Carl rushes over. “You certainly go all out, don’t you, sweetheart?” My throat closes up as he takes one of the leis from around my neck and puts it over his head. “See, now we match. No big deal.”
He’s a little more dressed up than the rest. Somehow he's managed to find a horribly gaudy Hawaiian shirt covered in what looks like lawyers on surfboards. He's probably the craziest dressed person in here.
Until I showed up.
I grab his hand and squeeze it so tight I’m sure it hurts, but he doesn’t complain. “I have to go,” I whisper. “Get me out of here.”
Declan’s mouth opens, and I think he’s going to do something, but then he changes his mind and looks away. Coward.
Carl takes my arm and leads me briskly back out the doors, then off to the side, out of sight through the swinging doors. As soon as he lets go, I lean against the wall in the hall and slide slowly to the floor. Back inside the room, Garrett lets people laugh for a bit before telling them the fun is over. That’s enough. I don’t stick around to hear the rest.
“Aw, come on. It’s not that bad.”
I know Carl’s trying to make me feel better, but right now I just want to get my normal clothes on and crawl into a hole. Declan went way too far this time.
He humiliated me in front of the entire office, including his father.
And for what?
“My coat.” I can’t even make complete sentences, so I point to the bench. Carl gets it right away, wrapping it around my shoulders so I can have a little modesty. At least someone around here’s a gentleman. Too bad it’s not Declan.
When we get back to my desk, I grab my clothes and turn to Carl. “Thanks for trying to help. I’m just going to go get changed before everyone comes back. Go back to the party. I’ll be okay.” Eventually.
“Was it Declan?”
I nod.
“I figured. So what’s the payback?”
“Huh?” I pause with my hand on the door to Declan’s office.
“The payback. You can’t tell me that the Mistress of the Office Pranks is going to let something like this go unchallenged.”
I’m not ready to think about that. If Carl wasn’t standing here, I’d be crying over my desk right now. And he wants to talk payback? “I’m going to have to think about it. I’m a little... well, you know.”
He nods, but he looks a little disappointed. “You owe him for this.” His voice is teasing, but there’s a seriousness there that surprises me. “Declan is a better guy than you probably think, but this is way over the line, even for him. Someone needs to put him in his place.”
“And you think that I—”
He nods again. “Who better? You’re not going to take this lying down, are you?”
A tiny glimmer of something strangely like hope flares to life. “I do owe him. Don’t I?”
Carl nods. “Bigtime, and I better be there to see it.”
I look down at my hand holding the knob and inspiration strikes.
That asshole Cooper is coming for a meeting first thing on Monday. All the meeting rooms are taken, so we’re seeing him in Declan’s office. An office that’s in desperate need of brightening up.
Wheels turn quickly. There isn’t a lot of time for what I have in mind, so I’m going to have to act fast. Maybe even get help.
And I know just the guy. “Carl?” He perks up at my voice, his eyes bright with mischief. “How are you at painting?”
“Painting? I’m no Picasso but I can man a roller as well as anyone. What do you need?”
“I’ve got a weekend project that I need a hand with.” I giggle at the sight of his bushy eyebrows arching high up into his hairline. “You’ll love this, I swear.”
“Technically, I’m going bowling with some friends tomorrow, but this sounds worth canceling for.” He rubs his chin while coming to a decision. “I’m in. What’s the plan?”
Soon after, we’re rushing out to gather supplies. Who cares about a party when we have work to do?
Claire
I pull off the very last strip of masking tape and crumple it into a ball. “That’s it. All we have left is to lock the door and wait for Monday.”
It’s taken all weekend, but we’re done. It was way more work than I’d anticipated, but fueled by pizza, donuts and coffee, Carl and I have transformed Declan’s office. Outside, the sun is almost below the skyline, the warm colors of the sunset giving way to the harsh fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling fixtures.
All in all, we did a magnificent job. Almost professional, if you don’t look too closely at the carpet in the corner.