I Hated You First by Rachel John

Lauren

 

 

 

Poor Parker was getting asked about his plans a lot. I think it was getting into his head because just our asking was causing him to make plans so he wouldn’t look like a loser. He had no idea all we wanted to know was the probability of him showing up unannounced at Clay’s front door.

I liked hanging out at Clay’s house. I liked dancing in his kitchen. And I liked planning our lunch schedules so we took different routes to the same cozy picnic bench. I’d never felt this way about anyone before, where instead of getting increasingly stressed out over the relationship progressing, I couldn’t wait to see him. Clay was the best part of my day, whether we were talking on the phone, or eating together, or he was kissing me goodnight on my doorstep in-between yawns. I really needed to let him get more sleep.

So far, the business hadn’t encroached on our relationship at all. But I knew it was coming. I hadn’t spoken up about anything in our company meeting on Tuesday, which was very unlike me. I didn’t butt heads with Parker in the warehouse. I was trying to stay off everyone’s radar. But things couldn’t go on in limbo forever.

We had an ownership meeting I’d successfully put off until next Monday. All I had to do was get through Friday unscathed and we’d have another weekend together without any work nonsense messing it up. I must have jinxed myself because I knew something was wrong the second the front office called me. A tingly thread of unease ran up my back.

“There’s a large flower bouquet up here for you,” the secretary, Paisley, said, with more than a hint of amusement in her voice. “And the sender would love to see you if you have the time. He’s talking to your dad right now.”

“Who’s talking to my dad?”

“I think his name is Nibble, but I was too afraid to ask again. It’s not really Nibble, is it?”

“Oh, no.” I hung up and sprang to my feet. Crappity crap crap. This was not good.

Clay glanced my way from across the warehouse when I walked past, but I gave a little shake of my head. Now was not the time for secret meetups, however much I might want that. Today was supposed to be about laying low, not dealing with insane ex-dates.

I jogged into the front office building and opened the back door with the stealth of a practiced ninja, ducking down behind a desk and surveying the situation. Noble and my Dad were shooting the breeze at the counter in front of the receptionist desk while Paisley listened in.

The flower bouquet perched on the end of the counter was loud and exotic and fragrant. Lilies and birds of paradise sprung out in every direction. I was so not carrying it back to my desk. It would take up the whole space and everyone would stop and ask about it. That was the purpose, wasn’t it? Noble had sent flowers as a statement. An attention grabber. He wanted me to know he was a nice guy who did nice things, not a guy who got ditched at the end of an awkward date. This was about wrapping things up with me in a nice, tidy bow. Well, that, or I had a go-getter stalker. How I handled things now depended a lot on reading his motives right.

“What are you doing?”

I about jumped out of my skin and turned around, grabbing the lapels of Parker’s shirt and dragging him down to my level.

“Keep your voice down, idiot.”

“Is this about the flowers? Who’s that guy talking to Dad?”

“Noble Tuttle, my date from last weekend.”

“So things went well.” Parker grinned at me.

“No, they did not.”

“Then why is he here?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

Parker stood and pointed down at me, calling out, “She’s over here.”

I stomped on his foot, not that it did any good with his steel-toe boots, and walked over to face the music with as much dignity as I could muster. Parker, being the worst brother ever, had already slinked out the back door now that he’d outed me from my hiding spot. In all fairness, he had also given me the push I needed, but I would definitely not be thanking him. No, quite the opposite. Vengeance would be mine.

My face was flaming red as I smiled at Noble. I could feel the heat of it. “Hi, Noble. Thank you for the flowers.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” he said with fake humility, letting his eyes linger on the tropical arrangement with obvious pride. “I just felt like maybe we got off on the wrong foot with our date, and I’d like to try again. I was hoping I could take you to lunch right now. Your dad here was saying this is usually when you take your lunch break.”

“That’s very kind of you, but, no thank you. I need to get back to work.”

Noble’s eyebrows dipped. “But your dad said it was okay. He said you can go right now.”Noble had the audacity to turn to my dad, as if expecting him to over-rule me.

To my relief, Dad pointed back at me. “Noble, she’s kindly said no. If the two of you want to arrange for another time, that’s up to her.” He walked back towards his office, although I knew he’d be listening to see how this train wreck ended.

Noble took in a deep breath and blew it out. “Is there another time that works better?”

I shook my head. “Sorry, no.” I couldn’t pretend another time might work. Noble needed a clear message, not subtlety.

“But I brought you flowers,” he huffed, looking at the bouquet once again. I could see the numbers adding up in his mind. Time. Money. Ego. The investment wasn’t paying off the way he’d expected.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“They were really expensive.”

