“What’s the second thing?” she asked in a husky voice as she pressed up against me.
“I’m going to start interviewing for the GM position next week,” I said, deciding that it would be better to give her the news straight up rather than beat around the bush.
“I see,” she said dropping my hand and backing up.
“Don’t be mad; you know I have to do this,” I said.
“I’m not mad,” she replied, failing to hide the fact that she was.
“Payton, you knew I was going to have to conduct interviews,” I reminded her.
“I know you do!” she shouted. “I know you have to interview people and make it look like you’re carefully considering your decision. I know! I know! I know!”
“Hey, what’s going on?” I asked suddenly aware of the fact that her anger was out of proportion with what I was saying. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, dammit!” she shouted. “I wish you’d stop asking me that inane question! I’m fine.”
“Well, you don’t seem fine to me,” I said defensively.
“How would you feel if you did all the work I’m doing only to be told that you’re probably going to be replaced?” she grumbled.
“You knew the deal when you started this,” I protested. “You can’t get mad at me now!”
“I know,” she sighed looking away. When she looked back at me, I could see her eyes welling up.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, reaching out to stroke her arm.
“I can’t talk about it,” she said, brushing my hand aside and moving away. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” I suggested.
“I’m stuck and there’s no good way out,” she said, taking a deep breath and pulling herself up. “It’s my own doing, and I’ll figure it out myself.”
“Okay, well, I’m here if you need to talk,” I said. “See you at home?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” she nodded then turned back toward her desk without saying another word.
I left the room wondering what it was she was grappling with as Finn’s warning gnawed at my thoughts. I quickly pushed it aside and headed back to my office to prep for the coming interviews.
#
Payton’s mood had considerably improved by the time we left for dinner on Friday night. I wasn’t sure why and I didn’t want to spoil the night by asking, so I didn’t bring up our earlier discussion, and neither did she.
I held the door open as Payton smiled and walked into the familiar bar. ,She had dressed casually in a mini-skirt and t-shirt that hugged every one of her curves showing off her tan arms and legs. She looked young and carefree as she perched on a barstool and grinned at Jack.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the girl and her boyfriend,” Jack bellowed. “Welcome back, Sweetness! I’ve missed you.”
“Missed you, too, you grumpy, old man,” Payton grinned back as she leaned across the bar and planted a quick kiss on his grizzled cheek. “Give me a beer and a shot, and one for my friend, too.”
“Whatcha been up to, kiddo?” Jack asked, pointedly ignoring me. At first it raised my hackles, but when Payton reached down under the bar and squeezed my thigh, I knew that Jack’s protectiveness wasn’t something I needed to get upset about. Still, I listened closely to the conversation, wondering if I was missing something.
“Just the usual,” she said, clinking her shot glass against mine and then tipping it back and downing the whiskey in a quick gulp. Her eyes watered and she laughed as she slammed the glass on the bar and hollered, “Another!”
“Whoa, easy does it, Sweetness,” Jack warned as he glanced at me and slid a couple of menus toward us. “Aren’t you going to order some dinner?”
“Oh my God, not two against one,” Payton sighed rolling her eyes dramatically. “I just wanted to come here and relax, not get lectured.”
“No one is lecturing you, kiddo,” Jack said gruffly. “I tell everyone who comes in here to eat. It’s how I make my money.”