After the meeting with Joslyn, Nathan and Derek work in their offices for a while, but then they both leave for job sites. Ash and Landon are also on-site, so it’s just Amy and me for the rest of the day.
She doesn’t say any more about my situation, but offers encouraging smiles whenever we see each other. I keep busy, despite my distracted mind.
I will get over them. I will.
In the afternoon I receive a text from Nathan asking me to find a project folder in his office and send a picture of a particular materials order to him. His desk is surprisingly clear of papers and the folder isn’t where he said it would be, so I start looking in drawers. The first one has only two folders hanging in it and neither of them are the one needed, but behind them something red catches my eye.
It’s red lace. With a cautious hand, I lift a corner to identify the object. A red lace thong with a broken strap. And it’s very familiar because it’s mine. I was wearing it that night at Rusty’s until Nathan ripped it off of me. I’d assumed he’d tossed it to the ground and I never gave it a thought after that. But here it is, in his desk drawer.
Beneath the thong, there’s something silky and ivory. Another pair of panties. I slam the drawer shut.
The second one isn’t mine, and I don’t want to know how many more are in there. Apparently he has a souvenir drawer, and my lingerie is now part of his collection of conquests. Lovely.
I was warned.
I was just a bit of fun to them, and in the past, that’s all they would have been to me – quick and temporary fun. So why is my heart aching now?
Nathan’s drawer of underwear is a little creepy, but it’s only a physical representation of something I already knew about the men. They like women. Lots of women.
And if I stay here I’ll have to watch them move on with other women. According to Amy’s past experience, their future conquests will probably call here or even come here, and I’ll have to talk to them. Maybe Joslyn will be back. Maybe the four of them will mix business and pleasure with her, like they did with me.
I will get over them, but it will be much easier to do that if I’m not staring them in the face every day, seeing their gorgeous bodies, remembering everything we did together. It will hurt a lot less if I’m not here to see them moving on.
Thanks to this job, and all of the gift cards the men bought, my parents are past their immediate financial danger. It probably wouldn’t take too long to find another job.
Before I can second guess myself, I find a sheet of paper and scrawl a note of resignation. I won’t leave them in the lurch. They’ve been good to me, and I know how busy they are. I’ll come in to work next week, but as soon as they find a replacement for me, I’ll be gone. And I need to put it in writing so I don’t change my mind.
I leave my note on Nathan’s desk, and somehow, amazingly, I also remember what I came in here for. In another drawer, which I open with extreme hesitation, I find the folder I was looking for, take a picture of the needed receipt, and text it to him.
Amy is shutting down her computer when I pass by. “Are you leaving?” she calls out. “I’ll walk out with you.”
I don’t tell her about my resignation. She won’t be happy about it, and I don’t want her to try to talk me out of it. It’s not as though I’m irreplaceable. They’ll find someone new, I’ll help to train them if I need to, and then I’ll move on.
Maybe they should hire a man. Then Amy won’t have to give warnings and things won’t get complicated.
“Do you have any plans this weekend?” she asks as we’re headed to the parking lot.
“No, no plans.”
“Have some fun! Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone this weekend.”
“Maybe.” I shrug and give her a smile. She’s been great to work with. I’ll miss her.
With one last wave in Amy’s direction, I get into my car and shut the door behind me. I do plan to have fun this weekend. The kind of fun where I drink things and, magically, the world seems like a happier place.
But I don’t want to drink alone.
Me: Hi! I know this is a longshot, but any chance you could come out tonight?
Several minutes pass.
Maddy: Even if I was free, I wouldn’t be good company. I’m so sleep-deprived I could fall asleep on a dance floor
Me: Aww, I’m sorry. Amelia’s not sleeping?