A Rose From Concrete

Tension

Chapter Four

James was the last person Rose expected to see right now. Even though, she knew she had no reason to she couldn’t help but feel guilty. She had done nothing wrong, but she knew the scene didn’t look good to James, someone already predisposed to feelings of jealousy.

Rose popped up out her seat and walked over to James.

She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek and he accepted it but the whole time he kept his eyes on Marcus.

Marcus couldn’t help the pang of jealousy he felt watching Rose kiss, this man she called James. By her reaction to him, Marcus deduced this was the infamous boyfriend. He was not expecting him to be white. Maybe, Marcus wasn’t even her type. The more he learned about her the more he realized he needed to do away with his feelings for her. He knew they were only lust based and he needed to dead them because he couldn’t risk losing the best PA, he had since his original one quit to be a full-time mom. 

James stared at this man who was his girlfriend’s boss. He knew he had no right to be angry after what happened last night, but he couldn’t help it. How could she be so easily laughing in public after she hurt his feelings last night? He was surprised she even showed up to work today, he knew he had definitely bruised her. Taking a closer look at her noticed the make up she was wearing.

Was she wearing it to hide her bruises or to impress her billionaire boss?

Samantha noticed the change in the atmosphere when James approached the table. She didn’t like it, she was used to being the center of attention. So, she changed that.

“Who is this, Rose?” She asks feigning innocence.

Rose was broken from her thoughts. She blinked rapidly remembering where she was and the situation she was in. She chose her words and tone wisely as she spoke.

“Sorry, excuse my rudeness! Everyone this is my boyfriend James, James this is my boss Marcus and his associates Samantha and Terrance Wallace of Wallace Marketing.” As Rose did the introductions, she didn’t look in Marcus’s direction. She knew that James was watching her, and she didn’t need to add any fuel to the fire.

“Nice to meet you all,” James said with a smile on his face but Rose knew better.

Marcus noticed a small look of fear on Rose’s face when her boyfriend spoke. It was gone just as quickly as it had appeared so he thought maybe he imagined it.

“Well, Terrance as always a pleasure. I’ll have my lawyers draw up an official offer and Rose will have it to you by the end of the week.” Marcus wanted to get out of this space, now!

Rose kissed James’s cheek and said her goodbyes.

“Love you, see you at home later?”

“Yeah, I have a late class so, we’ll get home around the same time. You cooking?” James asked.

“Yes, sir.” She nodded and kissed his cheek one more time before following Marcus out of the restaurant.

The first half of the ride back to the office was filled with awkward silence. Both parties on their phone avoiding any conversation. But finally, Marcus broke the silence, his curiosity getting the best of him.

“So, how do you think the meeting went?” He questioned steering the conversation towards all things professional.

“I think it went well; I believe if you set the right management team with Wallace Marketing it can easily be a very lucrative arm of Hightower Enterprises. Samantha seems like she would be able to run it very efficiently, she knows the employees and if they love her as much as she says, they will be more susceptible to the sell if she was left in charge. However, I do wonder why Wallace is selling and not just giving to his daughter.” Rose answered honestly, even though she didn’t like the personal vibe Samantha gave off, she couldn’t deny the fact that professionally she seemed to be a Rockstar and respected by both Terrence and Marcus. That had to count for something.

Marcus was surprised by her answer because he didn’t think she would mention Samantha, let alone make such a suggestion, she was right of course but it was jarring, nonetheless. Especially considering how snide Sam was with her at lunch.  

“I agree, I think Samantha with the right upper management team would lead the company to greatness. Wallace is selling because Samantha told him too. A competent of any offer is that Samantha stays on in her position. This way it was a win-win for both of them. She keeps her dream job and her father adds to his fortune to retire. If she had to take over, she would have more of a management role and not be able to actively take on clients and accounts and do what she loves to do. If they didn’t find any offers worth considering Samantha would’ve taken over.” Marcus explained. Rose understood, it was smart, it made so much sense.

Rose nodded her understanding and the car fell silent again, this time it was less awkward, not completely comfortable but less awkward.

“James seems nice,” Marcus said. He hated how awkward and insincere he sounded.

“He really is. Sorry, if he made it weird, he can be unnecessary protective of me. He calls it trying to protect his innocent, naïve southern belle.” She told him trying to make a joke of James’ behavior. If she was honest, she was really embarrassed.

“No, I understand completely. And southern belle you say? Where you from?” Marcus asked intrigued, part of him glad that he didn’t get a CIA level background done. He was kind of happy learning these little things about her through conversation. He added a level of intimacy he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Yes, sir. South Carolina born and bred.” Rose told him proudly, she knew a lot of people frowned upon southern heritage, but she was proud of where she had come from. The south had made her who she was today.

“Oh, yeah? Got an accent?” Marcus joked; he was shocked when she immediately answered in her accent.

“Yes, sir. And I got the cooking skills too!” Rose was laughing even before she finished the sentence. She loved watching the shock register across his face as she code switched. Part of her wondered why she was so open with someone she just met but the other part of her told her to enjoy it. Enjoy it because a storm was brewing in her home life.

