Conklin's Blueprints

by Brooke Page

  I stomped to Tyler’s office, completely ignoring Cooper who was on the phone. I pushed the door open and found Tyler sitting and staring at his computer.

  “I need to talk to you,” I said with confidence, slamming the door behind me. I straightened my shoulders and crossed my arms as I stood in front of his desk.

  Tyler quickly rose from his chair and started to walk over to me. He looked so damper in his gray pinstripe dress pants and light blue dress shirt. I had to look towards the ceiling so I wouldn’t be distracted by his handsomeness. The look on his face held both fear and hope as he approached me. “Of course, but Becca can I just tell you that I am so-”

  “I said, I needed to talk to you,” I raised my voice, causing him to stop dead in his tracks before he reached me. He put his hands in his pockets and closed his mouth. His chest rose as he took a deep breath through his nose as though he knew what was coming.

  “Why did you ask my father if I could ride with you to his Christmas party?” I said narrowing my eyes.

  Tyler bit his lip and looked nervous.

  “Because I am not going anywhere with you, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t talk to my family about me and quit leaving me stupid roses everywhere!”

  Tyler took a step closer to me, and it took everything in me to keep my hard exterior. “I was going to ask you, but you haven’t answered your phone. I have been bending over backwards to try and talk to you. What exactly did RJ tell you anyway?”

  I laughed once then frowned. “RJ didn’t tell me anything. I overheard you.”

  Tyler’s shoulders dropped as he put his hands on his face. He looked unbelievably sad, and his eyes gave away that he hadn’t been sleeping.

  Serves him right.

  “I didn’t mean it. I just wanted RJ to stay the hell away from you!” he exasperated, taking another step closer to me. He was so close that I could smell his cologne. My face fell. I hated that I was showing this much animosity towards him. He moved even closer to me, bravely lifting his hand to brush my cheek. I tilted my head into his hand instinctively, letting my emotions get the best of me.

  “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, bringing his face so it was just inches from mine.

  I wanted more than anything to kiss him and tell him I believed him, but he had gone too far this time. There was only one way I would forgive him.

  “Tell your dad,” I whispered back, closing my eyes.

  His nose was touching mine now, and our lips were going to meet any moment. “Tell him what?”

  I pulled my head back and looked at him. His eyes were soft and affectionate, as though he thought he had won me over again. The fire burned in my eyes as I looked at him, causing his face to fill with apprehension.

  “Becca, I can’t.”

  “Then I’m done. You can’t give me what I want. Goodbye Tyler.” I started to walk towards his door, holding back tears. If we weren’t going to be out in the open, then I wasn’t going to get the future I wanted so badly.

  I noticed a set of blueprints on a side table that had the name Prince on a sticky note as I turned to leave. I took a sharp breath in and rapidly flung my body around, practically crashing into Tyler because he was following me. The sudden impact startled me as his arms wrapped around my waist so I wouldn’t fall. We were face to face.

  “Becca, please! We can work this out… I’m falling,” he sighed, “I need you.” He pleaded in desperation, his breath smoothly touching my face. My heart contracted so hard with his confession.

  Remembering what I had turned around so abruptly for, I reached over to grab the rolled up blue print, struggling because Tyler had his hands wrapped around my waist pulling my hips so they were touching his. Trying to not get caught up in our closeness, I boldly asked. “What are these?”

  Tyler bit his lip uncomfortably and shifted his hands so they were gripping my waist. His eyes were letting off a hint of fear as he let out a breath of air before he spoke.

  “Ashlynn couldn’t get a hold of you about the prints, so she called my office and I told her that you had a lot on your plate and that I was going to finish them.”

  I shoved his chest and threw the prints at him.

  “Yeah, I bet you finished them for her!” I sneered at him. Tears were no longer threatening, but anger and frustration rose in my chest.

  “Becca, I was just trying to help. Ashlynn walks all over you and makes you feel like crap. I didn’t want you to have to deal with her anymore.” His tone was low as he took a step closer to me.

