Page 25 of The Attraction File

TWELVE

Edgar

Just the thought of Evaleen next to me in bed and I was half hard.

That picture brought back all the memories. The good ones. When she laughed at my jokes. It was the next best thing to heaven when Evaleen’s head fell back and her sapphire eyes sparkled with delight.

I closed my eyes recreating that moment in my head. We were drunk and went back to my place from happy hour.

She wasn’t manager yet, but Jacob had taken notice of her hard work. I noticed too, but what I also took note of was how good her ideas were when she attended meetings. How the other employees gravitated to her for advice and help.

What I observed, maybe more felt, was that my heart seemed to tighten whenever I was around her. Choking me.

I thought it best to stay away from her but that night, after a few drinks, I touched her and that tightness bloomed into something wonderful.

I knew I was attracted to Evaleen but that night I realized it was so much more. I was addicted to her.

How do you cure addiction? You stay away from whatever you were addicted to. So, after that night I avoided Evaleen as best I could.

“You two had an intimate relationship and worked together?” Hardy said as the corner of her mouth ticked up. Both detectives were staring at Evaleen.

“No,” Evaleen said at the same time I said, “Yeah, you could say that.”

Evaleen’s head spun toward me where she couldn’t decide whether to narrow or widen her eyes. She finally compromised which appeared painful. I wondered if her head might explode.

“So, which is it? You did or didn’t have an intimate relation? Let’s call it an office romance that might cause trouble. You know, some silly infatuation that may jeopardize your careers.” Hardy smiled at Evaleen, and I knew without even turning that Evaleen was glaring at her.

“There was no office romance. Was there, Edgar?” I could hear her teeth grind as Evaleen used my name.

I knew Evaleen was embarrassed about that time. One of those mistakes only liberal amounts of alcohol and a Friday night could create. I wasn’t surprised when the morning came and she wasn’t there. Or that she avoided me after that.

“No, there wasn’t. Just that one night. Not that much happened that night anyway. Nothing that could be labeled an office romance.” I half laughed and half blew air out of my lips trying to give the appearance that it was no big deal. Back up Evaleen. Make the detectives think I didn’t have feelings for her.

Obviously, I was lying.

“Okay, so nothing happened after that night? Nothing that would involve a jealous lover or someone at your job to take notice?” Mackeson finally broke his gaze from us to glance back at his paperwork.

“Yes. Nothing happened.” Evaleen practically pleaded as if her life depended on it.

I turned to gaze at the buildings across Michigan Avenue to distract myself. She regretted that night, I got it. But there wasn’t any need to act like being mistaken for having a fling with me was the worst thing since sardine pie.

I’m not that much of a man-whore. In fact, I haven’t been with a woman in a long while.

“So, you want us to believe that you aren’t attracted to each other?” I turned back to see Hardy moving her finger, pointing at us.

“Oh, why is that so hard to believe, detectives? You may hump like rabbits down at the station, but at Mimir we expect our employees to be focused on work and not each other.” Evaleen pointed back.

The way everyone was pointing at each other I wondered if a pointing battle would begin. Sort of like a break dance battle, but with fingers instead of dance moves.

“Hey.” Mackeson wrinkled his brow and pointed at Evaleen.

Yup, a good ol’ fashioned pointing fight.

Evaleen raised her hands in surrender, losing the battle. “I’m sorry, detectives. I am sure you are professional. It is just hard to be accused of something that isn’t true.”

The detectives glanced at each other and nodded before turning to me.

“And you aren’t attracted to Ms. Bechmann, is that right?”

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