Surrounded (Unsettled Series Book 2), page 8
“Yes. I was a bit surprised when I received the meeting request. I hope I’m not in any trouble.” I tried to keep the tone of my voice light. The way Hilary shifted in her seat told me otherwise and I could smell trouble brewing.
She turned to me, “As an employee, I’m sure you are familiar with Copple’s conflict of interest and compliance policies.” My stomach dropped at the mention of the code of conduct.
“Yes…” I answered meekly. Shit! How did they find out?
“Were you aware that any potential conflict of interest should be reported to our offices immediately?” Before I could answer Trent interrupted.
“Do you mind if I cut in here, Hil?” he asked, in his usual snooty manner. Even with the HR manager, he didn’t seem to feel the need to be professional.
“Not a problem” she answered. I turned to look at Trent.
“It has been brought to management’s attention that you have been,” he paused, as if trying to find the right word choice, “fraternizing with Logan Colton and we’d like to hear your side of the story before any actions are taken.”
As soon as he finished his sentence, I felt the back of my neck began to get clammy. I closed my eyes for the briefest of seconds to pull my thoughts together. This is not happening…this is not happening! I thought we’d been careful, but obviously not careful enough. I didn’t need this stress right now. The only thing I could think of was whether or not I was going to be fired.
I didn’t love my job by any stretch of the imagination, but with my many monthly expenses, losing it wasn’t something I wanted.
Both Trent and Hilary were looking at me expectantly awaiting an explanation, “Well…” There was no easy way for me to admit that I had in fact slept with a potential client, had fallen in love, and then found out after the fact that he had fathered another woman’s child. Out loud I knew that explanation would sound like a movie miniseries. I had no idea what to admit to without making myself look like a complete fool. Trent interjected, and saved me from having to reveal any incriminating information about my relationship with Logan.
“Anna Barnett informed me that she saw you outside the building with Mr. Colton a week or so ago,” he finished. My ears began to burn. I knew that my co-worker Anna wasn’t my biggest fan, but damn. What a bitch! I was sure she ran and tattled the minute she saw us. That was her role as Trent’s favored pet. I didn’t even remember seeing her the day Logan showed up outside the office. Knowing her though, she was probably lurking in a corner with binoculars waiting to pounce on my man. Your ex-man, I silently reminded myself.
“According to her it was more than apparent that you two are more than casual acquaintances. Flowers and what not.” I could hear the disdain in his voice. “I remember directing you to keep your distance from Mr. Colton. Do you care to explain?”
I heard Trent’s question, but I still didn’t know how to answer him. I decided to go with a portion of the truth and gloss over the details. “Well, we hung out a few times.” Hopefully that would cover it.
“How many times are we talking about? Are you and Mr. Colton still presently seeing one another?” Hilary asked. Her question was a jab to the gut.
“No,” I said flatly. Hilary wrote some things on the note pad she’d been scribbling in during our brief conversation.
“Look, I’ll make this very simple for you. You stop seeing him or we’ll be forced to terminate your employment.”
Hilary interjected into the conversation, “I think what Trent is trying to say is that Copple has a non-fraternization policy, as I’m sure you are aware. Staff mingling with clients outside the work setting is a recipe for disaster. I hope you can understand what I’m getting at here.”
“Yes I understand.” I was not to continue a relationship with Logan Colton. Not that that was happening anymore anyway.
“I’m glad to hear that. I hope we won’t have to revisit this conversation.”
“No we definitely won’t,” I assured her.
“Will you please excuse us Brooklyn, Trent and I have a few other issues to discuss.”
“Not a problem.”
I walked back to my desk in a fog. What just happened? I guess the good news was that I still had my job. Hilary seemed to be slightly more understanding than Trent, so that was a plus.
I’d been back at my desk twenty minutes when my phone rang, “Copple Marketing—“
“I need you in here” Trent barked.
I held an inward groan. “I’ll be right there.” God he was an ass. I left my desk and walked over to Trent’s office.
Before I could even get through the door, he was already barking orders at me. “I need you to send out these marketing materials, that is if you can handle that, being that you’ve been so busy sleeping your way to the top.”
I deadpanned. “Excuse me?” I couldn’t believe the nerve of Trent. Sure he was a prick, but he had now crossed the line. He had some fucking nerve. I was literally seeing red.
“I need these marketing materials to be sent out” he repeated.
“Not that part,” I seethed. ”The part about me sleeping my way to the top.” From somewhere down deep, I felt my gumption boiling. I was so sick of Trent and his bullshit.
“Well, what else would you call it? I mean let’s face it, millionaires don’t mingle with” —he waved his hand in the air— “common folk. And if they do, it’s only for a short time.” I scoffed at his remark. It was one thing for Trent to treat me like an idiot, but to question my morality or imply that I’d even do something as low as sleeping with someone purely to gain an affluent status? He had stepped over the line. I drew on every ounce of inner strength I had because I was going to need it. I pulled my badge off of my dress belt and slammed it forcefully on his desk.
