Miss Pen

Chapter Fourteen

Wait, is that Rhode talking? I know he can't tell people my name, but he'd at least mention me if someone asked... Right?

The time for us to go back home, came a hell of a lot faster than I would've liked. It was Monday, and Rhode and I were back at work after a weekend filled with certain activities. If he asked me to go on another trip, I'd say yes, but my answer was beginning to change after the noises coming from the break room.

"So, Mr. Intern." Is that an attempt to be flirty? "Are you free tonight?"

A nasally voice came from the small kitchen. Though the sounds inside were a bit muffled, I was still able to hear most of the conversation from where I stood on the other side of the wall.

"I am." He purred his response. I clenched my my fists, knowing that the tone he used was the one when he was amused or interested in something. "Why do you ask?"

Son of a bitch!

"Well, that depends if you have someone at home waiting to spend it with you."

Shrugging and moving my head closer to the entryway, I thought about how the woman at least had the decency to ask if he was in a relationship.

"I don't," He immediately responded. "but maybe I will after today."

Technically, Rhode and I weren't seeing each other, but every time I thought it was a given that we were together - especially after that previous weekend - reality would come crashing down on me. It looked like my thoughts had a record of being wrong.

Gaining as much confidence as I could, I strolled into the small room, interrupting the two assholes' conversation.

With a nod at me, the girl Rhode had been talking to, left the break room but not before sending a wink his way. "I'll talk to you later. You have my number."

That had to be some kind of joke. He claimed to love me, but still took the phone numbers of women who were interested in him? That was not okay in my book.

"Right. See ya, Christie."

See ya, Christie, I imitated him in my head. God, even her name was irritating, but it still wasn't worse than her voice. Come to think of it, nothing could match it; maybe Fran Drescher, but that was about it.

When she was gone, he had the nerve to smile at me. Pigs would fly before I was going to return it.

"I was just going to bring this back to your desk." He beamed, extending one of his hands that held a cup of coffee. Looking down at it, I moved past him to reach for my own beverage to make. "Is everything okay?"

"Perfect." I scowled.

"Well, is this not good enough for you or something?"

Surprised at his mocking tone, I whirled around to face him.

"Actually, no, it's not. I don't accept things from liars."

Rhode slammed the cups on the counter, his jaw clenching as the light brown liquid splashed out. I rolled my eyes, pouring my own drink from the pot in my hand.

"Liars? Do me a favor and explain what you're talking about because I'm pretty confused right now."

Okay, so he really wasn't a liar. He just left out some important information. In the back of my mind, I knew I trusted him. It was just those desperate women with no morals that angered me.

"Don't worry about it, and you should probably take Christie up on her offer for tonight. I know you won't be spending it with me."

Crap, that wasn't supposed to come out.