Mine to Lose (15 page)

I am compelled to share this information
with Trey. As my client, he needs to know the reason I feel we need to pass on
the contract with Everette. He is happy to have the information, but again,
insists we meet to go over the other choices once more before making a final
decision.

“Can you meet on Friday?” he asks. “I get
back in town late afternoon.”

“I can’t. I have other obligations,” I
admit, referring to Lang’s visit. “Will Monday be okay?”

“Twenty minutes, thirty, tops. I just
want to go over them one more time.”

“I’m having dinner with my sister at six,
so you can meet me at the office before then. Will that work?”

“I’ll see you then,” he answers, before
hanging up.

“How was your visit with Lang and Reid?
What did ya think of him?”

I haven’t talked to Ryan since the middle
of the week. When he has free time, I’m swamped. When I have a moment, I can’t
get him to answer the phone. We’ve exchanged a few ‘I love you’ texts here and
there, but I have no idea what’s going on in his life or work. In the two weeks
since I’ve seen him, it feels like so much has changed.

“I really liked him, Ryan. I think you
would, too.”

“Have they set a date, yet?”

“Um, yeah, that's the thing, they’re
looking to do it in February.”

“What’s the rush?”

I roll my eyes, because I know he’s
asking if it’s a shotgun wedding, which it’s not. I mean, why wait? He and I
have been engaged for almost a year and our wedding is still over ten months
away. With all the planning that still needs to be done all we have to show for
it is a lot of frustration.

“She’s not pregnant,” I finally tell him.
“They just want to get married. They’re doing something at my aunt’s house.”

“Aunt Gertie is letting her do it in that
house?”

“It has charm, and it really suits those
two, trust me. I just spent the whole weekend with them, and Aunt Gertie’s place
is perfect,” I inform him.

The house is a large ranch house nestled
on the back acre of her four-acre property. It’s old and needs too many repairs
to list, but my aunt is set in her ways and insists there is nothing wrong with
it. She and my mom grew up in the house, and when my grandmother passed away
last year, Gertie kept it. Langley always said she wanted to get married
outside in the summer; it’s obvious she's foregoing that idea to do it sooner.

“Did she ask you to be maid of honor?”

“No, but she will,” I answer confidently.

“So, what did y’all do while they were
there?”

Loaded question.

How do you tell your fiancé that your
client met you at your office, as planned, but the meeting lasted longer than
you expected? So your sister and the guy she’s engaged to show up to get you
and end up meeting said client. Oh yeah, and the client hit it off with Reid,
and ended up joining us for dinner?

You downplay it.

“I had to meet with Mr. Miller Friday
afternoon, but it didn’t last too long. So I went to dinner with Reid and Lang
and then showed them around the town on Saturday, since neither one has been
here before. They said they want to come out next summer and try white water
rafting.”

 “Sounds like y’all had a good time.
I'm sorry I wasn't there.”

“Me, too.”

It seems like this is how more of our
conversations go these days. One of us misses something and apologizes, and the
other ignores it as no big deal. But it is a big deal. The talks are becoming
shorter and shorter until it feels like there is nothing left to talk about.

“What are you thinking about?”

“What?” I ask, stunned out of my inner
thoughts.

“You got quiet.” His tone is hushed. “You
always get really quiet when something is bothering you.”

“Nothing,” I lie, which seems to become
easier for me every time I do it.

“I know you're lying.” I can hear his
crooked smile through the phone.

“I’m thinking things feel off with us,
Ryan. Do you feel that way? I mean, we barely talk, and when we do, it seems
like we have a hard time connecting.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that, too. It’s
definitely easier when we’re in the same place.”

I exhale a breath before saying my next thought;
“It scares me, Ryan.”

He’s quiet while he takes it in. Ryan is
a thinker, not a reactor, so I know he’s trying to make sure his next words are
organized. “How did you feel when I was there?”

“I loved you being home. It felt right.
Complete.”

“So we just need to make sure we make the
most of our time together when we have it, right?”

“Yeah, but-”

“No, ‘buts’ okay? Do you still want
this?”

Shocked by his question, I answer with
all of my heart. “Of course I do.”

“Then it’s just going to be hard for a
while. But we can do it, right?” I hear doubt when he voices the question and
it rattles me. He’s my rock, and his doubt is pounding in my ears.

“Yes,” I whisper.

* * *

Elle decides to have a staff meeting
first thing this morning. In the time I’ve worked here, we have never had one,
although it’s my understanding it’s something that used to take place once a
week. The rumor is that she wants to start doing them again so the entire team
is aware of what’s going on.

“So, we’ve covered the weddings, and
everyone knows what they need to do. Emogen, how is everything coming on the
T.M. event?”

“We have secured the location, florist,
caterer, and by the end of the week, we will have the entertainment lined up.”

“What about the photographer?”

“He said that he doesn't want one, but I
have told him that this would be a great thank you gift to his guests when it's
over.”

“Have the invitations been mailed?”

“We should get those out next week, he
has a few more names to add.”

“Great. So how many do you need for the
night of?”

“I think we might just need two or three
more, aside from myself?”

“Okay, I’ll check the schedule and see
who’s available that night.” She starts thumbing through her calendar and looks
up at me again. “Why isn’t it on the schedule?”

I rifle through my file, trying to find
something to back me, but everything I have is in paper form. I thought I added
it to the company calendar, but if she’s not seeing it, then I have royally
screwed up.

“Can you give me a second?” I ask,
pushing my chair back.

“Wait…” She throws her hand up to halt my
departure. “Is this it on December sixth, under TME?”

