Page 39 of Making Home with You (The Rockport Beach #3)

Sarah

I’m at the office waiting for Joe when my phone rings. It’s well past the time that I’d normally be catching the train back to Rockport, and should be texting Finn to let him know, but I need to catch up with Joe.

After our phone call yesterday, I know have a much better picture of what the deal is with Andrew and Eliza Anderson. We kept the conversation brief because of Finn’s presence.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell him what I’d learned, knowing full well not only would he lose his shit and forbid me from going back to work, but he’d also blow the whole thing up by getting Ryan involved.

He would then call Joe and anyone else he knows at the Boston PD and get far more involved than necessary.

The unfortunate issue is that Eliza accepted a settlement, something that was out of the hands of the law, and she then had the charges against Andrew dropped. It now means that Joe can’t possibly pursue Andrew on anything involving her or their case.

That case is dead.

But what we can do is set him up.

Joe is meeting me to help formulate a plan, but also to help me figure out how to approach our HR department about it all.

I have no other support and given what I’ve learned in the few short months I’ve worked here, people don’t report Andrew McGuire and if they do, they aren’t employed for much longer.

Oddly, I’d like to hold on to my job, if only so I am able to gain some experience and secure myself a different position. But I also understand that reporting Andrew may lead to me having a target on my back, that it may bring an onslaught of judgment from others.

Isn’t that the girl who claimed Andrew McGuire harassed her?

Yep, I’ll be that girl, but I’m trying to convince myself I don’t give a shit as long as someone else doesn’t have to endure what I have. I imagine what I’ve been through is nothing in comparison to Eliza Anderson.

I sit at my desk waiting, and listening to the sound through the wall. Andrew’s office has been silent for quite some time now and I can only assume he’s left for the day. The thought bringing a sigh of relief to my ridiculously tense body.

After this is all over I’m going to need a massage

My phone chimes out with a text from Joe telling me he’s in the office lobby and I head down to meet him. As I pass Andrew’s office I notice the lights are off and he’s definitely gone for the day.

He’s been leaving earlier than usual and I wonder if he’s attempting to salvage his already doomed marriage or if his wife has finally left him and he’s got the house to himself.

Regardless of what it is, hopefully he’s about to watch his career go down too.

Honestly, that’s what I want. I want to expose this asshole for who he really is.

I want the entire Boston area that has put him on this pedestal, all the people in this office who think he’s a mentor and genius and true leader to know what he’s really been doing.

My hatred for him runs deeper than I realize as I ride the elevator to the lobby to meet Joe.

My hands are shaking and I can feel myself wanting to let go of everything I’ve kept hidden, everything that I have failed to tell people, even the people closest to me.

I’ve watched the sexual harassment videos, sat through the training, but what those videos don’t prepare you for is the myriad of emotions you’ll feel.

I’m consumed with fear of retaliation, of guilt and of stupidity. I’m worried about being called a liar, being told I brought it on myself by being attractive or thin or blonde or young; the list is endless.

But as much as I fear what’s to come, I can’t let it continue.

The elevator doors shoot open to a nearly empty lobby and Joe is waiting in front and steps in without saying anything.

Joe’s really just here for moral support and to see if there’s a possibility of pinning something illegal on Andrew. He wants to dig a little deeper, question some hopefully willing participants in the office.

“Have you had a chance to process everything we talked about yesterday?” he asks, this time he’s not in uniform but in a dark blue suit and a white shirt. He looks tired, like he’s been up for far too long and I’m certain he has.

“Yeah, and I’m ready to take it to our HR department.”

“Not just that,” he says, his voice pushing me toward what he hopes I’ve realized. “Sarah, I’m keeping this from Ryan and he’d kill me if he knew…”

“I know,” I say interrupting him because it’s not just Ryan it’s being kept from. It’s also Finn and he’s more my concern, because as much I don’t want to say it, I’ve been lying to him. This could ruin our relationship.

“I think you should quit your job,” Joe says suddenly, and I’m taken aback by his comment.

“No!” I shout, my voice coming out unusually loud and echoing through the metal walls of the elevator. “I’m not going to let him ruin me.”

