Me: “Looks like it.”
Ally: “Holy fucking shit!”
Me: “Yep. Steakhouse back on?”
Ally: “Absolutely. I’ll go tell Meryl.”
Meryl is working on the third floor. She’s supposed to get off work at 3:30.
Austin came back in after that whatever it was in Aiden’s office looking sheepish.
“Sorry, Carly. I forgot I had something with my brother tonight. Can’t do dinner after all.” He then looked genuinely remorseful.
But, how weird was that?
“No problem.” Talk about relieved!
He smiled. He didn’t tell me we’d reschedule. I looked at him a beat too long before saying anything else, so he looked like he’d been about to make some lame excuse that’ll sound like he’ll call me when really, he won’t, because his brother just put a stop to it. I saved him the trouble.
“I’m really not ready to date, anyway. I just got out of a two-year relationship just over a week ago.”
“Oh.” He looked uncomfortable.
“I’m sort of relieved. No offence. I’m flattered. You seem like a real… uh… catch. It’s just too…um…soon for me.” I smiled at him.
He smiled back. “Not a problem. Friends then. For now.” He winked and walked off.
For now?
I have a strong feeling Austin is way less than 100% wholesome.
***
Aiden wasn’t just an asshole the few times I’d dealt with him that afternoon. He was an asshole supreme. I could hear him on the phone ripping someone a new asshole from what I’m guessing was our New York or maybe our Miami office.
And then he yelled at Blake, the intern that works with Stacy about the competitive analysis not being detailed enough. He was so horrible to Blake that Blake, a fresh-faced recent college grad, looked on the verge of tears coming out of Aiden’s office!
And then a woman turned up and was in his office and his door not only got slammed, his blinds got closed by that woman.
I only caught a glimpse of her going in and a slightly better look at her coming out five minutes later. I’m guessing it was his mother, a very attractive (though obviously had quite a bit of plastic surgery) woman with blonde hair and blue eyes who then went into Mr. C’s office.
Aiden’s office blinds were down the rest of the afternoon. And it was kind of a relief because I felt like I had actual privacy for a change.
Meryl worked until five, so she came home with us in the cab. I’ve told the girls I’m going to go to the gym in the building and work out before we go for dinner. I haven’t had a decent workout since I got here, and I want to check it out.
The lobby is empty of Seth. When I get up to the apartment I change into shorts and a crop top as well as sneakers.
I grab my keys and phone and head down to P1 for the gym.
***
The workout room is awesome. There’s also an indoor pool here. How did I survive almost a week here without knowing about this? There’s a hot tub and a sauna, too.
I do twenty minutes on the elliptical and then after I’ve gotten started on the weight machines, the lights suddenly go out.
I jolt. I’m doing chest presses and I have the weights suspended so I carefully put it back into place and reach around the dark floor until I find my phone. I press the button and it lights up and I let out a breath.
“Got ‘cha’” I hear in the dark and I gasp. The lights go on and Seth the security guard is in the doorway.