Something Like Hate, page 12
I don’t know the source of the rumor, but I need Claire to come back right away. I told her to take a couple of days off, not the entire fucking week. We have work to do. Shit to fix.
When I arrive at the office from my last meeting, I find Devon sitting on the leather couch.
“What the fuck do you need, Evans?”
“And he’s still breathing fire,” he says, staring at me. “What the fuck is going on with you?”
“Have you been able to get in touch with Ms. Solis?” I question, because she’s ignoring my calls.
“Should I remind you that after we fired her, she quit?”
I shake my head. “She quit, I suggested she take a couple of days off, and whatever you and Gary said is not relevant.”
“You can’t undermine me. We’re a team.”
“We can’t lose her,” I snap.
I can’t lose her.
He crosses his arms, tilts his head, and squints.
“Unless,” he pauses. “There’s a reason why she has to stay. Is there something you’d like to share with me, your best friend?
“Like?” I raise an eyebrow.
He grins. “Maybe she’s the magic pussy you left behind in Cancun.”
“You’re a fucking asshole,” I say, and dial her number one more time, but as it’s been happening for the past couple of hours, it goes to voicemail.
“She’s not coming back,” he insists. “Gary handed me a list with her current clients. If they leave to follow her, we’ll sue.”
I comb my hair with one hand, what the fuck is wrong with Devon?
“On what grounds?” I say.
“My guess is she’s trying to open her own shop and we have a non-compete clause in her contract.”
I wouldn’t sue her; I want to tell him.
In fact, I want her back. What if he’s right?
She’s not coming back, and this is all my fucking fault for crossing the line with an employee. There I go again, using my company as an excuse when the real problem I’m dealing with is I’m losing her, and I have no idea how to fix this shit.
Starting with an apology. “Call me if you need me.”
He sets a hand on top of my laptop. “You can’t be leaving already. We have work to do.”
I glare at him, snatching my computer. “I have a personal situation that needs to be fixed now.”
Without saying another word, I leave. Accessing the human resources files, I find Claire’s address. I set it on my GPS and go to the flower shop.
We’re fixing this. I’ve been an asshole. That night I should’ve woken her up and talked to her. We wouldn’t be in this mess if I had.
When I arrive at her apartment, there’re a couple of things that cause my throat to close.
One, there’s a moving truck. Two, there are guys coming in and out with boxes from her apartment. Three, the place looks empty.
I can’t breathe when I realize—fuck—this can’t be happening. She’s leaving me.
There’s a tall guy coming out of the apartment. His dark eyes look familiar. The moment he spots me, he gives me that I’m going to kill you glare that’s very Claire Solis.
“You,” he says accusatorially. “Get the fuck out of here before I kill you.”
I look at him closer and recognize him from the pictures Claire shared with me. This is Thomas, her brother. She never told me he was almost as tall as me.
“Listen,” I say.
“No, you listen to me, you fucking asshole.” His voice booms through the building. “No one hurts my baby sister and gets away with it.”
“Thomas, stop!”
I move my gaze toward Claire, who is wearing nothing but a pair of tiny shorts and a tank top. Fatal mistake. Blinded by her beauty, I miss her brother’s fucking fist. My head pounds as his knuckles connect against my left temple and then the other fist punches me in the gut.
“Stop right now,” Claire says, standing between us.
“He hurt you,” her brother says.
I wish I could talk but I’m having trouble breathing.
“What are you doing here, Mr. Archer?” she asks, crossing her arms and glaring at me.
“Well, it’s Friday. I gave you a couple of days off, not the whole week. We have work to do,” I say, covering my throbbing eye with one hand.
Son of a bitch, he has a mean hook. If I didn’t deserve it, I’d fight back.
“I quit,” she answers. “As you can see, I’m moving. I’ll be in New York next week, enjoying a new life.”
“There’s a rumor about it. You can’t be serious. Why would you move to New York?”
“It’s what’s best for me,” she answers. “You can keep your lower management position. I’m going to a place where they’ll pay me what I’m worth.”
Is she fucking kidding me? I know her worth. If what she wants is a better salary, we could’ve worked it out. But leaving without a fight?
“Is this some kind of temper tantrum? I gave the position to someone else, and you make an entire production to show me you don’t need me. Is that it?”
“I. Don’t. Need. You,” she says.
“Is that how this is going to be. I didn’t promote you so you leave?”
“There’s a lot more to this, including that he stole my intellectual property and you wouldn’t believe me.”
“According to your contract, whatever you create becomes my company’s property, which means neither one of you own the logos, slogans, or other marketing materials.”
“Not the point.” She crosses her arms. “He stole my ideas, you promoted him based on them.”
“Stay and fight if that’s the case,” I argue.
“I wanted to until I realized there’s no point to it.” She shakes her head. “I found a better place for me, with a better salary and benefits; where my employer will treat me as a person.”