“Sarah, he’s far more dangerous than I originally thought. If he’s paid off one woman, there are others and like hell if I’m going to let you be another one.”

“I hear you, I do, Joe, but let me see how this plays out with HR. Maybe they’ll finally hear me, maybe I’ll be the reason it ends.”

“I get you wanting to be the face of all of this and that you want to make your workplace a safe environment for everyone, but I don’t think going alone against this guy is the right call.”

I don’t respond because the elevator doors open and Joe and I make our way to the HR offices.

It only takes about ten minutes for the HR rep to take my statement and for Joe to ask her a few questions.

She’s tight-lipped and lets nothing go to indicate past issues.

He asked all the right questions, trying to get something, anything that would allow him to start an investigation, but it fails to materialize.

“This guy is good,” Joe says on an exhale as we head back to my office. “He’s got everyone in this company covering for him.”

I knew this was how it would play out, but I’m relieved that it’s over even if nothing ever comes of it.

“Yep, and that’s exactly what I thought would happen, but who cares because now it’s out there. People know I’m not with them, but against them.”

“You’ve put yourself in an ugly position, Sarah and again, I’m going to say it, you should quit.”

I shake my head at him as I gather up my things. I’m not quitting.

“Quitting doesn’t mean giving up. It means you can still pursue this, but at least you’ll be away from all of it.”

I understand what he’s saying, but in order to see this through till the end, I need to be here, I need to be here for when it goes beyond harassment and I know it’s coming.

“I don’t want to be away from it. I want to be in it and I want you here with me because we both know Andrew is going to fuck up. He’s going to take it further.”

“If your brother knew what you were doing he’d kill me for allowing it.”

“Then don’t tell him,” I say, smiling at Joe, but his face is a mess, his eyes wide and his lips set in a firm line. He hates every minute of this.

“The only way I’ll let this continue is if you agree not to come in to work until the office is open, and there’s no staying late. Got it?”

“Got it.”

I’m ready to go, and feeling better about this place than I have since the day after I started. I want to skip down the hallway, I want shout it to everyone here, but I’ll gloat in private knowing I could be the only one who feels this way.

“Let me drive you to the train,” Joe says, and I roll my eyes but agree knowing he’s uneasy with the whole situation.

“Fine, fine,” I say back, laughing a little at the fact that no matter how hard I try I can’t seem to get away from these overprotective boys.

We reach the ground floor and I’m rifling through my purse for my phone, but I keep coming up short. I need to text Finn and let him know I’m okay, but that I’m running a little late.

I dig into my laptop bag but still can’t seem to locate my phone. And that’s when I realize I’ve left it sitting on my desk. In my excitement, I pulled it out to text Finn but never got around to it. I can actually picture it on my desk calendar where I always leave it.

“Joe,” I say, my hand reaching out to stop him as he nears the exit doors, “I forgot my phone upstairs. I’ll just a be a few minutes, okay?”

“I’ll come with you,” he insists, taking a step back toward the elevators, but is stopped by the ringing of his phone.

He shoos me on as he paces the lobby, phone to his ear, and I hurry off to the elevators. It will only take me a second to grab my phone and be back down.

When I reach my office, there’s my phone right where I knew it would be: sitting on my desk, at the top of the calendar and I laugh a little at my predictability and my forgetfulness.

I shouldn’t keep Finn waiting any longer and I know he’s probably on his way home by now too. If he walks in and doesn’t find me at the house he’s going to lose his shit.

Me: Hey! Running super late but I have something important I need to tell you about when I get home.

His response is nearly immediate and I smile knowing that when I get home I get to tell him about my day.

Finn: Thanks for letting me know. I’ll see you soon.

His response is short and to the point and the stupid side of me is now worrying about what’s going on with him. Even though a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders, doesn’t mean the same has happened with him.

We’ve kept things from each other and I’m realizing now that we should’ve been relying on each other, sharing with each other all the shit that’s been happening.

I walk past Andrew’s office and the immature side of me flips him my middle finger even though I know he’s not his office. It’s something I’ve done a million times behind the wall of our adjoining office, but now something about it feels so much more satisfying.

His light is on when I walk past, even though the office was dark just a little while ago. I glance in through the crack in the door and I watch the shadow of someone moving behind the desk.