Page 27 of Losing Control
“I don’t want you to get mad with me.”
“Why would I get mad?”
“Because it’s about Michael.”
“Oh for goodness sake, just say it,” I reply, wondering what information she thinks she knows now. I know that she is probably worried that we might have an argument, like we did previously, but it’s better that she says whatever is on her mind.
I fold my arms across my chest and lean back in the chair, waiting for her to speak. She wipes her hands on a napkin and leans her elbows on the table.
“Tyler came to speak to me yesterday.”
“Okay.”
“He said that Michael had pulled him to one side and had a word with him.” At this news my interest piques. Michael hasn’t said anything about speaking to Tyler, but I know that Kim wouldn’t lie to me.
“Go on,” I urge her.
“Tyler said that Michael firmly warned him off of you. He said that Michael was a little intimidating and he found it weird that Michael was warning him off of you when you’re just work colleagues.”
I roll my eyes and unfold my arms, my hands going to my head to rub my temples as I feel a headache coming on.
“Oh, jeez.”
“Has Michael got a problem with Tyler?” Kim asks.
“Yeah, I guess you could say that.”
“Why?” I really don’t want to answer Kim’s question, but I have to. She needs to see why Michael would act this way. I don’t want her to think badly of him.
“Michael seems to think that Tyler has a bit of a thing for me. I’ve told him that he is being ridiculous, but I guess that he still harbours a little insecurity about the issue.”
“The whole office knows that Tyler fancies you,” Kim says as if it’s no big deal.
“What?” I screech a little too loudly.
“He’s a young lad with a crush on his boss. How did you not know this?” Kim asks me, looking a little surprised that I haven’t noticed anything.
“Because I didn’t. I just thought that Michael was being a little paranoid.”
“Well, he is, and he isn’t. He’s being paranoid because Tyler is young and good-looking.”
“Is he?” I ask, screwing my nose up a little. I don’t know why I even bother to ask this question because I know that Tyler is good-looking.
“Oh yeah,” Kim confirms with a chuckle. “But as for him being paranoid of you and Tyler hooking up, he needs to get over that shit, and quick. It’s plainly obvious to anyone with eyes that you love the bones of him.”
“Wait, really?”
“Christ’s sake, Lucy, you bat your eyes at him all day long. Your body language changes when you are near him, and far be it for me to say this, but you look like you need to take a cold shower when you speak to him.” I feel my cheeks get warm and I imagine that I am the colour of a beetroot. “It’s okay to be like that, you know? You’re in love, its cute, but just get Michael under control. He doesn’t need to go around warning off every guy that fancies you.”
I don’t relish the idea of continuing this conversation, so I simply give Kim the answer that she is looking for.
“Sure. I’ll speak to him about it tonight.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Confrontation
“Hey, babe, you ready to get out of here and spend the weekend in bed?” Michael asks me, a big grin on his face.
