Now she stood. “I’m glad we got that sorted.”
Blake let out a rush of air, and she realised he’d been nervous about her response. That made her feel better, like they’d invested heavily in the outcome of this fight and would both walk away winners.
“Is there anything else I need to know about?”
Then he had to go spoil it, like the kid he sometimes was. He looked her smack bang in the eyes and said, “No,” and from the way he rolled back his shoulders, squaring them off as if he was getting ready to defend himself, she knew for certain he was lying.
●
Blake wasn’t sleepy. He should’ve been. He’d come at her like the room was on fire, like the world might come to an end, explode in a white hot flash and he had to have her right now before it did. Not that she was complaining. She loved him like that especially when she’d stoked the flames and whispered of interplanetary collisions. But Olivia didn’t know where this had come from and she’d switched into investigative mode.
She propped herself up on his chest. “What’s going on, Bear?” He smoothed a hand over her hair, “Nothing,” then he laughed, because she wouldn’t let him get away with that. “I screwed up with Bailey.”
She looked relieved. “I thought it might have been about Aid. I thought he mightn’t have been working out. I couldn’t take it if you had to split up now.”
“No. Aid is great. I knew he’d be great. We should’ve been working together years ago. He is in my face, won’t let me get away with anything. I hate it. It’s good for me.”
She poked him in the arm. “Have you told him?”
“Told him? Why would I do that?”
“I love you but you’re so dumb sometimes. What happened with Bailey?”
“Ah, just a spat over information flow. It’s nothing, but I feel bad. I said some stuff that was pretty hurtful.”
“Like?” She scratched his chest lightly, letting her fingers trawl though the hair, catching and tugging so he’d notice but not to make him twitch.
“I told her I was sorry she’d come to work with us and she should go.”
Dumb didn’t begin to cover it. Olivia dropped her forehead onto her hands.
“Hey, it’s not that bad. I fixed it.”
She looked up. “You said sorry.”
“I said I spoke in haste and I didn’t mean it.”
“You said, Bailey I’m sorry. Those actual words left your mouth?” When he didn’t reply, she said, “That is no way to treat your office wife.”
He had his hands to her waist, dragged her further across his body. “Speaking of that. This is all your fault you know.”
“My fault.”
He rested his hands on her backside, holding her firmly against him. “The minute you told me you thought Bailey was my office wife I’ve had trouble dealing with her. It’s like all I can see is how fricking gorgeous she is.”
“I’m glad we have a secure and loving relationship.”
“See, your fault. You started it. Aiden said I don’t see Bailey clearly. He’s wrong. Now I see her too clearly. It’s making me uncomfortable.”
“Do you think she’s picked it up?”
Blake rolled his eyes back to look at the ceiling, then shut them. “I dunno. Maybe. Probably. I think she knows I’m different with her.” He opened them and shifted Olivia again so they were nose to nose. “I don’t know what to do about it.”
“You could try to be normal.”
“Thanks for that Dr Phil. I’ll keep that in mind.” He was going to end this interrogation any second now by kissing her. She was almost ready to let him.
“So that’s what’s set you alight, tension with Bailey. I thought it might be the deal, the problem with Tony Jones?”
“Aiden has Tony on the ropes. If he doesn’t resign this week I’ll be surprised. It’s harder to raise the financing than I thought it might be, but Aiden has Dominic helping out. It feels like it’s under control.”
“Dominic knows about the expansion plan now?”
Blake’s hand came to the back of Olivia’s head, tangled in her tousled hair. “He does. We needed him on board.”
“Does Bailey know?”
His hand stopped moving. “No. Why would I tell Bailey? She’ll be gone before the plan is anywhere near finished.”
“Perhaps Aid’s right.”
“You always side with him. About what?”
“You not seeing Bailey clearly.”
He dragged her head to the side so he could whisper in her ear, his hair brushing her cheek, making her jump as slivers licked along her spine. “And your point?”
