I shake my head as tears start to fall. “We don’t need to get married. I know this isn’t what you want.”
Travis cups my cheek. His thumb caresses away some of my tears. “I think we’re stronger together, Saylor. And it is what I want.” He leans in, only to be stopped by the beeping of my cell phone.
“That’s Jeffrey,” I tell him, even without looking. His eyebrows rise. “Designated tone,” I say, answering his unspoken question. Slowly I pull my phone out of my pocket and swipe to read his message. “Get here now!” The words tumble out of my mouth. I’ve been summoned before with similar words, but this time it’s different. I can feel it in my bones. It’s not going to matter that Travis is marrying me so I can save my daughter. The fact of the matter is, I crossed the line, and I’ll be punished for it.
“Let’s go,” Travis says, pulling me off the couch. “I’m going with you whether you like it or not.”
“It’s my battle,” I protest.
“And I caused it.”
Travis doesn’t wait for me to argue or agree. He has us out of the house, through the reporters who have doubled since we arrived, and into his SUV, all while I’m still trying to formulate a viable response in my head. Maybe this is one of those situations where things are better left unsaid? I’m not so sure. Either way, he’s coming with me to my office whether I like it or not.
The look on my assistant’s face when I walk in, followed by Travis, tells me all that I need to know. I should’ve brought a box to pack up my office, because when Jeffrey is done berating me, I’ll need to clean it out.
“Wait here,” I tell Travis, motioning for him to sit in one of the chairs that line the wall. As much as he wants to protect me from this, he can’t. I knew what I was doing when I continued to see Travis outside of work. And I could’ve stopped, but I chose not to because it felt good to be around him. I knew I was providing him with some normalcy under the circumstances, and he was doing the same for me.
I rap my knuckles on Jeffrey’s door before twisting the knob and entering. He looks up from the papers on his desk and leans back in his chair.
“That didn’t take you long.”
“I was in the area,” I say, taking the familiar seat in front of his desk. He smirks, and I can only assume that he’s calculated the time difference from my apartment and Travis’s house to the office.
“Here are your termination papers.” He slides the document that he was reading toward me.
My hand shakes as I reach out to take them. I’m not even going to try and hide the tears that are falling. “I wish you’d let me explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain, Saylor. I have one rule in this office, and you not only broke it, but also you’re doing so in a way that makes me look like I’ve been duped by my employee for a period of time.”
“It’s not like that, Jeffrey. We’re only friends,” I plead. “He’s helping me out of a situation with Lucy’s father.”
Jeffrey stands and places his hands on his desk so he can tower over me. This tactic works, because I find myself shrinking back into my chair, feeling about two feet tall.
“I don’t care about what prompted you to seek Kidd’s help. The fact of the matter is it’s against policy, and I will not stand for my employees dating, fucking, or marrying my clients. It’s a rule I’ve never wavered on, and I’m not about to do it today. You have no idea the embarrassment you’ve caused my firm. I’ve been dealing with clients calling and asking if the endorsement deals that Kidd landed over them are because he’s fucking his publicist.”
“But—”
“There are no buts, Saylor. The integrity of my name is on the line because you couldn’t keep your damn legs crossed.”
“That’s not fair,” I say weakly.
“Fair? You want to talk about fair? I gave you a job when you had nothing. I taught you everything you know and guided you along the way. I have one rule, Saylor. One! And you couldn’t even follow it after I warned you. Sign the fucking papers, get your shit, and get out of here. I’m done.”
I haul my ass out of the chair and open his door with a huff. I look back at Jeffrey, who doesn’t look the least bit upset, and look at Travis, who is now standing. I shake my head when he comes toward me and I walk over to my office, but not before I hear the intercom come alive with the words, “Travis Kidd would like to see you.” A quick glance at Travis earns me a shrug from him before he’s disappearing behind Jeffrey’s door.
Flipping the switch for my overhead light, I can already see that someone has started packing my personal belongings. I try to log into my computer, but my password has already been changed. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. I thought I meant more to Jeffrey than a policy, but I guess not. I fucked up, and that’s all there is to it.
I sit down at my desk and pore over the termination agreement. The language is standard. I have thirty days to find new health care for Lucy and me. I’ll be paid for my vacation time, but that’s it.
Loud voices carry down the hall. Part of me wants to press the intercom button so I can hear what’s going on, and the other part doesn’t care and wants to get out of here. I leave the contract for last and start packing what’s left of my office. Mostly pictures, a few awards, and my degree. I hung that proudly on my wall so I could remember how hard I worked to obtain it.
When a door slams, I jump. It’s a natural reaction, I think. What’s not natural is how Jeffrey’s voice continues to carry down the hall, and while I can’t make out everything he’s saying, it’s clear that he’s rather upset.
“What’d you do?” I ask when Travis appears in my doorway.
“Fired him.”