Caulk Tease

by Green, Megan

  He smiles at me like the fucking Cheshire Cat and squeezes my knee, leaving his hand to rest there. “I knew you were a good girl, Monroe.” He licks his lips and my skin feels like it’s crawling.

  Wiggling out of his embrace, I slam the door behind me and run to my front door. I don’t turn around as his car quickly flees from our driveway.

  I’d forced that memory to the very back of my mind until just now when he approached our table with that sneer on his face. Barrett comes storming back to the table and his demeanor is completely different. Colder somehow.

  I reach for his hand when he takes a seat across from me, but I’m stupidly left hanging when he doesn’t offer his up. “Is everything okay?”

  He nods his head and clips out, “Fine,” in response but he motions his hand toward our waiter to come back to the table.

  “Can I get you something else, sir?” the waiter asks as he eyes Barrett warily. Even he can tell something is up right now.

  Barrett doesn’t even look up at the waiter when he asks, “Can you bring me the check, please? We’ve finished our meal.”

  I offer a small smile as I push my half-eaten plate of food away from me. I can tell the waiter wants to ask another question, but he thinks better of it as he replies, “Of course. I’ll be right back with that.”

  He pulls his phone out of his pocket and mindlessly scrolls, or at least that’s what it looks like to me. Avoiding eye contact with me altogether, he types on his screen, replying to emails or text messages.

  What the hell just happened?

  “Barrett, what’s going on?”

  Placing his phone down on the table, he finally looks at me and I hate what I see. There’s a range of emotions swirling in his eyes, and I fall back against my chair, unprepared for so much animosity being aimed in my direction.

  His voice holds zero emotion when he replies, “We will talk about it later. Not here.”

  The man sitting across from me is always so calm and professional. I have no idea where this side of him came from, but I don’t like it.

  Awkward tension builds between us as we quickly pay for our food and leave the restaurant. Barrett doesn’t even wait for me as he walks five feet ahead of me toward the car and I stumble in the stupid heels I decided to wear. So much for the perfect first date.

  * * *

  I didn’t expect him to immediately start talking the minute we get in the car, but I also didn’t think the entire car ride would be uncomfortably silent. Part of me was too afraid to say anything because I’m not sure I want to know what he’s thinking or what the mayor told him.

  The minute we get back to his house and inside with the front door shut tight behind us he’s almost instantly on me. “What did you do, Monroe? Why is the mayor threatening to pull us off the project if I don’t break up with you or fire you?”

  Me? How is this even happening right now and what did that old bastard say about me? I want to scream at Barrett to not believe whatever lies his head was filled with, but the fight seems pointless. He’s already made up his mind about me and didn’t even get a chance to hear my side of the story. “How dare you.”

  “How dare I? What am I missing here? Mayor Mitchell is a highly respected man in our community and always has been. He doesn’t dislike anybody. Is that why you really left when your mom died? Because you fucked up somehow and left town as fast as you could?”

  The rage runs off of me in waves and I take one step toward the man I thought I loved and slap my hand across his face. “I hate you, Barrett Brooks.”

  His eyes go wide, but I don’t wait for a response as I flee the room. Slamming his bedroom door behind me, I look at the mess around me. I spent twenty minutes trying on every item of clothing I owned trying to look absolutely perfect for tonight. I’ve never been that girl before, but I was so excited and wanted to look nice for the man I’m dating.

  What a fucking joke that was.

  Reaching into my purse, I feel around until I find my phone and then I toss the bag to the bed. Sitting down, I pull up my text messaging app.

  I can barely see the keys as I type out a message on my phone. I don’t even allow myself to think before hitting send and hoping he’ll respond. We never did end up doing anything about my car being towed and I’m virtually stranded here.

  Me: Are you busy right now?

  Me: I’m sorry to be doing this to you. Can you come pick me up? I can’t stay here with Barrett anymore.

  Benton: What the hell is going on?

  Never in my life have I ever felt this helpless before. I don’t have the time or the energy to type out an entire explanation so instead I just settle with a needy answer.

  Me: Please. I just need to get out of here. I’ll tell you everything later.

  Benton: I’ll be there as soon as I can.

  Benton: But you can guarantee I expect some sort of an explanation out of you.

  Getting involved with Barrett was a mistake from the beginning. I knew it was stupid and I should have avoided him like my original plan. I don’t even know what I’m going to do now. I have some money saved up, but it’s not enough for much at all. I just need to get to Benton’s and figure out my next steps. Starting with leaving town as soon as I possibly can.

  Dropping my phone to the bed, I start shoving as many of my belongings into a trash bag as I can. My vision blurs as tears fall down my face. This is why I never fall in love. It’s not a feeling I’ve ever been able to trust, and I don’t know why I thought things were different this time.

  News flash, they’re never different.

  The front door slams open against the wall and Benton’s voice carries up the stairs to me, “Barrett, what the fuck, man?”

  I didn’t think he would get here so quickly. I was hoping for a quiet exit without Barrett knowing, but I guess that’s not going to happen.

  “What are you doing here, Ben?”

