Page 55 of Wrong Car, Wright Guy
“You OK?” Andy waves a hand in front of my face as I wipe down the counter and contemplate whether I could make a career out of being one of those girls who eats on camera for money. I could shove fries and burgers in my mouth for a fee, and what’s even better, I’d never have to leave my apartment again. That could work.
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” I say, blinking away my thoughts as I meet his dark brown eyes.
“You’ve just been wiping that same spot for the last twenty minutes. Four customers have come in and you haven’t even blinked.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he says, taking the cloth from me. “How about you take a break while we’re quiet? The next shift is about to start anyway, and Karen is coming to meet me so we can have breakfast together before she goes to work.”
“For real? Oh my god, I finally get to meet Karen?” I think I smile for the first time since my life fell apart. Then I remember my PA was called Karen too and suddenly I’m sad again. It’s hard to make it more than a few minutes without something reminding me of Tanner. Even the word ‘hard’ reminds me of him. So it’s hard when I think about how hard things are. I’m in a conundrum.
“She wants to meet you too. She’s been hella busy with her new job, but she really wanted to come and see who I’m working with since you’re a girl. She likes to check up on me ever since Samantha.”
“What happened with Samantha?”
“She touched my hair.” He runs a hand over his unruly do. He kind of looks like the character ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ on a bad day, so I struggle to imagine why Samantha wanted to touch him. “Karen doesn’t like it when girls put their hands on me. She gets jealous.”
“Duly noted. I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
Emotional eating is my jam, so I have my mouth entirely full of a cinnamon morning bun when a familiar voice says my name. “Ruby?” I turn to find Karen—my former PA Karen—standing beside me. “Oh, my god. Itisyou. I mean, I knew Andy was working with a Ruby. But I never imagined… Wow. How are you?” Karen slides into the seat across from me and smiles. I try not to choke while I swallow my morning bun without chewing.
“You…you’re…oh my god—you’reKaren?” I blurt, coughing a little as some cinnamon sugar gets caught in my throat.
“Wait. You two know each other?” Andy asks, disbelief coating his words. “What are the odds?”
“Higher if you give a little more information about the people you’re working with,Andy,” Karen snaps, and her tone even has me sitting up straighter.This so isn’t how she acts around the office.
“I…um…would you like a coffee, sugarbum?” he asks in the sweetest voice. I shove more morning bun in my mouth and just watch the scene unfold.
“Yes, thank you, spunkeroonie. I’d also love a morning bun like Ruby has. Do you think you can get that for me?” Her tone is all saccharine sweet now. I have whiplash.
“Of course. Coming right up.” Andy jumps and gets to work.
“I’m so freaked out right now,” I say as Karen turns her smile on me.
“By our relationship dynamic?” I nod and she shrugs. “I know it seems odd, but we work. And he’sterrificin the sack.” She says the last part leaning in close so only I can hear. “Don’t let him know I told you, he’d be embarrassed. But I know I can trust you not to steal him away from me since you’re still in love with…you know who.”
I look away, licking the sugar off my lips. “And, how is he? I heard you went to Wright Media with him. Executive assistant now? Nice title.”
She presses her mouth together in an understanding smile. “He’s not fine. In fact, he’s scarier than he’s ever been. The entire office is petrified. I’m the only one who can talk to him, and that’s only because I understand how unhappy he is. Plus, he pays me really well to put up with him. It meant Andy and I could get out of that god awful apartment.”
“Good for you,” I say, forcing my mouth to curve upward even though my eyes are teary. “Good for you.”
“Do you want me to…tell him you say hi?”
I shake my head slowly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Shit. I’m gonna cry if this line of conversation continues.
“OK. Well, for what it’s worth, I think he really misses you.”
“I miss him too.”
“Then…why don’t you patch things up? You were so wonderful together.”
Taking a deep inhale to steady my breath, I keep my mouth fixed in a smile to control my emotion. “Because Tanner doesn’t want to. He blames me for that article—and inadvertently, I am to blame.”
“How? Did you write it? Contact the reporter and give him information?”
“No. But I told Tahlia about Camille, and then Tahlia didn’t realize she was being hoodwinked when she mentioned it to the guy she was seeing. It was an accident, but…” I sigh. “It doesn’t matter. He pointblank refuses to speak to me. There’s nothing for me to do. And I tried. Believe me.”
