready to salute, standing as straight as a cadet.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Dornier.” I smiled as I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“Where’s Liam?” His voice was low and charged with the gritty anger of a father ready to scold his son.
“I…hum… He’s not here.”
“I can see that, Miss Harden. Can you tell me where he is?” How the hell should I know? That was the impulsive reply I wanted to give. Instead I found myself on the defensive.
“I haven’t seen him today, but from what I gathered, there was a last-minute preliminary meeting at the Department of Buildings.”
Mr. Dornier crossed his arms in front of his chest, his expression telling me he wasn’t buying my lie. He stared at me for a second too long, maybe waiting to see if I would back down from it.
