Page 55 of Two Sticky Nuts

He nods but still doesn’t look at me. I turn to head toward my car.

“Mila,” he says once I’m almost to the driver’s-side door. “It’s really a shame you couldn’t trust me. I was beginning to like you.”

Ouch again.I look down at the ground and inhale slowly before meeting his gaze across the lawn. “I liked you, too. Still do.”

I get in my car, knowing this mess is all my fault. If I hadn’t been so quick to assume that Logan was just another of life’s little sticky turns, I might’ve behaved like a rational adult instead of the Turninator.

I’m about to pull away when I notice Logan staring from the corner of my eye. I’m hoping he’s looking at me without total contempt. I slowly turn my head to find him breathing fire in my general direction.

Just my luck, he turns out to be real, and now he loathes me.

“Why are you dressed like that? And where the hell have you been?” Dick barks the moment I enter the office two hours late.

“Actually, I’m not staying, Dick.” I zip past him, beelining for my desk.

“What do you mean?” he asks, trailing behind me. “I have five clients coming in to sign their lease contracts.”

I know, but I had a change of heart. I owe Logan more than just a few hours of my morning. That is, if I’m ever going to get him to forgive me.

I grab a few things from my cubicle, piling them into my canvas purse. Laptop charger, notebook, and some phone numbers I have jotted on a sticky note. This way I can work from home as needed while I’m dealing with this disaster.

“Mila…” Dick growls. “You can’t run off because you have other things to do. You have responsibilities here.”

“Which is exactly why I came in instead of leaving you to fend for yourself.” I grab a stack of folders from my locked filing cabinet. “Here are the contracts needing to be signed. There are little plastic arrows to indicate where.” I shove the files in Dick’s big belly.

He clutches them reluctantly. “You’re serious. You’re actually leaving.” He arches a furry brow.

“Yep. Family emergency.” It’s not my family, but I didn’t say that it was, so technically not a lie.

“You could’ve called,” Dick throws back with contempt.

“I did. I left you two messages, which I’m sure you ignored, Dick.” Once I got to Skippy’s, I’d already made up my mind; I needed to get my ass in gear and help Logan. Even if he hates me now, I owe him. I blew up his deal with Chef M. Jean. Now Carter is missing, and his mother’s care is in limbo.

“I have important things to deal with today, Mila. I’m sorry, but you’ll need to stay,” Dick says firmly, while others in the office keep peeking at us from their cubicles. Kind of looks like prairie dogs gathering.

“Or what?” I ask.

“Or-or—” Dick’s mouth flaps. “Or you’re fired.”

I tilt my head, staring into his chalky gray eyes. “Okay. You win. I’ll stay.”

“Good.” He lifts his chin triumphantly.

“But then I’ll have to get online later and tell the world how my boss only allowed me to take two weeks off over the past three years, makes me do his job but only pays me for mine, and even though I’ve never called in sick, he’s denying me time off for an emergency. All because he’s addicted to golf. I’m sure you’ll have incredible luck replacing me when candidates look you up and find my list of complaints.”

“You-you can’t blackmail me, Mila. I won’t put up with it. I’ll-I’ll sue you.” He points an angry finger in my face.

I take a deep breath. I don’t know why I’m even still working here. Okay, fine. Money. I work because I need money, like most people. But with my qualifications, I can get a job somewhere else at the drop of a hat. I’m constantly getting emails from recruiters, not to mention our clients often tell me to give them a ring if I ever find myself available. Sure, the smart thing to do would be wait until I have something else lined up, but maybe that’s my problem. I don’t ever go for “something else” because I overthink everything and talk myself out of change.

Always looking for reasons to say no instead of yes,just like Sofie said. I don’t want to be unemployed, but ya know what? I don’t want to be employed here, either. Not anymore. Plus, my insurance check is coming. I can use the funds to tide me over.

I look Dick in the eyes. “I changed my mind. I’m not staying. So you can fire me.”

“You—you—I’m not falling for that. You’ll claim I terminated you unfairly. If you want to leave, you quit.”

I shrug. “Okay. I quit, Dick. Because you’re a dick. For real. And yes, I’ve always wanted to say that. Dick, dick, dick. You’re a horrible, flaccid, useless organ. No, wait. That’s an insult to the penises of the world. You’re anasshole, Dick. And I don’t mean a nice, clean pink one, like I have. You’re, like, an old, crusty, smelly shit hole that no amount of soap can wash clean.”

He frowns. “That’s not very nice, speaking of a man’s holes. Don’t see me talking like that.”

---