18. Clara

18

CLARA

I t took a few minutes for Alexander’s words to register later that night when he claimed the roads were clear enough for me to go home. I hadn’t believed him until now, with the streetlights speeding past and the snow pushed away from the roads, leaving behind glittering patches of white that twinkled like falling stars.

He pulled down a familiar road, one with houses nearing a state of disrepair, and pulled into Mom’s driveway. “I thought you’d like to see her before I take you home,” was all he said as he turned off the car.

I was already halfway in love with this man, but his consideration begged for me to go ahead and fall all the way. “Thank you.” It was nothing more than a breathless whisper, but he leaned toward me and brushed a kiss over my lips.

Cold air nipped my cheeks when I opened the door. I tugged my coat tighter around my neck and hurried up the walk. Someone had shoveled it clean, leaving me wondering what else Alexander had been up to this afternoon during his and Ethan’s “errands.” Could he have done this? Yes. He was the kind of man who would learn where Mom lived and have her walk shoveled.

I opened the side door and slipped into the kitchen. “Mom, it’s me.”

“I can see that.” She looked up from her seat at the table, the crossword in front of her almost complete. “You shouldn’t be driving.”

“I didn’t.” I removed my scarf. “Alexander brought me.”

“That nice man who came by earlier?” Mom stood and toddled toward the door. “Is he outside?” She wagged a finger at me when I nodded. “Tell him to come inside. He’s not sitting out there in the cold. Blasted man took off before I could thank him for clearing the sidewalks.”

“Sidewalks?” I’d started to unbutton my coat but stopped when she opened the door. Every house on Mom’s block had a clean sidewalk.

Mom’s weary expression smoothed. “Him and a few others showed up. Cleaned every sidewalk from here to Baker Street. Now, you tell him to get in here.” She all but pushed me out the door.

Alexander rolled his window down when I approached. “Everything okay?”

“She wants to see you.” I motioned for him to get out and follow me.

He hesitated but opened the door and stepped up behind me. Flakes of snow fell from the bare tree branches, peppering his hair with white.

I curled my hands into my pockets to keep from brushing them away. Mom would read too much into the touch, and I felt her watching us from the window.

Alexander set his hand at the small of my back on our way up the walk. The touch startled me enough to shoot a look at his face. His smile eased the jolt of uncertainty.

Mom held the door wide open, her thin frame no match for the wind. “Now then.” She pointed a shaky finger at Alexander. “Get in here and have a cup of tea. It’s not much thanks, but it’ll have to do.”

“It’s more than enough.” He settled into the chair across from Mom’s crossword puzzle. He should look out of place amid her old books and peeling wallpaper. His coat probably cost more than Mom’s monthly rent, and yet he fit in this space as easily as he did his mansion. Better yet, he didn’t patronize Mom by saying that her thanks—and her tea—were unnecessary. He just took the cup and sipped. “Excellent blend. Where do you get it?”

“Local market.” Mom fluttered a hand and returned to her seat. “Clara can give you the shop name and address if you’d like to purchase some.”

That was all it took for a whole conversation about proper tea to begin. They talked, laughed, even bantered about flavor profiles and the best time of day for tea. I watched the interaction with a kind of bewildered amusement. Who was this man? I thought I knew him, but it seemed I hadn’t even truly scratched the surface. We drank an entire pot of tea together. By the time Alexander stood and hugged Mom, I could barely see through the sheen of tears threatening to spill over. Seeing them get along so well together was a blessing I never expected.

“I like her.” Alexander’s lips quivered in a light smile once we were back in the car. “I see where you get your spunk.”

“Dad used to call her a firecracker.” I buckled my seatbelt. “I worried the cancer would take that away from her, but she’s still fighting.”

Alexander steered away from Mom’s and headed toward my house. I didn’t bother questioning how he’d known Mom’s address. It didn’t matter. He’d done a good thing for her, and for me by driving me over to see her. It reassured me in a way no phone call could. We were quiet on the drive. My thoughts chased each other around and around. What would we face tomorrow in the office? Harrington had gone over our designs by now. Soon we’d hear about the rescheduled council meeting. Things were building up, stacking one atop the other like a tower of blocks. One wrong move and they’d all come crashing down.

