Page 27 of Waiting for Acceptance
“I can’t believe they didn’t just tell us.” My head snaps over to look at him. “Why didn’t they?”
“That’s a question you’d have to ask them yourself. I go where I’m told and operate under the rules set for me. One of them being: don’t tell anyone who I work for, and don’t mention the takeover.”
“Rule breaker,” I snicker, taking another bite of my taco.
“Technically, I didn’t break those rules. You only found out because you heard a private phone conversation.” I throw a salsa packet at him and he looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“That was onspeakerphonewhile your office door was wide open. Don’t make it sound like I was eavesdropping on your private conversations.” He laughs, and I find myself doing the same.
The car grows quiet and I find my cheeks heating under his stare. The street lights illuminate the vehicle just enough to see his features soften, and I catch myself wanting to lean across the console to touch him. To run my fingers along his sharp jaw, or through his hair. Dangerous territory for a girl who was told she was simply adecentexperience to the guy she’s beginning to react to in a not-so-negative way.
I clear my throat and take another drink of water, trying to get my thoughts together and remember why he is the last person on earth I should be attracted to.
“Okay. So you’re not a mole, you’re just doing your job, and you’renotscrewing Jack and Barbara over. That still only gets you about two percent lower on my shit list.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “That’s fair, I guess.”
“Take me back to my car now.” I turn around, facing completely out the front window.
“Not yet.” I raise a brow at him. “I need to know you’re not going to tell anyone else about the acquisition. Or who I really am.”
“Telling anyone else would only hurt the people I care about, I would never do that.” He nods his understanding.
“I still can’t believe I didn’t figure it out. You literally go byFitz,” I scold myself aloud, hearing a surprising grunt come from the driver seat. “What’s your real name, anyway?” His jaw hardens and he tosses his trash in the bag, putting his seat belt on before shifting into drive.
“Buckle up.” I do as he says, simply because I don’t get the idea he’s going to wait for me by the way he’s peeling out of the parking lot.
“I mean, surely your parents didn’t name youFitz Fitzgerald,that just seems redundant…and kind of mean.” I begin eating my potatoes and watch as his gaze becomes more distant the further we drive.
“My name is really none of your concern, Sweetheart.” The condescending tone is back in his voice, and I shake my head in disbelief. Every time I think there’s some shred of decency in this man, he is so quick to prove me wrong. We pull back into the lot at Coleson and he parks a space down from my car. I look over at him, but he’s staring out the front windshield, features now turned to stone and I have the urge to ask him what the fuck is wrong with him. But instead, I take a deep breath, drop my trash into the paper bag on the floorboard, and get out of the car—leaving the passenger side door wide open. I get into my car, start the engine, and look over to see him shaking his head at me. Then I flip him off and pull out of the lot. I can almost hear him calling me a brat just by the look on his face and you know what—maybe I am.
What can I say, he just brings the brattiness out of me I guess.
CHAPTER 15
FITZ
Man, I missed home. Being in my own bed again almost makes me never want to go back to Nashville. Though I know after a month of networking here I’ll be on a plane right back there.
Making sure Lauren wouldn’t ruin things for the Colesons was the last thing on my to-do list before I could pack my bags and be on the next flight out. Even though something as simple as being in my car with her in an empty parking lot made me second guess my desire to leave at all.
I can’t figure her out and I like it. She isn’t like the women I’m used to being around who have absolutely no mystery to them. Fakeness sure. I’ve seen enough of that to last a few lifetimes. But mystery? Not so much. She is confident and capable in her work but still lights up when she gets validation from others. She is painfully beautiful but her smile often acts as a mask, and while she is always doing everything for everyone else, I’ve seen behind the curtain when everything isn’t just right with her own life. She’s as strong as a hurricane and I would gladly put myself in her path of destruction just to uncover the real her.
Unfortunately, I am well aware I’m the farthest thing from what she needs in her life. More complications, smoke screens,and facades that I would never want to drag another person into. I’m a walking contradiction. Which is why I have no intentions of finding a wife like my parents have not so secretly hinted at the last two times I’ve seen them.
I drop my duffle bag onto the floor and fall onto my couch just as my phone begins ringing. I let out a groan but it dies as soon as I see the name flashing across the screen. I smile so big it physically hurts my face but that won’t stop me.
“Well, if it isn’t the most beautiful woman I know.”
“Oh, hush you. What if your momma heard you saying that? She’d probably start planning a wedding right away thinking you were talking to some model or something.”
“Well, Gran. She’ll just have to let that dream die with her, and you’re a million times prettier than all the models I know. Lot nicer, too.” I hear her cackle as she shuffles around.
“How are you, sweet boy? You’re not working too hard, are you?” I exhale and feel the weight of my life ease from my chest.
“Always. You know that.” She clicks her tongue and I can almost see her shaking her head. I close my eyes and imagine her working around her kitchen getting everything ready for dinner while Pops tries to slow her down by turning the music up and dancing with her.
“Well, I know you’ll take care of yourself so I won’t mention how much I hate you working in that big city that never sleeps.” I laugh at the way she still slips in her concerns after saying she won’t.
