JENNIE
Irritated? Of course, I am.
Yes, we agreed it would be a one-time roll in the hay. Okay, well, a few rolls.
Yes, I knew that feelings would inevitably rise up and smack me in the face.
But no, I wasn't expecting her to go out of her way to ignore me or to send me to Montana in place of Hailey to meet some freaking cowboy.
It's surprising Hailey hasn't confronted me yet, but I know it will happen soon. After an hour of banging on the keyboard at some spreadsheets, I decide I need a break and head to the bathroom. A figure immediately springs up behind me in the mirror.
"Jennie." Obviously, I startle. When I see her thunderous face, it feels like a scene from Fatal Attraction.
"Jesus, Hailey."
"Don't Jesus me," she says with a spiteful sneer and angrily crosses her arms against her camel-colored designer dress.
"You think you can just waltz in here, daggy as hell, not giving a care in the world. Everybody listening to you. I've been here for years! You didn't even go to college. God, look at your shoes!"
Huh?
I look down, perplexed. What's wrong with my shoes? Sure, they were a bargain, but...
"I turn up here every day trying to be seen, and then you go steal my account!"
Her chin dancing like Jell-O as she fumes.
"Spread your legs for the boss, did you?"
Hmm. Well, this is awkward. So many things I could say right now...Instead, I focus on keeping my stare strong. Hailey is so enraged it would be frightening, but for the fact, one of her eyelashes flutters to the ground a moment later.
For God's sake.
The woman is falling apart.
Against my better judgment, I bend down and retrieve it. "Here." I slap it in her hand. "Has it ever occurred to you that my life hasn't been all unicorns, Hailey? I'm insecure about everything. Everyone has shit they go through. We are all just trying to do the best we can and put a smile on our faces. I've got to where I am because I work hard and try to be a decent human. Maybe try it sometime! And I happen to like my shoes!"
Rant complete, I spin on my heel and leave Hailey to reattach body parts.
I just don't get it.
Surely Lisa knew this would send Hailey into a tailspin and put an even larger target on my back. What game is she playing at?
Lisa's been aloof since she stayed at mine. I know she's struggling with work. Maybe it's just too much for her, maybe I'm too much. Regardless, I miss our usual banter. Her work emails have been short and strictly professional. Not even a selfie on my new bed elicited a reply. I've never cared about someone with such heated abandon, and I thought that she hadn't either, so what's changed? It can't be the freaking skittle incident. I mean, not my finest moment, but surely, not a reason to ice me out. I have no idea. Maybe Lisa is that fickle.
Oh, my head.
Unfortunately, Lisa is as easy to read as a blank sheet. New anger icing the scalding attraction that consumes me. Then it hits me, she has the ability to knock me over, and I don't like it one bit.
Thankfully, Rosie agrees to meet me for a drink at the hole-in-the-wall Irish bar diagonally across from work because I need to calm down before my flight tonight. Even though the menus look like they are printed from a back-office computer, they do great prime rib sliders and three-dollar shrimp tacos, so I'm sure we'll stress eat a few of those too.