“You’ll call if you need anything?” Alexander stopped in front of my house. His car’s headlights silhouetted my place in a warm glow before he turned them off and climbed out. “I’ll walk you.”

It was a sweet but unnecessary gesture I wasn’t about to argue with him over.

I kissed his cheek once we reached the front stoop and I’d unlocked my door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Exhaustion demanded I go inside and sleep. I’d managed to ignore it, but seeing Mom and being home allowed the fatigue to land so fast it threatened to crush me.

Alexander squeezed my hand. “Tomorrow.” It was almost a question, like we were both uncertain what happened next. “Sleep well, Clara.”

“Goodnight, Alexander.” His name still tasted exotic on my lips. I closed and locked the door before I did something crazy like invite him inside. His car engine growled to life and I waited until I couldn’t hear it anymore to pull my phone from my pocket and open it to the message I’d gotten that first night in Alexander’s mansion.

You’re a slut.

The hateful words in bold print, combined with the unknown number, set my teeth on edge. Who would send this to me and why? Why hide their identity? Maybe it wasn’t meant for me.

Still, the threat of it put me on edge. I called Ethan. He was the tech wiz of the company. If anyone could track this motherfucker down, it was Ethan.

His quick answer brought a smile to fight back the fear. “Hello, Clara.”

“I love the way you say my name.” I sighed into the phone. “I have a problem, Ethan.”

“Oh?” The instant alertness charged through the phone.

“I received a disturbing text from an unknown number. Can you try to find out who sent it?” I double-checked that I’d locked the door before making my way to the kitchen. My stomach bubbled with a mix of hunger and uncertainty.

“Send me screenshots of the text. Make sure the phone number is included. I’ll see what I can do.” His words were clipped and short, the velvety smoothness overwhelmed by a protective edge. “Do you feel safe at home? Do you want to stay with me?”

“I’ll be fine. It’s just a text message. I’ll sleep better knowing you’re looking into it.” I felt better knowing Ethan had my back and fished a quick dinner from the freezer. Liam had spoiled me with his cooking talent, but I was back in my real world and dinner was whatever I could scavenge and throw in the oven.

“If you change your mind, call me.”

I promised I would and said goodnight. I fell asleep after my dinner with a smile on my lips as I reminisced over the last few days.

I expected to feel differently the next morning when I walked into work, but things were so familiar that it was easy to believe it had all been a dream. The couch we’d slept on sat in the lounge, looking none the worse for our escapades. I grinned around the rim of my coffee cup.

“You’re looking happy this morning.” Allan’s grating tone stiffened my shoulders. “Looks like you stayed safe during the storm.”

“I did.” I almost added “thanks” out of reflex but snapped my mouth shut. Dealing with Allan was difficult enough without giving him the kind of encouragement he’d take from even a meaningless token of gratitude. “What about you?” Maybe a redirection would keep him at bay. I kept walking toward the offices where I was supposed to meet up with Alexander, Liam, and Ethan.

“Oh, I did fine. Not as warm as I’m sure you were.” A sharp gleam lit his eyes. “Body heat is a great resource, don’t you think?”

“What the hell does that mean?” I stopped in the middle of the lounge. “Are you making a comment about my weight, because that’s fucked up.”

Allan scoured me from head to toe with a lascivious look that sent nausea up the back of my throat. “Not at all.” He stepped close enough for me to smell his breath, a reeking odor of stale cigarettes and coffee. “Just saying, if you’re looking to stay warm this winter, I’d be happy to offer my services.” His fingers skimmed my arm and the outer curve of my breast.

“Get out of my face, Allan.” My voice carried across the lounge. I refused to be the one to back down. A step backward meant retreat, a move Allan would take as a victory.

Several people looked our way. A few stopped walking and turned to face the commotion. One woman approached while a few men stood back and waited. We were the morning freak show, and none of them wanted to miss the action.

Allan stayed put, his slimy grin causing goosebumps to pop on my arms. “You say that now, but you’ll come around.”

“I swear to God I’ll file a sexual harassment claim if you don’t get out of my way.” I was one wrong word away from showing him exactly how I felt about him and his unwelcome sexual innuendo.

“Everything okay here?” A woman I recognized stepped forward.