“I’m not sure where it is that you think you get off insinuating I’m some sort of slut who needs to open her legs to get ahead. Unlike you, I don’t feel the need to kiss the ground that the wealthy walk on just so they’ll know my name. I hate to inform you, but I am not Anna!” I huffed. I wanted to rip Trent’s head off his neck. Everyone around the office knew that Anna was prone to flirting with male management to get what she wanted. Whether or not she slept with them, I had no idea. But I found it hard to believe that it was a coincidence that she was the one that turned me in.
“Are you finished?” he asked. Nothing I’d said mattered to him in the least, and that just pissed me off more. There went five seconds of my life I’d never get back. I was sick of Trent, sick of Anna and sick of Copple. I said the two words I’d wanted to say for the last three years.
“I quit,” I announced with steel in my voice. I turned to head back to my desk and start packing my things.
“Brooklyn?” I stopped walking but didn’t respond.
“Your last check will be in the mail. No need to come by and pick it up.”
I left out of his office without another word.
What have you done? Are you out of your mind? I silently screamed as I rode the metro train home. The week had just begun and it was turning out to one of my shittiest on record. I never thought I’d be leaving Copple under these circumstances. I was hoping to tell Trent to shove it when I got another position. And now, as I took the long walk of shame home in the middle of the morning, telling Trent I quit didn’t feel nearly as good as I thought it would. I went down a mental list of all the things that had gone wrong over the last month.
Damon showing up.
Dealing with Trent.
Meeting Logan.
Dealing with Logan.
Falling in love with Logan.
Leaving Logan.
Missing Logan.
Mostly everything that was going wrong had to do with Logan. He was now the reason why I’d lost my job…sort of. After all, I had known the consequences of dating him. But since he wasn’t there, I’d blame him anyway.
When I finally made it home I had come to one conclusion.
I dropped my stuff on the kitchen counter and fell back into the couch, hitting send on my phone. After a couple rings, my dad picked up the phone.
“Hey, Dad?” I said into the phone.
“Hi baby girl, how’s everything going?” My dad never let me down. I loved that he was so happy to hear from me.
“Not too good, Dad.” My voice broke, giving away my depression. Things were royally screwed up at the moment.
“What’s wrong, baby girl?” he asked. I could hear the concern in his voice.
“I quit my job today.”
“Why’d you do that honey?” he asked calmly. My mom and dad were like night and day. If she would have been on the phone, I’m sure she would have broken out into hysterics.
“It’s a long story, Dad,” I sighed.
“Well I’ve got nothing but time, honey.”
“I don’t really feel like going into all the details right now, but my boss was a complete jerk. I kept tolerating him but today was the last straw. He made some…inappropriate accusations that were offensive and insulting. But that’s beside the point. Can you just tell Mom that she’s getting her wish?”
“And what’s that baby girl?” he asked, confusion in his voice.
“I’m coming home.” I was in need of some down time. I needed to regroup and figure out what my next move was going to be. Most importantly, I needed to get away from here and all the bad…wonderful...bad memories associated with it. My first order of business needed to be finding a job, but before that I needed to sort out all the crap floating around in my head, and I needed to do that somewhere I had no chance of running into Logan.
“You are?” he asked. I could tell he was trying to hold back his excitement. I wasn’t supposed to visit California again until my birthday in the summer, but now I had no reason not to go earlier. “Why don’t you just tell me when you want to come and I’ll have your mother purchase your ticket” he offered.
“No, Dad, I can handle it.”
“No, Brooklyn, we can pay for it. You don’t have a job, remember? Just let us handle it. Sometimes you’re too independent for your own good.” My dad chuckled heartily into the phone, “In so many ways you remind me of your mother.” Was that supposed to be a compliment?
“I do?” When it came to my mom and me it felt like we were polar opposites. I loved my mom, but sometimes she could be overbearing.
“Yeah, honey you do. You probably don’t see it, but that’s okay. None of that matters because I’m very happy you’re going to be here.”
“Yeah, me too Dad. I just wish it was on better circumstances.”
“You never need a reason to come home, baby girl. Our home is always your home. Just let me know when and I’ll get on it.”
A little while later we said our goodbyes and I sat on the couch staring at the wall. What was I going to do now? I gathered my things and headed towards my room to change my clothes.
Before I did—I fired up my laptop. I figured I needed to get on the job hunt as soon as possible. No time like the present, right? I opened my email and was happy to see that I had a bid on EBAY for one of my photos. As I continued to scroll through my emails, my eyes landed on one I hadn’t expected to find. It was from Logan. I took a deep breath before I started reading. It was very short and to the point.
From: Logan Colton
To: Brooklyn Caldwell
Subject: Stop
Monday, May 21, 2012 at 11:45 AM
You haven’t returned my calls. I need you to say something. I’m not giving up on this…on us. Talk to me. Why are you running?
I miss you Starburst.
