Kelpie (Come Love a Fey) (5 page)

She
gaped at me for a minute, and then pouted, all her fun snatched away.  “I guess
so.  I don’t really remember much.  I think we all got smashed.”

“Mmm….”
 I focused on the computer screen.  Pulling up a blank report, I started
entering client information, my perfectly manicured fingers clacking over the
keyboard at lightning speed.

Christie
stood there for a minute more before silently returning to her cubicle.  I
finished the report in no time and hit the save button.  My first client of the
day arrived and I gave the woman a welcoming smile.  “How are things going this
week?” 

The
harried brown-haired woman returned my smile, her hazel eyes carrying a tinge
of sadness.  “I’m doing ok.  This week is the anniversary of the accident, but
I’m hanging in there.”  She had been involved in a major car accident in which
her husband was killed.  She had serious back injuries and was off work.  While
recovering from her surgeries and mourning the loss of her partner, she had
lost her job and was probably going to lose her house.  God bless the USA.

 She
pushed a packet of papers across the table to me.  “I printed off the
disability forms.”

I
began to leaf through the papers.  It looked like all she would need after I
helped her fill these out was her doctor’s signature.  Then we could submit
them to social security.  And she would probably be denied.  We would appeal, a
process that would take anywhere between six months and a year.  During which
time, she would lose her house and everything else she owned.  I felt the
familiar ache beginning in my shoulders.  By the end of the day, I would
probably have a migraine.  “Well, let’s see what we can do.”

I
used every spare minute between seeing clients, so all my paperwork was done by
eleven.  I could still hear the people on either side of me laboring away at
reports.  Noah wasn’t the only reason I was so unpopular at work.  I was also
the next in line to become office manager.  I picked up the phone and started
making follow-up calls to clients, insurance companies, doctor’s offices, and
the odd government agency. 

It
had taken me months to perfect the charming attitude and warm tone of voice.  I
could keep it calm, warm, and polite even when dealing with the most difficult
of the bureaucratic bullshit that screwed up people’s lives.  I was a
professional after all.

Noah
showed up right before lunch.  I was finishing my last call when I felt him
behind me.  I swiveled my chair slightly and shot a glance his way to make sure. 
“Yes, of course Mrs. Warren,” I purred.  “You take care.  Have a wonderful
day.”  I set the phone back in the cradle and leaned back in my chair,
stretching my arms above my head and trying to release some of the tension in
my neck.

Noah
smiled- a dashing, boyish thing that made me smile reflexively in return.  His
hazel eyes twinkled merrily.  “That’s a nice suit.  Is it new?”  He gestured at
my pants and I grinned.

“Thanks. 
I’ve had it for a while, but haven’t worn it much.  For some reason it was just
calling out to me today.” 

He
rolled his eyes.  “Would you like to go to lunch?  We can talk about the new
clients we’re bringing in next month.”

I
stood and grabbed my purse from the overhead.  “Sure.  Let me just find the data
files.”  I knelt and pulled the new files out of the bottom drawer in my filing
cabinet.  “Let’s go.”

Christie
glowered at me as we walked past.  I paused just as we reached the door.  “Oh
shoot, I forgot something.  I’ll be right back.”

I
went back to my desk and dialed my apartment.  The phone rang a few times with
no answer and the old answering machine that I still used to screen my calls
clicked on.  Hey Leith, pick up please.  I just want to make sure everything’s
okay… hello?”  I sighed in exasperation as I replaced the phone in its cradle.  He’d
probably just say he didn’t know how to use a phone.  I pursed my lips and made
a
pfft
sound.

My
exasperated gaze fell on a file sitting on the edge of the desk.  I scooped it
up and made my way back toward the exit.  Noah was waiting patiently, and he gave
me a seductive look when he saw me.  I stopped by another desk to drop off the
file with one of the girls.  I gave her a smile- a real one this time- and
turned to go.  Bethany was a tiny thing with mouse brown hair, very quiet but a
hard worker.  The thought crossed my mind that if I did get the office manager
position, she would be the first one to get a promotion.  Although then I’d
have to fill her position.  Maybe that’s why Noah always kept her where she was,
I thought uncomfortably.