“Would you like to take them back?” I hadn’t meant it flippantly, but it still surprised me when he carefully picked up the heavy vase and held it close to his chest.

“I’ll take them to my mother.”

As he stalked out the door, I noticed one of the lilies brushed against his shoulder, leaving a smudge of orange pollen across the white of his shirt. It looked like he’d been hugged by a toddler eating Cheetos. This was not going to be his day.

“Lauren,” my dad called out from his office. “I want to talk to you.”

Apparently, it wasn’t going to be mine either. I ignored Paisley’s stare and headed to my dad’s office, shutting the door behind me.

He shook his head and smiled. “I don’t even know where to start. I’m not sure if I should apologize for setting you up with that guy, or if Melissa should.”

I sat in the chair across from his desk. “I’ll take an apology from you. They’re so rare.”

He raised an eyebrow in an I’ll-allow-it sort of way. “You know this kind of thing is exactly why I want a no-dating policy.”

“For all the employees, or is this still an ownership thing?”

“An ownership thing. The balance of power it creates is so much worse than unwanted flowers. So, are you willing to sign the no-dating-employees clause or not?”

I knew this had been coming, and I still panicked. “Did you know Parker bought a bunch of four wheelers last weekend on company money?”

Dad’s face turned red. “He did what?” He picked up his phone and dialed Parker’s extension. “Get in my office. Now.” When his eyes turned back to me, I knew I wasn’t off the hook. Actually, I had made a much bigger mess, as I wasn’t supposed to know about the four wheelers in Clay’s garage. Crap. Had I just mixed him up in all this, too?

“Stay right there.” Dad got up from his desk, and I ducked my head out after he left to see him taking over Paisley’s computer, probably to check the business account and see exactly how much money he needed to yell at Parker about.

Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind, and I jumped in shock.

Parker laughed. “Gotcha.”

His enjoyment of once again getting the drop on me only lasted until Dad’s head popped up above Paisley’s computer screen to glare at us.

“He knows about the four wheelers,” I whispered.

Parker sighed. “I was going to report it, obviously. It’s not like I didn’t know accounting would catch up with me about it eventually.”

“But you were hoping to sell them first?”

“Maybe.”

We went to sit back in Dad’s office, and he came back in, staring down each of us in turn. “Owners don’t buy things without consulting the other owners first. That’s the rule from now on.”

“Does that go for you, too?” Parker asked.

“Of course.”

“Every expense?”

“Don’t try to turn this around on me. Filling up for gas? No. Taking a client to lunch, no. Four-thousand in equipment? Absolutely. I should fire you. If you were anyone else, I would. So decide if you really want to be an owner. It’s a different mindset than owner’s son, and if you don’t understand the difference, we’re done here.”

Parker ducked his head. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I promise.”

I bit my lip. Parker meant it. For all his faults, he didn’t make empty promises. Usually he didn’t make promises at all. Or apologies, for that matter.

Dad cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking about what Lauren said in our last meeting. I’d like to invite Clay to be an owner.”

I felt so many emotions all at once. Relief, excitement, worry, and fear. Bringing Clay in had felt like a much better idea when I could deny we had a relationship. We sure had one now, one we weren’t in any hurry to disclose.

Parker looked relaxed, but his hands were gripping the arms of his chair. He was working through his own mixed emotions about it. I could tell. “How would that work?”

“You, Lauren, Clay, and Mom would each get fifteen percent. I would keep forty percent until I’m ready to retire, and then just like we talked about, Mom and I would distribute our shares back to you. The three of you in this case.”

“And does Clay know yet?” Parker asked.

“No. I needed you two to agree to it first. After all, it’s sharing your cut. Lauren, is that still something you want?”

I nodded, not trusting myself to say more.

“What about you, Parker?”

He nodded as well. “Clay’s family. I can share my cut.”

Dad leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. “Now, getting back to the question I asked Lauren. Owners cannot date employees of this company. I don’t want any favors, messy breakups, or possible liability.”

Parker held his hands up. “I already said I’d sign.”

Dad turned to me. “I know Clay will, too. Lauren, what’s holding you back?”

“Nothing.” I thought about the terms owner and employee. Nothing in it would say owners couldn’t date each other. It was a big logical leap, but it was the only one available to me, so I’d take it. “Fine. I’ll sign.”

Dad dismissed us, and I got back to work. Every time Clay looked at me, I felt hot and cold all over, and not just because of what the man did to my senses. I felt torn. I knew ownership was what Clay wanted deep down. But if I warned him it was coming, what would he say? I had a feeling he would turn it down. He wouldn’t see my logical leap as logical, but a trap we were setting for ourselves. But if the offer came from my dad? My dad would be a lot harder to say no to. Somehow, pulling myself out of telling him the news seemed like the right thing to do.