  “The only person making me feel like crap right now is you!” I said, shoving his chest again, voiding him to come any closer to me.

  “I never should have said those lies about you to RJ, I’m sorry!” His eyes were pleading as he searched my entire body, trying to penetrate the energy of fury that I was radiating off my skin.

  “So did you meet with Connor and Ashlynn? Or did Ashlynn grace you with just her presence?” I seethed.

  Tyler tilted his head at me, his scowl forming out of discomfort. “Becca, we just went over the blueprints. It was nothing else.”

  He avoided my question, and it took everything in me not to lash out at him. He had probably met with her more than once, and she probably dazzled him with her good looks and flirtatious, perky body. I could just picture her pawing at his arm as he pointed towards the blueprints. The thought made my stomach churn.

  His eyes shot up with realization. “Becca, I would never touch her! I can’t stand her! You are the only one I want!” he exasperated while reaching for me. I swatted his hands away and took another step back so my hand was on the door knob.

  “Leave me alone. I’m done being toyed with,” I said through gritted teeth, while turning the knob from behind. I glared at him as I walked backwards through the doorframe and whipped my hair as I turned to walk away. Just as I dramatically turned, I ran into another hard body.

  “Whoa… are you okay?” RJ said with his sly grin, grasping both of my biceps.

  I stood up straight and pulled away from him. “I’m fine. I was just leaving,” I said more sternly than I meant to.

  “Becca, I have been meaning to ask you if you wanted to grab dinner. Let’s say, Friday?” he said with his big blue eyes and salacious grin. It felt more like he was looking at Tyler than at me as he asked. Steam must have been coming from my ears. The Conklin men were really starting to piss me off.

  I glanced over at Tyler who looked pale and pleading.

  “I think if you want to meet with me about work, it should be during office hours,” I simply said as I stepped past him and hurried to the stairwell.

  Chapter 23

  “Becca, it’s been three weeks of this shit. Let’s go out,” Jamie said, jumping on my bed. I was curled up in my blankets wearing sweats.

  “I’m just tired, okay? I don’t feel like going out in the snow and the cold!” I said with irritation.

  Jamie sighed and cocked her head at me. “Well, you need to start answering your phone. Everyone keeps calling me trying to get a hold of you. I can only come up with excuses for so long.”

  I rolled my eyes at her. “Who is calling you looking for me?”

  “Your mother. I keep telling her you are really busy. She wants us to go with her to Tanaz on Saturday before the Christmas party. You know it’s this weekend, right?”

  I groaned. I had done everything to avoid Tyler at work, and there would be no way I would be able to avoid him at that party. Maybe he would have to be in Chicago for the weekend and I wouldn’t have to worry about it.

  “I think it’s a good idea. We can get all beautiful, and the night before we can go get dresses. It would be a great girls’ day.” Jamie pleaded.

  “Yeah, so I can have my mom point out what doesn’t look good on me. I don’t feel like having her beat around the bush about my ass looking huge in an elegant gown,” I said covering my face with my blanket.

  “Um, what ass? Speaking of which, when was the last time you
ate? You are wasting away.”

  “I ate a bag of Doritos yesterday.”

  “One, a snack size bag of Doritos doesn’t count, and two, it isn’t a meal, and three, since when do you eat Doritos?”

  Since I realized my life would always be a giant cluster fuck.

  “Becca, you need to eat. I’m not doing this with you again.” She pulled the blanket down to expose my face. “I know you miss Tyler, and believe me, he is getting on my nerves too.”

  I gave her a quizzical look. Why would he be bothering her? “Has he… called you?” I choked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer.

  She looked uneasy, as though she wasn’t sure how to tell me something. “Yes, he has called me every day. He keeps bugging me to talk to you, and he wants me to tell him how to make you forgive him.”

  I couldn’t hide the irritation in my eyes. I didn’t like that he was calling Jamie, and I didn’t like that Jamie didn’t tell me.