She was finding it hard to concentrate on her point, but she gave it a shot. “You’ve always talked about Aiden and Bailey. Now you have both them working with you—you finally have your dream team, and yet you’re keeping Bailey on the outer, and you’re going to let her go back to working freelance in her own business again. I thought you’d use the project work to get her under your wing and then work out how to keep her there.”
Blake’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you sure you’re not sleeping with Aid?”
She struggled to compress a smile. “I might be. What’s tipping you off?”
“I reckon he thinks the same thing.”
She ran the tip of her nose along his jaw. “So?” Blake rolled his head back opening his throat to her lips and she nipped him none too gently.
“I think it’s better for Bailey to have her own business. Ahh, keep doing that.” She moved to his ear, clamping his lobe between her teeth and pulling. He hissed her name and she let go. “You think it will be easier if you don’t have to adjust your thinking about her. You’d like to keep her frozen in time as your capable assistant, but because you’re smart enough to know that won’t work, you think she’s better off away from you.”
Blake rolled her again, so that now her body was covering his, lip to toe. “Do I?”
“Don’t you?”
“I don’t know, Dr Phil. Anyway, it’s not a dream team. They hate each other.”
Olivia used her palms on his chest to push away. “You’re having me on?”
He wrapped his arms around her torso and drew her back down until she rested her head in the crook of his neck. “I’m not. It’s kinda sad. It never occurred to me they wouldn’t take to each other.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. I thought I saw them spark, especially after what they did for David Millar. Maybe it’s because Aid is having to be all bad cop and Bailey is only seeing him in that light.”
“But you could tell her,” she said, and when he didn’t respond she knew he wouldn’t. “But you won’t because...”
“Because she should see Aiden for herself. I can’t make them be friends. Just because I love them both doesn’t mean they need to be making out together in the staff kitchen.”
“So, no dream team?”
“No dream team.”
“Disappointed?”
“Better not to think about it.”
“And Aid and Willow? Is he serious about her? She’s sweet. I liked her.”
“You saw as much as I did that Sunday at lunch. He doesn’t talk about her, but then he’s all business, other than the occasional story about Cody and Jasmine. Come on baby, do that thing with my ear.”
She obliged, running her nose around the rim of his ear, the kind of soft touch he was a sucker for. “Is he going to be alright?”
“I hope so, Chook. He’s a work machine and he’s certainly doing better, but I think he’s still miserable. Unlike myself.”
She smiled, gave another stroke to his ear and he closed his eyes. “I wonder if that’s what Bailey sees in him.”
“She’d have to have X-ray vision.”
She breathed in his ear, “I’m going to call her,” and his eyes flicked open.
“And say what?”
“Chew the fat.”
“Chew me you mean.”
“
We’ll have a little chat, one wife to another. We can’t let you walk all over us.”
Blake groaned. “I’m in hell.”
She took the opportunity of kissing him. Whisper soft. Barely touching his lips, not letting him respond before she pulled away. “Don’t worry I’m only going to say hello, let her vent if she wants to.” She kissed him again, soft with a quick wet, flick of her tongue. “I won’t say anything,” another kiss, another flick. He wrapped both arms tight around her to prevent her playing cut and run. “I won’t tell her anything. It’s a multiple wife solidarity thing.”
“I am burning in hell.”
This next kiss was fat and deep and Blake grunted his pleasure and then his dislike as she pulled away. “Not yet, but I could arrange it.”
His eyes were heavy lidded, and his voice husky when he said, “Where do I pay?”
She said, “Everywhere,” and his, “Yes please,” got trapped between their lips and lost in the fireball that ignited the room for the second time that night as planets collided.
26: Splatter
Olivia was so sweet to call. Bailey hadn’t spoken to her for a while, so it was fun to catch up on the phone, not that anything important was said, certainly nothing like, ‘Blake’s sorry he’s a butthead, and he’s asked me to call to apologise for him’, but having Olivia call meant Blake had said something at home about their fight, so there was the proof it had an impact on him.
