One Little Mix Up_A Second Chance, Office Romance

by Robin Edwards

  More recently one of her best friends at the office just got married to someone that she dated at first but realized wasn’t right for her. Her friend was happily married in Chicago now with her new husband and her son. Her partner in crime, that she used to party with recently met someone also and has been spending all her time with him and were talking about moving in together.

  I asked her about Nicole and while Beth was grateful for the time she spent with her, Nicole was young and at the peak of her fun phase and couldn’t see herself keeping up with Nicole and her wild lifestyle. She believed in having fun but couldn’t do it every single night anymore.

  I knew how she felt. Here I was in my early thirties and I was still partying and traveling. There was nothing wrong with that and it was still quite fun but it’s all I know and it can be quite exhausting. When I took a break, I came home for a couple of weeks and I’m all alone in a big house. The only time I’m around people having a good time is when we’re out partying, drinking and surrounded by women.

  Before I knew it, I found myself telling Beth all of this and I even invited her over for cold, Chinese food and while it was enticing, she was already in bed and was gratefully getting sleepy.

  Damn it. I was close. Ah well, another day perhaps but I was glad to help her out in her time of need. Impromptu and impulsive as it was.

  Nevertheless, here I was at the Garden Inn the following evening, waiting for Beth to come back from the ladies’ room. The Inn was the new restaurant that popped up this past summer down the street from the stadium. I’ve been to the Garden Inn several times but seeing as she hadn’t and it was close to our destination, I felt it was best option on such short notice. I was good, but not that good.

  There were so many restaurants along the street and it was dubbed Restaurant Row but this place by far the best. Never mind the fact that it was a new restaurant, the cuisine here was excellent here anyway.

  “Hi, thank you for waiting.” Beth said when she finally returned.

  “Not a problem.” I said as I stood to pull out a chair for her.

  “You know honestly, you didn’t have to take me to dinner. They do have food at all the games.” Beth suggested.

  “I know, I just didn’t realize you were the concession food type but I’ll keep it in mind next time.”

  “Next time?” Beth asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Well, if you are so inclined to invite me and if I’m ever so lucky to be invited.” I smiled.

  “We will have to see how today goes.” she smiled back. So far so good.

  Don’t fuck this up, Trevor.

  After a few minutes, one of the waitresses stopped by and introduced herself as Tina before asking if we had any drinks we wanted to order. After I ordered a cola for myself and a lemon water for Beth, I asked the waitress Tina if my buddy Mark was working that night.

  “Yes, he’s in the kitchen but he’s slammed with orders as you can see. I’ll let him know you’re here the first chance I get.” she giggled.

  “Great, can you let him know Trevor is here?”

  “Will do, Trevor.” the waitress winked. “Are you two ready to order as well or do you need a few minutes?”

  “We’ll need a few minutes I think, right?” I asked Beth.

  “Yes, just a couple please.” she replied.

  “Okay, great. I’ll be right back.” Tina nodded and took off to attend to the other tables in her section.

  “Do you know what you’re getting or do you need suggestions?” I asked.

  “I think I’m ready. I’m probably going to have the lemon pepper chicken. How about you?”

  “The porterhouse, of course.” I chuckled.

  “You know the waitress was flirting with you.” Beth mentioned suddenly.

  I nearly choked, “What?”

  Chapter Nine

  BETH

  “The waitress, she was hitting on you. Subtle and awkward as it was.” I teased.

  “You think every woman who talks to me is hitting on me and you also think that every woman I talk to, I want to take to bed.” Trevor replied sourly.

  “Don’t you?” I looked up from my menu.

  “Well, yes…I mean no. I mean it’s not like I’d turn someone down if I found them attractive but it also doesn’t mean I want to make an effort either. I do like a breather now and then.”

  “Didn’t know sleeping around was such hard work.” I laughed. I loved catching him off guard. It reminded him he wasn’t exactly Mr. Smooth. “By the way you haven’t given me your opinion on the ideas I sent you last night.”

  “Hmm.” he barely acknowledged my comment.

  “I thought you were going to read through them and give me your thoughts.” I continued.

  “I am.” he answered as he skimmed the menu.

  “When are you going to read them?” I asked again.

  “I will, soon.”

  “Do you ever check your emails in a reasonable timeframe?”

  “Of course, but I prioritize them.”

  “So my emails aren’t a priority?” I was getting annoyed. God he’s stubborn and clueless about etiquette.

  “I didn’t say they weren’t. Why are you getting upset?”

  “Typical,” I muttered under my breath. Except I didn’t complain under my breath as quiet as I usually did because a part of me wanted him to hear what I said.

  “Excuse me?”

  I know I should have just kept my opinions to myself but I was getting frustrated and I couldn’t stop myself, “You are so confusing. You don’t respond to people in a reasonable time frame, you never take anything seriously and then there are other days where you are completely normal and barely tolerable.”

  Trevor looked at me astonished and there was a long pause where no one said a word.

  “Sorry.” I shrugged. “But it’s true.”