I grind my teeth. Adrenaline rushes through my veins, along with anger. Is she fucking kidding me? Just like that, she’s packing and leaving everything behind. There’s a pounding in my head. An edgy twitchy feeling is making me want to fight with her brother, make him hit me until the fucking physical pain replaces what’s happening inside me.
Who the fuck is hiring her? That’s when everything suddenly falls into place. This isn’t new, is it?
“Here’s what I’m wondering now, Ms. Solis,” I say controlling my tone. “The hiring process for any company usually takes more than a week. Let’s say you applied on Monday, after you quit. The company doesn’t contact you right away.”
I wave a hand, inviting her to join the conversation. “Help me here, please. How is it they hired you within four days and you’re already leaving?”
She smiles. “You never noticed me, but other people did. A headhunter reached out to me and guess what, I accepted their offer this past Tuesday.”
I nod, pressing my lips tight. “Were you going to play with me?”
“What if I was?” she crosses her arms.
“It’s always about money, isn’t it, Claire? Whoever gives you what you want. You played your cards well. You had an ace up your sleeve. You’re like everyone else.”
“Says who? The man who only cares about his earnings, his clients, and himself. Does it hurt knowing I don’t need you? I got a job with a better salary, more benefits, and a better quality of life.”
“You thought after the weekend the job was yours.”
She slaps me. “You’re such an asshole. Get the fuck out of here.”
“Just a reminder; you can’t take my clients, or I’ll sue you.”
“Do you want to involve lawyers?” She gives me a daring look.
Her brother moves me away, taking me by the collar. “Leave, if I ever see you again, I’ll kill you.”
“Try, do whatever you want. I don’t give a fuck anymore.”
He can’t kill me.
I can’t breathe. He doesn’t understand what’s happening. She took my heart and she’s leaving.
Twenty-Four
Claire
Six months after leaving Colorado…
Google knows shit. For the past two weeks I researched how to avoid visiting my family, and there wasn’t any sensible answer. According to Mom, the birth of my second nephew (Nikki’s third child) makes it impossible to delegate. At least I was able to avoid the trip for six months.
It’s not about avoiding my family. It's about avoiding him.
Miller fucking Archer. He’s the last person I want to see, and if I want to make sure that it doesn’t happen, I have to avoid all the places where he can be. Like Denver. Up until now, I have been able to avoid everything.
It’s not that I want to forget him. Nope. Actually, I want to erase him from my story. Rip off the chapter we lived together. But even when I know it’s been over, my heart still feels him. My mind hasn’t stopped thinking about him. My soul can’t stop missing him.
The distance and time haven’t healed me just yet. If I could, I would stay in New York. I’ve tried my best.
In late August, Thomas offered to pay my ticket, if I helped him kick his now ex-girlfriend out of his apartment. Thank you, but no thank you. First, why would I want to do such a thing? He screwed up by asking her to move in when he wasn’t ready.
I knew that wasn’t going to last long. Did he listen to my warning? Nope.
Why on earth he moves in with every woman he dates is beyond me. I already told him to stop picking up women who are expecting a ring—or to stop promising shit. Moving in together means shit is getting real for most people.
As my plane lands, I text the family. Since I moved out, we created a family chat and we use it all the time. Even Craig is part of it.
Claire: Landed.
Thomas: Are you sure you don’t want me to pick you up?
Claire: I rented a car but thank you.
While I’m in town, I want to visit Courtney and Madeline. We haven’t spoken much since they came back from the cruise. The last time I saw them, they were taking a cab to the port where they were going to board a cruise—and left me alone with the asshole we don’t speak of.
Mom: Nikki’s already at the hospital.
Craig: The baby is almost here.
Claire: I’ll be there soon.
I put away my phone, grab my carry-on, and leave the airplane. It doesn’t take me long to arrive at the terminal and head to the shuttle. I send another text, letting everyone know I’m on my way to the hospital.
When I arrive at Nikki’s room, I find the cutest, most heartwarming and yet heartbreaking scene. My sister is on the bed, with a blue bundle in her arms, and Craig is hugging them both. Ten years of marriage and these two are still madly in love.
It’s precious, and yet, I’m a little jealous because I’m almost thirty and nowhere close to having what they share. My sister was twenty-three when they met, and they’ve been together since then.
Me?
There’s no one who I can share a drink with after a crappy day at work.
“You’re here,” my sister says when I clear my throat.
“Well, that was fast,” I say, walking toward her. “Aren’t you supposed to be in recovery?”
“Recovery?” she frowns. “No, that’s for C-sections. I’m doing well and ready to pretend I need to stay in the hospital for a couple more days to avoid responsibilities.”
“Well, I’m here to entertain two of your responsibilities. We have the zoo, the aquarium, and the children’s museum to start off,” I remind her. “While you get well acquainted with this beautiful boy.”
“Aiden meet Aunt Claire,” she says, handing me the tiny boy.
“Your favorite aunt,” I add. “He’s gorgeous. How was everything? Give me all the gory details.”
