Coming Home (10 page)

“It was good. Thanks again. I had more fun than I thought I
would.” Vicki raised her eyebrow and smiled. “What?”

“I can tell you had fun. I just don’t know how much fun you had.”
Vicki winked. “You don’t have to tell me anything, but know I won’t run to
Hillary with everything we talk about. I told her I would keep an eye on you to
settle her nerves, but I won’t be her eyes and ears.”

“I just spent the weekend with Ryan.” As soon as I said it, I
realized what she was implying. “No! Not like that. I . . .” I cleared my throat
and shifted a little. “What I meant was I spent the weekend with Ryan playing
ball and helping with homework at the group home he volunteers for. Ryan and I
are just friends. I’m not having that kind of fun with anybody.”

“I won’t pretend that I’m not disappointed. You and Ryan would
make a cute couple, but that’s up to you. I will say I’m happy to hear you’re
not sleeping with Wade.” I just gaped at her as Vicki got up and walked over to
the board she was holding for me. She came back and tried to hand me the board.
“I assume this is what you came up here for.”

“Yes, but . . .” I took the board and looked at it unable to meet
her eyes. “Wade and I are just friends.”

Vicki sighed and sat next to me again. “Rebecca, I’m sorry if I hurt
your feelings, but Wade isn’t right for you. I heard that you’ve been going to
dinner, and Hillary said he groped you right in front of her.”

I shot her a look that said, “Get real.”

“I realize that Hillary could have exaggerated, but still. I just
don’t like Wade for you.”

My reaction had nothing to do with Wade. It was the fact she
thought I would sleep with more than one guy here. I still got pissed when I thought
about her accusing me of having an affair with Matt.

“What are you thinking?” Vicki sat and waited for my response.
“What is it, Rebecca?”

I looked her directly in the eye. She may have been my boss, but
I didn’t appreciate her opinion of me. “I don’t sleep around, and I resent the
fact you think I do.”

“I don’t . . .” Vicki sighed and shook her head. “I don’t think
that, and I’m sorry if you thought I did. I just know Wade’s reputation. You’re
a very attractive woman, and he seems to have attached himself to you. I want
you to be very careful around him. Okay?”

“Okay.” I looked at the clock. “Shit! Oh, um, I meant crap.” I
stood up and grabbed the board. I turned to Vicki as she started to get behind
her desk again. “Aren’t you coming? The meeting starts in like two minutes.”

“I’m not going to the meetings right now, and as long as Ashley
isn’t around, I don’t care how you talk.”

“I thought we were working together now.” I tried to keep the
whine out of my voice, but I thought I would have help and would get more time
with Ryan and the kids that way. If she backed out, I wouldn’t be able to spend
any time at the group home.

“I’m not going to the meetings, but I’m still helping with the
graphics. You attend the meetings, and we’ll brainstorm over your notes and
sketches.” Vicki looked at me and could tell I wasn’t going anywhere. “Matt
thinks it’s best if I ease into working. He’s not letting me go to the meetings
yet.”

“Oh.” I guess I didn’t think about that. Maybe pushing too much
on her too soon would do more harm than good. At least she’d help with the
graphics and that would still give me time to spend with Ryan. “I’ll be back
later, then. I have to get going.”

~*~

It had been a few weeks since Vicki started helping
with the graphics. They were getting better, and I was actually pleased with
most of them now. They didn’t look as rushed since I could spend a little more
time with each project instead of just trying to push it through. It had also
been great to actually be home for a little more than just showering and
sleeping. I’d been able to do laundry this week and fold everything the same
night. I didn’t get off my lazy butt to put it away, but at least it was in a
neat pile instead of sitting in a clean heap in the hamper.

The extra time I was able to spend doing what I wanted and
relaxing was great. I’d gone out to the group home a few evenings over the past
couple of weeks with Ryan. Each time he amazed me with his generosity and
patience with these kids. I asked mom to send me a care package so I could have
a little surprise of my own for them. I would have been with him that night,
but there was a meeting and I wasn’t invited. I told Ryan I would have declined
anyway since I get enough meetings at my actual job. I thought maybe I’d spend
my Friday night putting away the laundry I was too lazy to do earlier this
week.