  “Well let’s get one thing straight. Just because my office door was open didn’t mean I gave you permission to read my personal emails the other day and just because I didn’t make any comments about it doesn’t mean I was fine with it either.” He hesitated before continuing. “Secondly, not answering every single email right away, is a good thing.”

  I already regretted speaking but I couldn’t back down now. He needed to understand how to treat people, “You take forever, if you even bother replying at all.” There I said it and I don’t regret it.

  Trevor was annoyed, “Like I said, I prioritize my emails. Can we move on from the subject please?”

  “Fine.” I relented as the waitress came by and took our orders.

  “Loads of people are replying to the email about Nicole’s birthday,” he stated, to fill the silence after Tina left.

  “They don’t seem to have a problem with the chain of emails if they seem keen on keeping it going.” I replied.

  “Those types of emails are the work of the devil.” Trevor didn’t miss a beat. “I’d do anything than join in on one.”

  “That’s a nice attitude to have. You’re like the only one who hasn’t wished her a happy birthday.”

  “That’s because I did in person.” he winked at me.

  “Ugh, you’re disgusting.” I groaned.

  “Want to grab dessert after the game? My treat for allowing me to come with you.” Trevor changed the subject.

  “Maybe.” I smiled. “Like I said, let’s just see how the rest of the evening goes first.”

  “You got it.” he winked.

  The evening was more entertaining than I thought it was going to be with Trevor. The ball game was great as it always was but beyond that he turned out to be a great company. If he wasn’t cracking me up when he was on the dance cam at the game or how normal he seemed when I glanced at him from time to time when he didn’t think anyone was watching. It was an education to see how he was just like the rest of us when he wasn’t trying to put on a show to impress someone. I wonder if it meant he didn’t feel the need to impress me and if I was right, why didn’t
he?

  We spent dinner talking about our childhood and upbringing and it was interesting to know that he came from a hardworking, yet loving family. It was such a fun night, I could imagine myself inviting him out with me a second time.

  “I had a great time but honestly, you didn’t need to walk me to my door. This is a relatively safe neighborhood.”

  “I know but that’s not why men walk women to their doors.”

  “Why do they then?” I turned around as we reached the porch landing.

  “It’s because secretly, the men don’t want the date to end so they are prolonging it as much as they can.” he smiled and looked at me with eyes I’ve never quite seen on him before. I didn’t know how to describe it.

  “So, is that it? They are secretly hoping for a night cap?” I asked suspiciously.

  “Sometimes but other times they just want more time with the woman.” Trevor said as he propped one hand on the front door above my head and gazed at my lips.

  “I see. Okay, time to get inside. Thank you for escorting me today, Trevor. I’ll see you on Monday.” I panicked.

  “Anytime.” he winked with a grin and whistled down the steps towards his car. “Goodnight.”

  “Night.” I exhaled and unlocked my front door into the safety waiting for me inside.

  The following week I spent a lot of time in the small, conference room on the other side of the department floor. I needed some peace and quiet without constant disturbances and I wanted space away from Trevor.

  Ever since we hung out, I felt awkward around him and I didn’t really know why. I mean I did, but I really didn’t want to think about it. I knew I would have to confront the situation eventually unless I continued to do everything I could to stay away from him. I couldn’t do it forever though, we had to work together in person at some point.

  I just wasn’t ready to admit the fact that I was starting to get attracted to him. Not the Trevor who put on a show for management or the women in the office, but the Trevor I hung out with at the ball game who made me laugh and talked about his family. That was guy I liked spending time with, but I also knew I had to be realistic and admit that both parts of him were “him” and I just wasn’t quite ready to think about anyone in that way.

  Plus, being asked to assist Trevor really overloaded my plate even though I was relieved of half of my clients, I was still working on overdrive and Trevor disappearing all the time without telling me anything was making it worse.

  “Beth, can we have a quick chat in here for a moment?” Luke said as he knocked on the door. Great, I came in here for no interruptions and they always seemed to find me.

  “Sure. Why not.” I shrugged. Might as well, he interrupted me already.

  “May I shut the door?” he asked as he fiddled with the lock before it caught. “There it goes.”

  As he turned around, there was an unmistakable look in his eyes. “God, Beth, you look hot.” Luke groaned. It didn’t take me a second to realize what was on his mind.

  “What? No. Luke, you have to be kidding me!” he headed toward me with an intent and a familiar expression.

  “We’re at work.” I pulled away from him as he reached for the top button of my sundress.

  “I know we’re at work.” He closed his eyes briefly as though in some outbreak of lust.

  “I don’t know what it is about you. Your dress, maybe.” He nibbled on the crook of my neck. Damn him for knowing I was a sucker for lips on my neck.

  “Luke, I thought you wanted to talk about something serious! Like about a client or something.”

  “Why would I want to do that?” he mumbled as he made his way from my ears, down my neck to my shoulder.

  “Don’t you care about our clients?” I asked.

  “Of course I do, but there’s always time for that. Right now though, I can’t think of a better thing to do in the most private place in the building. See no cameras.” He pointed towards the ceiling before returning to sucking on the curve of my neck.

