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“Oh, and what is it that you’re interested in? Boring nights at home? Living like a loser like Dee?”
Rage swept through me at hearing Leah call me a loser. My nails dug into the flesh of my palms as she insulted me. I was about to step into the conference room to unload on her when Travis came to my defense.
“Dee isn’t boring. Far from it. She’s smart, vivacious, exciting, and she's also someone you shouldemulate. Not try to humiliate,” he declared. “That woman has worked her ass off to get where she is. She’s poured every bit of herself into her career, giving it all her blood, sweat, and tears. I won’t stand here and let you talk shit about her. She doesn’t deserve that and frankly, such talk is beneath you both. Insulting her isn't going to win you any brownie points.”
“You’re a real fucking bastard,” Leah seethed.
“Maybe, but I’m a real fucking bastard that you’ll never get your hands on. Now, since I've made myself clear, I suggest you gather up your things and leave.”
“Are you still going to report me to HR?” Leah’s bravado suddenly deflated as her timid, newly frightened voice barely rose above a whisper. Of course, that’s all the bimbette cared about. Losing her dating pool.
“No, I won’t report you. At least not yet. However, if you try to flirt with me or even look at me in any way that isn’t work related,orif you say one more disparaging word about Dee, I will report you. Understand?”
“Fine.” Leah huffed before I heard the sound of her shuffling papers and the zip of a messenger bag. Not wanting them to know I’d heard every word, I ducked into a nearly empty conference room and watched through the window as Leah stormed past, silently cursing under her breath. I’d wanted to give Travis a moment to cool down. I also needed a moment to process the way he’d stuck up for me. I hated to admit it, but Travis MacDaniel was not turning out to be the former footballer playboy I'd thought him to be. Yes, I knew he was a responsible single father, but I’d erroneously thought he hadn’t let that affect his personal life. That nothing was going to ‘affect his game’. Once a few minutes had passed, I walked back into the conference room to find Travis sitting in a chair with both of his hands folded behind his head.
“Everything okay?” I asked as I moved to the other side of the table to retrieve my belongings. Travis faced the opposite wall. He jumped at the sound of my voice as if I’d startled him.
“Ah, no. I mean, yeah. Everything’s okay. I was just thinking.” He quickly recovered before getting to his feet.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You looked a little lost in thought there.” I tapped my temple.
He turned around and smiled genuinely. “I’m good, Dee. I’ve just got some things on my mind, but thanks for asking.”
I smiled back. I also noticed how he hadn’t called me Deandra in a while. Instead, he’d used my preferred name during this whole truce thing. “Okay, just . . . just know if you need anything, I’m here."
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Travis finished gathering up his things and like the gentleman I now knew him to be, he not only walked me out of the building, but escorted me to the parking lot where I’d left my car.
“Didn’t you drive?” I asked as he wished me a goodnight and headed back towards the building.
“Took the subway today. A friend needed my car to run an important errand because his was in the shop. Besides, it was such a lovely day that I didn’t mind walking.”
A sudden flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder announced the promise of rain.
“Would you like a ride home?” The last thing I wanted was for the heavens to open up on him as he walked to the train station. Nor did I want him sitting in a train car alone at this time of night, especially soaking wet. A shiver ran down my spine as I thought about an incident that I once read about in the paper. A few years back, celebrity chef Joel Alexander had been attacked nearby. His assailant struck him in the head and cracked open his skull before leaving him to die on the subway car floor. A second icy chill shot down my back at the thought of that happening to Travis. There was no way I would ever let him put himself in danger. I had no idea what I’d do or how I’d feel if he got hurt.
“You sure?” he asked, looking genuinely surprised. “I don’t mind taking the subway back.”
“It’s late and it’s about to rain. Not to mention there are all sorts of terrible things that can happen on the subway late at night. I’d feel better knowing that I got you home safe to your little girl.”
“Thanks, Dee. I appreciate the offer.” He smiled again and quickly climbed into the passenger seat of my car.
We shared a pleasant conversation on the way to his building. One that was neither too personal, nor too professional. Truthfully, it was more like two people really trying to get to know each other for the first time. After I dropped Travis off and waved goodbye, I wondered if he thought this was me letting him in. Even if he did, I still had no intention of letting him get too close. Travis MacDaniel was the kind of guy I could lose my heart too if I wasn’t careful, and I wasn’t willing to go through all that heartache and pain again. At least, not right now. Maybe.
eight
Dee
“Youshouldhaveheardhow she threw herself at him! The things she said? It was just . . . gross! She had thenerveto insinuate that I was sleeping with Russell!” I bitched to my sister as we sat at my dining room table snarfing down some of the best Thai food this town had to offer. I’d invited her over tonight because once again, my nephew Caleb was spending the night with a friend. Seeing that this was Friday, I thought a sisters’ night would be just the thing because Runa rarely got to go out and have any fun. As a single mom, her focus was earning a living to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. I’d also had an ulterior motive, too. I’d hoped that talking with her would help me process how frustrated I was from what had happenedbetween Travis and that bitch Leah.
“You’ve said that now three times,” Runa pointed out as she shoved a heaping pile of cashew chicken into her mouth. “You also said he also shot her down, hard. Your exact words were ‘he ripped her a new one before he told her off.’ Or did I somehow mishear you?”
“No, that’s what happened,” I grumbled as I munched down on my favored stir-fried Thai basil and pork.
“Didn’t he also threaten to report her to HR for hitting on him?”
“Yeah, he did that too.” I don’t know why itstillbothered me. The whole ugly incident happened just under two weeks ago and since then, we’d reached an agreement with Mad Media where they agreed to pay out the remainder of their contract. And so far, Leah hadn’t even so much as looked at Travis, let alone come on to him again.
