Playing With Fire (Sweet Redemption) (2 page)

Both she and Liz had poor track records.

It was why she had declared a break anyway, why she was on a celibacy kick. Why she had pledged a solid three months to live without sharing her body with some undeserving man and she had sixty-nine more days of it.

But poor Liz had been with her loser since college—two of the four years during it, and the five additional years since their graduation.

“I don’t think I can stay here very long,” Liz said.

“Oh god—you mean you’re going to go home and pound it out with him, don’t you? You’re leaving your company dinner—the people who gave you your job—to prove to your jobless man that you are not cheating. Is he gonna sniff you too to make sure?”

Liz’s face pinched in fury and Janet regretted not exercising stronger restraint.

And then Liz did the worst thing she could imagine: she burst into tears.

Janet was suddenly aware of the room again, and hoped no one noticed them.

She couldn’t look around to make sure because it would make her even more nervous and self-conscious.

“Liz get it together!” she whispered sharply. “You know how these people go—you’ll be the gossip all day tomorrow. Go—do what you have to do. I’ll take a taxi, it’s fine. I’ll tell everyone your...cat died or something. Go!”

Liz hugged her and quickly left the room.

Janet immediately went over to the group of managers to explain.

“I’m so sorry—Liz was too distraught to tell you herself. She just got some bad news about her cousin...cat died.”

“Her cousin cat died?” the Human Resources manager asked.

“No, I mean her cousin was watching her cat, there was an accident and anyway—she had to go handle things. I’m still not clear on the details—she was crying through the story. I’ll check in on her later though, don’t worry.”

Janet made a note to let Liz in on the story so she wouldn’t look stupid in case anyone asked.

Then suddenly she felt naked, alone. She was afraid to look around, knowing she’d see
him
, laughing at her discomfort and uncharacteristic nervousness again.

She hated that he seemed to know the extent of his power with that sly smile of his. Couldn’t he have been humble in some way? How was she supposed to work with such a pompous prick?

Then she decided she was being silly again. She was a big girl—she could handle whatever came her way.

She looked around.

She didn’t see him immediately, her eyes instead locking with the secretary’s, whose name she couldn’t remember at the moment.

Still, she walked over to the group the secretary had just shared a laugh with.

“What did you guys think of the meatballs?” Janet asked.

Silence followed for a few awkward seconds.

Then the group did what she suddenly realized they always did.

“Not too fond of those,” a guy she remembered as Leroy said in a light tone.

“Oh, I’m a vegetarian so I didn’t try those,” the secretary said with a bright smile.

“Yeah, Brenda couldn’t eat most of what was here,” a girl with auburn hair said, and Janet was relieved she had mentioned the secretary’s name.

She felt quite clearly they were all just obliging her, being nice as a result of her strong connections. They said the right things and smiled appropriately, but she felt no genuine warmth from them.

But why would she? She never really had a reason to speak to them so they weren’t all that familiar with each other.

Liz had always been all she needed. And her mother.

All Janet was there for was to prove to her father she was a worthy heir anyway.

“Hey Janet, your dad ditched us again tonight?” a voice behind her said, spinning her attention away from the grateful group who locked right back into their circle.

“Oh hey Carl. My dad’s a busy man. We’ll see him at the Christmas party as usual—that’s all I can promise. He’s probably in China right now, working on a deal.”

“I know that’s right,” Carl said before catching the eye of, then waving at someone else.

He grabbed her arm.

“Girl, I’ll catch you later. I’ve got things to see and people to do,” he said with a longing look at one of the new guys trying to look inconspicuous and failing, sipping his drink alone.

“I didn’t hear that Carl.”

Janet was never sure what to think of Carl. He seemed to always want to be her friend and treated her like they already were, but she didn’t trust him—didn’t trust most folks who tried to cozy up to her since it was probably an attempt to climb their way up. She had no interest in being used.

Janet walked over to the drink table to pour herself some lemonade.

“So we know we can at least find reception rooms together. This should work out.”