  God this felt good. A part of me was so turned on right now I would have welcomed this from anyone but the other part of me knew that I wasn’t precisely into Luke anymore. He was attractive and funny but there wasn’t anything to him beyond that. There used to be but not anymore. I didn’t feel this magnetic draw to him that was once there, but he was making it really hard for me to remember that right now. Luke backed me into the small circle desk and laid me down as slid in between my legs that draped over the end of the table.

  “Luke, seriously. We can’t be doing this here.” I said trying to stop this before I started to want it.

  “This is the perfect place. When was the last time you’ve gotten some, it’s been a while hasn’t it? At least a year, since what’s his name. Sean was it? I didn’t really like him much; did I tell you that?” Luke stopped to ask.

  “No, you didn’t.”

  “I haven’t seen you date anyone else besides me, so it’s been at least a year. Can’t imagine how frustrated you must be, but I can definitely scratch that itch.” he mumbled as he slipped his hand under my dress and rubbed me through my panties.

  Fuck, he’s right. It had been a while and I was close to giving in before Trevor blasted through the door.

  “Hey, she said no.” Trevor said as he pulled Luke off me and shoved him into the wall.

  “Hey, don’t fucking touch me.” Luke tried to shove Trevor off him, but he had Luke pinned to the wall.

  “If a woman says no, then leave her alone.” Trevor growled.

  “Who do you think you are, you little twerp. I could fire you, you know that. I don’t give a shit who your Uncle is.”

  “Yeah and he’ll be delighted when he hears what you’ve been trying to do in his office suite with one of his favorite employees in this department. Get the fuck out of here!” Trevor shouted.

  “Fuck you, man. Fuck the both of you.” Luke shoved Trevor off of him and walked out of the conference room muttering to himself.

  “Are you alright?” Trevor turned towards me with a voice of concern. His bright blue eyes gazed at me with a warm expression.

  “Yeah I’m fine. Was crazy there for a second.” I said as I rebuttoned my dress and pulled the hem down.

  “Well, he won’t bother you again.” he exhaled at the thought.

  “No, I meant you. You come in here nearly breaking the door down yelling up a storm, ready to pound the guy.” I explained.

  “Because he was getting ready to pound you.”

  “So, what?” I asked.

  “What do you mean so what? You didn’t want to and he kept trying to convince you.”

  “I could handle Luke and I didn’t need for you to come in here with guns blazing, anyway. How in the hell did you find me?” I said grabbing my belongings.

  “I was looking for you and I remember you mentioned needing some privacy, so I just happened to be looking around here and I heard you two talking through the door. Fortunately, I was close enough to hear and what do you mean you could handle Luke? Don’t tell me your resisting was some coy version of foreplay?”

  “Who the fuck are you? No, he doesn’t exactly repulse me nor was I turning him down. I merely told him that it wasn't right in the office.” I explained.

  “Wait, so you mean to tell me that you would have with that sleazeball if you two were somewhere else?” Trevor asked with wide eyes. He was shocked.

  “I don’t know. It’s not exactly as if I’m tied down or dating anyone so who cares if I did sleep with him? It’s not like I have with anyone this year.”

  “Something tells me you are not who I thought you were.” Trevor waved me off.

  “You’re one to talk, Mr. I can have any woman that I want.”

  “Whatever.” he walked away leaving me standing there in the small, conference room.

  I wasn’t interested in Luke romantically nor sexually, he just caught me in a dry spell. I probably would have done it with anyone given a chance. A part of me knew I said
that to Trevor to piss him off. Why he was pissed off was a mystery to me but who cares, I didn’t.

  Chapter Ten

  TREVOR

  This is why I didn’t date, nor did I take women seriously, all they did was play mind games and make stupid decisions and then whine about it to their girlfriends later when they got into trouble or had their hearts broken. This is also why I haven’t had a girlfriend in years and chose to sleep around because they screw with your mind and make you crazy.

  Why was I even getting so worked up about her? I mean look at me, I was pacing around my office like a madman over what? Over a stuck-up, self-righteous woman. Don’t forget she’s a goddess and you like her.

  “Oh, shut up.” I muttered to myself. Having any feelings for her was the last feeling I’d have about her.

  Come on, admit it. You have feelings for her and you are too stupid to recognize it. Why else would you always come to her rescue even when she didn’t need rescuing?

  She needed rescuing that time or was I correct in my assumption that it was her playing coy? She didn’t exactly fight Luke off and she did come to his defense for a minute there. She was either really fucked up in the head or I was right. She didn’t need my help after all, she was in the middle of having sex with him.

  “That’s the last time I come to her rescue.” I brushed my hand through my hair.

  She never asked you to rescue her in the first place. You chose to each and every time. In fact, she detests you. You annoy her.

  “Whatever.” I shook my head to erase the thoughts plaguing my mind.

  Just admit that you like her. Go on tell her now, she’ll forgive you.

  “What’s there to forgive? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Why are you wasting time? Go now, tell her how you feel.

  “Alright, fine but this is the last time I do something like this. If this blows up in my face, I’m swearing off relationships forever.” I mumbled as I made my way to her cubicle.