We
ate at a cute little café a couple blocks away.  Noah was in high spirits, but
I noticed the little purple spot just peeking past his collar, and my mood got
darker by the moment.  Tension began to pull his brawny shoulders tight, and he
finally dropped the smiling joker act.  He brushed a lock of sandy-blond hair
out of his eyes and leaned forward.  He tried to take my hand, but I leaned
back and crossed my arms. 

“Look
Ada, I’m sorry.”  I stared him down and he leaned back.  He put his hands in
his lap and bowed his head, looking like he carried the weight of the world on
his shoulders.  I wasn’t falling for that again.

“You
don’t have anything to apologize for,” I said quietly.  “I know this is how you
are.  I’m the stupid one for always thinking you’ll change- that I’m different,
that you love me, yadda, yadda, yadda…”  I threw up my hands in exasperation.  “I’m
a complete idiot.”

He
looked at me with a strained expression.  “Ada, no.  You’re amazing.  You’re
not stupid!  You’re just… a really good person.  To keep hoping for me and
wanting me to be a better person….”

I
shrugged.  “It doesn’t matter what kind of crap you tell me now.  We’re done.” 
I held up a hand.  “No, I mean it this time, Noah.  Done.”  I picked up my
glass of water and took a drink, letting the icy liquid cool my temper.

He
sighed.  “Ada, I do love you.  More than you know.”  I raised an eyebrow at
this, but didn’t comment.  Our food arrived, and I gave the waitress my best
professional, client-pleasing smile.

“Excuse
me ma’am?  I need to leave soon, so could you please bring me a box?  Oh, and
what is the richest, most expensive thing you have on your dessert menu?”

She
blinked at me in surprise, then glanced at Noah and grinned.  “Well, we have a chocolate
mousse that is to die for.”

I
nodded.  “That sounds amazing.  I’ll take two to go- in one box please.”  She
turned to go and I narrowed my eyes at Noah.  “Oh, and ma’am,” I called.  Go
ahead and add a forty percent gratuity to the bill for yourself!”  She smiled
her thanks and hurried off to get my food.

Noah
just laughed at my smug expression.  “You’re really beautiful when you’re
pissed off.”

I
glared at him.  “And you’re a complete asshole.  Who was it this time?  One of
the girls from work?  Christie?  She’s pretty obsessed with you.”

He
sighed.  “It wasn’t anyone from work.  No one that you know, no one that
matters.”  He gave me a direct look.  “There are things you don’t know about
me, and-”

I
cut him off.  “Why do think that is exactly?  Maybe because you never
tell
me anything!  Damn it Noah, we’ve never even had a real relationship.  When you
love someone, you share things with them.  You open up to them.  Don’t try to
pull this you don’t know me shit.  That’s no one’s fault but your own.”

He
nodded and pushed his lunch around on his plate.  The server came back with the
box and the desserts.  She slipped the bill onto the table and gave us a
friendly smile.  “Anything else?”  She was really happy about that tip.

I
smiled back.  “No thanks.  That will be all.  We’re done here.”  She left and I
turned my attention back to Noah, who was still staring at his salad.

“Is
it good?”  I asked sweetly.  He stopped pretending to eat as I slipped my own
food into the box and gathered my things.

“Ada,”
he sounded defeated.  “I’m really sorry for how I’ve treated you.  You deserve
better.  But you haven’t been genuine with me either.”

I
stared at him.  “What?”

He
gestured at me, his gaze sweeping from my perfectly arranged hair to my shiny
shoes.  That hurt.  I clenched my teeth and picked up my purse and my boxes. 
“Fuck you, Noah.”

I
left the café and kept walking.  I was too angry to go back to work just yet,
and besides, I still had about a half an hour left of my lunch break.  I made
my way to a small park across from the office building.  I found a stone bench
in a sheltered area and sat down.  I didn’t do anything for a few minutes, just
breathing in the fresh air and letting it fill me as I watched a fat robin hop
from branch to branch in the tree above me.