The voice made Janet’s cup freeze on the way to her mouth.

She turned.

“Eric, right? Yes, I’m sure we’ll be able to work well together.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

“I trust HR. Generally. I mean, you don’t quite look like a numbers guy but...”

“And what does one look like?”

“I don’t know...black-rimmed glasses, a pot belly...something like that.”

His laugh thrilled her, so warm and genuine.

She was glad she could bring some other kind of humor to their interactions beyond acting like a fool.

“Well, for the record, you don’t look like a typical numbers person either.”

Janet returned his soft smile.

“So is this what you imagined in college or high school? Working in some stuffy building, attending lame receptions?” she asked him, relaxing.

“Sort of. What about you? Fitting right into your father’s shoes?”

Janet didn’t know why, but she immediately got angry. She knew he probably meant nothing by it but she couldn’t curb her feeling of offense.

Then she realized she liked the feeling—anger made her feel more in control.

“I’m very much my own woman thank you very much. Anyway, I appreciate the chit-chat. I’m sure we’ll learn a lot more about each other in the coming months—our childhood dreams and whatnot.”

“I’m sure we will,” she heard him say as she walked off.

As she headed toward the elevator, Janet wondered if her father, despite all that he’d built, still felt some level of discomfort in such situations, and if that was why he tended to stay away from most of the minor social functions. Perhaps they were alike in that way at least.

No one is busy
all
the time
, she thought as she performed her own disappearing act.

***

Janet hated taxis. As convenient as they could be, she hated putting her ass on places where hundreds of thousands—perhaps millions—of butts had sat before. She hated the way they were structured like cop cars with their boxy frames and their harsh front/back divisions, and she hated their stupid colors.

Still, she didn’t know what she’d do without them at times.

As she stood on the sidewalk, about to put her best flagging arm forward, a voice said:

“Need a lift?” A husky voice that had become somewhat familiar.

Janet briefly turned to look in its direction.

“I’ve got this, thank you,” she said, trying more desperately to get a taxi’s attention.

“Come on—we’re partners now right? How would it look if I just let you rely on a stranger to get you home safely?”

“
You’re
a stranger.”

“True, but less so than that Eritrean guy about to pull up, no?”

Janet had no comeback.

“Fine,” she said. “I appreciate it...partner.”

They walked over to his car.

As they came upon it, lights flashing from the remote unlock, Janet couldn’t help assessing his choice of vehicle, combing through the implications—making more of her new partner with his choice: a solid, practical silver sedan. Newer model.

Nothing flashy or expensive, or even mid-priced. Just...solid—a brand well-known for its reliability, yet the better looking of the models.

He opened her door for her and she slid in, mumbling a “thanks.”

As they pulled up to her condo, she found herself asking:

“Wanna come in for a drink?” as a sort of joke—certainly not as something she thought he would actually take her up on.

“Yeah I would, thanks,” he replied, and Janet panicked.

“What am I saying?” she said. “I can’t have you drinking, then driving. I was just trying to...”

“I know,” he said. His eyes twinkled as if he had been pulling her leg all along. “I appreciate it.”

Janet felt bad for taking back her offer, but she didn’t know this guy! All she knew was that someone had found him, and thought they’d be a good fit as coworkers.

“Well, someday perhaps, after a long day of brainstorming some aspect of our project, and my best friend has left me without a ride again.”

She smiled at him.

For once, he seemed to have lost his perpetual grin.

“I look forward to working with Janet,” he said as she got out.

“Likewise,” she replied, enjoying the feel of power for once. She closed his door, waved, then headed to her house.

***

Janet opened her door, flipped on the light, then gasped in amazement.

The room was filled with flowers: the reds, pinks, creams and whites of roses and carnations.

She didn’t even think about where they’d come from, so struck was she by their beauty.

Then David emerged from the floral display.

“Jan, listen to me...”

