by T. K. Rapp
“I’m not going to talk about him with you. Especially after what you did.”
“What, exactly, did I do?” I ask. This time, I stop moving and step back to gape at her insinuation. I have no idea what she’s talking about, but whatever it is, it sounds like I’m the asshole.
“Keep dancing,” she orders through a clenched jaw as she tugs my hands to resume our movements when she spots Cavette grinning at us. I wait for her to answer, but when she doesn’t I pull her a little closer than I mean to and she gasps.
“You were saying I did something.”
“The Miller boys were always slightly shady, right?”
Being called ‘shady’ by someone who slipped out of my bed in the middle of the night is laughable, but I’m curious.
“Will you say whatever it is you think you know about me? That chip on your shoulder has to be getting heavy.”
“Did you ask Jett what he remembers about me?”
Yes.
I hold her hand and twirl her behind my back, giving myself time to cover what little I do know. She said she hated my brother but never anything about us as a pair. I didn’t know the girl. When she is facing me again, she gives me an expectant stare,
“Nope. I don’t need to know. My brother isn’t perfect, and sure he’s done some strange things, but it’s been years, don’t you think you should let it go? Besides, if you have something to say, maybe you can say it yourself.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Can we finish this dance?”
“Are you going to tell me what you think you know about me?”
“I don’t think this is the time or place.”
“Well, then I guess you’ll have to believe whatever story you’ve been told, because I don’t think there will ever be another time or place. Besides, I don’t need to defend myself to you or anyone else.”
Neither of us look at each other or say another word after my comment. Thankfully, the song ends, and we can’t get away from each other fast enough. It’s unexplainable the pull I feel to be near her, but once there, I want to retreat. She can burn me with a look, and I need to stay away from the fire. Still, I’d like to know what it is I was supposed to have done when I was at Rock Solid.
“Pops ordered some food,” Grayson informs us when we get to the table. “Should be out soon. Anyone want anything else to drink?”
Everyone is in agreement when we pass on the drinks. It’s been a long day, and I’m ready to eat and head back to try to get some sleep. However, the heat is stifling, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to get any shuteye anyway.
* * *
What in the hell was that?
I sit up in my sleeping bag and listen to see if I hear the noise again, but there’s only the sound of the crickets in the woods around us. I shake it off and assume I must have been dreaming, but as soon as I lay down, I hear it again.
“Stop,” Faith’s muffled voice sounds. “Let go.”
I can’t get out of my tent fast enough. The zipper glides up, and I grab a stick nearby so I can charge whoever it is in her tent.
“Please, let me go,” she cries silently, causing my heart to pound and my stomach to drop.
I reach her tent and drop to my knees while I fumble with the zipper to open it. When I finally unzip it, I find Faith alone, murmuring and writhing in her sleep.
“Faith,” I whisper-shout to her. “Wake up.”
She doesn’t hear me so I move to her side and place my hand on her shoulder, “Hey, you’re okay.” She bolts upright and covers her mouth, her eyes welling with tears before she leans against me.
“Are you okay?” I grimace while I continue looking around to make sure it was really only a dream.
“What are you doing in here?” she asks between rapid breaths.
“I heard you calling for help, assumed someone was hurting you, and here I am. So?”
“So what?”
“Are you okay?”
Faith has moved away from me and wipes her eyes as she attempts to take a deep breath. “Yeah, bad dream I guess.”
“What the hell kind of dream were you having that you were begging to be let go?”
She throws the flap of the sleeping bag back that’s covering her legs back and sits up, hugging her knees. I catch myself checking out her legs in the moonlight that is streaming into her tent. She’s still trying to calm herself while I wait for some sort of response.
“I had a crazy dream. Nightmare, I guess.”
“Wanna tell me about it?” I ask, even though I hope she doesn’t.
“Have you ever been to a card reader? Like tarot cards?”
I shake my head, but she doesn’t notice. It’s as if she’s watching the whole thing play out in front of her again.
“Well, I have, and the woman was creepy. She had turban wrapped around her head and I remember thinking in the dream, ‘she’s a fake. No self-respecting reader would dress so stereotypically.’ But there she was, bangle bracelets, gaudy costume jewelry, and a turban.” She looks at me and sees my confusion. “I’m sorry to wake you. Go back to bed.”
Now that I have her attention, I don’t want to leave. “It’s okay. Keep going; what happened with the lady in your dream?”
Faith shakes her head and holds her pillow to her chest. “She grabbed my hand and started telling me my future, and I knew it was wrong. She was saying scary things, and I pulled my hand away, trying to end the connection she claimed to have. But when I did, she took her hand and placed it over my heart. It felt like my heartbeat was slowing, and I couldn’t tear away from her. She had a crazy look in her eye and she was saying something about ‘you have it blocked anyway, you don’t need it.’ And I kept trying to back up, but I was pinned between a wall and her; there was no escape. I felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest; it actually hurt.”
