Page 84 of Unbossly Manners

I crossed my arms, then flinched when I hit the IV.

“I hadn’t realized he’d noticed.”

Outside the window, a family of deer walked across the edge of the woods at the far end of the property. We watched them until they disappeared into the brush.

“I don’t think he meant you,” Nellie said.

“He did. And he was right. That’s why I drank last night. I was scared my feelings would be obvious once Kat arrived. I didn’t want him to see it. It’s too embarrassing.”

“It’s perfectly normal to like someone.” Nellie moved to the chair across from me. He had a kind face and his demeanor was calm and trusting. I’m sure his years of working as a firefighter made him this way.

“And it’s perfectly normal to be embarrassed when that person tramples over your heart running back to their ex,” I shot back, hating the bitterness in my voice.

“This thing with Kat won’t last. I’m not even sure he wants it to. He’s just holding on to the wisps of something he used to love.”

Car tires crunched over the dirt driveway.

“Jackson’s confused.” Nellie leaned forward and looked out the front windows. “He doesn’t like chaos and instability. He’s a lawyer. He likes order and reason. But there’s no reasoning with love. Or—” The car doors opened and shut followed by footfalls on the steps to the porch. “—a stubborn woman.”

I didn’t know if he meant Kat or me. I craned my neck. Jackson and Kat walked toward the front door in hiking gear. Their imminent arrival sent me scurrying into the study at the back of the house, the IV bag cradled in my arm. Because, of course, this beautiful vacation home had a grand study and I was going to take full advantage of it…

And hide.

Thirty minutes later Nellie found me and detached the bag and quietly left. His plaintive look told me everything I needed to know. I scoured my work emails searching for any issues that had arisen over the past two months, then I moved on to WorkHub and read through the conversations I’d had with different colleagues.

Busy. That’s what I needed, busy work. Anything to keep me from watching Jackson all cheerful and happy, canoodling with Kat. Barf.

I created an excel file listing down the strange stuff that had been happening in the office and separated it by employee and date. There didn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason for any of it. I couldn’t discern a pattern, no one employee seemed to be targeted more than the others.

But something, even if minor, had happened to each one of us. Brody was the only one who didn’t have anything next to his name. He was new to the company and an intern without much responsibility. I made a note of it, but I wasn’t convinced he’d want to disrupt a company he was eager to become a full-time employee of.

I sent the document to Jackson, and snuck out a side door for a walk. At the end of the driveway, I took a right and walked against the traffic up the country road. The air was fresh, rolling hills gave way to wide open fields, with dense woods in the distance. About half a mile up the road, I came upon a trailhead.

I turned onto it and began the climb. The incline steepened, and sweat dripped down my back. My thighs ached and my calves stung, but I pushed until I made it to the top.

My throat was dry and my stomach growled, and I regretted not bringing water or trail mix, but it had been invigorating and for the first time since my hike with Jackson, my chest hummed peacefully.

It was okay. Things would be okay. I’d been happy before Jackson, and I’d be happy afterward. He’d go back with Kat or not and we’d go back to being acquaintances at work, our little agreement a blip in the past.

The sun was low in the sky, and I reached for my phone to take a picture of the golden rays, but the pocket was empty. I’d left the phone back at the cabin. I checked my vintage Swatch watch I took from my mom’s old jewelry box. I’d been out for over an hour. Getting lost in the hills with bears and hunters was not ideal.

I booked it down the mountain, but I missed one of the turns and when I emerged onto the road, I didn’t recognize my surroundings. I surmised if I followed the road south it should lead back to the house. That was the hope.

The sun tucked behind the trees but there was still plenty of light. I’d now been gone almost three hours. The hike down had taken longer, probably because I’d taken a wrong turn somewhere.

In the distance, a car approached. I waved my arms, hoping it was a kind local, willing to help an idiot tourist. The car screeched to a stop, gravel kicking up behind the wheels. Jackson stepped out, slamming the door behind him.

“What the hell, Peyton.” His voice was tense but his face was covered in relief. “We’ve been looking for you for hours. You didn’t answer your phone. You told Selena you’d be gone twenty minutes.”

He pulled me to his chest in a hug. Then released me roughly.

“What the hell were you thinking?” He threw his hands up.

“I wanted to take a walk so I did,” I huffed out.

“You can’t just disappear like that. You were missing for hours with no response.” He yanked the passenger door open, waiting for me. “That was dangerous. And stupid.”

I plopped into the seat. He slammed the door and took his place behind the wheel.

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