Surrounded (Unsettled Series Book 2) (9 page)

“Um, sure.” I pulled the camera strap over my head. “Thank you,” I said with a smile.

“Just point and shoot” I instructed as I handed him the camera. I knew my Nikon could be a bit confusing to use.

“Got it.” He lifted the camera to hold it steady. I walked over to the opposite wall and sat on the wide concrete.

“Smile,” he instructed. I wasn’t sure if my smile reached my eyes but I did as he asked. The shutter clicked three different times and then he was done.

I hopped down from the rock wall and retrieved my camera. I scrolled through the photos that he’d taken. I looked…peaceful. There were no traces of Logan’s betrayal written in my features. No sign of a young woman who had just had her heart broken for the second time in her life.

“Thank you for doing that,” I said, slinging the camera strap back around my neck.

“Not a problem. Have a great rest of your afternoon!” He scooted off in the opposite direction of the sun.

I continued walking through the beautiful scenery, clicking photos as I went. I was surprised when my stomach began to grumble. What time was it? I fished my iPhone out of my pocket and was surprised to discover it was well past two. I hadn’t realized I’d been gone so long. It hadn’t been the most productive afternoon. I still had a crap-load of laundry to do, but I had gained serenity—even if it was just for a few short hours. Now I’d be catapulted back into reality. I leisurely walked back to my car as the sun smiled down on me and the wind wisped through my ponytail.

As I crossed over the bridge, I decided to do something I hadn’t done in years. I don’t know what made me think of it, but I shoved my hand down into my purse and fished out a few pennies. The Potomac wasn’t a wishing-well per se, but the river lead to the ocean so it had to count.

I clenched my eyes closed and tossed out one penny at a time, making a wish with each one. I had no idea if my wishes would come true, but each time I wished for the same thing—to not miss Logan. I refused to be the second best. As the mother of his child, Elizabeth would always come first.

When I reached the parking lot I stopped in my tracks. I turned my camera back on and pointed it directly at myself.

“To yet another new beginning,” I said out loud. I pressed the trigger and my camera made its indiscriminate clicking noise. Hopefully this new beginning wouldn’t lead to yet another heartbreak.

Brooklyn

On Monday morning, a meeting reminder popped up on my screen. I stood up from my desk and headed to the HR office. When I walked into the suite, Luz, the receptionist, greeted me with a warm smile. I chose a conservative look for today’s meeting, to make sure I looked as professional as possible.

Luz called Hilary, the HR Director, to let her know that I arrived. I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach, and it wasn’t because thoughts of Logan were still boggling my brain. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something was off, and I definitely wasn’t expecting to get offered a promotion.

Luz placed the phone back in the cradle, “Hilary will be right out.” A few minutes later, she appeared in the waiting area.

“Good morning Brooklyn, please come in.” Hilary was all business all the time. I’d never been able to get a read on her. She always looked put-together with her short, cropped hair cuts and pants suits. The pants suits weren’t really my style, but to each her own.

I followed Hilary through the corridor to her office, silently admiring the artwork on the wall. Maybe one day I’d have an office suite this beautiful. When we made it to her door, my unlikable boss Trent was waiting in one of her black leather chairs. Him being there could not be good. Since there were no other seats in the room, I was forced to take a seat next to him.

“Trent” I said as I sat down. He didn’t respond. I shrugged off his brash behavior. I’d become accustomed to his stupidity. Hilary closed the door and took a seat behind her mahogany desk. She adjusted her thin framed glasses on her face and then addressed me.

“Well Brooklyn I’m sure you’re wondering why you’ve been called in today,” she said, scooting her chair closer to the desk.

“Yes. I was a bit surprised when I received the meeting request. I hope I’m not in any trouble.” I tried to keep the tone of my voice light. The way Hilary shifted in her seat told me otherwise and I could smell trouble brewing.

She turned to me, “As an employee, I’m sure you are familiar with Copple’s conflict of interest and compliance policies.” My stomach dropped at the mention of the code of conduct.

“Yes…” I answered meekly.
Shit!
How did they find out?

“Were you aware that any potential conflict of interest should be reported to our offices immediately?” Before I could answer Trent interrupted.

