Page 111 of Rich and Bossy

You could’ve texted or called.

No, it needs to be in person. No kind of data records can happen with something like that. She might not respond to them anyway. I ring the doorbell.

The speaker on it immediately yells at me. “Get away from my house.”

“Hazel, please. Just come out here.”

“Go!” There’s venom in her voice.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard her sound this pissed off.

“I’m not leaving until I see you.”

When the door flies open, my heart sinks.

Her gold-flecked eyes glare right at me. “Go.” She points to the road.

Definitely pissed off, if that wasn’t obvious from her yelling at me through the speaker.

“I need to talk to you.” I get she’s mad, but we can figure this out. I know we can.

Rather than put on a coat, she steps outside and slams the door behind her. “Where was the warning, Paxton? You said this wouldn’t happen. Why didn’t you want to talkbeforeit happened?”

“I couldn’t. Legally. I told you I’d do all I could.”

“Oh, for what? A whole week? That’s the longest you could keep things fair?” She points at the ground. “This had to be planned. It had to be. I saw all the legal documents, each one specifically crafted for each person who got fired. Those took a team of attorneys working around the clock. So I don’t want to hear this you had no idea and stalled as long as you could. You didn’t stall at all. You lied to me. Held me in your arms and lied to my face.”

“That’s not t-true.”

“Are you drunk?” She sniffs the air, then backs up another step. “You kidding me right now? Go home. Go away.”

She starts to open the door, and I grab her by the wrist. “I can’t. I need you to believe me.”

“I did believe you. That day in that apartment, Paxton. I did. And you didn’t do what you promised. You lied to me. Why? So you could get back at me for not telling you about the union drive?”

“I did do what I could. It wasn’t a lie.” Real great comeback, man. God, why is she so frustrating? I’m supposed to believe her every time, but she can’t believe me?

“Sure, slept with me, then went back to work and you didn’t do a thing. No warning. No nothing, while I had to watch my best friends humiliated and marched out of your warehouse. People with families who are scared out of their minds, and it looks likeIdid that to them. And you went to the bar and got drunk while it was happening!” She’s yelling now.

“Oh please, you did do the same shit to me. Or do you not remember? I got blindsided too, and I fucking forgave you for it. Trusted and believed you, tried to understand it from your point of view.”

“That was different. This is different, Paxton.”

“Oh bullshit, you just don’t want to admit it. Everything always has to happen your way, and everyone else is an asshole if it doesn’t work out for precious Hazel.” I’ve never been so damn frustrated in my life. Now, it’s turning to rage, because that’s what she does to me. She makes me so damn mad when she won’t listen to reason. “You slept with me knowing damn well what was happening the next day.” I glance around at her house and try to lower my voice for that part, in case anyone is listening. I point at her. “You did that to me, and I let it go.” I take a step toward her, my teeth clenched. “That bothered me, really bad, and I calmed down, and I listened to reason. You need to do the same thing for me right now.” My voice rises at the end.

“You’re scaring me. Please back up.”

My eyes widen and I realize I’m right in her face. I back up a step or two and hold my hands up. “Sorry, this better? More comfortable to hear the truth from here?”

“No, actually I told you to leave.”

Finally, the pressure building in my head is too much and I have to vent it before I explode. “You need to…”

“I don’t need to do anything you tell me to do. What you did was unacceptable.”

“Fucking grow up, Hazel! Jesus Christ.” I yank at my hair. “I had no choice and you’re acting like a toddler throwing a tantrum right now.”

Her head snaps back, eyes wide. She didn’t expect that. She wants me to grovel. Guess what? That’s not what I’m going to do right now. Fuck that. I’m right on this. I didn’t have a choice.

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