Page 9 of Nothing to You
“You see me walking away?”he called back.
She slowed, intending to about-face, ready to pick up that gauntlet.Her damned teammates literally tore her from the room and down the corridor to the lobby.They pushed her forward and spun her as Helena began her tirade.
“The man asked a question!And he was right,” Helena said, whirling on Franco.“I told you to get those numbers cleaned up weeks ago.Take Myles, go upstairs and get it done.I don’t want to see either of you until those numbers are blindingly shiny.”The guys shuffled off, in a hurry to comply.“And you…” Helena was on her again and sighed.“Go up to your room.I don’t want to see you again.Full stop.Stay in your room until it’s time to fly home.”
“What?But I—”
“I can’t guarantee you still have a job after speaking to him that way.Don’t interact with anyone else.No one.Now, go.Go on.Go!”
Marching away from her boss, seeking the elevator, one thing was for goddamn sure: she would never talk to Hotshot again.Maybe she would lose her job, but at that minute, she wasn’t even sure she wanted it.
FOUR
CAGED IN THE COMPANY-supplied hotel room, her aggravation only grew.The standard room with its queen-sized bed, tiny closet, and claustrophobic walls stifled her.
Who the fuck did he think he was?Her relationship with Hotshot was on Huddle.Only on Huddle.What possessed him to change that?How long had he known who she was?He owned the company.Would have access to employee records, her personnel file.Everything.
Maybe if she could go for a walk… Eat.Drink.Breathe before she screamed.Frustration scalded her insides.She wanted to pound the walls and stamp her feet.How could he have ruined everything?
Obsessing wouldn’t get her anywhere.She needed a distraction.Sitting on the bed, she yanked her purse toward her.
Usually, if she had time in the day or needed a distraction, she’d go trawling to see what Huddle trouble might be around.Some limited capacity booths were visible in advance.Users could reserve their spot to guarantee it.Contemplating how each debate may go gave her something to look forward to.Not anymore.Her safe space wasn’t so safe anymore.
Retrieving her phone from her purse didn’t help her mood.Notifications.Huddle notifications.From him.
Two missed calls and a Huddle message.
HOTSHOT:Nothing?
Yep, that was it.Nothing.Except he’d done something.And she was supposed to just let that go?
The door beeped.It sounded like the door.Did Helena have a key?
Leaping from the bed, she got one step before it opened and who came storming in?Hotshot himself.
“Who the hell do you think you are?”she demanded as he stalked toward her.
“You know damn well who I am.”
When he got closer, she backed up into the open space by the bed.“I know you’re an asshole!What gives you the right to unilaterally—”
“Free will, Babycakes.”
What an asshole!
She whirled around to find him five feet away.“What we had worked, and you decided to change it!”
“Yeah, I did!”
“How long have you known?Was it all some big joke to you?Bet you got a real laugh!”
Four feet.“I didn’t have a damn clue until you opened your mouth downstairs!”
“Yeah, right!”
“Yeah, you told me you were Huddle.I knew you had a pitch for the conference—”
“I told you I had a work weekend, and you never thought to tell me you’d be here too?”