Allan shot her a venomous look and backed away, muttering under his breath. The words were too low to tell for certain, but I swore I heard him say cunt and bitch in that hateful mutter. He disappeared like a cockroach exposed to light, scuttling away and leaving me feeling dirty from nothing more than the way he looked at me.

I shook it off and thanked the woman with a nod that she returned before retrieving my phone from my purse and sending a group text to Alexander, Liam, and Ethan asking them to keep an eye on Allan. I left it at that, unwilling to give him any more power than he’d already acquired.

Ethan answered me first, and his response crushed me. I read it to myself, then stopped when I reached my desk and sank into my chair, reading it again.

Allan has been with the company for almost twelve years. He’s eccentric but you shouldn’t worry about him.

It was a perfunctory answer, one that took no thought to spit out. Another text came through as I sat there. “He’s harmless.” Ethan again. Heat swept through my veins, filling my face with heat and causing my hands to tremble around my phone. Harmless? Like fuck that man was harmless. I clenched my teeth so hard my jaw ached. Would he say the same thing if I told him the whole story? If they knew he’d hit on me and made me truly, deeply uncomfortable, would they agree with me then?

Three dots appeared beside Alexander’s name, then Liam’s. Their responses buzzed at the same time, and my heart dropped at the mutual agreement from each of them.

Disgusted, I shoved my phone back into my purse. What the hell was I supposed to do with that? Of the three of them, I expected at least one to take my side. The context of the situation in consideration with Allan’s actions should bring them to listen to me, not shunt my concerns aside and pat me on the head with a “there, there” like my experience and discomfort didn’t matter.

God I was angry at them for brushing off my concern. My jaw locked as I considered my options. I could go to HR and report Allan. It wouldn’t do any good. He’d touched me, but it could have been an accident. That’s what they would say when I explained what happened. As for what he’d said, there was an implication for a sexual situation but nothing explicit.

And I couldn’t prove any of it. No one had been close enough to hear Allan. They’d heard me tell him to fuck off and seen him scurry away. Why wouldn’t they listen to me? I started to grab my phone again but stopped. Arguing served no purpose. If anything, they’d call me hysterical and blame my femininity for making more of the situation than necessary.

Allan won this round, but I’d be damned if I let him get close to me again. I closed my eyes and pressed the heels of my hands over my forehead, taking slow, cleansing breaths until the heat left my skin and I knew I could face Alexander without showing my emotions.

Calm and collected, I gathered up my stuff and marched down the hall, turning right at the corner and entering Alexander’s office with my shoulders back and my jaw set. “Have we heard from Harrington?” The room looked the same as it always did, but it held new meaning for me when my gaze caught on the corner where the couch had sat when we fucked for the first time. I yanked my attention back before I lost myself in the memory.

Ethan looked up from his computer and raised his eyebrows. “We’re expecting a call any minute. He should have information on the council meeting.”

“Good.” I lowered my purse onto the table and picked up the laptop I’d used earlier in the week. “Liam, you’re all set with your designs?”

“Ready.” He gave me a wink that I ignored.

It hurt to meet Ethan’s eyes and not let him see my disappointment, but I kept my shit together and concentrated on the job. Asking them to watch Allan was unfair. They were men. I should’ve known they wouldn’t see a problem with Allan’s behavior. I expected too much of them based on a few nights together. Our sexual relationship did not cross over into the workspace. Whatever happened here was for me to deal with. I released my expectations of their concern for me. It was better this way.

Alexander’s phone rang. He answered with a perfunctory—“Harrington, the team’s here. I’m putting you on speaker”—before he tapped the button and sat down.

“Good news.” Harrington’s voice boomed. “The council meeting has been moved to tomorrow. Based on what you’ve shown me, we’re well ahead of their expectations. I’d like you to keep moving ahead so we can knock their socks off. Clara, your designs are brilliant. Keep up the good work.”

I flushed at his praise and let it sink in. I was working on the project of a lifetime. I could not let petty Allan’s remarks waylay my goal.

“I’ll meet you at city hall tomorrow morning,” Harrington continued.

“We’ll be there.” Alexander ended the call with a click and spun around to face us, lacing his fingers together on top of the table. “You heard the man. Let’s get to work.”