The Aftertaste

Chapter Fourteen

AJ hasn't replied to my texts or calls. I ran out of excuses to make for him so I block his number.
My office is quiet today so I flick through my recents shoots. Grayson is gorgeous in the shots I got of him and I make a mental note to print some before I leave. Aubrey looks so happy in her pictures. I sent over all the edited shots and she sent me and extra $300 because of how much she loved them. I stop on the picture of her and her fiancé. My heart thumps and my eyes swell with tears. What's wrong with me? Unable to keep a man no matter what I do.
I stare, mesmerized but every inch of the photo. I'm stuck. Drunk, even.
My office door flings open, followed by Diane's yells, "Sir! I said you can't just barge in on her!"
I look away from the screen at a distraught Diane and a flustered..Joe. Diane is such a good secretary but people always seem to push her over.
"W-what's going on?"  I stand up, holding my desk to balance me.
"I told him he can't come in but he's upset about his photos and pushed ri-"
"I can handle it, Diane. Thank you. Shut the door."
She nods, wincing at me. I'll have to apologize to her later.
Those grey eyes stare at me until I have to stare back. Stand your ground.
My breathing is caught in my throat. I try to swallow the lump. I can't.
"What the fuck is this?" He slams a photo on my desk. His mom and her fiancé, now husband. I don't say anything. Does client confidentiality count in this case? I'm stunned. I look at my computer. The image that just had me in tears, right in front of me. Those same grey eyes from the shoot. The eyes that pretended not to know me while he stood beside a woman he let propose to him. Joe Alexander.
I swallow. I blink. I swallow.
"Fucking say something, Danielle. You didn't say anything about my mother being a client or married."
Swallow. Blink. Swallow.
"You acted you you was unaware of who I was in front of Aubrey, I thought you had an image to k-keep."
Why am I stuttering. Stand your ground.
"I- you fucking know why? She wouldn't have wanted you to do the shoot and you deserved the money. I wouldn't give my money to anyone else if I knew I could give it to you."
Still so caring, without trying.
"Well, your mother asked me to keep quiet, so I did. Client confidentiality."
"FUCK THAT!"
Swallow. Blink. Swallow.
"I-"
"You're fucking inconsiderate. You always have been. Popping up and leaving and popping up again. Danielle, you should've told me."
Jabs at my feelings. I feel like I'm going to cry, unable to stand my ground any longer. I sit down, sipping some water and sliding a fresh bottle across the table to him. He doesn't budge.
"I don't know what you want me to say, Joe."
This answer seems to stun him. I don't know if he's mad about his mother or me leaving so long ago but he's mad.
"I want to know why you told her yes."
"Aubrey asked me-"
"Not fucking her. My mother."
"She also asked me."
"I thought we respected each other. Kept no secrets."
Swallow. Blink. Swallow. Why would he assume that after all this time? I don't owe him anything, do I?
The door swings open again and Luke is glaring daggers at me, a frail Diane, once again looking defeated.
"What the fuck is this Danielle!"
Another picture tossed at my desk. I should be asking him the same thing but I refrain from mentioning his disloyalty to my best friend.
"Brother, glad you could make it. Crazy, I had the same damn question." Joe grumbles. I'm quiet. I don't know where to start or what to say. What do these men expect from me. Diane just shuts the door, leaving me to figure this out. Lord, help me.
A call is buzzed through to my office phone and I rush to pick it up.
"Danielle speaking, how can I bless your photography needs today?"
Luke and Joe look like they want to rip my head off. I needed a distraction, I don't know why I picked this.
"Danielle! I'm so sorry, I owe you an explanation about these past two days. Pl-"
"Sorry, wrong number." I hang up before AJ can say anything else. Three men, all with opinions and feelings, no thank you.
"Guys, I haven't spoken to either of you. I owed no explanation or announcement about this wedding. If you supported me, you would've seen the shoot posted on my page."
20 points for me.
"SUPPORTED?" Luke brings a fist down on my desk. He's a lot different from the way I remember him. The bags under his eyes tell a whole new story.
"Who the hell keeps that from their friends?" Joe retorts. -10 for him, that wasn't even a valid statement.
"Friends?" I question.
"What? We aren't friends? You ran off on us, and for what? That Derrick guy? Or some guy."
Joe is looking around my office and Luke is just waiting for an anwer.
"Guys, I apologize. I just didn't feel the need."
"Just like you didn't feel the need to tell anyone you were having a baby?" Luke spits. My heart begins to thump. I want to run, hide, do anything but be here.
"A baby" Joe questions. His eyes land on the picture at my desk. Grayson, beaming and happy. I want to snatch it but I'll look guilty. Lizzie must've told him. Did she mention Derrick? Joe? Any curiosity's?
"I think it's time for you guys to go. Thank you for stopping in."
Luke storms off, slamming the door behind him. One gone, one to go. Lord.
Joe looks stunned.
"Joe, I think you should leave."
He grabs the picture of Grayson and stares at it. I'm stunned. Grayson looks like me but a picture is worth a thousand words. I have zero.
"Here's your invitation to moms dinner. She wants you to be there." He lays the photo down with the invitation on top.
I glance at it, avoiding eye contact with him. Of course, it's just my luck to be invited to a dinner I don't want to attend.
"I'll be there."
"You should bring him..your son, I mean."
"I'll see."
He nods and walks out. I expected an argument or a snide remark but maybe he has other things to bother his conscience.
I need a break but this definitely isn't the time to run from my problems.