I
sat there in the dappled sunlight and gave myself a pep talk.  I was hurt, of
course, but I also felt lighter.  I’d always known this sick thing with Noah
and I wasn’t going to work.  Now it was finally over.  He was just weight off
my chest.  I thought about the way he smiled when we were together- that soft,
dreamy sort of smile that made me believe he really did love me.  “
Mother fucker
.”

An
old woman walking her dog gave me a dirty look and I shrugged apologetically.  I
hadn’t meant to say that aloud.  Feeling rebellious, I slipped off my heels and
pressed my bare feet into the grass.  I wiggled my toes, delighting in the
tickling sensation.

Finally,
I pulled out a plastic fork and opened the dessert box.  The waitress was right;
the chocolate creation was incredibly rich.  I sat there on the bench, watching
the squirrels and the birds, and ate the whole thing.  Then I patted my hair, slipped
my shoes on and went back to work.

I
had all my tasks done by three o’clock.  I glanced around and saw that no one
was headed my way.  They were all intent on their work.  I clicked the internet
icon on my desktop.  Smirking to myself, I typed “kelpie” into the search bar. 
I clicked through articles with no goal in mind, just killing time.  I learned
that my new roommate thought he was an evil Scottish fairy that lived in the
water and could turn into a horse that dragged its victims to the bottom of its
watery home, where it then devoured them.

Nice,”
I muttered under my breath.  Maybe I should introduce him to Noah.

I
made my way home in a blank mood.  I had no idea what to do about Leith.  I couldn’t
just throw him in a cab… could I?  It seemed like getting rid of men was the
theme today.

I
unlocked the door and made my way into the apartment, expecting to find all my
valuables gone.  The first thing I noticed was that my goldfish was missing. 
My sickly potted plants had all taken up residence on the balcony, and all the
windows were wide open.  The A.C. was still on, and I switched it off with a soft
click.  I rubbed my temple to ease a sudden, throbbing pain there.

“Leith?”
 I kicked off my heels and dropped my bag just inside the door.  I could hear
water running in the bathroom as I made my way to my bedroom.  I changed into a
pair of yoga pants and a loose t-shirt.  Sighing, I tugged the clip out of my
hair and massaged my scalp.  I let out a yelp when Leith’s deep voice came from
just behind me.

“You
look much better.”

I
turned to him and crossed my arms.  His dark blue eyes moved over my body in a
disconcerting kind of way.  I tried not to notice how slick and shiny his hair
was when it was wet.  “Where’s my goldfish, and why are all the windows open?  I
pay for electricity, you know.”

He
raised his eyebrows.  “It was stuffy in here.  I needed fresh air.”  He
gestured down the hall.  “Your goldfish is in the tub.  He was cramped in that
little tank.” 

I
massaged my temples.  “Whatever.”  I took a deep, steadying breath.  “What do
you want for dinner?”

His
full lips curved upward in a happy smile, the expression dazzling.  “Fish!” 
Well, at least he hadn’t eaten the goldfish.

I
n the end, we went
out for dinner.  It wasn’t as if I had an endless supply of fish just sitting
in my freezer.  Leith insisted that we go to a bar- only he called it a tavern,
like any self-respecting fairy would.

I
paused to examine my reflection in the mirror before turning to Leith.  Since
we were apparently going to a bar, I had donned a comfortable pair of jeans and
a t-shirt.  I’d intended to pull my hair up, but at a disgusted look from my
companion, I put the hair tie away and let the wavy mess bob around my
shoulders, incredibly conscious of Noah’s last remark to me. 
Screw him
.

Leith
was wearing the jeans and t-shirt I bought him.  The Ferrari shirt seemed to be
his favorite, probably because of the whole horse…thing.  We were about to head
out the door when I noticed that he was still barefoot.

“Where
are your shoes?”  I said, striving for patience.  I was starving, and not
looking forward to another pointless argument.

He
glanced around the apartment then pointed at the flip-flops I’d gotten him
yesterday, lying discarded by the balcony door.  When he showed no sign of
moving, I went and picked them up.  “Put them on.”