Jayded (8 page)

I pour my coffee while watching the two of them laughing through my peripheral vision. It looks to me that Beth is trying to get into Max
’
s good graces for some reason or another. Just yesterday, Beth was sizing her up, and now she is trying to be all buddy-buddy with her. What is she trying to accomplish?

I walk over to the two of them, chuckling like hyenas.
“
Good morning, Beth,
”
I greet her without so much as looking at her.
“
Max, are you ready to get going? The meeting should be starting any minute
—”

She says goodbye to Beth and joins me out the door.

“
Wow, you two looked like you were hitting it off,
”
I comment, expecting an answer.

“
Yes, girl talk. A good pair of shoes can get any two girls talking in no time,
”
she jokes.

I like this side of her. When she
’
s not concentrating on her every word and rehearsing everything she wants to say in her head before she says it, she radiates a warm invitation to hear the real her. I wonder if she even realizes she does this or if it
’
s just a habit she
’
s turned into a trait. I think the only time I
’
ve had to rehearse what I was going to say was when I was high on the ganja during my younger years. Other than that, I
’
ve mastered just letting it flow. Sometimes my words flow too fluently without thinking, which never seems to work in my favor.

“
Yes, those are some killer shoes,
”
I joke back.

She smiles but looks away.
“
Thank you.
”

We stop into her office first to grab her laptop, and then we head over to the conference room. Everyone is just filing in. Junior, of course, is already sitting next to my father at the head of the table. I get left sitting five seats down and jealousy kicks in, but when Max takes the seat next to me, all aggravation is gone. My brother can keep his seat as long as it means breathing in this intoxicating aroma of hers all day long.

By the time the meeting is breaking, it
’
s already lunchtime. My father takes Max out to lunch, along with my mother and Jonathan. Every nerve in my body is screaming to invite myself along, but I stop myself. I know it
’
s just business, and the last thing I want to do is put my parents on alert.

I head out with Jeff to grab something to eat. I haven
’
t spoken with him since he left the bar, and I need to talk with someone about Beth
’
s crazy activity last night.

W
e get to Wise Guys and order some burgers. I didn
’
t realize how starving I was until I stepped in and smelled that delicious smell.

We take a seat with our drinks.

“
Dude, I have to tell you about last night!
”
I say.
“
This chick is
crazy
!
”

“
Wait, you mean Beth?
”

“
Yeah, man.
”

Jeff leans in closer.
“
When I left, you guys were lip-locked. How can that possibly turn out bad?
”

I shake my head and sip my pop.
“
Max walked out and saw us. After that, I realized I was messing up and told Beth to go home.
”

“
Dude
—”

“
Yeah, man. I know. What was I thinking sending her home, huh?
”

Our number comes up, and I grab the tray. We both take some huge bites of double-loaded burgers, and I continue.

“
I pulled up to my apartment, and she showed up right after. She was crying and begging, asking why I did this and why I did that,
”
I say with a loud sigh.

“
Bro, you said she was a stage-five clinger. I can
’
t stand chicks like that.
”

“
I haven
’
t even told you the best part
—
when I told her it was over, she told me it wasn
’
t and drove off like a madwoman.
”

Jeff throws his hands up and busts out laughing.
“
Aww man! You are in some trouble! You must have gave it to her real good. I should just call you Magic Mike from now on!
”
he laughs, cracking himself up. I
’
m not laughing.
“
Okay, okay, sorry bro! I shouldn
’
t be laughing. This is some serious shit. What are you going to do?
”
he asks.

I lean my elbows on the table and put my head in my hands.
“
I don
’
t know, man. I have no idea.
”

“
Just tell the boss-woman. She
’
ll can her butt and voila
—
problem over with!
”

“
Believe me, I
’
ve already thought of that. But it doesn
’
t sit well with me. She
’
s got bills to pay, too. I don
’
t want that hanging over my conscience,
”
I tell him.

We
’
re finished, and we pack up to leave. Jeff pats me on the back on the way out to the car.
“
I wouldn
’
t worry about it. She
’
ll get the hint eventually. Let me know if you need anything or need me to come cuddle with you.
”

I catch his arm with my fist as he tries to run off.
“
Real funny, fuckface!
”

This kid kills me. There
’
s never a dull moment with him.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Max

Lunch was all business. Not what I really wanted after a morning full of work, but it was still enjoyable. I think Greg and Connie are going to be great partners. We went over all my concerns this morning and the things I need added or want changed in the policies. I went over all the concerns my clients have, too, and I think they
’
re going to be happy with the results.

