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“Because of your job…” Pam muttered.

Elle continued. “She has been in the industry for ten years. It wasn’t like I singled her out for a relationship. It happened organically.”

“She didn’t even know who you really were.”

Instantly, Elle was silenced.

“It was obvious. She may have known your real name, but she didn’t know you were her boss, in a way. I wanted to tell her. But that didn’t feel like my place at the time. She was… happy. I admit, it stung to see someone else happy with you.”

“Not me happy with someone else.”

Pam slowly shook her head. “I wanted you to be happy. Truly.” She looked up toward the lofted ceiling, sighing. “Our breakup wasn’t supposed to be about anything but realizing we weren’t right for each other and moving on to people who were better for us. That included you.”

“Then why…”

“It was seeing someone happy with you, as you are, with your job that did me in.” Pam’s voice cracked. “I thought the breakup would be your come to Jesus moment that you needed to slow down if you wanted romance. Instead, you were traveling more than ever. Every time I came over to get things, you were either in LA or Singapore. I never knew where you were.”

“Maybe I didn’t want to be here when you were packing up your shit and leaving me.”

“That’s fair, but when you ended up in a relationship with a flight attendant… it didn’t bother me until it was clear you two were getting serious. Elle, she’s from another country!”

“Jeez, nobody told me. So glad we’ve cleared that up.”

“I’m serious. What was going to happen when someone found you two out? When it was too late for your heart?”

Elle rounded on her. “That was our problem, Pam! You shouldn’t have meddled!”

“If not me, then someone else. Later. When it would have been worse.”

“You’re not making any sense. Is this because of jealousy? Were you jealous that I had moved on with someone else and leaving Seattle?”

“No!”

“But you said…”

“I wasn’t jealous about you falling for someone better for you than me. I was upset that you weren’t telling the whole truth to this poor woman! She had a right to know! But by the time I decided I should tell her, she was gone, and I didn’t know how to contact her. So I did the next best thing.”

“You told HR?”

“I told them to look into it. Because I guess I do think it’s inappropriate for a director to seduce one of the company employees without even giving her the chance to fully consent to the potential debacle.” When another awkward silence hit, new thoughts stewing in Elle’s head, Pam continued, “So, how’s it going with her?”

Elle blurted, “We’re engaged. That’s how it’s going.”

“Engaged? Like, to get married?”

“Yup. This whole ‘debacle’ has accelerated our relationship. She might get fired, and there’s nothing I can do about it. And since I love her, I’ve promised to take care of her any way I can.” Elle glanced at her ex. “I would have done the same for you.”

Pam stood up. “Happy I could help.”

“Cut the sarcastic bullshit, Pam.”

They approached an impasse in which they glared at each other with unsaid words on their tongues. This might be my last chance to ever talk to her in person. Any goodwill that had been between them after the breakup was now gone. This is why you shouldn’t be friends with your ex. Elle should have known. She was not some magical exception.

“Just answer one question,” Elle said when Pam twitched enough to signal she was about to leave. “Were you cheating on me?”

Pam smacked her purse against her hand as she struggled to elegantly strap it across her chest. “No,” she said while looking Elle in the eye. “Although I have a feeling I could say that until I was blue in the face and you still wouldn’t believe me. Goodbye, Elle.”

This time when she left, her key smacked against the credenza on her way out.