“Everyone okay?” he asked with a smile as he looked around, and I looked away from him. I had nothing to say. I didn’t want to seem like I had sour grapes, but I had no idea what he saw in Barbie.
“Ken, honey, I thought I was going to be sitting in the front seat with you?” Barbie said in a soft, sweet voice. I turned around to face the window so that no one could see the look on my face. Barbie and Ken, my ass. I bit my lower lip to stop from laughing and then TJ spoke up and I turned around.
“Aww, sorry, babe,” he said in a tone I’d never heard before. My jaw almost dropped as I listened to him and then saw Barbie’s face looking all soft and sweet. I was feeling confused as I looked at her almost angelic face. What had happened to the sour-faced shrew who had been talking to Sally and me? Barbie was looking like a different person as she batted her big blue eyes at TJ. I bit on my lower lip as I stared at her, all beautiful and flowery, and waited for TJ to ask me to switch seats with his latest paramour.
“But, babe?” She pouted, sucking on her lower lip as she gazed at TJ.
“Aww, next time,” TJ said and gave me a quick wink. “Mila isn’t the sort of girl who likes to give up the front seat.”
“Yeah, I’m not.” I looked at Barbie with a small smile and shrug. “I’m sure Mila Kunis doesn’t like to give up her seat either, if that helps.” I saw Barbie’s lips twisting at my words and I turned back around and turned on the radio. “Let’s go, James,” I said to TJ. “We don’t want to be late!”
***
The drive up to the lake house was pretty quiet. Normally, Sally and I chattered on about what we were going to do, but we were both pretty focused on our own thoughts.
“So, when will Cody arrive?” Sally asked as we pulled off of the exit. We were about ten minutes away from the cabin and I knew everyone was ready for us to arrive.
“He said tomorrow morning. He’ll join us for breakfast,” TJ answered as he drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. “When will Troy be arriving, Mila?” He looked at me casually and I just smiled sweetly. That jackass knew that there was no Troy arriving.
“He’s going to call me tonight and let me know,” I answered.
“Who’s Troy?” Barbie said, speaking for the first time since we’d left. She’d spent most of the trip playing with her hair and looking at herself in her compact mirror.
“Troy is Mila’s boyfriend,” Sally spoke up. “And I think he’ll be her fiancé soon.”
I wanted to groan out load at Sally’s words. I knew she thought she was helping me, but I knew that what she was actually doing was digging me into an even deeper hole.
“You have a boyfriend?” Barbie said, sounding surprised as she looked at me up and down. I knew I didn’t look my best, but there was no need for her to be so rude.
“Yes,” I said stiffly and looked at TJ, who had a weird smirk on his face. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” he said and then I felt his hand on my knee for a brief second. “Absolutely nothing.”
“Hmm,” I said, but didn’t get into it further with him.
“So how’s business, Richie Rich?” Sally asked TJ, changing the subject.
“As good as it can be in this economy,” TJ said, his demeanor changing. “I want to introduce some changes to the company, bring our customer service back to the United States, increase the number of plants we have, change the automation system, and bring in a new marketing company, but Dad is resistant.”
“Oh, sad,” I said, and Sally also made an ‘I’m sorry’ noise. I was sure that she, like me, wasn’t really sure what he was talking about. “Why won’t your dad make the changes?” I said and gazed at him curiously.
“He’s a cheapskate.” He sighed. “He’d rather save the dollars now. I’m telling him that we need to spend more to make more. That’s how business goes. And especially now, we need to expand.”
“Yeah, my dad won’t listen to me either. I’m trying to convince him to import this new line of rugs from Morocco,” I said with a sigh. “What’s the point of me working in the buying department if I’m not actually allowed to make any large purchase decisions?”
“I forgot you got moved from being a receptionist,” TJ said. “How’s the change in department going?”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said?” I frowned. “Not great. I still have no real responsibility or real money coming in.”
“You just graduated, Mila. Be patient,” TJ said with an indulgent smile. “It’ll happen. I didn’t get to where I am overnight.”
“What is it that you do, again?” Barbie asked curiously, and I smiled. If she didn’t know what he did, they couldn’t be that serious.
“TJ works for Walker Enterprises,” I answered for him and turned around to look at Barbie.
“Okay?” Barbie shrugged. The name Walker Enterprises meant nothing to her.
“His dad is Hudson Walker,” Sally said. “The Hudson Walker.”