Overdue i love yous, p.5
Overdue I Love You's, page 5
“Where are you going?” Sunny asks when I give her my glass.
I don’t know.
My feet are dragging me and apparently Dean’s gaze is the yellow brick road to Emerald city.
I’m hypnotized and berating myself as the minute passes, but I’ve been raised to be a smart, educated young woman who can take care of herself. I will, that is, take care of myself if I can somehow stop moving in the direction of the one man who seems to intimidate the living crap out of me.
Oh, too late.
He’s in front of me.
Or well I’m in front of him.
He didn’t even move a muscle and here I am.
Chokehold, anyone?
“Congratulations, Mr. Vuk.” I extend my hand out to him.
He stares down at me.
At me. Not the hand.
Which is starting to feel vulnerable.
“Thank you,” he grumbles.
Just as quickly as he shakes my hand, the warm callouses of his tattooed one burst through me, he rips it away and looks down with betrayal.
“Did you feel that?” I gaze up at him, widened eyes and an obnoxious smile sitting restlessly on my lips. “It was like one of the science projects you do in grade three with the balloon and rubbing it on your head?”
I’m pretty sure that isn’t the right example to use, but it’s all electricity right?
Dean scowls. “Have a good night, Miss Rivera.”
Without another word, Dean walks away with a trail of his musky and earthy scent following behind him.
Okaaay then.
CHAPTER 7
Sunny ran to the bathroom for an emergency which leaves me wandering around. Tonight has been eventful. I don’t remember the last time I got to experience rooftop parties with shiny lights and a full-blown orchestra.
The right side of my head starts throbbing.
Not a full migraine, yet.
Another hour, and it’ll hit like a truck, train, and an aircraft got into an accident.
If they don’t bring out anything chocolate in the next thirty minutes, I’m leaving.
What kind of event won’t have chocolate?
It’s a must.
Necessity.
If I ever get married, you bet I’ll have three different types of chocolate desserts.
Us chocolate connoisseurs are overlooked.
A blur of blonde hair moves past me.
Bingo.
“Mr. Vuk,” I block his path.
I stare into those cold, lifeless eyes of his.
Compared to his brothers, Callahan Vuk has always made me feel… unwanted.
He has a presence to him that makes me want to bury myself alive.
Or worse? Stop smiling.
“What is it, Miss Rivera?” He cuts straight to the point.
Looking to the side, I blow air into my cheeks and hum at the same time. “So,” I glance in his direction. “I’m aware that Vuk Securities doesn’t give last minute vacation days to their employees, but well…” He does not look interested one bit.
“I was hoping to get two months off if that would be possible?” Damn it. The goal was to end off strong. Not like I didn’t know if this was what I wanted. “Only if you’re able to,” I stammer quickly. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your schedule or anything.”
Very professional, Nova.
It would be easier if I could speak with Dean Vuk about this but despite being the one in control behind the scenes, Callahan handled all employee-related personnel.
Considering his role as CEO, I wouldn’t have expected him to care.
It’s related to calculating gains and losses. Or at least that’s what Azar told me.
“Your professionalism is admirable, Miss Rivera.” Callahan pulls the wrist of his shirt up and turns it until the watch is facing him. He taps on it once. “It’s ten at night and we’re at a party for this company. Do you truly think this is the right time?”
Saliva burns in my throat and then dries up. I’m dehydrated or thirsty or in a coma.
It has to be one of the three because I feel my cheeks burning up and I’m stuck in one place.
A corner of my smile quivers. I don’t dare look into his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Vuk.” My smile washes away and slithers its way up to my eyeballs where it’s burning to fall out.
There’s nothing kind in the way his stare burns down on me.
Earlier, I ached to dance to the music. Not even a year of physio can help relax my muscles.
I feel humiliated.
“You’re not my employee,” he draws out slowly but nonetheless hard. “I wouldn’t notice your absence.”
Callahan’s disappointment curves into my skin like shackles and I’m completely bound.
“I agree, Mr. Vuk.” Two other employees—Michael and Joshua—appear beside Callahan. Michael’s overly styled hair brushes back against his scalp and I hope when he wakes up tomorrow he has a receding hairline or a growing bald spot. “I never understood the appeal of florists,” Michael continues talking. “They give us flowers only for them to die. A bit of a waste no? It’s kind of like they’re the reason for climate change.”
Joshua laughs into his glass.
Callahan Vuk remains the same as ever. He doesn’t acknowledge them, but he also doesn’t stop the men from degrading my entire career.
My throat burns.
“Cal,” the thick gruffy voice silently warps through us in exaggerated swirls. The deep timbre of his voice penetrates into my skin, and I find myself looking at the origin.
Dean stands with his hands to his side, his face doesn’t hold a slither of expression, but his jaw clenches while he looks at his brother.
“Mr. Vuk,” the two other men rush to extend their hands for the man to shake. But Dean doesn’t look down at it, he merely glances at them with a bored expression before they retreat their greetings.
“Apologize,” he grunts.
