Enlightened (Red Flags) (19 page)

I held one finger to him and narrowed my eyes, but he didn't move. 

"I'll call you when we get closer to our lunch break," I told Jason, turning away from Damian as I did so. 

"Sounds good.  Have fun with the shoot."

I hung up before he could go any further.  When I turned around, Damian was still standing in the same spot, only now, his face was littered with frustration.  He sighed and ran his hand over his head, but didn't say anything.  He simply motioned for me to head over in the direction of the team, and I did so without saying a word to him, either.

After the photographer instructed the team to be carefree with this part of the shoot, Damian walked over in my direction with a stack of papers that he claimed needed to be sifted through to find one particular contract in question.  The stack looked like it housed over a thousand sheets of paper, and he desperately needed this paper in order to clarify a mishap with one of the vendors.  I took a deep breath, and as I took the stack of papers from him, I noticed the same smug grin spread across his face that always seemed to appear when he was getting on my nerves.  I sat my phone down and began perusing the stack, hoping that I would luck out and that it would be on top.  Unfortunately, it wasn't.  Two paper cuts later, I had no contract and a mild headache.  I marched over to Damian, letting him know that the contract in question was nowhere to be found.  He handed me his keys and asked me to please check his car because it was of the utmost importance.  I let out a deeply aggravated breath, but took the keys and made my way out to the parking lot.  I was feeling like an over worked and under paid assistant, but once again, I couldn't say anything about it.

After searching for what felt like twenty minutes, I finally called it a day and gave up.  There was no way this one piece of paper was in Damian's car, and I felt my stomach rumbling, signaling that it was time to eat.  The mouthwatering taste of manicotti was looming over me, so I eagerly made my way back over to Damian, giving him back his keys and letting him know that the contract was not found.

"Where are you going?" he asked, as I turned to walk away.

I turned back around to face him.  "I'm heading off for lunch.  What time should I be back?" 

"You're not leaving.  We have to find that contract."

"Damian, I will continue to look for it when I get back.  Right now, I just really want to eat."

He pointed in the direction of the photographer's van.  A lunch truck had been brought in, but the thought of grabbing food from it sent my stomach into a fit of knots.  I couldn't think of anything less appetizing, and I wanted nothing more than to tear away from Damian for even just an hour. 

"Sorry, Cara.  I need you, too."  The wicked gleam in his eyes sent shivers down my spine.  Instead of walking over to the disgusting lunch truck, I walked back over to the area where I was sifting mindlessly through papers.  I looked around for my cell phone, dreading having to break the news to Jason once again that I wouldn't be able to meet up with him, but it was nowhere to be found.  In my haste, had I lost my phone?  Damian was speaking to a couple of the players and while I couldn't remember taking it to his car, I couldn't be sure. I marched over and asked for his keys, letting him know that my phone was missing.  He politely gave them to me, but watched me as I walked away.

I scrambled through his car, checking every inch in hopes that my phone would show up.  When I came up empty, I felt a dull ache in the pit of my stomach.  My phone was my lifeline.  How could I be so callous with it and allow it to go missing? 

"Find your phone?" Damian asked.  I watched as a semi-smile touched his cheeks.

"No," I harshly replied.

"Well, it'll show up."  His nonchalant attitude annoyed me even more.  "You better grab something to eat.  We'll be out here a while longer."

I watched in pure disgust as a deceitful grin spread across his lips.  I had no appetite and really had no desire to remain at the shoot any longer, but I sucked it up and did what little I had to do.  When we finally ended a few hours later, I searched for my phone again, still coming up empty. 

"I'll check with the guys and see if any of them came across it and mistook it for their own," Damian said, almost sounding genuine.

"Thanks," I softly replied. 

"Luncheon tomorrow.  We'll be in the SDSM Boardroom Two.  Remember to dress in Tide colors," he said, reminding me that I would have to spend yet another unwanted day with him.

I half-heartedly smiled, which Damian did not return, and gathered my things before quickly making my way out to my car to drive home.  I wanted a large glass of wine and my bath tub.