  There’s a loud crash downstairs and I drop everything in my hands and run. The last thing I wanted to do was to come between those two and it looks like that’s exactly what happened.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Barrett

  My palms clasp the edge of the sink, my fingers digging into the cool metal to the point of pain. I hadn’t meant what I said to Monroe to come out the way it did. But as it has so many times in the past, my mouth spoke before my brain could catch up.

  But it just doesn’t make sense. The whole car ride here, I kept turning over the possibilities of why Mayor Mitchell would issue his ultimatum. We’ve never had a single issue in the past. Hell, he and my dad are old friends. His oldest son and I were on the football team together. So no matter how many different scenarios I tried to conjure, it all came back the same common denominator.

  Monroe.

  He said he hadn’t wanted the town to find out about us. Was that really because she works for me? Or did it have more to do with the woman herself?

  I take a few more calming breaths, knowing I’m going to have to go up there and apologize for my behavior. But the ache of her words still sits heavily on my chest, their impact a million times more brutal than the ones the mayor had spoken.

  I hate you, Barrett Brooks.

  I probably deserved them. Standing here in the kitchen, I know that the way I came at her wasn’t fair. I deserve an explanation. But Monroe didn’t deserve to be attacked in the process of me getting it.

  But the finality of those words, the harsh, even tone she’d delivered them in...how could they have been so easy for her to say? I’d thought we were on the same page. Or at least headed that way. Just an hour ago, I’d been marveling over how I’d managed to fall for this woman in such a short amount of time. And I was positive she felt the same.

  But then she’d spoken those five little words, and completely obliterated my heart.

  Turning the faucet on, I splash some cool water on my face, hanging my head as the beads roll down my nose and into the sink below me.

  Drip.<
br />
  Drip.

  Drip.

  The droplets fall in a sort of steady rhythm, setting the pace for my frantic heart. It’s as if each one is bringing me closer and closer to the edge. Of what, I’m not quite sure.

  I’m so lost in the hypnotic cadence of the water, I don’t even hear the front door open. It’s not until Benton is standing behind me, his deep voice bellowing out his anger, that I even realize he’s there.

  “Barrett, what the fuck, man?”

  I turn around, my brows pulling together in confusion as I see my brother standing there, his fists clenched at his sides, his face red and angry.

  “What are you doing here, Ben?”

  “What the hell did you do?” he seethes.

  The words make me flinch because they’re the exact same ones I’d thrown at Monroe not even twenty minutes before. I’d done the same thing to her that my brother is doing to me now. Reacting before asking questions.

  “Look, Ben, this really doesn’t concern you.”

  My brother sweeps his hand across the kitchen table, sending all the contents crashing to the floor. “Like hell it doesn’t. You might be my brother, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to just stand by and let you hurt my best friend.”

  “It was just a misunderstanding,” I start, and he scoffs.

  “‘Misunderstanding,’” he says, throwing up air quotes around the word. “More like, you were an ass, like usual, and didn’t give two shits about how your actions would affect the other person. Jesus, Barrett. I knew this was a bad idea. I thought maybe, just maybe, a girl like Monroe might finally be able to break through that thick skull of yours. But no. You’re too damn bullheaded to know a damn good thing when it’s staring you in the face.”

  “Benton, you don’t—”

  “Benton?” Monroe’s quiet voice breaks through the cacophony of our argument, causing both of us to swing our heads in her direction. She’s standing next to the front door, a black trash back clutched in her hands, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

  I want nothing more than to go to her, to wrap her in my arms and kiss away the pain I caused. But before I can even attempt to make a move, Benton pins me with a glare, his finger coming up to point straight at my face.

  “This isn’t over.”

  And with that, he turns and storms to Monroe, his hand surprisingly gentle on her back as he ushers her out of my home.

  I somehow make my way over to the window, though I’m not really quite sure how. My feet feel like lead, my legs like Jell-O, and it’s a feat in and of itself that I’m even still standing upright, considering the disaster that just became my life in the last twenty minutes.

  But I make it, just in time to see Monroe slide into the passenger seat of Ben’s truck, her eyes stealing one last look at my house as he slams the door shut and jogs around to the driver’s side. They start at the roof and slowly scan their way down, her face a mask of pain and regret as she takes it all in. When she finally reaches the living room window and her gaze lands on mine, I don’t miss the look of sheer sorrow and hurt that floods her eyes.

  With one final mournful blink, she turns her face in the opposite direction. And there’s no doubt in my mind as to what just happened.

  Monroe Daniels just said goodbye.

  * * *

  It’s just after nine the next morning, and I’m pouring my fourth cup of coffee, my eyes bleary from the lack of sleep and unshed tears. I stand in front of the coffee maker at work, running over the details of last night for the millionth time.

  How had things gone from absolute perfection to complete and utter horseshit in the span of an hour?

  Of course, I know the answer to that question.

  Me.

  And I have no clue how, but I have to make it right. As soon as Ash gets here, I’m going to call Benton in. We’re going to figure out how to handle whatever this is with the mayor. Then, once that’s all squared away and Monroe has had some time to cool down, I’m going to do my damnedest to try and fix things with her. To show her that she didn’t mean those words she said last night.

