Between Friends

Chapter 22

When I wake up the next morning, I feel like a new and rejuvenated version of myself. I spring out of bed as soon as my alarm goes off, not once hitting the snooze button to indulge in an few extra minutes of shut eye. I hop in the shower, wash my greasy hair and sing, “I Will Survive” at the top of my lungs. I try to perform some sweet dance moves as I lather up my scalp, but I slip a bit and have to steady myself on the shower curtain. When I am all done, I put on my sexiest and most recent Nordstrom purchase; a tight fitting navy blue blazer, with a matching A-line skirt and a killer pair of nude pumps. I loosely curl my hair and generously apply a glowing layer of makeup to highlight my already sun-kissed skin. I am unstoppable, and my plan to avoid Ben will work. I hope.

I know if my timing is right, my plan is fool proof. Ben and I grab a coffee every morning at the Overflow Coffee Bar around 8:30a.m. before we show up at the office together. So, if I make my own coffee and head into work around 8:00a.m. Ben won’t be there. If he follows our routine (which I’m sure he will), he will arrive shortly after nine. This will give me about an hour or so to quickly review my files then flee from the office to start my client follow up for the day before he gets there. But, if he does happen to show up before nine, I still look fabulous enough to storm out with some sass.

****

I arrive at work five minutes before eight, and am greeted by Millie, the receptionist, a plump redhead with a bad case of freckles. As I approach her desk, she slides off her jacket and powers on her computer.

“Hey Megan! Congratulations on the Gold Coast listing! Jake told me Oprah is the client selling the property. How cool is that going to be to meet Oprah?” Millie says all smiles.

I nod and try to hide my laughter, because Mille is subject to a lot of office pranks by Jake (another realtor in our office) due to her gullible persona.

“What are you doing here so early?” Millie asks as she tosses a piece of gum in her mouth.

“I have lots of work to catch up on.” I say with a smile.

“Welcome back!” Millie shouts as I make my way through the double doors, leading into the rows and rows of cubicles.

The office is quiet and empty, except for a few people scattered here and there. It is crazy how in less than an hour from now, this place will be packed with phones ringing and paper flying all over the place. I have to say, I really missed work. Like a lot. Even with Ben only a few cubicles away, this place is like home to me.

I flop down into my chair and toss my cell on my desk. Like Emily promised, there is a whack load of files piled high beside the computer with a yellow sticky note on top. I glance down at it, and notice right away it isn’t Emily’s handwriting, its Ben’s.

WE NEED TO TALK. PLEASE CALL ME.

I rip the note off of the files, crumple it up and toss it into the garbage. I can’t believe he expects me to call him! No way. He’s crazy. I am not chasing after him like all the Mindy’s, Stephanie’s and Jezebel’s he’s used too. If he even thinks for a second that I would do such a thing, then he obviously doesn’t know me at all. Besides, I am not the one who took off on an early flight to leave him alone, humiliated and castrated by the whole entire wedding.

“Well look who’s here!” Clint Reitman, the owner of Reitman Realty LLC the company I work for and my boss says as he strolls up to my desk.

“Good morning Clint” I mumble, noticing he actually has a clean-shaven face today. He usually sports quite the beard.

“Well how’s my favorite realtor feeling today? Did you already contact Mrs. Dorothy van den Berg?” He says looking over his glasses and leans on my desk.

“I’m better thank you. Who is Mrs. Dorothy van den Berg?”

“The owner of 1502 North Dearborn Parkway” Clint sternly says and crosses his arms over his potbelly.

Oh crap! The Gold Coast listing! Surely Clint is expecting I am on my A game after abandoning my career for a week and taking a sick day. The fact that I don’t even know the address or name of my client will be enough to send him into a fury.

“Oh right, sorry. I am about to call her right now.” I smile and pick up my cell, waving it in his face.

“Well you better. Mrs. Van den Berg is a very important client. She buys and sells properties all over Chicago, and for some reason she wants you, so do not disappoint.” Clint says as he slams his fist down on my desk and storms off to his office.

I scan through my files, searching desperately for Mrs. van den Berg’s phone number until I find it. Bingo! I punch in her number on my cell and wait for her to pick up. When Mrs. van den Berg’s raspy voice answers the other end of the line, I am relieved.