I hurriedly made my way home to make both of them a reality.

<>

My nose was filled with the delicious smells of teriyaki as I walked through the door of our condo.  I found Mila sitting on the couch indulging in conversation with Chelsea as Ryan and Hunter made dinner in the kitchen.  A house full of people was really the last thing that I wanted, but I hadn't seen Ryan and Mila in quite some time, and I was starving, so I didn't make a big fuss. 

I threw my bag down near the stairs and walked into the kitchen, giving one big generic hello to everyone in the room.  Ryan made his way over to me and gave me a hug.  He stepped back and took in the exhausted look on my face and quickly questioned what had me so down, but I simply told him that I was just worn out from work, not wanting to rehash the miserable day that I'd had.

"Damn, Pinks. Who would have guessed a marketing manager would look so beat up after a day of work?  And where is your phone, dammit?  I tried calling you."

I grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge and turned to Mila. 

"I lost my damn phone at work.  And yes, the life of the office bitch can be exhausting."

"Whoa.  What the hell is going on with you?  You damn near bit my head off last night, and now this.  Spill it, Cara," Chelsea quipped, her hands on her hips.

I shook my head and grabbed a wine glass from the cupboard and poured it full.  After taking a long sip I murmured, "There's nothing to spill, except for the fact that Damian hates Jason, so in turn, he's making my life damn near miserable."  I watched as Chelsea's face fixed into a scowl.

"Even when you aren't with him you're miserable," she said. "Time to throw the garbage out, Cara."

"Um, fuck that," Mila quickly responded. "This isn't Jason's fault and you know it, Chelsea. 

"Well he sure as hell isn't making her life any better.  Before she slowly started letting him back in, things seemed to be on the upswing.  Now she comes home every day like a bitch that needs to get laid.  I have to live with her.  I don't appreciate this."

"We all know how you feel about Jason, Chelsea, but let's be real, this is not his fault.  Besides, he would gladly lay Cara if she'd let him."

"Gross.  I think I just lost my appetite," Chelsea replied, before faking a gag.

"What the fuck ever.  You can hate Jason all you want, but the fact of the matter is, he loves her, and
that's
what should matter,"

"I'm right here, you guys.  Damn.  This is just adding to my stress level!" I shouted, sick and tired of hearing them debate my love life right in front of me.  "Your stupid love square is driving me crazy.  I don't even care to listen to anything else pertaining to it."

"Sorry, Cara," Chelsea mumbled. 

"Yeah.  Our bad," Mila threw in. 

I sneered at both of them and then chugged down the rest of my wine. 

"Dinner's in ten minutes."  Ryan added.

I didn't answer anyone.  I simply placed my wine glass down on the counter and stomped up the stairs. 

Because I was starving after having skipped lunch, I tossed aside the plans for a bath and instead opted for a shower.  I stayed in the shower until I felt my skin beginning to burn from the heat of the water.  After throwing on some shorts and a tank top, I wrapped my hair in my towel and marched back down stairs.  Leaving my hair wrapped in a towel, I marched back downstairs where I could hear the jovial dinner conversations at the kitchen table.  I sat down and made myself a plate, but didn't partake in the exchange.  Instead, I ate as much as I could, while silently fuming from the day I'd had, the argument over me that had taken place right in front of me, and the fact that I had a luncheon the next day that I certainly didn't want to participate in.  It was becoming apparent that the easy going and carefree life that I thought I had, was slowly fading away from me.

  The next day, I was finally going back to SDSM.  It felt like ages since I had been in the office, and in a weird sort of way, I missed it.  Working with Damian so closely was starting to grate my nerves, so I was looking forward to being in my office, even if it was only for part of the day. 

