“You won’t. You’re crazy about each other. He’ll understand and I know you two will be okay.”
Taking her words to heart, I start to believe we’ll be okay. “Thank you,” I say, releasing her. I lift my chin, take a deep breath, and when I exhale, I solidify my purpose of being here today—my business. I love my company too much to let it slip to the wayside. So today, I’ll be here, fully present, and tonight, Dalton and I can talk. He knows how much my company means to me. He’ll understand why I came here today.
“I’m thinking the brochures should go on the sides to capture the attention but not block the product,” I say, lining them up.
“I agree,” she says.
The morning disappears while I have meeting after meeting with buyers and do some meet and greet type stuff. I could have never predicted a lime would land me where I am today. Why anyone wants to meet the creator is beyond me, but it’s flattering.
Right before noon, I see a familiar face heading our way. But even better, it looks like he brought lunch, or I’m hoping he did. “Fancy seeing you here, Danny.”
“Eh, I had nothing better to do,” he says, shrugging.
“Ha ha.” I lean forward, trying to get a peek inside the bags. “What do ya got there?”
“Oh this?” he says, holding the bags in the air just out of my reach, teasing me. “Just some sandwiches. Nothing you’d be interested in.”
Tracy returns to the booth, and says, “Holy! Um, hello.” Her mouth is open as she stares at him. She sets our drinks down on the table, and asks, “Who’s your friend, Holli?”
“Don’t stare,” I whisper, “his ego is already way out of whack. And this is my neighbor Danny.”
“Underwear model neighbor Danny?”
Danny laughs. “I prefer photographer these days, but it’s good to know my reputation precedes me.”
“Oh here we go,” I say, rolling my eyes. “You’ve done it now, Trace.”
“Nice to meet you…”
“Tracy, Danny,” I introduce them. “Danny, Tracy.”
“Nice to meet you, Tracy.”
She replies, “Likewise.”
After setting the bags down, he says, “Holli, last week you mentioned you’d be stuck here all day. Thought you could use some food.”
“Awesome. I’m starved.”
“Wasn’t sure how many people would be here, so I have extras. Hope you like turkey or ham.”
“Thank you. This is very thoughtful.” We find an extra chair for him and eat together, trying our best to not be so obvious to any convention goers.
After filling a buyer’s order, I sit back down with them and point at Danny’s shirt. “Don’t think I didn’t notice the tee either. I appreciate you wearing it.”
He puffs his chest out. “Have to show my support and it’s awesome. A good friend gave it to me.”
“She must be very beautiful,” I state without smiling, laughing on the inside.
He chuckles and rolls his eyes this time. “She is.”
“Stop flirting. I feel left out,” Tracy says, pretending to pout.
“Not flirting. She has a boyfriend. A guy she keeps locked up in her basement, hidden from the world. Right, Holli?”
“That is so not true. I don’t even have a basement,” I say, laughing, but it’s short-lived as I’m reminded of Dalton. This conversation, even in jest, hits too close to home for me to enjoy.
“Hey.” Danny stands just as we finish, and says, “I should get going and let you girls get back to work.”
“Thanks for lunch,” Tracy says, digging through her purse. “Let me give you some money.”
“Nope, it’s on me. My treat,” he says, nudging me with his elbow. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. Thank you again. Lunch was good—”
“The company better,” he adds.
“The company was definitely better. You made me smile, which was starting to feel foreign.”
“That’s a shame. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know where I live,” he says as we hug goodbye.
“I think I remember where you live,” I joke, releasing him, but our hands stay together as I look up into his eyes. “Thank you for the offer. I might just take you up on it sometime.”
While rubbing his thumb over the tops of my fingers, he leans closer, the scruff of his cheek against my cheek. “But not tonight. I have a date.” He winks and with a confident smile says, “I’m hoping to get lucky tonight.”
“What the fuck is going on?” I’d know that voice anywhere, but I still jump, shocked by the harsh words, and pull my hand back. When I turn toward the table, Dalton is standing on the other side of it, his hands fisted, fury written across his face. “This is why you said you’d be late? Fuck. I’m such a fucking fool.” He gives me a hard stare of disbelief before he turns it on Danny and it changes to hate. “Are you for fucking real with this shit right now? Every fucking time I turn my back, you’re right the fuck there on top of my girl.”