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Ella

M y hand clasping my phone drops to my side in disappointment, gaze flicking to the dozen chocolate chip muffins in a container on my kitchen counter. I lift my phone and read the text one more time.

Jack: I’m sorry I can’t pick you up myself this morning. Tyler will be there at 7:30 to take you to work. Do not leave work tonight until someone comes to pick you up.

Uncertainty takes root in my head as I replay the last few interactions with Jack. Maybe he regrets kissing me. Maybe he made the decision that he only wants to help me out of some sort of sense of duty and not because he’s starting to care for me.

When he texted me on Sunday that he would not be able to come over, the same dejection made my heart drop. I decided to channel that into baking. Embarrassment makes my clothes feel itchy on my skin, questioning the decision to make chocolate chip muffins.

And now this.

I blow out a steadying breath as I unlock my phone.

Me: No problem. Thanks for sending Tyler to take me to work.

I drop my phone in my purse and walk into my bedroom to finish getting ready.

When Tyler texts me that he’s arrived, I grab my laptop bag and purse and walk downstairs. A familiar all-black SUV is idling at the sidewalk when I step out of the door. I climb inside and smile in greeting.

“Morning, Ella! I brought you some coffee. There’s some creamer and sugar in the cupholder since I didn’t know what you like.” Tyler gives me a wide grin.

“Thanks, Tyler. I really appreciate it.” Friendly affection toward Tyler starts to push away the disappointment. I still wish Jack was here, but I’m glad it’s Tyler picking me up.

Easy, casual conversation continues until we pull into the parking lot of my work. Tyler stops in front of the door, his face dripping with seriousness. “I don’t know if I’ll be the one to pick you up, but don’t leave until whoever is picking you up texts you that they’re outside. If you need anything in the middle of the day, text me or Jack.”

I bite back a smile. Tyler sounds so much like his cousin, with his bossy, no-nonsense tone. I nod my agreeance. “I won’t.”

Tyler’s grin returns. “Have a good day, Ella.”

I’m refilling my coffee cup in the breakroom as footsteps interrupt my thoughts. I don’t turn around to look at who it is. I’m not in the mood to socialize. Craig is back at work today and he’s in the worst mood I’ve ever seen him in. It’s barely ten a.m., and I’ve been yelled at no less than seven times.

At least my morning has made me forget all about the disappointment I felt earlier.

The body heat of the person who entered charges my skin as they stop at the counter next to me. I glance over, and my body immediately tenses.

Craig is about an inch away from me. He isn’t looking at me as he grabs a cup off the shelf in front of us, his sleeve brushing my arm. My skin crawls in discomfort. Even if he wasn’t awful all morning, something about his demeanor at this moment is setting off my alarm bells.

“Ella,” he greets quietly.

“Craig.” I try to sound as unaffected as possible, fighting the urge to run out of the breakroom to get far away from him.

He grabs the coffeepot and pours as I add creamer to mine.

When he sets the pot back on the warmer, he inclines his head in my direction. “I’m glad I caught you. I need to talk to you. Are you free in about an hour?”

His tone is eerily calm, which has me gripping my coffee cup tighter. “I’m free. Is there anything specific I need to bring or be prepared to discuss for the meeting?”

Craig shakes his head, narrowing his eyes at me.

“Okay, great. I will see you then.”

Back in my office, I sink into my chair and blow out what I hope is a calming breath.

It doesn’t work .

Only an hour until I find out what I’ll be yelled at about next

Raising my hand to knock on Craig’s door, I hesitate.

Sweat prickles my hairline. Craig has never been the nicest person or the best boss, but today has been bizarre. Not knowing whether it has to do with what he saw on my desk on Monday, or if maybe he has something going on with his personal life, has my stomach in knots. I met his son at the Christmas party last year. Maybe something terrible is going on with him.

Knowing I can’t delay much longer, my fist connects lightly with the door.

When Craig calls out, I push the door open and step inside, clicking it closed behind me.