Strolling into the office building Friday morning, I took in the sight of every employee wearing some sort of teal as was instructed.  The Tide team colors were teal, black, and white and we were told to wear the color scheme for the luncheon.  I walked by Sunny's desk, not even stopping to look in her direction as I did so.  The same leggy blonde, who often made remarks, was standing at her desk, and as I passed by, they chuckled.  I lightly shook my head, but didn't break my stride. I had been dealing with enough bullshit in the last few days and I didn't want to deal with anymore, just when I could finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

When I stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor, I walked by Amanda who was busy on what looked like a stressful phone call.  I smiled and waved, which she half-heartedly returned, and made my way into my office.  I closed the door behind me and leaned up against it, breathing a sigh of relief at the thought of having at least a couple of hours to myself.  I still hadn't located my cell phone, and after work today, it was the number one thing on my to-do list. 

Amanda knocked on the door and walked in.  She looked flustered, which wasn't a look I was accustomed to seeing.  She took a seat on the chair in front of me, sighing heavily, stirring me from my computer screen. 

"Are you okay?"  I asked.

"Not really," she answered, "Damian is turning into an ass."

"What do you mean?" 

She stopped and eyed me for a minute.

"Has anything happened between you two?" 

"No!"  I yelled, "Nothing has happened between us.  He's wanted it to, but nothing has happened."

She ran her hands over her pixie cut hair.  My breathing was beginning to pick up as I felt my blood begin to boil. 

"Amanda, tell me what is going on?"

She sighed.  "I didn't think anything had happened, but…"

My eyes bulged as she stopped and swallowed.

"William and Damian were speaking this morning and talk of you came up.  Damian was saying that the photo shoot went well, but then I heard him say that your date the other night at The Wine Cellar didn't go too well."

My mouth dropped.  I couldn't believe that Damian was using his set-up the other day as a date.

"He said you're confused on what you want and that, while you are a good employee, he feels that your love life might hinder your ability to perform all of your duties."

I swallowed hard, unsure of what had become of this conversation.

"What did William say?"

"He was a bit skeptical about it, but Damian was very insistent that you might not be the right person for this project."

"What did you say?" I asked, hoping Amanda would have stepped up for me.

"I wasn't in the room.  I heard them speaking through the door.  When Damian was leaving, I hurried away to my desk.  I don't think William is convinced, but he did mentally store it away.  I could see it on his face as he walked Damian out of the office."

I slumped back in my seat. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me.  Was I about to lose my job because Damian hated Jason, and in turn, was taking things out on me?  Was my reluctance to move any closer to him part of this?  I sat there with a million thoughts running through my mind. Amanda began cooing light sympathies towards me, trying to make me feel better. 

Amanda finally excused herself from my office and smiled sympathetically at me.  I thanked her for giving me the heads up and then turned to my computer, pondering how I would make it through the upcoming luncheon.  When Amanda walked out, I immediately picked up my phone and called Chelsea.  She didn't answer, so I left her a message, asking her to meet me afterwards.  I dialed Mila and got her on the first ring.  I was so thankful. I needed my girls more than anything at the moment.

I went into Amanda's tale with Mila, who was beyond pissed.  She said that I should just quit my job, but not before laying into Damian and exposing him for the creep that he most certainly was.

"I can't do that, Mila.  As long as William is still in my corner, I have my job," I reminded her. 

"Yeah, but Damian is the owner.  If he threatens to pull his team, you're on the chopping block."

"I know.  But seriously, I need my job.  I guess I'll just have to suck up the bullshit around here."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.  When I looked up, my breath caught.  Damian was standing in the door way with his quintessential smug grin on his face.  My eyes shot open in surprise, but rage quickly filled me.  He strolled into my office as if nothing was even wrong. 

"Ready for the luncheon, Cara?" he asked, in a smooth voice deceitful enough to make a naïve person believe he was a good guy. 

"Give me a minute," I harshly responded, startling him.

I ended my conversation with Mila and made plans to meet up with her after the luncheon.  I was in serious need of some girl time, away from the nonsense of work.  Damian stood and waited for me at the doorway and as I walked out, he placed his hand on the small of my back.  I squirmed and looked up to him, I saw him give a wicked smile to Amanda with a sly wink of the eye.  She lightly smiled back, but didn't give any more expression or say anything as we strolled by.