I crossed my arms and refused to leave. "So, what's the difference? What would make a relationship out of this mess?" I asked.
Tasha leaned back in her desk chair and gritted her teeth. "I'm busy here, Rainer. You came to my workplace. Figure out what relationships are on your own time."
"Relationships include lots of time together, seeing the person in different venues, and getting to know what they are like outside the office. Remember the community garden? Your neighborhood? And picnics lunches? We had some good times, Tasha." I leaned both hands on her desk and met her skeptical eyes.
"That was work."
"Fine, would you like to head over to our community garden and have a picnic lunch?" I asked.
Tasha stood up and tugged her tailored suit coat down. "Rai
ner, I'm working. And if you can't accept the fact that my career is more important than your impromptu idea for a picnic, then you need to leave right now."
"And what would I have to do to stay?" I asked.
She marched to her door but paused before she opened it. "Here's something you probably don't know about relationships: you have to support the other person. So, you either support my career in full and the time I need to dedicate to it, or you leave me alone."
I strolled right up to Tasha and smiled. "So, we're not just friends then?"
Tasha laughed despite herself, but then she pulled open her glass office door and ushered me out. "There's no 'we.'"
"But there could be," I said.
Even as she shut the glass door in my face, I had hope. The hint of pink on her cheeks and the way she chewed back a smile made me think my trip to her office hadn't been a total disaster.
I headed through the rows of cubicles, reviewing the entire visit in my head. Running into Otto had started things off so well. Even he thought Tasha and I made a great team. Seeing Berger had been a shock and I could easily blame him for throwing me off my game. The truth, though, was that the surge of jealousy I felt had knocked me back. When Berger talked about seeking out Tasha, I had felt every fiber in my body shouting that she should be with me.
Then Tasha had talked about relationships. Sure, it was supposed to just be a way to shut me up, but it actually gave me hope. Maybe there was something I could give Tasha.
I was so elated by that possibility that I didn't see Stan until I almost ran him over. My former boss stood his ground even though I stopped a scant four inches from him.
"Mr. Eastman, it's great to see you again," I said.
Stan looked at my offered hand and pursed his lips. "A word, Rainer?"
"In your office?" I hesitated because I didn't want to push my luck with Tasha.
He looked up and down the glass-walled offices and shook his head. "In here is fine."
I followed Stan towards the elevator lobby. It turned out the only room in Tasha's bright office that didn't have glass walls was the copy room. Stan shut the door firmly behind us.
"Whoa, wait. I respect you a lot, Stan, I really do, but I'm not in the market for one of your mentoring lectures right now," I said.
Stan surprised me with a laugh. "I'm not going to lecture you, Rainer. In fact, I was going to congratulate you on your persistence."
I shook his hand but had no idea what he was talking about. "My persistence? I'm not looking for a job. Is that why you think I'm here?"
"No, son, that's not why I think you're here. Do you even know why you're here?" Stan asked.
"Networking?"
Stan chuckled again. "You know, you remind me an awful lot of me at your age. Incorrigible. Loud-mouthed. Charming. Clueless about everything but how to spin business in your favor."
"I am not loud-mouthed," I said. Then I remembered how Tasha overheard me and I cringed. "All right. So, we're a lot alike. How is this not turning into a mentoring lecture?"
"Think of it more like a rescue mission," Stan said. "I saw your conversation with Tasha. The whole office did."
I crossed my arms. "I don't need rescuing. Or are you talking about rescuing Tasha from me? Am I really so terrible?"