  “The past week whenever I answer I say the same thing, ‘Did you tell your parents about Becca?’ and if he doesn’t answer me, I hang up. I’m on your side Bec.”

  I felt bad for being annoyed with her and a tear escaped my eye.

  “Becca, I’m sorry. I should have told you. Come on, let’s do something fun tonight.”

  “I don’t feel like going out,” I said wiping the tear from my cheek.

  She sighed at me again. “Why don’t you call that Gage guy? And Lauren? We could play that card game you taught me in college. Oh Becca, let’s do that! It would be so much fun!”

  “I need to stay far away from Gage, Jay Rae. I’m so emotionally unstable right now, and I would do something stupid with him.”

  “Maybe that’s what you need, Bec.”

  I was agitated with her again. When was she going to believe me that I didn’t want to do that anymore. “I’m not going to just fuck random guys anymore. When are you going to get that?”

  Jamie blanched at my words. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  I felt bad again; I really needed to get a hold of myself. “Speaking of guys, what about Sean? You haven’t gone out with him in a while. Why don’t you give him a call?”

  She bit her nail and shrugged her shoulders. “Well… he has his kid tonight…” she trailed off.

  What?

  “He has a kid?” I asked in shock.

  She sat up on the bed and crossed her legs. “Yeah… he is kind of… married.”

  My jaw dropped. “What?” I said in a low tone.

  She shrugged her shoulders, “Well, they are separated. He isn’t sure if they are going to get a divorce or not. He has his son every Wednesday night and every other weekend.”

  How could she do that? “Jamie, they are married.” I was trying to fight back fury towards her. I had been cheated on, and it was miserable. She had witnessed it, and now she was doing it to someone else?

  “Becca, don’t look at me like that, he is only married on paper,” she said.

  I shook my head at her. I had to leave before I said something I would regret. “I’m going to the gym,” I said, getting out of bed and going into my closet to get some clothes to workout in.

  “Didn’t you go to the gym after work?” she asked, following me off the bed.

  “I feel like running. I will be back late. Don’t wait up for me,” I mumbled while putting on shorts under my sweats. I grabbed my sneakers and headed for the front door.

  ~

  I sat in the lounge area of the gym staring off into space with my knees to my chest on the large sofa couch trying to push the fact that Jamie was sleeping with a married man from my mind. I managed to drop most of the irritation about Jamie keeping Tyler’s phone calls from me while hitting the row machine. Fiddling with my protein shake, I was startled by Gage’s voice.

  “Hey Bs! What are you doing here?” Gage said with a huge smile. He set his bag down and sat down on the couch next to me.

  “I have a membership here. What are you doing here?” I asked him, puzzled to see him at a downtown gym when he lived on the other side of town.

  “I play in a basketball league here with some guys from work. I have tried to call you the past couple of weeks. Have you been avoiding me for a reason?” he teased.

  I hugged my knees tight to my chest with my chin resting on my shoulder as I looked at him. “Sorry, I haven’t been checking my phone a whole lot lately.”

  “Well, why don’t we go get some pizza. It was fun chatting at McFaddens. Let’s catch up some more.”

  My face went contrite at his invitation. I knew I would have fun if I went out with him, but I just didn’t feel like going out. I was too busy trying to forget about Tyler.

  “What is it? You worried about what that guy is going to think if we hang out?” he flirted.

  My face fell again. I didn’t want to talk about Tyler.

  “Uh oh, trouble in paradise?” Gage asked, shifting so he was facing me. The urge to cry was on the horizon. Hearing Gage ask about him brought me back to when they had first met, how I wrapped my arms around Tyler because I was so happy to see him come get me at the bar.

  “My life was never a paradise, you know that,” I said, trying to change the subject.

  Gage gave me a crooked smile and stood up holding his hand out to me. I took it as he helped me up. “Well, let’s go find paradise.” His eyes were dancing, and I couldn’t help but smile at him. His dimples made an appearance when his grin grew wider to my reaction. I let go of his hand to reach for my hoodie. His eyes studied me as I put on my warmer clothes.