She is breathless and clearly shaken up, and I’m amazed at the detail she is able to recall. She has a vacant stare as she looks past me and into the darkness. It honestly weirds me out a little, but I don’t want to leave her when it’s obvious by the fear in her eyes and sweat around her hairline that she’s still bothered by the recollection.
“It was just a dream,” I remind her, trying to sooth her worries.
“But it wasn’t just a dream. Dreams mean something.”
“Yeah, they mean you’re tired and your brain is gonna play you a movie while you sleep.”
She looks at me and scoffs, “You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“Dreams are stories your imagination creates. That’s all.”
“I don’t believe that. They’re small glimpses into your soul, into what’s going on in your life. Your fears and hopes and everything else.”
Okay, so the dream means something to her, but I don’t buy into it. The few dreams I have remembered, especially the stranger ones, always seemed to be brought on by bad food. I try to think of what we ate last night but nothing strange comes to mind.
“Are you gonna be okay?” I ask before leaving. She’s focused on nothing in the distance, almost like she’s still seeing the dream play out before her. Her chest rises and falls rapidly while she catches her breath. Her hair is a mess, and she looks a little worn out, yet still looks good. I don’t get it.
“Faith?”
She clears her throat and offers a weak smile. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I didn’t mean to wake anyone.”
“Just me,” I reveal, knowing Cavette is sound asleep in his tent. Grayson told me he sleeps with earplugs because the ‘critters’ keep him awake. I crawl back out of her tent and grab the zipper. “Hey, if you need anything, let me know.”
I don’t wait for her to respond when I back out of her tent. The zipper is sticking, making it hard to close, but it finally shuts. As I head back to my tent, I look back to check on her and notice Faith’s silhouette through the thin tent material. She is illuminated by a soft light th
at I assume is her phone, but it returns to darkness once again when she lays down.
My sleeping bag is in disarray from my scrambling to get out of it. I opt to lie on top of it since the heat is causing me to sweat. At least I assume it’s the heat and not the last ten minutes. My hands are behind my head, and I look at the top of my tent and rethink the words she revealed about her dream.
You have it blocked anyway, you don’t need it.
To me, the statement means nothing, but the fact she thinks they mean something leaves me questioning what those words say about her.
Chapter 13
Flight delays might be one of the more irritating things about business travel. I arrived two hours before my flight, checked my bag, and made my way through security with no issues. Thirty minutes before boarding came the announcement the flight was delayed an hour. As it was, I wasn’t arriving in Denver until nine at night, so thirty minutes wasn’t terrible. Then fifteen minutes later came the follow-up that the flight was cancelled, and they were putting passengers on other flights. By the time I got a flight out, I wasn’t going to land until midnight, so I told Jett not to worry about picking me up. I grabbed my luggage off the conveyor, caught a cab, and fell asleep in my bed. Fully clothed.
Jett was still sleeping when I left the apartment this morning. I left earlier than usual so I could check on everything and make notes about this weekend. Going to Chicago, I was sure I was going to land this job, but now I’m not so certain. I hate the unknown.
“Hey,” Jett announces as he waltzes into my office. Manners and boundaries don’t apply to my brother, at least where I’m concerned. “How’d you make out with Doubt this weekend?”
I glance at the clock and note it’s twenty past eight. Never on time. “You do recall this was a business trip, right?”
“So what? Can’t have some fun with the competition?” He wags his eyebrows, and I do nothing but look at him.
“A; I didn’t try to get with Faith.” It’s not the truth, but it’s not a lie either. “And B; I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman who is so hard to read.”
“Sounds sexy! Where do I sign up?”
“You wouldn’t stand a chance in hell with her; that woman hates your ass.”
“Seriously, give me something here. On a scale of one to ten, how doable is she?”
“Doable? What? No profanity?”
“My babysitter says I need to watch the language at work,” he says as he relaxes into one of the chairs across from my desk. He props an ankle over his knee, making it clear he wants an answer.
“I need to give Hattie a raise,” I mutter, pleased that she seems to be helping him act more professional.
“Yeah, yeah, do that shit on your own time. Answer the damn question. How hot is she?”
“I believe your word was doable,” I remind him, looking at my screen to check my emails.
“Okay, fine. Stop avoiding the answer.”
Finally, I rest my elbows on my desk and lean forward to answer his question. He is all too eager to hear what my response is so I drag it out a little. “Alright, so here it is.” I look behind him to make sure Hattie isn’t around and no one can hear me. He’s practically salivating waiting for me to give him the details.
“So?”
“On a scale of one to ten?” He nods and raises his eyes that widen in anticipation. I wave him closer indicating a whisper, but when he leans in, I yell, “Get the hell out of here and do your damn job.”
Without missing a beat, Jett slaps the top of my desk as I lean back and laugh. The one thing my brother should remember is I don’t run my mouth, and he’s the last one I’d ever divulge information like that to.