Olivia laughed when Bailey asked if Blake was using her as heavy artillery or deep cover. She’d said she was more like his flak jacket.
It didn’t mean she’d forgiven Blake, he was up to something, holding out on her. But she appreciated Olivia’s soft touch.
Of course if Blake was up to something—so was Aiden. And she wasn’t going to forgive Aiden. She was still puzzled over his defence of her. She couldn’t see why he’d bothered. She was sure she’d heard him say he didn’t want her to finish up at all, but maybe that wasn’t right. There’d been a lot of words and emotions flying around in Blake’s office that afternoon so maybe she’d misheard Aiden. It would be a simple thing to ask him, but he’d gone back to keeping his distance, and it wasn’t like she was going to hunt him down to find out. Like ever. She had other things to do.
And then Tony Jones resigned and David Millar asked her and Aiden out for a thank you dinner and the natural order got disturbed all over again.
Tony resigned the morning Mos let her inside Sandology’s kitchen to shoot bacon crisping in a pan. She shot the whole journey from efficiently unwrapped butcher’s parcel to carefully plated meal, accompanied by avocado, tomato, mushrooms and scrambled eggs. She also shot the aftermath, steaming pan in the sink and empty, slightly greasy plate.
She tagged a shot of crispy bacon, ‘Good Start’, posted it and was almost late for work.
When she got there, bacon of a whole other kind was sizzling.
She could hear Tony yelling at Blake and see the anxious look on Cara’s face before she got to the top of the stairs.
“That man is a pig. I never knew it,” said Cara, eyes darting to Blake’s office where Tony was sizzling in a pan made of his own destructive behaviour. Blake was behind his big black desk, Aiden was in his customary position, leaning against the far wall, but Tony was pacing about.
“How long have they been at it?”
“About five minutes,” said Cara, refocussing on Bailey. “Tony made a big deal of it downstairs saying he was going to give Blake an ultimatum. He wants Aiden sacked and Nigel re-hired or he’s going to quit. He’s threatening to take Holsome Foods and AirJet with him. I’m really worried. Blake won’t let Nigel come back will he?”
Cara’s face showed her concern. She’d eaten her lipstick off and kept running her fingers over her forehead in a distracted way.
“Did you know about Nigel?”
Cara looked away. “He liked to touch.” She brought her gaze back to Bailey. “But I do too, so I thought I couldn’t say anything. I touch Blake and Aid and Dom all the time. But I’m glad Nigel’s gone. He made me feel uncomfortable.”
“You should’ve said something.”
“I’m not a hypocrite.”
“The whole point is he made you uncomfortable and you don’t do that.”
“What if I do and the boys are too polite to say anything?” Cara looked miserable. “Nigel left bruises.”
“Oh, Cara. Did you ask him not to touch you?”
“Yes, but he said I asked for it.” She shrugged narrow, suntanned shoulders, re-crossed gym toned legs. “Maybe I do?”
Bailey’s heart sank. She and Cara were never going to be gal pals but no woman should be made to think she had it coming. Why hadn’t Blake briefed her properly? Why hadn’t he let her tackle the real issues? He’d had her shuffling paper and process while serious issues simmered.
“Cara, look at me. No one asks to be bruised. If one of the boys was uncomfortable or asked you not to touch them what would you do?”
“I’d be really embarrassed, but I’d respect that.”
“And that’s the difference.”
Bailey could see she wasn’t convinced. Cara sighed. “I know you don’t like Aiden. He was pretty rough with you. I couldn’t help but hear, and I know half the office thinks he’s a bastard, but some of us think he’s alright. He‘s not afraid to tell Blake the truth and Blake listens to him. And with Nigel gone, and if Tony goes too, the other guys might settle down and then things will be better.”