“Great.” I came up to my car and the front tire was flat—not just
low, but completely flat. I walked around the driver’s side to put my stuff in
the car so I could change the tire, and there was another flat tire on that
side in the back. “What the fuck?” I could have changed one, but not two. “Son
of a bitch!”

My phone rang as I was throwing my tantrum in the parking lot,
and I looked to see who was calling. It was the office. I looked up to the
windows to see if someone was watching me act like a two-year-old, but I didn’t
see anyone. I took a deep breath and answered the phone. “Hello.”

“Hi, Rebecca. It’s Vicki. I forgot to ask if you were free to
come in for a little while tomorrow.”

Wade pulled up and whistled when he looked at my tires. “Is there
something you need? I can come back now because apparently I’m not leaving any
time soon.”

“I thought you left already.”

“I did, but I’m still in the parking lot. My car has two flat
tires.” I watched as Wade walked around the car and whistled again. I rolled my
eyes, because whistling really helps in a situation like this. I was already
annoyed enough.

“Don’t move, and Matt and I will come down.”

“Wade is here, and he’ll—” Wade was nodding his head that he
would help, but Vicki cut me off.

“No. I’ll get Matt and come down. You are not allowed to leave
with Wade.” Vicki hung up.

I pulled the phone away and looked at it. “Okay then.” I looked
at Wade. “Looks as if Vicki is going to get Matt and they’ll be down to help
me. You can take off if you want.”

“I don’t have anywhere to go. I can change one for you if you
want, but I don’t think my spare tire will fit your car to change your other tire.
How do you think you did this anyway?”

“Me? Why would I have done it?” Why do men always assume the
woman did something when the car breaks down? I crossed my arms and scowled at
him.

“Whoa, I meant nothing by that.” Wade held his hands up. “I just
didn’t know if you drove through a construction zone or something.”

“Oh, yeah, you know those signs on the back of the big construction
trucks that say don’t follow into work area? I always follow them. I just can’t
help myself.” I shook my head. “I have no idea what happened to my tires.”

“Well, I can tell this is upsetting you, so—”

“I’m sorry, Wade. It’s been a long week and you insinuating that
I did something careless to cause my tires to just . . .” I gave a heavy sigh.
“I guess it just pissed me off.”

“I see that.” Wade had his stupid smirk, and I really wanted to
smack it off of his face. “Why don’t you let me call my auto club and let them
take care of it, and then I’ll take you out to dinner while we wait.”

“We’ve got it, Wade, but thank you.” Wade and I turned as Vicki
and Matt approached.

“Vicki, you two should get home to your daughter. It’s just a
simple flat tire,” he looked at the car, “or two, and I assure you my auto club
is very good and fast.” Wade put his arm around me. “I’ll make sure Rebecca
gets home safely.”

Vicki and Wade entered into a staring match, and I was sure Vicki
would have won because just seconds into it, Wade took his arm off of me. Matt
stepped in between them to break it up. “That’s very kind of you, Wade, and we
do appreciate it. I just don’t think Hillary would be very happy with us if we
didn’t take care of this for her.” Matt turned to me.

“Right.” I took his cue and started nodding my head. “Mom would
be pissed.” I turned to Wade and saw the confusion on his face. It shouldn’t
matter who helped me, but Vicki didn’t want him to for some reason. “Thanks for
stopping and making sure I’d be okay.”

I could tell Wade was pissed he couldn’t help me, but what could
he say? These people signed his paycheck. “Okay, well. Um, I guess I’ll be
going then.” Wade turned to me. “I could still take you to dinner if you
wanted.”

“Sorry, but Rebecca was actually just heading out to grab
something for us. We’re working late tonight and trying to push through a
couple of ideas.” Vicki moved beside me and linked her arm in mine. “Come back
in and we’ll have something delivered while we work and Matt gets your tires
fixed.”

“Okay.” I start to walk with Vicki, but turned back to Wade for a
second. “Thanks again. I’ll see you next week.”

“Don’t work too hard, Rebecca.” Wade turned back to his car and
didn’t address Matt or Vicki again. Oh, was he pissed.