Perching on the edge of the chair in front of his desk, I grip the notepad and pen on my lap tightly.

Craig doesn’t speak or look in my direction for a few moments as he finishes typing something, causing my anxiety to spike.

Finally, he faces me with a blank expression. Picking up a piece of paper, he sets it before me. “I wanted to talk to you about this budget report you submitted last week. I think some of your figures are off.”

Confusion overtakes the anxiety. Not that I think I couldn’t have made a mistake, but this report is relatively straightforward, and I triple-checked every number before submitting it.

I lean forward to find what he’s pointing at.

My heart rate skyrockets. Not wanting to alert Craig to my mounting distress, it takes everything in me to try to keep my breath regulated.

There’s no way this is a mistake. He did this on purpose.

But why?

Spread out on his desk under the report are many of the documents I have been pulling in the last two weeks.

I sit back in the chair, forcing my body to relax enough to seem as unaffected as possible.

The smile I force is brittle.

“I’ll take the next couple of days and recheck the report. I’ll have it resubmitted to you by Friday morning, at the latest.”

Craig’s stare is blistering. The intensity does nothing to help me calm down.

On unsteady legs, I push to stand. “Is there anything else?”

Silence.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

That replays in my mind as I wait for him to reply.

After a few more breaths, he shakes his head curtly.

How I manage to walk out of his office at least moderately normal, I don’t know.

Tyler: I’m outside whenever you are ready, but no rush.

No rush. That’s funny. I want nothing more than to run from this building after the day I’ve had. I quickly save the files I’m working on and shut down my computer. After packing my laptop and a few other items in my bag, I step into the hallway and pull my door shut behind me. Avoiding looking in the direction of Craig’s office for fear of another run-in, I rush through the office and into the parking lot.

Once I spy Tyler’s vehicle, I speedwalk over to it and climb in the passenger seat.

“Hi!” His perkiness is comforting to my frayed nerves.

“Hey, Tyler. Did you have a good day?”

“Yeah, nothing too exciting. Mostly paperwork in the office. Jack wanted me available if you needed anything, so I got removed from an event I was supposed to work.”

I frown. It hadn’t occurred to me that helping me would impact events they have to work. Guilt nags at my conscience. “I’m sorry you got taken off an event and just had to work in the office because of me.”

Tyler shrugs as he pulls out onto the street. “It’s not a big deal. Being with you is a job, too. So it’s kind of like an event.” He gives me a reassuring smile. “Just an event for one.”

I’m a job, too.

My rational mind knows that.

But my heart.

It hurts like hell at Tyler’s innocent comment.

I wrap my lips around my teeth and stare out the window, trying to navigate through the torrent of emotions coursing through me. The dread about work is compounding the sadness I feel at the thought that I’m just a job to Jack, but I’m crushed by the feelings engulfing me. Before I can get control of myself, a traitorous tear slips down my cheek. I quickly wipe my face, hoping Tyler doesn’t notice.

To distract from the moment, with my eyes not leaving the city slipping past my window, I ask quietly, “Can we make a stop before you take me home? ”

“Uh, sure.” From Tyler’s cautious tone, I can tell he did notice my tear. “What is it?”

I try to sniff as quietly as possible. “I want to stop and pick up some flowers. There’s a florist a few blocks from my condo.”

“We can do that. Just tell me where to go.”

I give him directions to my favorite florist as I continue to stare out the window. The city hypnotizes me until he pulls into a parking spot in the small lot adjacent to the building.

He follows me down the sidewalk until my feet halt, coming to a stop next to me as we read the sign on the door.

Closed for a Family Emergency

My chest hitches. I always get flowers on Mondays. They make me happy. I need to be happy today.

Tyler’s voice is quiet as he asks, “Do you want to go somewhere else?”

I can’t answer without giving away how upset I am. I know this isn’t about the flowers, but I don’t want to get into everything with him right now. The overwhelming trepidation I feel about the current state of my life is suffocating. I shake my head and start walking back to his vehicle, and he’s silent as he climbs in and takes me home.