  Now, I just need to come up with a damn plan.

  The front door swings open, the bells tied to the handle clanging wildly to announce the arrival of Ash. I set my mug on the counter and turn to look at him.

  “Good, you’re here. Listen, Ash…” I trail off as he strides right past me, not so much as a glance my way in acknowledgment that I was speaking to him.

  I follow him over to his desk, watching as he swings his briefcase onto his desk and begins taking off his coat.

  “Ash, we need to—”

  He sits down in his chair, immediately spinning and facing away from me.

  I don’t know what the fuck his problem is, but I’m damn sure not going to put up with this shit. Not from the only person who I thought didn’t hate me.

  I shove his shoulder with my fingers. “What in the hell is your problem?”

  He spins back around in his chair. “You wanna know what my problem is, Barr? You, you’re my fucking problem.”

  My jaw falls open. “Me? What the fuck did I do?”

  He lets out a humorless laugh. “Don’t give me that shit. You know exactly what you did. But here, let me spell it out for you,” he says, holding up a hand and counting off. “One. You got involved with an employee. And while I know we don’t exactly have a no fraternization policy here, you’re still the damn boss. We don’t do shit like that, and you know it. Two. You kept that relationship a secret from your business partners. No, not only your business partners. Your best friend and your goddamn brother. And three. As if those first two weren’t bad enough, you then proceeded to act like a complete ass, jumping to conclusions and costing us the best damn employee we’ve ever had. I hope it was worth it, dickwad. Because know that when we sign those bankruptcy papers, this is all on you. We had a real shot at saving this company, and you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants long enough to see it through.”

  I stare at him, my mouth hanging open in shock as my brain works to catch up with everything he just said.

  “Monroe quit?” is all I manage to get out.

  Ash scoffs. “Damn right she quit. I can’t say I blame her. That asshole shows up at the restaurant, and from what Benton and I were able to gather from her, basically told you she has to go or we’re off the job, right?”

  I nod. “He said I either had to end it with her or fire her.”

  “And your first thought after that douche issues that kind of ultimatum is that it must be Monroe’s fault?” His lips are pulled back from his teeth in a disgusted sneer.

  “What the hell was I supposed to think? It’s not like he’d say something like that for no reason.”

  “Oh, he has reason alright. But it’s to save his own sorry ass.”

  My brows furrow. “What in the fuck are you talking about?”

  Ash leans forward, rubbing his hand across his brow. “Dude, you can’t really believe the mayor is as squeaky clean as he pretends to be, do you?”

  I shake my head at him, not in denial, but in confusion. “I don’t know what you mean. He’s a good guy. Everyone knows that.”

  “No, Barrett. Everyone pretends that. Fuck, I thought you knew. I thought everyone in town knew. That asshole is as dirty as they come. Women, gambling, drinking...hell, I even heard rumors that he’s the reason The Park is even still in business. He keeps the cops off their asses so they can run drugs through there, and in exchange, well...you know.”

  “Bullshit,” I say, unable to believe that Mayor Mitchell, a man I’ve admired since I was a kid, is involved with drugs.

  “Believe it, man. And turns out, he used to have quite the thing for Monroe’s mom. She walked in on them one day, and the asshole threatened her after. Got a little too friendly with an underage girl too, if you know what I mean.”

  My vision immediately turns red. “He what?” I spit through clenched teeth.

  “Calm down, Cujo. He
didn’t touch her. Not like that. Just, made her feel uncomfortable.”

  “So Mitchell walks in, sees me with Monroe, and knows that she can ruin him. He has nothing on her. Nothing to keep her under his control like I’m sure he does everyone else in town. Nothing except…”

  Ash points at me. “You.”

  “Fuck!” I shout, smacking the pen holder on Ash’s desk, sending it flying. “How could I have been so stupid?”

  “Beats me. You know, when I first found out about you and Monroe, I thought it was a bad idea. Because of the first reason I listed earlier. You’re one of the founders of this company, and we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Getting involved with employees is not good business practice.”

  I nod. “I know, but—”

  He holds up a finger. “Wait a minute, I’m not done. I said I thought it was a bad idea. But then I got to thinking about it. About how different you’ve been the past few months. And now that it’s out there, it’s so glaringly obvious. You started to change the moment she rolled into town.”

  I give him a puzzled look. “I changed?”

  Ash nods. “You changed. Big time. You smile now. And laugh. You actually have a fucking sense of humor. You’re like the Barrett I knew back in high school, the guy who knew how to have a good time and didn’t take life so seriously. These last few years, man...you’ve been stressed to the max. Running yourself ragged—”

  “You’re one to talk,” I interject, reminding him that he works just as hard as I do.

  He rolls his eyes. “We’re not talking about me right now. But the point is, for the first time in a long time, you were...happy.”

  As soon as the word leaves his lips, I know he’s right.

  I was happy.

  Monroe made me happy.

  Monroe makes me happy.