It sounded like a plan. It sounded like a meal made to be enjoyed by all instead of some. Bailey looked back towards Blake’s office, knowing what Cara said was right. Aiden hadn’t hesitated to tackle the big issues. He aimed straight at what was important and was very clear about what he wanted. It was impossible to misinterpret him. Blake’s faith in him wasn’t misplaced. But her own view wasn’t likely to change. Aiden’s nametag still said arsehole.
Staff numbers were about to change though, Tony was out. It was only a matter of how long Blake and Aiden let him burn in the pan before they declared him rancid, his consume by date long expired.
She’d barely managed go back to her office and log in before it happened. Tony was in the corridor. “I hope you work out hiring friends is a bad idea before that megalomaniac crashes this business down around you.”
“That’s not going to happen, Tony,” said Blake, relief evident in his voice. “I’ll walk you out.”
Cara looked distressed so Bailey came out to stand with her. Tony did not go quietly. All the way to Dominic’s office to collect his severance pay, then downstairs and out the front door, he badmouthed Aiden, calling him a vindictive liar, a no talent hanger on, a creative drudge and a poisoned hatchet man.
Bailey stood with Cara at the edge of the balcony and winced as each epitaph flew. She wasn’t aware of Aiden till he spoke.
“I think he left out one-eyed, blood sucking parasite.”
He came to stand between her and Cara and they all winced when they heard Tony say, “Myopic brain dead imbecile,” and Aiden went, “Close enough.”
Bailey had to admire his gallows humour. Hearing all of that couldn’t be easy and having to face an office full of people who might share the same opinion would be harder.
“Do you need a hug?” said Cara, glancing quickly at Bailey for what—permission, approval?
“Can’t hurt.” Aiden let Cara put her arm around his waist and stand close to him. And that felt wrong. Though it was a generous offer, a humane gesture between two co-workers, and there was clearly nothing forced or sexual in it, and it was over in seconds, Cara returning to her desk leaving Aiden at the balcony, it made Bailey feel flush with embarrassment. Because while Cara was hugging Aiden, he was ignoring her and looking at Bailey with an expression that seemed to ask her not to believe the worst of him.
Why would he care?
“Tony said he ran the place. I suppose now you do,” she said, being unkind and quarrelsome for no good reason. Given Aide
n’s state of mind it would’ve been reasonable for him to snap back or ignore her, but he sighed and responded in that voice that could lull a million housewives into a false sense of security.
“You want to know who runs the place, Bailey. Look over there, on the ping pong table, Mike and Joanne. They’re working on the drink-drive prevention campaign. And see Roberta with Kathryn and Jackson in the meeting room, they’re working on the new energy drink point-of-sale. And Evan, he’s sitting out there at reception, but he’s writing captions for an online competition for Aero shoes. Tony didn’t run the place. Blake didn’t. I don’t. They do. They’re Heed and without them we’ve got nothing.”
“You spin a fine line of rhetoric.” She had to believe that’s what it was.
Aiden sighed. “I’m sorry you think that’s what it is. I’m sorry you have the wrong impression of me.” He left her on the balcony, going downstairs to face the grease and mess and splatter Tony left behind.
●
When David Millar called and asked Bailey and Aiden to join him for dinner, Bailey experienced the twin emotions of delight and apprehension. David had made a full recovery and he was insistent on taking the two of them out for an expensive meal at one of the city’s hottest restaurants.
He could’ve been dead. He was planning on adding debt to his credit card instead, and that was either life affirming or evil genius, depending on what his long-term prognosis was. Over the phone David was effusive, expansive and entertaining. Bailey was excited to meet him in a fully conscious state. But going anywhere with Aiden had her worried.
Since Tony’s departure and their conversation on the balcony she’d tried to avoid thinking about Aiden. She didn’t like the way he confused her. In everything else he was a straight arrow, but with her he was a mixed bag of tricks. Perhaps he wouldn’t come.
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