“We barely made it to the hospital,” she says. “As soon as he heard you were landing, he wanted to come out.”
“What can I say, we have a connection, don’t we?” I stare into his beautiful, sleepy face.
He makes me want to have one. Not that I’m ready to take that step. I’d need a plan. There’s no boyfriend in my future. Every guy I date bails on me after the first or second date. Invitro and a sperm donor might have to do the job. I’ll think about it when I’m thirty-five. Or…
“Maybe I should take you to New York with me. Your parents already have two. They won’t miss you.”
“How was your flight?” Craig asks, taking the baby away from me and handing him back to Nikki.
“Smooth,” I commiserate his move. “I was joking.”
“You look tired, are you sleeping at all or still trying to prove that you’re a superhuman?” Nikki sounds just like my mother.
“The plane ride was uneventful,” I answer Craig’s question, avoiding discussing my frantic schedule. “There was some turbulence as we entered Colorado. Nothing new. I’m just glad to be here.”
Nikki stares at me. I’m sure she doesn’t want to hear about work or my life in New York. I could say something like, “Well, I landed a couple of new accounts. In January, I’m going to London for some training. There are so many opportunities within the company, I can’t just slow down.”
If I say any of that she’s going to lecture me. That’s definitely a conversation for another month. I love my family, but they think I’m overdoing it and it’d be better if I start my own company here, at home.
They just don’t understand. There’re people younger than me with better positions.
“We’re glad you made it,” she says, smiling at her tiny baby. “Are you staying for Thanksgiving?”
I nod. “As long as you guys come to New York over Christmas as we agreed.”
“I wish we could say no. Flying with an infant, a toddler, and a very energetic seven-year-old boy is going to be…I might lose my sanity. Nonetheless, Mom already planned the entire week. Even New Year’s Eve.”
“So I’ve heard.”
Actually, I was able to get them a rental so they can save on hotel accommodations. We’re driving to Vermont for that weekend because Dad and Thomas want to ski. I already made reservations at a resort in Kentbury.
“I can’t believe you convinced her to travel during the holidays.”
“What can I say? I can be pretty persuasive. Plus, you’ll have her, Dad, and Thomas to help you guys during the flight.”
At that moment, as if I had summoned him, Thomas enters the room, holding a cup of coffee or maybe it’s tea.
“Chai latte, room temperature for the new mother,” he says, handing it to Craig and then hugging me. “The baby sister has arrived. You missed the theatrical appearance.”
“It wasn’t theatrical,” Nikki complains.
“Craig caught Aiden midair. The doctor wasn’t even in the room.”
“Wow, that’s quite an adventure,” I say, not trying to think about how that scene would’ve looked like. “Aren’t you lucky your husband is a doctor?”
“I haven’t delivered a baby since my residency. That was years ago,” Craig says. “But I’m glad we had it under control.”
“You two look tired, maybe we should leave,” I say.
“Let’s go for dinner,” Thomas suggests. “We have to be at Mom’s house by seven. If you haven’t heard, we’re camping in the living room. I set the tent already.”
“Take me away before I try to get me one of those from the nursery.”
“I’ll be watching you,” Craig warns me but smiles.
Like I would take a baby. I do want one, but how do I get one of those?
“Can you knock up one of your one-night stands and gift me the baby?”
“The air from New York is making you crazy,” Thomas says. “When are you coming back?”
I shrug. Do I want to come back?
Twenty-Five
Miller
One Year after Claire left…
A moment.
One decision.
One move.
It doesn’t take much to define a person’s future.
There’s a reaction to every action. Dad repeated that every time I did something, like using the stairs to skateboard and breaking Mom’s expensive figurines. Playing baseball with my friends inside the house because it was raining outside.
“There’s always an effect,” he said while lecturing me. “Before you do something, think this: Can I live with the consequences?”
I like to say that in the past, I always thought before I acted. Ninety-nine percent of the time I made sure I could live with the outcome.
Except that one time. The one when I screwed up my life and my entire future.
I made the biggest mistake of my life, and I can barely live with what I did.
It was one moment. I made the wrong decision and didn’t think about what could happen afterward. Since then, my life is divided in two: before Claire Solis and after her.
My life changed in a matter of days and I didn’t notice until she was gone. It was impossible to continue without her. I’m still having trouble living without her.
She's changed me. There are some people who come into our lives for just a second and transform it in ways you don’t notice until one day you wake up and don’t recognize the person in front of you.
So, after Claire left, I became the boss she wanted. The guy everyone wants to work for, and my company is now one of the top advertising companies. I can’t complain about my professional life.
The rest sucks. The problem is, I’ve been having a hard time breathing because she’s not with me. I’m not interested in anyone else.
Am I still an asshole? Maybe.
But it's just with those who piss me off. She made me a better person. Now, I ask more than just one question. Can I live with the consequences is one? The second is, how would this affect those around me? The third and most important one, would Claire approve?
23 Media Inc. is a different concept. I made several changes after I almost lost my common sense and several clients.
