Page 41 of Resting Grump Face
It’s not like I am jealous of Sienna flirting with other people. She can flirt with whomever she wants. Obviously. But we are here for a reason and that reason is not charismatic men, or annoyingly brilliant smiles, or having a good time. Besides, she is on the clock right now and I need to figure out a way for this to be torture for her. I have an objective after all.
Sienna wiggles her arms through the sleeves of my jacket and continues to detect cigarette butts like a nicotine addicted bloodhound. A few minutes later, she’s engaged in a grabber-sword-duel with a medieval knight. It’s actually sort of cute. When we got here, she was a little perplexed, but now she fits right in.
A squeal lets me know she has found another piece of garbage next to a tree stump. I observe as she clumsily drops the trash twice before finally placing it in the bag. Her nose is so red by now, even Rudolph would be jealous.
“We should probably head back,” I say and reach for the grabber.
Her hand slaps mine, and her nose and brows do that scrunchy thing they do when she gets irritated. “Have we picked up all the trash yet?” she asks rhetorically, shakes her head, and hops off towards the pond.
“You’re gonna get sick,” I shout after her, “and I will not pay you when you can’t come into work.”
She shrugs and, with a smile on her face, clicks the grabber into the air in response.
Yeah, she’s definitely enjoying herself now. She’s having fun. That’s really not what I had in mind. I need to come up with a proper plan for how to handle this situation.
I watch her skip through the meadow. She really is deceptively cute. Emphasis on deceptive.
What would be the best way to get back at her?
What would she hate the most?
A poke to my chest with the grabber interrupts my thoughts. She scowls my way as she waits for me to open the bag.
That’s it!
Me!
She hates me the most.
A smile spreads over my face, which elicits another scrunched up nose from Sienna.
“Weirdo,” she mutters and quickly hops off again.
There’s absolutely nothing she would hate more than… spending a lot of time with me.
Yes, she would loath that.
I get the sudden urge to rub my fingers together while laughing like a cartoon villain.
Yes, you just wait.
I will force you to listen to me read boring business proposals out loud for hours.
I will make you sit through the dullest of dinners with me.
I might even make you?—
Another poke to my chest puts a swift stop to my daydreams. She discards of a dirty candy wrapper, her nose still glowing.
“We’ll go to the pier and then back, alright?” I grumble more than anything in an attempt to be taken seriously. Naturally, Sienna ignores me and continues skipping through the park.
In my pocket, my phone vibrates not for the first time today. I have 13 missed calls and a few new messages from Barb.
Mr. Grayson, reminder for your phone conference at 2:30 PM.
Mr. Grayson, Mr. Cyrus and your brother have been asking for you.
Mr. Grayson, you missed your lunch meeting and the phone conference after and I can’t get a hold of Miles. Are you alright? Beginning to worry.
