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Chapter Eight
~ Holly ~
On my first break, I answered another series of texts from Rylan. My brow furrowed as I thought once again that maybe he didn’t have a job. He seemed to have an awful lot of free time to blow up my phone.
Okay…four texts wasn’t really blowing up my phone, but still. After finishing my soft drink and homemade energy bar, I agreed to go out with him tonight. Then I powered down my phone and shoved it away before heading back to my work.
Things were tense on the floor today. Something had happened at the Christmas party I hadn’t attended. Davie, my regular boss, wasn’t here, and instead his supervisor, Ernie, was standing in. The guy always gave me the creeps, and I hated having to be anywhere near him.
None of us girls did. At this time of night, the lights were low in the building, and he liked to sneak up and trap you in a cubicle to “talk.”
“Where’s Davie?” I asked my coworker, Paula, when I passed her. “What happened?”
Davie always had our backs and was great at his job. He’d been with the company ten years and had a good reputation.
She looked around. “He had a couple drinks at the party and called out Ernie on his shit. Ernie fired him on the spot, and Davie threw his drink on him and punched him right in the face.”
“Good.”
“Good?” I heard growled from behind me. Shit. “Shouldn’t you two be working instead of spreading malicious gossip.”
It was neither malicious nor untrue.
I crossed my arms, more defensive than defiant. “I’m just coming back from break.”
“Well, you can just gather your stuff and head out.”
“What?” I exclaimed in disbelief.
“You heard me. Paula get back to work. Holly,” he eyed me. “You can meet with me on Monday, and we can discuss how you can retain your job.”
His glare scraped down my body, leaving no guesses as to how. Fuck. I couldn’t lose this job, but I wasn’t sleeping with him to keep it, either. Panic filled me. This was the only thing keeping me afloat.
My thoughts immediately went to Rylan. He’d go ballistic over this. Not that he could do anything about it. He’d never stay with me if I gave in to Ernie—not that I would.
I had options. Well, one option. I could work for my sister. I could probably move in with her too. The thought of that, of feeling like a failure, brought tears into my eyes.
“Now, don’t cry. We’ll fix this up.” He sneered and patted his hand along my hair.
“Keep your skeevy hands off me!” I screamed, jumping away and leaving him with a handful of hair. I knew there were several people on this floor who’d hear me.
“Get out,” he growled. “Don’t come back.”
Not a worry there.
I didn’t stop until I was in my car, my things hurled onto my passenger seat. Tears of frustration flooded down my cheeks. My chest heaving, I dialed my sister. No answer.
“Call me,” I told her voicemail then started the car. My heat wasn’t playing along today, and I struggled to see as I putted down the road through what seemed like a veritable blizzard.
My thoughts turned to Rylan. We’d been having so much fun, and he was nice. More than nice. I thought I loved him. I couldn’t keep dating him. I had to think about my future. The disaster of my life.
If I worked for my sister, I knew it would basically be a twenty-four/seven gig. I wouldn’t be dating anyone. Rylan would be a nice memory I could pull out while I lay awake in my lonely bed.
My wipers swiped as fast as they could, not really keeping my window clear. After about fifteen minutes of my normal half hour drive that would probably take me an hour and a half today, I pulled over into a convenience store parking lot to take a break and try to de-ice my windshield.
Shivering, I settled back behind the wheel. My head pounded, and tears were frozen to my face. I swiped at them, but my mittens were caked in snow. Despite my resolution to end things with Rylan, all I could think of was his big warm truck and how safe and secure he made me feel when I was with him.
Not like this.
