A Beautiful Instrument

13: Just Some Guy I'm Seeing

"We do, huh?" I ask.

He pulls me up into a sitting position. I cross my legs Indian-style and grab a pillow to put over my lap so I'm not accused of trying to distract him.

He takes a deep breath and launches into it. "So, I didn't realize you stayed for a sound check the night we met and that you stayed alone with Friedrich. Did something happen that night?"

I respond defensively. "What are you accusing me of, Jeremy?"

He takes my hands in his. "No, Leigh, you misunderstand the question. I know you didn't invite trouble. Did he touch you...uh...inappropriately?"

"I...um...he definitely was hands-on, if that's what you mean. Ava came in and broke it up. She warned me about being alone with him. Jeremy, what's this all about?" I ask.

Jeremy releases my hands and runs his hands back through his hair. "Fuck. Okay...so um, Friedrich is a creep. There is an open sexual harassment case against him. His lawyers have managed to keep it out of the press because it's all allegations at this point. This has been ongoing for three years now. I actually replaced the guy who is responsible for encouraging his fiancée to come forward against him. She quit because of the harassment and Friedrich leaned on him to force him out too."

I shiver involuntarily. "You'd think with an open case he'd be more careful."

"We've all been pretty good about keeping his targets out of harm's way. But you slipped past us because you weren't one of us yet. Him texting you is not good, Leigh. He's emboldened. You can't meet with him alone." Jeremy says sternly.

"Jeremy, he's the principle music director. He has plenty of reasons to request private meetings. I can't tell him no. He'll fire me." I protest.

"He doesn't have that authority, although he likes to think he does. I'll help you join the union. That'll be an extra layer of protection if he tries to fire you." Jeremy indicates.

"This is utterly ridiculous. I haven't even started and we're talking about me getting fired...from my dream job!" I exclaim.

"Leigh, trust me. It's better we discuss strategies to keep you safe until this case concludes." Jeremy stresses.

"Will a big, strong jealous boyfriend help?" I bat my eyelashes at him.

"It might, but it can't be me." He drops his eyes to our hands.

I put the pieces together. The guy that Jeremy replaced was forced out for speaking up for his fiancée. Jeremy's not willing to take that risk for me.

And he shouldn't. I've only known him a few days. We fooled around. We aren't even a couple. I withdraw my hands from his. "So I guess my view of our future together doesn't really matter then. I think I better go."

I hop out of bed and manage to make it two steps before he's up and blocking me from leaving. "Do you think this doesn't piss me off too, Leigh? You're incredible. I've had more fun in the last 24 hours than I've had with any woman ever. It's just risky. We're both vulnerable members. The older, longer tenured folks can get away with challenging him if he punishes them for speaking up, but you and I and the other junior members, we're still climbing the ladder and are easier to knock down a rung or two without much reason needed."

"So that's it? We just let him win and wait for the older members to protect us? No thank you. If he touches me again now that I'm an employee, I'll go to HR." I growl.

"Leigh, think about what he's done. He has the perfect backstory with you. You let him buy you a drink. You showed up after a show to see him alone." Jeremy describes what it looks like, but I refuse to be painted that way.