  “Let’s go to Vitale’s. You need to eat something,” he said, putting his backpack over his shoulders.

  “I look awful.” It was true. My hair was sweaty and my skin was glistening. I was in desperate need of a shower.

  “Yeah, you look like you haven’t eaten in days. Come on, I’ll drive.”

  I walked with him out to the parking lot. My eyes widened to see he had the same car after all these years. He opened his door and flashed a smug smile at my opened mouth. His black two-door Chevelle from the 90’s held lots of memories. Shaking my head, I climbed in and took in the smell of the white leather. I closed my eyes and felt the smooth texture on my fingertips, remembering how it felt on my bare back. This really wasn’t a good idea.

  “You know, I’m really kind of tired. Would you mind just bringing me home? I live about a half a mile north.”

  “Sure, after we eat something.” He grinned, starting the engine to the Chevelle, having it roar to life as he pulled out of the parking lot.

  “Gage, I really don’t feel up to going out and seeing people in my gym clothes,” I whined.

  “Becca, you look beautiful and way too skinny. It’s time to eat some pizza.”

  I was so not skinny.

  I slouched in the seat holding my gym bag to my chest. I wasn’t going to win with him, and I hoped he wouldn’t be too annoyed when I ordered a salad.

  Fortunately Vitale’s wasn’t crowded, probably because there weren’t any major sporting events taking place on a Wednesday night. As we sat in a booth, Gage ordered a pitcher of Bud Light.

  “So, do you still like Hawaiian pizza?” Gage asked as he opened the menu.

  “I don’t eat pizza,” I said biting my lip.

  He scowled at me. “Well, I think you should splurge tonight. Besides, we always went and got pizza together.”

  “Gage, that was almost six years ago.”

  He leaned over the table and licked his lips, “Maybe we should relive the past tonight.”

  I leaned backwards. He was so tempting, but I couldn’t.

  “Gage…”

  He laughed and leaned backwards throwing the menu on the table. “Becca, relax. Can’t we just have fun like we used to? You obviously haven’t had a good time in a while.”

  The server came back and took our orders. Gage frowned at me when I ordered a salad. I was frowning internally because it was so late, but I was hungry and the only
food I had eaten all day was a protein shake at the gym.

  When our food came, Gage made a big deal about how awesome the pizza looked and tasted. I just picked at my salad. The pizza did look really good.

  “B, you really need to eat a slice of this… it’s really good… mmm,” he exaggerated as he took a bite. I let out a small smile. He leaned forward chewing with his flirtatious gleam in his eye. “If you don’t take a slice of this pizza, I’m going to come over to your side of the booth and tickle you.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Yeah, right.”

  He lifted his eyebrows and cocked his head. “I mean it Bs, you better take a slice of this…”

  I rolled my eyes trying to contain my smile as I took a bite of my boring salad. I felt a body slide next to me in the booth and an arm relax across my shoulder and a hand on my hip. I froze. “Don’t even think about it,” I said sternly while glaring at him, leaning as close to the wall as I could.

  He moved his hand from my hip and took a piece of pizza and put it on a plate in front of me. “Come on, one little piece…” he coaxed closer to my ear. His voice was sensual, and I was caught off guard by his playfulness turning into seduction.

  I moved my eyes from the pizza to his face. His eyes were dark with hunger while a smile played on his lips. I took a breath in when he moved his hand to my thigh. I clenched my teeth and shook my head. “I’m not eating that. Go back to your side of the table.”

  He shrugged his shoulders and then attacked my sides. I didn’t think he would actually start tickling me in a restaurant like this!

  “Gage, STOP!” I laughed as I wiggled trying to grab a hold of his hands.

  “I’ll stop when you eat it,” he smirked. The few heads that were in the restaurant were starting to turn our way. My face grew beet red as Gage’s fingers were relentless.

  “FINE!” Gage pulled his hands off of me and remained in the booth, eyeing me with amusement as I picked up the pizza. I let out a sigh and bit a small piece off the end.