I blink rapidly. “Of course, I’m sor—”
“Not you,” he cuts me off. “Them.”
Michael and Joshua look at each other, then at Dean with disbelief.
Whatever they see on his face has them saying, “I’m sorry, Nova.”
“Are you friends with her?” He asks them.
They shake their heads.
“Do you know her personally through someone?”
They shake their heads again.
“Then I don’t see any reason for you to be addressing Miss Rivera by her first name.”
My chest oddly constricts.
Michael stampers over his words, “Y-you’re right.” He looks at me and even though the smile doesn’t reach his eyes and it looks like he’d rather pull his eye sockets out, he says, “I’m sorry, Miss Rivera.”
Dean turns his head to look at me and I’m trapped once again in those green eyes. Viridescent darkness remains, but there’s more to them now. It’s glinting and speaking to me. There’s a telepathic connection, or maybe I’m overthinking it. But it’s like he’s asking me if I accept their apology and if I don’t, then he’ll solve the matter himself.
A part of me wonders what that would look like but I’m Nova and this girl accepts apologies like they’re nothing. “It’s okay,” I reply with a smile.
The two men take that as their way out and disappear.
I’m surprised to see that no one is looking at us. Everyone is still enjoying their time, despite the heavy atmosphere swarming around me right now.
Dean turns to look at Callahan.
The tension between them expands in size by the second.
Pursing my lips, “I should go,” I say while turning around.
“Wait.” A large hand wraps around my forearm and gently guides me back around.
I look down at Dean’s hold on me. His whole hand engulfs the arm. My body warms even though this is definitely not the right time for it to be warming up like this. I’ve only watched this happen in shows, because that’s usually when the male lead grabs the female lead’s arm and pulls her back into him.
“You deserve an apology from Callahan too,” Dean grumbled.
Callahan narrows his eyes, looks at where his brother holds me. “Tell me, Miss Rivera.” Slowly, almost frighteningly, he bares his teeth in a smile. “What are your thoughts on felons?”
Someone get me a knife. The tension between them is thick.
“Well, I—”
“Don’t answer the question,” Dean interrupts sternly.
“Please do,” Callahan sounds interested in my answer and because he’s technically more of my boss than Dean is…
“I don’t think about them,” even though Tatay–dad—was one. “As long as they don’t come near me, I don’t really care.”
Dean removes his hand from my arm. His jaw tightens and a darkness flashes through his eyes before walking away without another word.
Soon to follow is awkwardness between me and Callahan Vuk who looks like he wants to shove me aside. “I—”
He walks away.
What just happened?
I turn around to find Dean, but he’s gone like he was never here to begin with. I should thank him for defending me.
Sunny’s talking to Azar’s mom who happens to be entranced by whatever storytelling skills my best friend is coming up with.
Dean is still nowhere to be found.
I turn a corner to head inside the building when a body blocks my way.
A pretty, familiar body.
“Irene,” a genuine smile forms. “Hi! I didn’t know you’d be here.”
Her response is warm. “I didn’t know either. But I’m glad to hear that you’ve accepted my proposal.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” I look past her shoulder. Where did he go?
“Am I interrupting something?”
“Kind of?” Then my eyes widen. “No, sorry. Of course not, I’m just… Actually, I need to go to the bathroom.” Making some weird hand movements, trying to explain to her that my body needs to do bodily things.
She laughs then shifts to the side, “I’ll see you in Switzerland, Nova.”
“Yes, you will!” I yell over my shoulder.
Passing by waiters going in and out of kitchen doors, I follow the bathroom sign.
“Nova shouldn’t have been here.”
I halt.
Peeking at the opening leading into the next hallway, I see Azar’s face peeking over Dean’s broad shoulder. I’ve never seen him serious unless he was working and right now, he looks too serious for the Azar I know.
It’s wrong, I know it is, but I lean against the wall hiding me from their view and listen.
“What did she do?” Azar doesn’t sound amused by Dean’s proclamation.
Dean doesn’t reply.
“She’s my friend, Dean. I don’t know what your problem is, but she’s here because I wanted her to be here.”
“But I didn’t want her here.”
“Dean, that doesn’t make sense. You’re the one who hired her.”
“It was a fucking mistake.”
“She’s always nice to you, Dean.”
“Miss Rivera fucks everything up. She’s a hazard to the employees, to this work, and to me.”
“Seriously, man?” I can hear Azar shaking his head. “First you act like a nonverbal, grumpy asshole and then you start insulting people, can you make up your mind and pick one persona because it’s getting annoying.”
Dean’s words echo in my mind over and over again.
His earlier kindness warmed me all over, but his cold demeanor is pulling me apart and leaving an empty gaping hole in my chest.
In other words, my heart fell to my stomach.
All along, I thought Dean wanted me here. He’s the one who invited me here. Not Azar.
Was it all fake?
Here I was thinking that maybe Dean and I could be friends or that I was breaking through his grumpy exterior.
I don’t wait to hear what he says next because it doesn’t matter.