“She cooks too! Oh wow! You may have to cook for this southern boy!” Marcus exclaimed.

Now it was Marcus’s turn to laugh at a shocked face.

“You’re from the south? That di- that’s so crazy!” Rose almost told him that didn’t show up when she had looked him up but she caught herself. He didn’t need to know any of that. “Where in the south?”

“I am a Tennessee boy through and through!”

“So, what I’m hearing is! We need a country music sing along!!” Rose laughed, feeling the previous awkwardness slip away. Marcus laughed too, the image of her hair free and singing flashing in his mind. He liked that idea.

“I’m down! I’ll bring the music; you bring the food!” Marcus suggested.

Rose nodded her head as she exited the car.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. She was transcribing meeting notes and shooting emails back and forth between clients and lawyers.

When her timer went off at 7 o’clock she was surprised. She hadn’t realized that she was working that hard. She started packing up getting ready to go home.

Before she left, she popped her head in Marcus’s office to let him know she was leaving. She knocked and waited for permission to come in.

“Hey, it’s 7. I’m heading out that okay?” She asked.

Marcus looked up from his computer, “Yeah. I didn’t realize it was that late. See you tomorrow!”

 “See ya, Mr. Hightower.” Rose rushed out as she left the office.

“It’s Marcus,” he shouted but she was already gone.

On the subway ride home, Rose tried to think happy thoughts. She hoped that the day had washed away James' emotions and left him apologetic about the night before.

As she walked in the door, it was pitch black and she knew she had beat James home again. She immediately started on dinner. After everything was in pots she hopped in a quick shower. She needed to wash away the day and her make up.

As she stood in the mirror looking at herself after the shower, her eyes focused on her neck. It wasn’t as bad as this morning. Which she was thankful for, she had no desire to put on more makeup! She prayed that by the morning they would be faded enough for a scarf or turtleneck! A turtleneck! The fact that she didn’t think of that this morning was irritating her, but she brushed it off and got dressed. As she walked out the bathroom singing Taylor Swift, she heard the keys jingle in the door.

Normally she would run to open the door for James, but frankly, she wasn’t excited to see him. At the thought of being alone with him again, last night’s events came rushing back. All that hurt, pain and confusion came rushing back. Rose slowed her breathing and counted to ten over and over again until she reached the kitchen where James now stood looking in the pots.

“Hi!” She said her voice barely a whisper. 

He turned and look at her a smile on his face. His smile unsettled her for some reason.

“Hi! It smells good. Let me clean up and then we can eat.” He kissed her cheek and was out of the kitchen before she had a chance to respond. Not that Rose had a response ready. Her brain was still reeling. Why the hell was he smiling! All those emotions that Rose had buried suddenly bubbled up into anger, but she counted to ten and breathed because she knew firsthand that when dealing with James, anger got her nowhere.

She made their plates and prayed, prayed for strength. Just as she finished setting the plates, James walked in. He didn’t speak just took his seat and began eating. Rose was thankful for the silence because for once she didn’t have anything to say to him. They continued eating in this pregnant silence for what felt like forever but one look at the clock told Rose it was only 3 minutes.

Finally, James spoke,

“So how was your second day at work?” He asked her, Rose looked at him trying to figure out what he was really trying to ask. He looked genuinely curious and that made Rose perk up.

“It was actually really good! The lunch you saw, was a business lunch. Mr. Hightower is thinking of buying mass media and the company they gave used in the past is looking to sell. I think Marcus and the woman Samantha, are sleeping together because she was rude to me for no reason. She perked up when you showed up though, so thanks for that.” Rose rushed out hoping to have tamed the best with her version of the story.

Getting some nerve, she looked at him, and he was smiling over his wine glass. She guessed she had done something right. She released a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

James listened intently trying to figure out if she was lying. Earlier at lunch, Rose and her boss looked awfully cozy. He didn’t miss how she had just called the man, Marcus but the fact that he had a girlfriend seemed to put out the fire on the boiling pot. James breathed; he knew Rose would never betray him. He had found the perfect, loyal, lawyers’ wife. She would look amazing on his arm at dinners and events. She was smart, beautiful and trusted him. So, he smiled at her.

“I’m glad that it went okay. I need to apologize about yesterday! I don’t know what came over me! I just got so jealous and couldn’t control it. I know there is no excuse for what happened, but I love you so much just the idea of the possibility of you leaving makes me nervous.” James grabbed Rose’s hand seeing her eyes gloss over telling him he had her. “I love you, Pooh Bear! Can you forgive me?”

Suddenly feeling as if she had no voice, Rose nodded! With that simple nod, James jumped up from his chair and pushed his lips into hers. As much Rose wanted to talk more, her body melted into his and she knew he had won. And for once, she was okay with that. For some reason, she felt like her body was alive with s****l tension and she wanted James to release it. James spent the entire night showing Rose just how sorry he was, and she was extremely grateful for that.