Ford Escort

21 - Deafening

Mr. Ford's hair stuck up at an odd angle even after his countless attempts to comb it back into place. I'd really done a number on it when I'd grabbed a handful of his thick salt and pepper colored locks. He'd been unable to keep his stoic expression in place after the daddy incident. I'd won fair and square, and his face was amused once more.

I waited patiently as he pulled up his slacks and retucked his dress shirt, combing his hair for the fourth time to no avail. Finally he looked presentable, not at all like a man who'd just jerked off in front of his teenage dog walker.

"Ready to leave?" I asked as he squared his shoulders.

"To quote a very sexy temptress, 'who said anything about leaving?'" He walked over to take a seat behind his desk and I frowned.

"It's my day off, I just came here to talk to you about my mom - which, to be fair, we didn't really even do." I stood and placed my hands on my hips, "Are you really not going to take me back?"

"I'm a very busy man." He shrugged.

"When does your driver leave for the day?" I wasn't in the mood for his games, so soon after craving him I was fed up.

"He doesn't come in on Sundays." Mr. Ford leaned back in his desk chair, his hands settling on the armrests.

"Okay, I don't get it." I admitted, my irritation obvious in the tone of my voice, "What's the deal?"

He reached across the desk, taking his time and holding eye contact as he picked up the Mercedes key I had rejected just a half hour earlier. I didn't speak as he stood and walked over to me, holding the key in front of my face.

"You could always drive yourself."

"I told you, I can't accept that."

"Then I guess you'll just have to wait until I can find the time to take you home." His sly half-smile and stern eyes were familiar. Again he resembled my father, unyielding as he was 'playfully' demanding and firm. Rather than being straightforward, he was trying to get his way without looking stubborn.

"You know what I hate even more than being teased?" I snatched the key from his hand, and his cocky grin made my cheeks hot, "Being manipulated."

I threw the key across the room, where it thunked against the wall before dropping to the floor. His smile vanished as his gaze darted after the key, wincing at the damage I'd definitely caused to both the key and the wall. I didn't wait around for him to chastise me, or seduce me into forgetting the way he resembled my father, the way he treated me like a child.

I turned and walked straight out of his office, shoulders back, expressionless as I walked through the peanut gallery and out the front door. I was halfway down the front steps, thanking the Lord that the sky was clear and sunny, when I spotted Eli trimming the hedges. I pretended not to see him, almost running down the remaining steps and starting down the long driveway.

"Veronica?" I pretended not to hear him, "Veronica, I know you can hear me."

I stopped. It wasn't fair to ignore him, he hadn't done anything but try to get to know me. He deserved better than the silent treatment, even if I was still fuming from my most recent volatile encounter with my boss. I turned around to see him approaching me, his toned arms glistening with sweat in the sun.

"Hi, Eli. Sorry I'm just in a hurry to get home."

"You walking?" He asked, glancing at my dress and my sandal-clad feet.

"Yep." I didn't even bother trying to come up with a lie or some bullshit reasoning.

"Do you live nearby?"