“Do you mind if I cut in here, Hil?” he asked, in his usual snooty manner. Even with the HR manager, he didn’t seem to feel the need to be professional. 

“Not a problem” she answered. I turned to look at Trent.

“It has been brought to management’s attention that you have been,” he paused, as if trying to find the right word choice, “fraternizing with Logan Colton and we’d like to hear your side of the story before any actions are taken.”

As soon as he finished his sentence, I felt the back of my neck began to get clammy. I closed my eyes for the briefest of seconds to pull my thoughts together.
This is not happening…this is not happening!
I thought we’d been careful, but obviously not careful enough. I didn’t need this stress right now. The only thing I could think of was whether or not I was going to be fired.

I didn’t love my job by any stretch of the imagination, but with my many monthly expenses, losing it wasn’t something I wanted.

Both Trent and Hilary were looking at me expectantly awaiting an explanation, “Well…” There was no easy way for me to admit that I had in fact slept with a potential client, had fallen in love, and then found out after the fact that he had fathered another woman’s child. Out loud I knew that explanation would sound like a movie miniseries. I had no idea what to admit to without making myself look like a complete fool. Trent interjected, and saved me from having to reveal any incriminating information about my relationship with Logan.

“Anna Barnett informed me that she saw you outside the building with Mr. Colton a week or so ago,” he finished. My ears began to burn. I knew that my co-worker Anna wasn’t my biggest fan, but damn. What a bitch! I was sure she ran and tattled the minute she saw us. That was her role as Trent’s favored pet. I didn’t even remember seeing her the day Logan showed up outside the office. Knowing her though, she was probably lurking in a corner with binoculars waiting to pounce on my man.
Your ex-man
, I silently reminded myself.

“According to her it was more than apparent that you two are more than casual acquaintances. Flowers and what not.” I could hear the disdain in his voice. “I remember directing you to keep your distance from Mr. Colton. Do you care to explain?”

I heard Trent’s question, but I still didn’t know how to answer him. I decided to go with a portion of the truth and gloss over the details. “Well, we hung out a few times.” Hopefully that would cover it.

“How many times are we talking about? Are you and Mr. Colton still presently seeing one another?” Hilary asked. Her question was a jab to the gut.

“No,” I said flatly. Hilary wrote some things on the note pad she’d been scribbling in during our brief conversation.

“Look, I’ll make this very simple for you. You stop seeing him or we’ll be forced to terminate your employment.”

Hilary interjected into the conversation, “I think what Trent is trying to say is that Copple has a non-fraternization policy, as I’m sure you are aware. Staff mingling with clients outside the work setting is a recipe for disaster. I hope you can understand what I’m getting at here.”

“Yes I understand.” I was not to continue a relationship with Logan Colton. Not that that was happening anymore anyway.

“I’m glad to hear that. I hope we won’t have to revisit this conversation.”

“No we definitely won’t,” I assured her.

“Will you please excuse us Brooklyn, Trent and I have a few other issues to discuss.”

“Not a problem.”

I walked back to my desk in a fog. What just happened? I guess the good news was that I still had my job. Hilary seemed to be slightly more understanding than Trent, so that was a plus.

I’d been back at my desk twenty minutes when my phone rang, “Copple Marketing—“

“I need you in here” Trent barked.

I held an inward groan. “I’ll be right there.” God he was an ass. I left my desk and walked over to Trent’s office.

Before I could even get through the door, he was already barking orders at me. “I need you to send out these marketing materials, that is if you can handle that, being that you’ve been so busy sleeping your way to the top.”

I deadpanned. “Excuse me?” I couldn’t believe the nerve of Trent. Sure he was a prick, but he had now crossed the line. He had some fucking nerve. I was literally seeing red.

“I need these marketing materials to be sent out” he repeated.

“Not that part,” I seethed. ”The part about me sleeping my way to the top.” From somewhere down deep, I felt my gumption boiling. I was so sick of Trent and his bullshit.

“Well, what else would you call it? I mean let’s face it, millionaires don’t mingle with” —he waved his hand in the air— “common folk. And if they do, it’s only for a short time.” I scoffed at his remark. It was one thing for Trent to treat me like an idiot, but to question my morality or imply that I’d even do something as low as sleeping with someone purely to gain an affluent status? He had stepped over the line. I drew on every ounce of inner strength I had because I was going to need it. I pulled my badge off of my dress belt and slammed it forcefully on his desk.