Vicki started talking about the project I assumed she was going
to ask me to come in for the next day. I really didn’t want to work that night
and I didn’t want to come in the next day, either. Then I thought that maybe if
I got it done, I’d still have the rest of the weekend to spend with Ryan and
the boys if he was going. I might have stayed and worked even if I didn’t want
to, but I wasn’t going to act as if nothing just happened. Vicki clearly—and
easily—lied to Wade. I had no intention of going out to pick up our dinner to
work through more ideas.

Once we were in her office and she was looking over the delivery
menus, I dropped my purse in the chair and just stared at her. “They have a
very limited supply of healthy choices in restaurants and even fewer for delivery.
What sounds good to you?”

“How about telling me what was going on back there? I know you
said Wade has a reputation and you don’t want me with him, but what was wrong
with him helping me with my car and taking me to dinner? And why the hell would
you lie to get rid of him?” I put my hands on my hips and hoped I didn’t sound
as two-year-oldish as I did in the parking lot when I saw my tires.

“Expectations.” I gave her a puzzled look. “Do you honestly not
see what the rest of us see when he looks at you? Hillary said you didn’t date
much, but I can’t believe you are that naïve. Rebecca, you really have no
idea?” Vicki came around her desk and put her hands on my shoulders. “He is
constantly watching you, touching you, or talking about you. Open your eyes and
see him for what he really is.”

“He’s a friend.”

“He’s a predator and you are his prey. He wants you and won’t
stop until he’s had you. I haven’t stopped him in the past with the women that
work here, but you’re special.” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be that way. You know
Hillary doesn’t like him and would have killed me if I let you leave with him.
I finally have a friend that gets me, and I’m not about to lose her over Wade.
I will lie to him again if I feel the need to.”

She was right. Mom probably would have come herself to kill Vicki
if I had left with Wade. I could handle him, and I didn’t know why everyone kept
insisting I couldn’t. He’d only ever been a perfect gentleman when we were
alone. He might have seemed a little possessive when others were around, but it
was nothing. Once Wade met another woman that actually wanted to date him, he’d
forget about me and move on.

Vicki sighed. “I can tell the creative drive has shut down now,
and we won’t get anything done. Why don’t we head home, and I’ll fix you
something a hell of a lot better than delivery.”

I was torn. I didn’t want to work, but I didn’t want to come in the
next day, either. I looked at the desk with the various ideas on it and cringed.
“Vicki, does this really have to be done this weekend?”

“I suppose not, but Ashley is staying with her friend this
weekend, so I thought I could get some extra work done.” Vicki looked over at
the desk and then back to me. “I could just do it on my own and go over it with
you on Monday.”

Hearing that the reason Vicki wanted to work was because she was
going to be lonely made me feel really guilty. I didn’t know why. It was her
company, and, if she wanted to work, there was really no reason I had to, but I
found myself saying I would anyway. “No. I’d really like to get it done.” It was
true. I wanted to make sure I had extra time the next week to take the care
package my mom was making for me to the boys. If I didn’t put in the extra time
when I had it, I wouldn’t be able to steal a few minutes the next week if
something major came up. “But I would like to start fresh tomorrow. I’m
starving and my tires are still really pissing me off.”

“Well, this won’t make you happy then.” Matt came in to Vicki’s
office and sat down. “The garage is going to have to order your tires if they
can’t find some around here. The earliest your car will be available is
tomorrow.”

“Wonderful.” I plopped in the other chair and put my head back.
“Do you have cots here? I’ll just stay the night since I’d be coming back
tomorrow anyway.”

“Nonsense.” Vicki came over to me and pulled me up to my feet.
She grabbed my purse, handed it to me, and turned me towards the door.
Motioning for Matt to get up, too, she grabbed her purse. “Let’s go to dinner
and talk about the project. Matt can write it off as an expense that way. Then,
Rebecca, you can take my car home, and I’ll just pick it up here tomorrow when
we come in. Problem solved.”

Matt and I stood and just stared at Vicki and then slowly looked
at each other. Vicki was getting more and more aggressive—in a good way. I had
a feeling this was closer to the person everyone else had known as Vicki. I was
glad to finally meet her. Matt smiled slowly. “I like it when she’s bossy.
Coming, dear.” I shook my head as I walked after them.