Following the dancing and the strange nightmare wakeup call, Faith and I stayed away from each other. If she was with Cavette, I kept my distance, and she did the same. Getting as much face time with Cavette to sell our services was the goal, and we took as many opportunities for him to get to know us as possible, without either of us stepping on the other’s toes. We didn’t mention our conversation on the dance floor, and we never talked about her dream.
From the few times she mentioned her brother or family, I was curious about why they moved. But since we’re not friends, bringing it up would have made for an awkward exchange. By the time the weekend was over, we shook hands and said goodbye, and I got the feeling if she never spoke to me again, she would be okay with that.
I have a few emails to respond to, and based on the content, it looks like Jett and Hattie were able to handle the day and a half without me. I start to respond to one of the first messages when my computer chimes, alerting me to a new message. Jett finally gets the point and stands up to leave the office. “You suck, bro. I’d tell you.”
“I know,” I drone, knowing it’s the truth. He’d tell me every last annoying detail I never asked to hear in the first place.
He exits the office and says something to one of my employees but I am unable to make out what he says. Once he’s rounded the corner, I try to get back to my emails, but I’m stopped before I can start when I see the first message.
Young, Faith
September 1, 2014 8:42 AM
To: Miller, Trey
Subject: Cave
Mr. Miller,
It was nice to meet you this weekend. I’m sure your business will continue to grow and should you ever need any advice, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Regards,
Faith Young
Public Relations Manager
Rock Solid
I read her email again. Then read it once more with increasing irritation at her insinuation. It’s two sentences, but it couldn’t be more condescending if she flat out declared, ‘you’re not going to win this job.’ An internal battle wages as to whether or not I should respond. I know I shouldn’t, because I have other things to focus on right now, but she’s poking a sleeping bear.
Miller, Trey
September 1, 2014 8:58 AM
To: Young, Faith
Subject: Re: Cave
Ms. Young,
It’s nice to know you were thinking of me. It appears I made an impression on you. If you’d like to get together sometime, I would be happy to share my knowledge with you as well.
Regards,
Trey Miller
CEO
T.M. Enterprises
I hit send and move to finish up the first marketing plan I quoted Cavette. He informed me they would call this week with a decision, and I want to be prepared when he does call. I reread her email and laugh because I’m pretty sure she’s flustered when she reads my response. Before I have any time to wonder what she might say, a new email comes through.
Young, Faith
September 1, 2014 9:04 AM
To: Miller, Trey
Subject: Re: Re: Cave
I’m sure you’d have no problem finding someone to share your “knowledge” with. Unfortunately, I’m incredibly busy working on a job I’m about to win.
Regards,
Faith Young
Public Relations Manager
Rock Solid
One thing I do know, if I don’t land this job, I certainly don’t want Rock Solid to get it. Faith is sexy, smart, and feisty, but she works for the fucking devil himself. I doubt she realizes that, considering who she thinks I am. I’ll give her what she wants.
Miller, Trey
September 1, 2014 9:09 AM
To: Young, Faith
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Cave
Then perhaps you should stop flirting with me and work on getting that job.
Regards,
Trey Miller
CEO
T.M. Enterprises
Despite my attempts to focus, I keep waiting for a response and find myself smiling when it finally arrives.
Young, Faith
September 1, 2014 9:12 AM
To: Miller, Trey
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Cave
Don’t flatter yourself.
Regards,
Faith Young
Public Relations Manager
Rock Solid
I think that is her favorite tune.
I close out the email and check to see what other messages are waiting for a response, but Hattie buzzes in to let me know Cavette is on the line.
“Cal,” I answer the phone with a little too much excitement in my voice. “How are you?”
I hope this is the answer I’ve been waiting for.
“Not too bad. Look, I only have a minute, but I wanted to let you know I haven’t made a decision yet because I have some additional questions. Grayson will be emailing you and Ms. Young, and based on those questions, I should have everything I need to make a decision this week.”
“That sounds great, Cal. I look forward to checking them over and getting back to you.”
“Sorry to cut this short, but I need to go, I have a call coming through. Be sure to check your email. Grayson should send something over in the next ten minutes.”
As quickly as the phone call came through, it’s over, and I wait for the email. I’m not sure what additional information he would need; I supplied everything with the original proposal. But I’ll answer anything else and give him my firstborn if it means that Rock Solid doesn’t win. I’m frustrated it wasn’t as easy to land this job as I thought; I hope it pays off for me in the end.
Hattie requested the afternoon off for an appointment, so I’ll have to deal with Jett myself. I’m sure after the short time she’s had to handle him, she’s ready for a break.
“Jett, why don’t you come in here so I can show you how we handle requests for additional information from clients.”
“Yeah, sure thing.” He walks in and takes a seat but keeps glancing down to the phone in his hand and laughing before sending something back.
“You’re on the clock, cut that shit out.”