I lower myself back into my chair,
relieved that it’s there. “Yes, that's it.”

“Alright.” She starts writing something
down. “Emogen, let’s meet next week, after you’ve taken care of these items, to
catch up and make sure things are on track. We’re about nine weeks out, and
this is when things will start getting a little haywire.”

Once she dismisses the team, I head to my
desk to see where things stand for the rest of the event. The photographer has
been the toughest thing to sell him; he just doesn’t see the need. But I keep
reminding him that the women will love it, and that’s what matters. I have a
few in mind that I think he would like, so that’s why I am meeting with him
today.

Trey
Miller
October 4, 2013 10:34 AM
To: Kane, Emogen
Subject: Photographer

I still don't think we need this for
the party. I've talked to several people that think it's not worth it. I'm
still on the fence. You’ll have to convince me.

Trey
T.M. Enterprises

Men are the last ones to appreciate the
value of photography, assuming disposable cameras are the way to go. But being
in this business, I know if you make the women happy, their partner will never
hear the end of it.

Emogen
Kane
October 4, 2013 10:42 AM
To: Miller, Trey
Re: Photographer

Would these “people” be men?

Emogen
Event Planner
Elle E. Grant Events

My cell phone buzzes and I assume that it’s
Ryan, until I see Trey’s name with a text:

Trey: Guys don’t like pictures

Me: Your point?

Trey: Unnecessary expense

Before I can respond, Elle comes by my
desk. “Emogen, I wanted to talk to you for a second. Do you have time?”

“Yes, do we need to go to your office?”

“That’s not necessary. I just wanted to
get your opinion. Do you think you would be able to take on another event? I
have one that is smaller than the TM one, but the budget is higher. I think you
can handle it, but I know you are still taking care of this one, and I don’t
know how you feel about another, especially on the heels of it being you first
client to handle alone.”

Elle thinks I can handle it.
She wouldn’t be checking with me if she didn’t have
confidence in my abilities. Knowing that she wants to give me more gives way to
a beaming smile. “Absolutely. And thank you.”

“You’ve done great so far, and I
appreciate all of your hard work. Mr. Miller has nothing but great things to
say about everything you've done to this point.”

She turns to leave and looks back over
her shoulder, and her no nonsense tone catches me. “Keep it up.”

I’m not sure how long I sit there, but
Cam’s voice breaks through my shock. “Congratulations, Em!”

“Did you hear that?”

“Uh, yeah,” she says, giving me a strange
look. “Why do you think I said
congratulations
?”

“I can’t believe she’s giving me more. I
can't wait to tell Ryan.”

“What time is your meeting with Miller?”

I glance at my watch, and start to grab
my purse and files. I haven’t seen him since he intruded on my dinner with Reid
and Langley, and I have a few words for him about that, as well.

“I have to leave now if I want to beat
the lunch rush,” I say as I pass her. “Plans with Dean tonight?” She doesn’t
answer, so I know she does.

During the drive to the restaurant, I
have a one-sided conversation with a fake Trey. The version in my head is
contrite and quiet, only promising that it will never happen again. But the real
Trey is not as easy to talk to. I pull into the parking lot and groan, because
it’s packed which means we’ll be lucky to get a table. When I walk up, he’s
near the hostess stand, nodding and saying something. He spots me and waves me
over. “Great timing, they just called my name.”

The hostess ushers us to follow her, and
Trey steps aside to let me pass, his hand briefly touching the small of my
back. I don’t know if it’s him, or the fact that I haven’t been with Ryan in
weeks, but my body reacts in a way that leaves me unsettled.
I want more.

We get to a table and I shake the thought
from my head before I set my bags on the empty chair. I take a deep breath and
compose myself, waiting to have his attention.

“That can’t happen again, understand?”

“What can't happen?”

“You, being in my personal life. If I
have to, I will refer to you as Mr. Miller, just so we are clear. Do I need to
do that, Trey?”

“Em, it’s not a big deal,” he says
easily. “You and I are friends, and I had dinner with you and your family.”

“No, no that’s not it. I'm lying to Ryan
and I don't like it.”

“I never told you to lie.”

“That’s not my point.” I begin to
explain, irritated that he’s challenging me.

“Well, what is then?”

“Trey, you are a friend, but if it were
the other way around, if Ryan had someone attractive that he was spending time
with, I would be a jealous mess. And if I didn’t know about it, it would hurt
even worse.”

“Attractive, huh?”

“Trey-”

“So tell him then. I’ve already told you,
I have no intention of doing anything at all. And actually, being around you so
much, you’re starting to get on my nerves,” he says making a face. “Kinda like
your friend’s little sister that won’t go away.”

“Shut up,” I laugh, grateful he’s trying.

“But in all honesty, you shouldn’t keep
anything from him. You are taken, and I respect that.”

“Thanks.”

“Aren’t you supposed to go see him next
weekend?”

“Yeah, but he’s got a huge project, so I
might have to wait a few weeks.”

“How long has it been since you've seen
each other?”

I give him a look, because he knows,
maybe not the exact date, but the last time Ryan was in town. It was when Trey
‘showed up’ at the same place.

This conversation is getting us nowhere,
so I try to change the subject. “So about the photographer, I think it your
clients would really like it.”

I take a sip of my water and raise my
brow, challenging him to let the conversation move on. He gives me a lopsided
grin and nods, lifting his glass to concede. “Alright, you win.”

I return his smile because at least now
we can finish our lunch by discussing things we actually need to take care of
for his party.