Page 16 of Knocked Up By the Silver Fox

"I just wanted to hear your voice…" I sighed. "Hey, I'm coming back to town tonight. Would you like to have dinner with me?" After a few awkward days of working together and flirty banter, then not really discussing what happened in my office, and then a week away, I knew there was still a lot up in the air. I'd let my imagination of me and Beth pursuing something more get into my head.

"Uh, Will…" She sounded cautious and hesitant. "I just think we should talk about things. I mean…" My gut told me something had happened to make her feel this hesitation, but I didn't want her to think I was being overly dramatic by asking.

"Alright, how about you join me for dinner and we'll talk. I know it's been coming. And I'm sure you have doubts. I know I do—not about you, just…other things." Things like my daughter's reaction and the board's control over my life and career.

"Alright…" Beth sighed and I heard her take a deep breath. "I'd love to have dinner with you. What should I wear?"

My day was complete. Knowing I'd be jetting back to New York to have dinner with the woman who had captivated my mind and soul put the entire day's events out of my mind. I told her to dress casually, and I hoped we could just grab a burger and talk. Maybe it would help put her mind at ease that I could and would protect her from as much as I could. Whether her coworkers made a fuss about this was left to be seen, but any relationship faced challenges. We just had to decide which ones were worth addressing.

11

BETH

It was warmer than normal for a fall day, and Jill asked me to join the other senior analysts for lunch. It felt odd, considering I'd been spending most of my lunches since taking this job at my desk working while snacking. I'd had the job almost a full month and felt like I was settling into the routine, but she insisted we needed more cohesion as a team.

I ate my pasta and breadsticks but mostly abstained from the conversation. It seemed like every time I opened my mouth to say something one of the other analysts cut me off, talked over me, or contradicted what I said. It wasn't a very good feeling at all, and I saw the pained expressions Jill offered the team when it happened. None of them liked me much, and I couldn't tell if it was my age or the abruptness with which I'd been thrust upon them.

Jill seemed set on team building, but I felt like an outsider watching them all gel. When there was a lull in the conversation, I slipped out to use the bathroom, glad for the break from the tension. I knew my sudden promotion made some of the lower-ranking analysts jealous, but I didn't think I'd walk into hostile territory in the senior department. I knew Kevin wasn't fond ofme after that bold move on my first day, but the others weren't affected by that. Unless this treatment was because of the way Will's client asked me to audit their work.

I stepped into the bathrooms and relieved my bladder. I took a long time washing my hands, wasting time so when I got back to the table it was less time I had to sit around being ignored. And when I knew it would seem strange that I was gone so long, I decided to return. But on the way a short gentleman with a balding head stopped me.

"Excuse me, Ms. Reid?"

I paused to turn toward him with a glance in the direction of the table. I didn't know him or how he knew my name, but he at least wanted to speak to me. He didn't look familiar, but he dressed well, like a business professional.

"Hello, yes?" I glanced again in the direction of the table, but no one there looked up at me. They didn't seem to care that I was gone.

"Hello, my name is Nevil Banks," he said, holding out his hand. I shook it politely as he continued. "I run Banks Investments. I'm sure you've heard of it."

His hand was cold and his grip far too firm for shaking hands with a lady. I pulled my hand from his grasp and clenched it in my other hand. I hadn't heard of that firm, but it didn't surprise me. In New York alone there were over a thousand firms. How was I supposed to know the name of every one of them?

"Yes, sure." I smiled, lying through my teeth. I had no clue who he was. I got the internship at Caldwell right out of college when someone sent me an offer. I never even thought to look elsewhere after that.

"I've heard amazing things about you, Ms. Reid, and I don't think it's a coincidence that we ran into each other." He looked thoughtful for a moment and then rested his hand across his stomach. "What would you say if I asked you to come work formy firm?" He paused and I sucked in a breath to refuse his offer, but he held up a hand. "Before you answer, let me tell you…I'll make you a senior at my company with a path toward partnership. I bet Caldwell doesn't give you that hope…And I'll give you your salary plus 20 percent. And the benefits package can be discussed. I don't hesitate to reward talent."

I smiled politely and let out a controlled breath. "Thank you, Mr. Banks, for your very generous offer, but I'm quite happy at Caldwell." All I could think about was not seeing Will every day.

After the long discussion we had about having to keep things ultra professional and private, I wrestled with whether us having a secret relationship was good for my emotional health. But he was so sweet and kind to me, how could I turn him down? We spent the better part of this week not discussing our private lives, and I felt like maybe it was possible to pull it off.

I excused myself from Nevil's presence only to find my team standing and preparing to go back to the office. Jill cast a sympathetic look in my direction, and I knew she was going to come by my office to discuss what happened. She'd explain how they were inconsiderate and tell me we needed more team building exercises. I just wanted to focus on my job and do well.

The rest of the day sailed by, and I got myself buried in work so I didn't have to think about the awkward situation at work. I'd gotten two more emails from the same strange email account, threatening to go public with whatever illicit affair they thought I was having with Mr. Caldwell. I hadn't even heard gossip around the office about it though, so either people were really good at not talking about me when I was around, or no one was really saying this and the person sending these emails was just trying to scare me.

It was nearly 4 p.m. and I was collecting my stuff to head home when Will's secretary came out of Will's office and through mine without even the courtesy of knocking. She had a scowl onher face and her jacket draped over her arm. She walked right past me as I stood up, and when she got to the outer door, she turned over her shoulder and I swear she scoffed at me.

"Did you hear? The rails are down. They had a jumper on the yellow line. Better get comfy walking." She walked out of the office and let the door shut a little harder than she should have. I wasn't sure what her problem with me was, but she hadn't been very nice to me at all since my first day. I knew I'd taken her office, but I hadn't taken her job, and it wasn't even my choice. I'd have been happy in a cubicle.

I sighed as I pulled my phone out to check the app. The MTA said exactly what Sarah had said except they left out the part about the jumper. Not only was that insensitive to the family of the person, but it wasn't necessary to share it. The part that affected me was the fact that I had no ride home now. Uber wasn't even an option. To get anywhere in this city costs a fortune—at least ninety bucks during surge pricing with two tolls. And I didn't want to walk eighty blocks in heels and a skirt, even on a warm day like today.

I stared at my phone in frustration and defeat and Will walked out of his office into mine, probably surprised to see me still standing there. He had his briefcase in hand and his suit coat folded over his arm.

"Hey Beth, heading out?" His soft smile made me want to smile too, but I just couldn't force it. After the long day I had, the thought of walking eighty blocks to save money didn't sound fun. I felt defeated and tired, and it must've shown.

"Uh, yeah…" I sighed. Then I looked up at his face and thought about just asking for a ride. Will and I had this strange awkward connection happening. We went to dinner once and talked. We had sex in his office, but we also spent hours upon hours over the past few weeks texting, with a few phone calls scattered in. Here at work, no one would ever have knownsomething had happened between us, but I knew. I felt the pull toward him when I had a strong emotion—the urge to reach for my phone to talk to him.

"Something wrong?" he asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Oh, the trains are down. I don't feel like spending a fortune on Uber…" I shook my head and he chuckled.

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