Compromise most definitely came into play. I had to choose my battles, and I
’
m happy with the ones I chose. This decision was a hard one, but this morning
’
s meeting is making it much easier to accept. Let
’
s just hope the rest of the week plays out as good. I may be hitting the goldmine here.

I stroll back in the office, waving to Elise as she buzzes me in. I have no choice but to pass Kyle
’
s desk on the way to my office. Jeff is hanging over Kyle
’
s cubicle wall, and when I pass by, their conversation quiets. I wave to say hello and continue walking.

That wasn
’
t awkward, now was it? There
’
s only one reason they would have quieted down when I walked by, and that
’
s because their conversation was about me. I can
’
t believe I even give a damn, but there
’
s just something about Kyle that makes me care. Maybe I should just fuck him and get it over with. Maybe it
’
s just sexual tension, and if we can get that out of the way, I can get him off my mind.

I hear a knock at the door, and when I look up this time, it
’
s Junior.

“
Hi Junior, what can I do for you?
”

He looks around and then quietly closes the door. I begin to feel a little unsettled. This has to be something major if he needs to close the door. We barely know each other, so I
’
m preparing myself for anything.

“
Please, have a seat,
”
I ask, pointing to the chair in front of my desk.

I wait for him to speak.
“
Maxine, I know that maybe this isn
’
t my place, but I
’
m going to say it anyway because he is my brother. I see the way he looks at you, and I know what comes next. He
’
s not ready for commitment, and he
’
s definitely not ready for someone like you.
”

My brows furrow.
“
Someone like me?
”
I ask, a little confused.

“
Yes. A beautiful, knowledgeable, all-around catch. Regardless, you
’
re taking a big step in your career, and I don
’
t want to see it ruined because of my brother. So, I know you may have never considered him as anything more than a coworker, but I
’
m just giving you a heads up anyway. I know my brother, and I know he will make a move on you,
”
he says.

I sit for a moment, soaking in what he has said, and I
’
m really not sure how to respond.
“
Junior, I really appreciate the warning, but I can assure you the only relationship your brother and I will have is that of coworkers. Nothing more, nothing less.
”

He nods his head, taking in my response. He smiles and stands, but before he exits my office, he asks that the conversation remain within these walls. I agree, and he leaves. That was not the kind of discussion I was expecting. 

I can
’
t move. I keep replaying the conversation in my head, trying to see if maybe I misunderstood him. Maybe I
’
m going crazy and this conversation didn
’
t even happen. But it did, and trying to believe it didn
’
t isn
’
t going to change anything.

I just can
’
t help but feel his brother is wrong about him. Something tells me his brother doesn
’
t really know him at all. Kyle
’
s allowed to have fun, allowed to be a player. He
’
s twenty-four, for God
’
s sake. If it
’
s anyone
’
s problem, it should be the girls who get involved with him. They
’
ve got to know at least a little of what they
’
re getting into. I bet they just decide not to look or listen to the signs.

CHAPTER NINE

Kyle

"Man, did you see that ass on her? Holy cow, man!
”
Jeff remarks as he follows her with his eyes and bites his pointer finger.

I slap the finger out of his mouth.
“
Dude, she
’
s gonna hear you!
”
I screech quietly.

“
The only thing I
’
m going to say is
—
Beth who?
”
he says. I crack up. He
’
s killing me.

“
Later, man.
”
I wave him off.

I get out of my seat to head to the kitchen for a drink. I have a perfect view of Max
’
s office door. At the moment, it
’
s closed, which seems a little strange. Usually if something important needs to be discussed, it
’
s either handled in my dad
’
s office or the conference room. Before I turn the corner to the kitchen, I catch a glimpse of Junior leaving her office. I halt dead in my tracks. I
’
m gonna freaking
kill
him! I know
exactly
what he
’
s up to. He
’
s such a little bitch! I can
’
t believe he is doing this to me again!

I turn around and storm right into his office, almost slamming the door shut behind me. It
’
s a good thing his office is the last one down the hall. Only a handful of people are able to view it.