“Do you know it’s a hacker?” he asked.
“No, I don’t. I could have Tom come sit with me and go over what’s going on. Is that all right with you?”
“Tom’s on vacation,” he said. “I’ll call the computer guy who brought that computer in for you. He knows a lot.”
“But it’s not actually a computer issue, Robert; it’s an internal server issue that-”
“Okay, you’re welcome. He’s a high-level consultant. I’m sure he will be able to figure out what you’ve done. Hell, maybe if he’s really good, I’ll even hire him.”
“Robert, it’s an internal issue and that computer guy doesn’t know our system; he just knows the hardware that he brought in. I really think-”
“I’ll see if he can come today,” he said. “Try not to break anything else until then,” he said as he walked away.
“Don’t quit your job,” Mattie said as she leaned over and tried to calm me down. “Remember, you have bills. You have a son. Don’t quit your job,” she continued to say quietly to me as Robert walked away.
“Who does he think he is? He literally has no idea what he’s talking about and thinks some random computer set-up guy is going to be able to fix the problems that I’ve been wrestling with for weeks? Damn chauvinist pig.”
“Remember you love your job, you just don’t like him. He’s not going to last much longer; I know a lot of people are getting angry with him. You need this job,” Mattie said in a calm voice as she comforted me.
She was right, I needed my job. I was one of those people who literally lived paycheck to paycheck. I could probably only last one month on the savings I had, and even that would be really tight for us. It wasn’t how I wanted things to be. I really had great intentions to save my money and make sure Connor and I were secure. Unfortunately, there just was never enough money to save.
“You’re right. It just makes me so mad that he talks to me like I have no idea what I’m doing,” I said. “Who does he think is setting up our website on a daily basis? Does he really think the guys do all of the work and I’m just for decoration? I swear he wouldn’t know a line of code if you sat it right in front of him. I have half a mind to storm into his office and tell him what a total ass he really is.”
“I hate to break it to you, but yes, he’s an ass, and he probably does think the guys do all the work. That’s probably what he thinks and you can’t do a damn thing about it. Just keep doing your job and that is all that matters. Oh, and who were you on the phone with?”
“Brandon,” I said as a huge smile crossed my face and I was pretty sure I blushed a little as well.
“Oh, Brandon. As in the Brandon that you dumped me for over the weekend?”
“Yep, that would be him,” I noticed he had sent me a message online and quickly typed a response to him while I kept talking to Mattie.
Delilah: Sorry I had to go so quickly; my boss was here.
Brandon: It’s all right. So, how is Friday for me to take you out? Will you let me pick you up from your place this time? I think I’ve proven I’m not a lunatic.
Delilah: Hmm, I’m not sure it’s safe for me to be alone with you.
“Oh, I see what’s going on,” Mattie said as she leaned over the desk and saw I was messaging Brandon in the Dating the Rich app.
“Shhh, I’m trying to work here,” I joked. “I wouldn’t want the boss man to see me actually talking to someone on here.”
“Yeah, I see you’re working really hard.”
“Go back to your desk before you get me in trouble,” I demanded as I pushed my friend away playfully. “I’ll fill you in when I’m done talking to him.”
I really did want to talk with Brandon and I couldn’t have Mattie ruining it for me. My heart raced as I went back to my conversation. If I closed my eyes, I could still taste the delicate softness of his lips on mine. I wanted him again. It had only been a few days and I already felt like an addict who needed her hit.
After being with Brandon, I had been high on life for the rest of my weekend. Connor and I went to the park, and I ran with him like my energy levels had been doubled. When the night calmed down and Connor crawled into bed, I spent the next couple of hours doing chores around the house that I’d been wanting to get done for months.
Brandon certainly had done a number on me, and my smile was another positive outcome. I’d probably been smiling
since I’d left him at the bagel shop. I just couldn’t stop, or at least I couldn’t stop smiling when I thought of him. And, it happened to be pretty damn impossible not to think of him, so that meant I was walking around with a permanent smile on my face.
Brandon: You could always meet me, but I’d really like to come pick you up and make it a proper date.
Delilah: I was just teasing; I’d love to have you pick me up. Would seven o’clock work all right?
Brandon: Yes. Now, enough about that, let’s talk about this damn profile picture again. I must say you look just as beautiful in person, which is a unique quality in the online dating world.