“Ain’t braggin’ if it’s true,” he tossed playfully. “But hey, I get it. If you want to roll over after hearing me propose, dreaming of my solid butt cheeks in my white stretchy pants… I completely understand.”
“You’re annoying.”
“I’m yours,” he corrected – and saw her hesitate as a slow smile touched her lips. “I’m yours in your demented head. So go get your delusional sleep and think about me however you want – white pants, dancing, kissing, whatever.”
“So this is real then?” she held up her hand, his ring flashing on her finger… and Drake swallowed as a seriousness descended on them both.
“It’s real if you want it to be.”
“I guess we should talk tomorrow when you get home.”
“I guess maybe we should,” he replied. “Get some rest, Steffi – and try not to let things bother you. It’s gonna be okay, and we’ll figure it out.”
She nodded before ending the call – and Drake felt a vacuum in the room from the sudden lack of presence. He liked having her around, was crazy about her and her clever comebacks, and while he never imagined dealing with someone as prickly as Steffi… she was beginning to fill every corner of his life with a spark that couldn’t be denied.
He’d always wanted to find love like his brothers had – but maybe falling for someone wasn’t as cut and dry as he once believed. Maybe it wasn’t puffy hearts, singing birds, or tender moments. What if it was sparks, banter, and exciting moments? Maybe it was just finding that person who you could annoy for life, who wasn’t afraid to speak up, and made you feel like you mattered to them despite everything… because he was falling flat on his face, heart on his sleeve, for his annoying neighbor.
Steffi.
11
STEFFI
Today, Fate chose violence over happily ever after.
Steffi went into work, smiling and so excited to see Drake this evening. His call last night had been everything. Yes, she was emotional, moody, feeling very off-kilter, but that was because everything just felt like it was coming apart at the seams in her world, when in fact, it was moving to fall into place. She didn’t want to like Drake – never imagined herself actually wanting to spend time with the man – but being around him felt good.
“I’m gonna be that old lady who goes to chase down her husband because he’s in the yard, picking up pinecones or chasing after moles for tearing up his grass,” she muttered under her breath, but the feeling, the frustration, the peevishness at her stodgy neighbor who was obsessed with his lawn was turning out to be the sweetest guy in the weirdest way.
“Steffi, HR wants to see you,” her manager said casually, walking past her and continuing up the aisle like it was nothing.
“Weird,” she began and turned to walk back toward the breakroom in the back, climbing the stairs to the store manager’s office – and the HR manager next door. This wasn’t a normal thing, but then again, maybe it was just a form to fill out,or they wanted her to sign up for some policy she couldn’t afford. “Hey, Claudia, you were looking for me?”
Claudia looked up from her desk, nodded, and then pressed a button on her phone without hesitation. “C’mon inside and take a seat.”
Moving, Steffi nodded and tried to get a gauge on what was going on, because none of this was normal. “Is something wrong?” she began, taking a seat, and a part of her soul died as she heard footsteps coming up the stairs nearby, followed by the store manager appearing a moment later.
“Steffi,” Mr. Benedict said plainly and stood along the wall, closing the door behind him. Steffi’s shocked eyes moved from him to Claudia and back again in horror.
“Did something happen?”
“Steffi,” Claudia began in a very even voice. “It’s come to our attention that you’ve been clocking in early every day and leaving late, resulting in overtime that was not approved.”
“Well, yeah, I need the money,” Steffi blurted out and saw them look at each other, as Mr. Benedict nodded slowly. “Am I in trouble?”
“Steffi, we are going to have to let you go for failing to comply with company…”
“Wait,” Steffi interrupted, stunned. “You’re firing me because I work too much? Because I’m getting overtime when Donna isn’t showing up for her shift? I’m the bad guy because I actually work and don’t call in? Are you freakin’ kidding me?”
“As I was saying,” Claudia began once more – that annoying voice, even and emotionless. “You are being terminated immediately for failure to comply with your schedule or notifying a manager that you were requesting overtime approval prior to your shift.”
“This is a joke, isn’t it?”
“This has been ongoing…”
“I cannot believe this…”
“For several months now, and never once was it brought to a manager’s attention for approval.”