Page 9 of Rider Forbidden
“Excuse me.” She barely croaks out and turns on her heels and leaves.
I turn around to look at Harry, he's looking at me gobsmacked. What a hash up I've just made of that. And it was Robyn. She didn't seem like a stuck-up rich bitch on Saturday, she seemed down to earth. Nice. She said she’d just moved here and was nervous about starting a job on Monday. If the ground could open up and swallow me God that would be great. I deserve to go to hell for that.
I start into action and go after her. I see her at the other end of the corridor, going towards the ladies.
“Robyn!”
She falters in her step but keeps going.
“Hey . . . wait.” I catch her up and grab her elbow.
She shrugs my arm off and turns to me, she has tears in her eyes. “You seemed so much nicer on Saturday.”
God, that punches me in the gut. “Hey, I'm sorry - you weren't supposed to hear that. I didn't know it was going to be you.”
“That makes it OK does it?”
“No, of course it doesn't, but those things I said . . . they were awful . . . I shouldn't have said them, I'm sorry.”
She shakes her head. “I don't care about the things you said. They say more about you than they do about me.”
“How do you mean?”
“You know nothing about me. You didn't even know it was going to be me, you thought it was someone you'd never met. What you just said to that guy tells me that you have an issue with money, with authority and being told you can't shag someone. Nice.”
What the fuck does she know about anything? One sentence and she thinks she knows me? She knows nothing.
“Fine, whatever - I'm sorry OK? Come back in and I’ll introduce you to Harry. We’ll start over.”
She nods, but the light - the kindness in her eyes that was there on Saturday - has gone. “Give me a minute, I just want to go to the bathroom.”
“OK.” I turn and walk back to Harry. Well, can today get any fucking worse?
ChapterFive
Robyn
I look in the bathroom mirror trying to compose myself. What just happened? This has to be the worst start to a job ever. I'm mad at Dad for a start. The things I know about this job I can count on one hand. Wait a minute, one finger. Turn up after school he said, and that was it. I know nothing about Superbike racing. I could have been researching it . . . researching him, Jack Cutler, Superbike racer and Dad’s new investment.
Dad runs a successful investment company. He has his finger in a few pies. He has people running different branches, but this particular one has a lot of money invested in it. A risk. Dad doesn't like risks; this is really unlike him. Jack must be good; he must have seen something in him. Well, all I've seen so far is what an arsehole he is. Is that guy out there really the guy I met on Saturday night that helped me out? It's like they're two different guys. Christ Robyn, your radar for arseholes is still attracting them. I'm so naive, I thought he was a nice guy, was even hoping I might run into him again. He was so good looking and charming. Well . . . look how that turned out.
I take a deep breath, sort myself out. I smooth down my white shirt and make sure it’s tucked into my black fitted trousers. My hair is up with minimal makeup. I'm going to have to go back out there and its quite apparent that I’m going to have to grow a thicker skin. This job isn't going to be much fun. I don't know what Dad was thinking sending me here - he's either thinking he's doing me a favour because he's glad I'm back - or punishing me for leaving them for four years with my grandchild. I'm leaning towards the latter at the moment.
I want to be at home playing with Elijah. He was so good going into school this morning. I wish I found things as easy as he does. He was so excited. Right . . . I just have to get through the next few hours of being explained everything to me like a schoolgirl, I can research my butt off tonight when Elijah goes to bed. Know more tomorrow. Just survive today.
I turn around and head back out. I just can't wait to know all about Jack Cutler . . . not.
I walk back to the cafe where I went originally, he and the other guy are sat down talking. It looks like Jack has gotten a drink and there’s a spare one on the table.
I walk over to them and smile at the older guy.
Jack looks up. “Hey, sit down, I’ll introduce you.” He points to the coffee, “Decaf Cappuccino, right?”
I hate that he knows my coffee. “Yes, thanks.” I sit down.
The older guy holds his hand out for me to shake. “I'm Harry, I'm Jacks manager, unfortunately for me.” He smiles at me kindly. He looks like a nice guy. “Sorry about earlier. Our Jack can let his mouth run away with him.”
Jack frowns at him and looks down at his drink. It's blatantly obvious it's killing him keeping his mouth shut.