“Really David? Really? I’m going to have you charged with breaking and entering—you need to turn in all the keys you have to my place David.” Better yet, she would just change the locks. Clearly that was the only way to keep him out.

Part of her wished she had let Eric come in after all; she felt less and less safe around David.

How had he done all of this so quickly? she wondered. She’d only been gone three hours!

“Jan,” he said, coming toward her, and she backed up until her shoulder blades connected with the door.

He grabbed her hands.

“I love you,” he said.

“Do you? Is that what you call it when you start seeing someone behind my back? Someone you told Liz was your sister when she spotted you? Someone I have photos of you kissing not like a sister at all? Is it love for me you feel when you’re banging her? Look, just get out of here, I’m serious—I don’t ever want to see you again, and nothing you say is going to change that!”

Her heart beat faster as she felt more and more claustrophobic trapped between him and the door. She turned to twist out of the confined space, attempting to wrench her hands away from his yet again when she felt a knock behind her.

She felt David freeze, as did she.

“Who is it?” she asked, mad that her voice sounded like a scared little girl’s. She watched David’s eyes as she said it, and watched them harden in anger at the response.

“It’s me, Rick. You left your jacket in my car.”

Still looming over her, David looked through her peephole, loosening his grip enough that she pulled away from it and immediately opened the door, not caring if he got hit with it.

“Thanks,” she said as she reached out, intending to grab the item then close the door but David held it open.

“Well, well, well,” David said. “Who do we have here?”

“This is my...wait a minute—I don’t owe you an explanation! You need to leave David—quick, while the door’s open.”

“Let me get this straight—you accuse
me
of cheating, yet you’ve got this guy sneaking around...”

“Okay, first of all? I don’t need to sneak—you and I are done. We’ve been done for weeks now. So this—which isn’t what you think—isn’t any of your business anyway.”

“I think you should do what the lady says,” Eric said from behind her, and his voice, usually so velvety yet rumbling suddenly had a different quality to it.

The image of two rams about to lock horns passed through Janet’s brain.

David looked directly at Eric and folded his arms.

“And what are you going to do about it?”

Eric moved so fast, he was suddenly right in front of David before she’d even registered the slate grey of his suit whizzing by.

“I don’t think you’d really like to find out,” Eric said, and Janet, for at least the third time that night thought she had surely melted into a puddle.

David sneered, and although he didn’t look fazed, stepped back, putting space between him and Eric.

Janet realized Eric had a few inches of height on David, as well as breadth.

“Fine,” David said, stepping around Eric. “I’ll let this go for now.”

Once he had reached outside the door, he said:

“Do what you have to do to feel we’re even Janet, but we’re not done yet.”

Janet shut the door, letting out a huge breath.

“Oh my god, I can’t even believe that just happened,” she said quietly. “I’m so sorry you had to see that—he’s just..nuts.”

“Then I’m glad I was here.”

“He just won’t get it! He won’t leave me alone, and he won’t turn in my keys...”

“You need to change your locks Janet.”

“I know. I will.”

“No, I mean now. Sooner than later. You yourself said he was crazy. I can’t leave you here in good conscience, knowing a crazy person has access to you, and I really don’t see how you can be so casual about it.”

“Well he’s not actually crazy. He’s ultimately harmless—just not over the fact that we’re finished. Maybe he’s too arrogant to believe I could actually be done with him, I don’t know, but I don’t think I’m in any real danger.”

“I’m not convinced unfortunately. Is there someone you can call? There’s gotta be a locksmith on duty somewhere. Go on—check the yellow pages, ask Siri—whatever you have to do. I’ll wait.”

“You can’t be serious—I’ll just do this tomorrow.”

“I’m very serious, and I’m not leaving until you do.”

He headed over to her couch and sat down.

Were the men around her all losing their minds? What was with them all of a sudden pretending she hadn’t spoken? Like her words had turned into air? She was Leonard Cooper’s daughter damn it!

Still, she decided to oblige Eric; having him around was more dangerous than David coming around as far as she was concerned.