Dean Vuk is an asshole.
CHAPTER 8
Family is a funny thing.
You come into the world with people already by your side and then poof, one day they disappear. Not in the existential way, but they go on living their own lives while the youngest (AKA me) stay behind.
“He released the song before he went on his tour.”
“Really?” Nadine’s camera glitches before she starts moving around the kitchen again. She’s making rice for dinner. I wish I was there to help her out because the bump is making it difficult for her to move around. “I’m pretty sure I heard the song after his tour.”
When the three of us moved out of home, I came up with a way to make sure we kept contact with each other no matter what. Every Sunday we called each other and caught up.
Having sisters is my favourite part of life. I can’t imagine what children without siblings do to pass time. I mean, I literally spam Nadine with ugly close ups of my nostrils when I’m bored. That’s something you can’t do with everyone.
Rosa’s currently stuffing her face with noodles and arguing with Nadine about some singer’s music. Out of the camera’s view, I’m folding my clothes and packing.
My flight for Switzerland is in two days and I’m still figuring out how to tell them I won’t be back until the end of summer.
One of them chokes and swallows their water with loud gulps.
Definitely Nadine.
“Ma said you aren’t picking up her calls, Bubba.”
A neatly folded dress slips through my fingers and adjusts itself to its early state.
My heart falters, tiptoes, completely thrashes itself against the left side of my chest where it is currently now transforming into severe left boob pain.
“You’re still doing that, Nova?”
Great, now both of them are up my butt.
Taking a deep breath, I completely move towards the camera so I’m in their view. “It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose. I’ve been busy and you guys know that.”
“So?” Rosa snorts. “All of us are busy, but we make time for—at least—the people who matter.”
Easy for them to say.
“Yeah, babes. That’s no excuse for not picking up your mother’s calls.” Nadine switches to her adult voice just as fast as her friendly one. “What will you do if one day she stops calling and you find out that she’s no longer around?”
Guilt festers up in my stomach.
When they put it that way, it makes me feel like doodoo.
“If you can make time to talk to us, you can make time for her too.” Rosa stuffs the last bit of noodles in her mouth before throwing the Ramen bowl away. Her scrubs have stains on them and the bags beneath her eyes have gotten worse.
Dammit, I hate this.
When they say stuff like this, I feel like the worst person alive.
One of my sister’s is busy making an income and fighting through everyday because she never gets any rest.
The other is transitioning into becoming a mom.
And they still see me as a brat who won’t grow up and mature.
“Dr. Rivera?” Someone in Rosa’s room says. “You’re needed in the ER. The new doctor’s interns brought the wrong patient up into the room and proceeded to cut into them without him present.”
Rosa curses under her breath. “I’ll be right there.”
Her door shuts and she gets up. Tying her cherry brown, shoulder-length hair into a bun, she spews more profanities. “This new doctor is going to fuck everything up.”
“I’m pretty sure it was the intern’s fault, Rosa.”
She glares at me. “No, I know it was his fault. Since the minute he got here, he thinks he’s in charge.” Another cacophonous curse. “This is what happens when you give men power.”
“Sorry guys, you know how it is.” She gives us a tired smile.
Nadine waves it off, “Don’t even worry about it. We know. Take care, Rosa.”
Her eyes then shift to my side, and I smile wide with an exaggerated hand wave. “I love you, take care of yourself!”
Rosa points a finger at me. “Talk to Ma, Nova.”
Then her square disappears from the screen, leaving me and Nadine alone.
“You want to tell me what it is that you’re doing now?” She asks with a raised brow.
I blink stupidly. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve been folding clothes.”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
Nadine quirks her head. “Nova.”
“Ate,” I mock her knowing tone.
“You never fold your clothes.”
“That’s not true!”
It’s totally true.
“Where are you going?”
I hate that she can read me so well.
My shoulders fall with a sigh. “Fine, I’m going to Switzerland on Tuesday.”
“Come again?” The end of her voice pitches higher. “Switzerland? Why didn’t you tell us? Who are you going with? How’d you pay for it?”
The same old questions.
I bite back a snarl.
“It’s paid for by the company.”
Nadine looks at me expectantly like she’s waiting for the truth, but then sighs when she realizes I’m not about to tell her anything. I will, eventually.
After she gives birth, just not now.
“Okay, but you promise you’ll text us when you get there?”
“Yes.”
No.
Nadine’s pregnancy hormones make her forget easily and she’ll forget this too.
You mean she’ll forget you?
“What are you going for?” She asks.
I go back to folding the dress but give up when it keeps slipping through my fingers. It looks just fine stuffed next to a bunch of random outfits. Plus, irons exist.
“There’s an author there,” I lie. “She hasn’t been writing or updating us and I’m her editor.”
“You’re being sent to check on her?”
“Something like that,” I fake a bigger smile with a wiggle of my brows. “Plus, they said I get a bonus if I go.”
“Free trip and extra pay,” she hums. “You hit the jackpot.”
