Page 30 of A Grinchmas Delight

“It was nothing,” she brushes Xena’s comment off but I can see the dire need to spill whatever secret it is that she wants the world to know. She glances around the room and then leans in closer over the table.

“I spent Saturday night with Zane Moore!” she whisper-squeals. My stomach churns. A huge knot is forming. I want to throw up. I want to punch the wall. Wow. How fucking stupid am I to believe that I was the only one he was sleeping with at the office? The room around me spins and I grip the table to try and steady myself. This cannot be real life. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t texted me and why he didn’t show up here today.

“What?” I ask incredulously.

“It’s true! We were at the same little bar out in the sticks and he hit on me and took me home. We went back to my place and slept together. And he told me that I’m totally getting the promotion. Sorry, Dayra.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“Because I’m going to get the position that you’re applying for too.”

I sit there in disbelief, listening to her ramble on and on about her night with Zane and how great he was in bed and how she has no problem sleeping her way to the top. I finally can’t sit through it any longer. I get up from the table and walk away without another word.

It’s funny how this weekend I wasn’t sure that I wanted him and now even if I did, I sure as fuck don’t anymore. It’s easy to see I was just another notch in his bedpost. How fucking stupidof me. I mean, what did I expect? It isn’t like we were together. We were just sleeping together. We slept together. That’s it.

I didn’t want to be with him anyway. So what difference does it make if he’s fucking Jade? I’ll be damned if she gets that promotion just because she had sex with him though. I storm into my office and lock the door behind me, tears streaming hot down my face as I sit down at my desk and finish filling out my application for the promotion. Fuck her. And fuck him.

I’ll be damned if I sit idly by and watch as she quite literally fucks me out of this promotion. If she gets it, I’m leaving. I have enough experience now and Mark would vouch for me no matter where I chose to go. My anger and overwhelming emotions get the best of me and I grab my phone and shoot a text to Zane.

Dayra: Didn’t take you long to decide not to wait for me.

I set my phone down and lock it. It takes a solid ten seconds for it to ding. My heart is hammering in my chest and I don’t even know if I want to open it.

Zane: What the fuck are you talking about?

I type out a response.

Dayra: Jade. That’s what the fuck I’m talking about.

I rest my face in my hands and open Zane’s contact. I debate for a moment and then I block him. I don’t want to hear any of his bullshit excuses. There’s nothing he can say. I send an email to Mark asking if I can take my holiday early since all of my work is done. He approves it immediately and I grab my purse, heading to my car.

I go out the front, not wanting to chance running into Zane coming in through the stairwell. I do a quick scan of the parking lot and when I see his truck is still not here, I get in my car and head home. I pack a bag and grab Reese Piecie and head to Aunt Cindy and Uncle Ken’s. The one place he can’t find me. I don’t want him showing up at my house. I’m just done.

CHAPTER TEN

ZANE

My heart isin my throat as I watch the message I just typed out to Dayra not go through. What the hell is happening? I feel like I just got sucker punched in the gut by a random stranger for no reason at all. Jade? What the hell does she have to do with anything? I watch the message not deliver and dial Dayra’s number. Nothing. She fucking blocked me? I don’t know if I’m more hurt or angry.

The air outside is cold and when the wind blows, it’s sharp on my skin. I’m standing in the parking lot of Scotty’s. Instead of going into the office today, I worked at home for a few hours this morning and had a meeting with AJ to pick up Dayra’s Christmas gift. I compose myself the best that I can before I go back inside.

“Sorry about that. There was an issue at work. Let me get you another beer,” I say to AJ, sitting down at the bar next to him. His white button up shirt is dingy, stained a light yellow. Likely from all the time he spends inside of this place.

“Ah, it’s no problem. I was going to be here regardless, having a beer.”

I wave the bartender over and she serves him a beer. I close out my tab and thank AJ for the beautiful piece of woodwork andsay goodbye. My chest is filled with a panic as I get in my truck and head toward Dayra’s. She’s going to talk to me. I didn’t do anything and I need her to know that.

Dayra’s house is empty. I knock on the door and don’t even hear her little dog bark.

“Fuck!” I slam my fist on her front door.

I get back in my truck and head toward the office. If Dayra won’t talk to me, someone is going to tell me what the fuck happened. And Jade is the one who’s going to fill me in. I arrive at the office and realize it’s the last day before Christmas break. Fucking hell. No one is here. I flip through the contacts in my phone in search of Jade’s number.

I realize that I don’t have her number saved in my phone. Of course I don’t. I have no need for it. I find Mark’s name and dial him instead.

“Hello?”

“Hey, can you send me Jade’s number? I don’t seem to have it stored in my contacts.”

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