-L
_____________________________________
It was the last line that forced me to want to respond. Seeing the pet name he’d given me in print did something to my heart, but every time I started to type a response I deleted the words. Eventually I decided to just keep it simple.
To: Logan Colton
From: Brooklyn Caldwell
RE: Stop
Monday, May 21, 2012 at 12:10 PM
I need some time.
-B
_____________________________________
From: Logan Colton
To: Brooklyn Caldwell
RE: RE: Stop
Monday, May 21, 2012 at 12:40 PM
That’s not something I’m willing to give you. It’s been two days. I need you to COMMUNICATE.
-L
__________________________________
To: Logan Colton
From: Brooklyn Caldwell
RE: RE: RE: Stop
Monday, May 21, 2012 at 1:00 PM
If I feel the need to COMMUNICATE, you’ll be the last person I’ll think of calling. Better yet, if you want to chat someone up, why don’t you call Elizabeth?
-B
__________________________________
I hit send before I had a chance to regret what I’d written. I knew it was childish to want to jab Logan below the belt, but I was annoyed by the fact that he said that I needed to be the one to communicate. It seemed like he needed to learn how to communicate—communicate that there was something more between him and a girl that he was supposedly only friends with. My email pinged and there was yet another message from him.
From: Logan Colton
To: Brooklyn Caldwell
RE: RE: RE: RE: Stop
Monday, May 21, 2012 at 1:05 PM
What are you talking about?! How many times do I have to tell you she means nothing, you mean everything? I don’t even understand what you’re even referring to. Where do we go from here?
-L
______________________________________
For the briefest of seconds my heart skipped a beat. I wanted to believe him…I did…but I wasn’t willing to overlook reality to live in a fantasy. When we met I was upfront with Logan…he knew I was marred. He knew Damon was a part of my past that I didn’t want to relive. He knew about my miscarriage for crying out loud! None of those things were easy for me to share. But I had enough courage to let him in, only to be slapped back into reality with the news that Elizabeth was pregnant. I didn’t want to be the one to break the news about her pregnancy either. No thank you. It was hard enough digesting it. Elizabeth needed to be the one that told him that he was going to be a father. At least he wouldn’t hear about it while he was in the bathroom trying to pee.
Just then my phone began to ring. My mom was calling.
“Hi, honey!”
“Hi, Mom. I assume you’ve talked to Dad.”
“Yes, he told me what happened. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, the good news is I found you a flight home that leaves tomorrow morning. I was surprised it came up, and it’s a good price. Plus, you’ll be here for your dad’s birthday party.” With everything going on, I’d forgotten my mom was planning a party for my dad When I’d originally requested the time off for it, Trent had denied my vacation request, saying there was a “high priority” project he needed me for. But it clearly wasn’t an issue now.
“Book my flight then,” I said. “I don’t want to miss it.”
My mom filled me in on the time and schedule, and by the time we got off the phone I was all confirmed for a flight out of DC the next morning.
After I hung up with my mom, I changed out of my dress and into sweats and a shirt. I double checked my phone to see what the weather was going to be like in LA.
Warm. Perfect. The first smile I’d had all morning.
I pulled my suitcase out from under my bed, switched on my iTunes and then got to work. I was in the middle of packing when a knock at my bedroom door startled me. It was only two-thirty in the afternoon. Alex and Jay shouldn’t have been home yet.
“Brooklyn?” Alex called through the door.
I hopped up from where I’d been folding clothes and opened the door.
“Hey, what are you doing home so early?”
“Stomach is feeling weird so I just decided to come home. What are you doing here?”
I blew out my breath and walked back to my laptop to turn down my music, and then plopped down back on the floor next to my suitcase.
She took in the clothes in folded piles. “What’s going on?”
“I quit my job today.”
“What?” Alex didn’t even try to hide her surprise, “What happened?”
I figured I may as well get used to answering this question since it was so out of my character to walk away from a job without a plan in place. “I had a meeting with HR today.”
“And?”
“Well, apparently Anna saw me and Logan together and informed Trent.” I flung a shirt into my suitcase. Alex knew exactly who Anna was. I’d been complaining about her for years now.
“What a bitch!”
“Trust me, I know.”
Alex pushed over some of the clothes I had lying on my bed and plopped down. “I know this sucks at the moment, but this isn’t as bad as you might think. Maybe you can actually do something better. Something you enjoy.”
“Alex, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t have a job anymore. I can’t even think about all this right now. There are too many things going on in my head.”
I rolled a pair of jeans and grabbed the sun dress that was lodged between the flap of the suit case and the bed.
“I know you don’t have a job, but why are you packing?”
“With everything going on, I’m going to take a trip home. You know, clear my head.”
“Is your visit just about quitting your job, or about getting away from someone whose name starts with an L.”
“I think you know the answer to that question,” I huffed. ”He emailed me a while ago. I’m just not ready to deal with him right now.”
“How long are you going to be gone?” she asked.
“I don’t know. It’s not like I have anything to hurry back to at the moment, so maybe a week or two. My mom just bought me a one way ticket.”