“I’m not sure where it is that you think you get off insinuating I’m some sort of slut who needs to open her legs to get ahead. Unlike you, I don’t feel the need to kiss the ground that the wealthy walk on just so they’ll know my name. I hate to inform you, but I am not Anna!” I huffed. I wanted to rip Trent’s head off his neck. Everyone around the office knew that Anna was prone to flirting with male management to get what she wanted. Whether or not she slept with them, I had no idea. But I found it hard to believe that it was a coincidence that she was the one that turned me in.

“Are you finished?” he asked. Nothing I’d said mattered to him in the least, and that just pissed me off more. There went five seconds of my life I’d never get back. I was sick of Trent, sick of Anna and sick of Copple. I said the two words I’d wanted to say for the last three years.

“I quit,” I announced with steel in my voice. I turned to head back to my desk and start packing my things.

“Brooklyn?” I stopped walking but didn’t respond.

“Your last check will be in the mail. No need to come by and pick it up.”

I left out of his office without another word.

What have you done? Are you out of your mind
? I silently screamed as I rode the metro train home. The week had just begun and it was turning out to one of my shittiest on record. I never thought I’d be leaving Copple under these circumstances. I was hoping to tell Trent to shove it when I got another position. And now, as I took the long walk of shame home in the middle of the morning, telling Trent I quit didn’t feel nearly as good as I thought it would. I went down a mental list of all the things that had gone wrong over the last month.

Damon showing up.

Dealing with Trent.

Meeting Logan.

Dealing with Logan.

Falling in love with Logan.

Leaving Logan.

Missing Logan.

Mostly everything that was going wrong had to do with Logan.  He was now the reason why I’d lost my job…sort of. After all, I had known the consequences of dating him. But since he wasn’t there, I’d blame him anyway.

When I finally made it home I had come to one conclusion.

I dropped my stuff on the kitchen counter and fell back into the couch, hitting send on my phone. After a couple rings, my dad picked up the phone.

“Hey, Dad?” I said into the phone.

“Hi baby girl, how’s everything going?” My dad never let me down. I loved that he was so happy to hear from me.

“Not too good, Dad.” My voice broke, giving away my depression. Things were royally screwed up at the moment.

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” he asked. I could hear the concern in his voice.

“I quit my job today.”

“Why’d you do that honey?” he asked calmly. My mom and dad were like night and day. If she would have been on the phone, I’m sure she would have broken out into hysterics.

“It’s a long story, Dad,” I sighed.

“Well I’ve got nothing but time, honey.”

“I don’t really feel like going into all the details right now, but my boss was a complete jerk. I kept tolerating him but today was the last straw. He made some…inappropriate accusations that were offensive and insulting. But that’s besid
e the point. Can you just tell Mom that she’s getting her wish?”

“And what’s that baby girl?” he asked, confusion in his voice.

“I’m coming home.” I was in need of some down time. I needed to regroup and figure out what my next move was going to be. Most importantly, I needed to get away from here and all the bad…wonderful...bad memories associated with it. My first order of business needed to be finding a job, but before that I needed to sort out all the crap floating around in my head, and I needed to do that somewhere I had no chance of running into Logan. 

“You are?” he asked. I could tell he was trying to hold back his excitement. I wasn’t supposed to visit California again until my birthday in the summer, but now I had no reason not to go earlier. “Why don’t you just tell me when you want to come and I’ll have your mother purchase your ticket” he offered.

“No, Dad, I can handle it.”

“No, Brooklyn, we can pay for it. You don’t have a job, remember? Just let us handle it. Sometimes you’re too inde
pendent for your own good.” My dad chuckled heartily into the phone, “In so many ways you remind me of your mother.” Was that supposed to be a compliment?

“I do?” When it came to my mom and
me it felt like we were polar opposites. I loved my mom, but sometimes she could be overbearing.

“Yeah, honey you do. You probably don’t see it, but that’s okay. None of that matters because I’m very happy you’re going to be here.”