She tells me she is delighted to hear from me, and compliments me by saying she has heard great things about both my work and me. She also adds that she knows I will be able sell her property in no time. I thank her for accepting me as her realtor, and ask if I could stop by sometime today to sign the contract and take a look at her property. She tells me anytime this morning will do, and says she looks forward to meeting with me. I smile hang up the phone and wonder if this property could possibly up the ante in defining my career. Maybe I will even be featured on HGTV’s Million Dollar Listing, who knows what could happen from here.

My smile quickly fades when I see Ben saunter in the office. He is wearing a perfectly pressed dark grey suit with a crisp white shirt and a Burberry tie. He looks good, too good, and I feel my heart sink. What is he doing here so early? I slouch down in my chair hoping he won’t be able to see me behind the walls of the cubicle. He scans his eyes around the office before they land right on my desk. My heart stops. He doesn’t see me at first, but when his eyes change from worry to relief, I know I am spotted.

Without even thinking, I start to gather my things. I toss my cell into my purse and shove my files under my arm. I am about to bolt out of the office, but Ben is calling out my name. I am mortified to see a few co-workers look up at our commotion, making me turn fifty shades of red. I casually turn back around in order to avoid complete office drama, which would only roll into juicy office gossip around the water cooler later this afternoon.

“What?” I sigh tapping my foot on the floor.

“Did you get my note?” Ben asks biting his sexy and luscious lower lip.

“Yeah I got it.” I say with more conviction than I thought possible to ever come out of my mouth.

“You didn’t come into the office yesterday. Are you okay?” He asks with concern. He takes one step closer to me and adds, “You look great by the way.”

I roll my eyes, “I’m fine thanks. Is there something you want or can I get back to work?”

“I’d like to talk to you.”

“Well I don’t know if I want to talk to you.” I snap in a hushed whisper.

Ben scratches his head and let’s out a sigh. He nervously glances around the office and leans in leaving a few inches between us, “Come on Megan –“

“Just say what you have to say and be done with it.” I snort and adjust the files slipping under my arm.

“Can’t we just hit up the Overflow Coffee Bar like old times and talk there?” Ben says with a gorgeous smile.

I cringe at his reference to old times and it practically knocks the wind out me. How stupid could I have been? I should have known he would slip me right back into the friend zone. How could I forget? I am just his loyal dorky little buddy, Megan Daniels.

“No sorry. I don’t have time. I have a lot of work to do.” I say holding back the tears.

“Well when will you have time? I really want to talk to you.” Ben leans back and shoves his hands in his pockets.

“I don’t know. I am really busy.” I say, and turn to leave.

“With Mrs. van den Berg’s listing?” Ben shouts stopping me in my tracks. Of course he knows. I am sure everyone does.

“Look Ben, I really don’t have time. Maybe you should have talked to me before you booked it from Costa Rica without telling me.”

I watch Ben nod in defeat and let out a huge sigh.

“Right” He looks up at the ceiling then drops his gaze back to me, “Look, I will be at the Green Mill Pub tonight to meet a client around seven. Please come by around eight, he’ll be gone by then.”

I don’t know what to say, so I don’t say yes and I don’t say no. I just nod and turn on my heel leaving him in limbo land. I need to get out of here! The last thing I want to do is have him think I am okay with us just being friends again. I storm away from Ben not looking back once and head directly to Clint’s office.

I give Clint’s office door a gentle knock before I step inside. I immediately ramble I am leaving to meet clients for the day. He asks if I spoke with Mrs. van den Berg, not once looking up from the documents on his desk. I tell him I did, and inform him I am seeing her later this morning. Clint responds by saying, “Great” and then gives me a dismissive wave. Millie’s voice beams through his speakerphone, and she tells him Mr. Greenberg is ready to video in. I use that as my opportunity to slide out of his office and close the door behind me.

I catch a final glimpse of Ben pacing around his cubicle and looking has hot as ever while talking on his cell phone. I feel my stomach tighten just thinking of how everything between us has changed in a blink of an eye. It is crazy to think that over a week ago, Ben and I were happily enjoying our last night in Chicago at Third Rail Tavern marveling over how we were the perfect wing sharing buddies (he likes the drumsticks best, while I like the flat pats). Then before I knew it, I slammed one too many vodka waters and agreed to sleep with him over a flip of a coin and it ruined everything.

Ben hangs up on his call and catches me staring at him. I blush and quickly look away, pushing through the doors leading out of the office. I wish so badly that my feelings for him would just disappear, but I know that is next to impossible.