As fast as I could, I summarized my encounter with Davies, along with my spontaneous, problem-solving lie. Rob didn’t say a word. The silence started to make me nervous, so I filled it with babble. “Anyway, most of the town thinks I’m knocked up anyway, so no big deal, right? I know you can’t be thrilled about being dragged into this, but—”
“Has he touched you?” Pure steel, no give.
“No. Just innuendos and slimy looks. I said all that stuff to put him off. So I was hoping you’d stop by tomorrow, if you have time. You don’t have to do anything. Well, maybe pretend to look at cars, and shake his hand too hard—”
“I’ll be there first thing. He won’t bother you again.” His tone alarmed me.
“Rob, I need this job. You know that, right?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Well, I am. You sound like you might pull his arm off and beat him to death with it.”
“’Night, Lauren. See you tomorrow.”
With that hanging between us, it was a wonder I slept, but the short night with Rob, plus work, left me exhausted. I was awake by six, though, a rarity, so I went down and got on my mom’s elliptical. It had been a while since I’d worked out, but I needed to occupy myself, and this was better than killing things online before work. Also, if I started gaming first thing, I knew myself, and I’d likely end up calling in sick. Not the best move when your not-boyfriend might be planning to bludgeon your boss to death.
Today, once I showered, I dressed in the pencil skirt I’d worn on the interview. I paired it with a pink sweater and I spent half an hour on hair and makeup. My mom got up late by contrast, racing out without drinking the cup of coffee I offered. The worst thing about driving Tessa Green-tea was climbing in and out in heels, plus she was cranky first thing in the morning.
I delivered the butthead’s coffee without being asked, but he was curt. No smarmy smile for me today. How sad. Apparently he couldn’t objectify me if I was breeding. I was grinning when I went back to my desk.
We had been open for no more than half an hour when Rob pulled into the parking lot. Unquestionably, I was biased, but he looked even better than usual in a red plaid shirt and an expensive-looking leather jacket lined with sheepskin. The scruff on his jaw said he didn’t shave this morning, and his mouth was set in a firm line.
He beelined toward me, ignoring the attention he was attracting on a slow morning. “Where’s your boss?”
“I don’t think this is such a good idea.”
“You asked me to come, Lauren. Well, I’m here. Do you trust me?” That was so unfair since I’d asked him that before, and from him, the answer was always yes.
Swallowing hard, I nodded.
His eyes lightened, though he still looked grim. He no longer radiated murderous intent, just enough menace that one of the sales guys dodged out of his path as he strode toward the manager’s office. I wished I could be a fly on the wall for this conversation, but to my frustration, Davies shut the door when Rob stepped in, so I had no idea what was going on. I craned my neck, watching through the gaps in the blinds. Rob stood across the desk, arms folded, speaking quietly to Davies. Whatever he said made the older man tug at his tie and back up a step. Rob tilted his head, said something else. Davies nodded emphatically.
Then the conversation was over. Rob strolled back to me, completely at ease. “Problem solved. I made him understand my point of view.”
“Which is?” I whispered.
“I think you know.”
“That if he messes with me, you break his kneecaps?”
“Not exactly. But close enough.”
I sighed. “I wish we lived in a world without guys like that. If life was fair, I wouldn’t need you to threaten perverts for me.”
“It wasn’t a threat,” he said softly. “If he makes you uncomfortable, it’ll go bad for him. I’ll make him sorry.”
“Then you’ll go to jail. Not sure I agree with the merits of this plan.”
Weirdly, uncomfortably, two conflicting emotions wrestled around inside me: pleasure and dismay, the former because he’d hurt somebody for me, and the latter that I couldn’t do it myself. Rob was the kind of guy who solved problems with the tools to hand; he wasn’t a thinker. With him, you got a hammer-and-nail guy. And I didn’t really want to change him.
“I don’t have to do anything.” Rob winked. “He just has to believe I will. There are plenty of girls who don’t have psychotic boyfriends, and that bastard goes after low-hanging fruit. The minute it looks like it might be tough, he’s out.”
“So you made me seem like more trouble than I’m worth.” For a guy who didn’t think much of his own brain, this was a solid plan, better than my having-a-baby gambit.
“Yeah. I think the twitch when I said your name was a nice touch.”
I laughed. “You’re amazing.”
“Just so you know, I’m about to kiss you, just to make sure you don’t have trouble with anyone else.”
“Marking your territory with an inappropriate PDA?” I teased.
“Unless you tell me no.” The softness in his eyes told me he’d listen.
“I doubt I’ll ever be able to say that to you.”
With Davies and the sales team looking on, Rob kissed the crap out of me. If he hadn’t let me go, I’d probably have banged him on the reception desk. He touched the tip of my nose and said loudly, “See you tonight.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Work was better the next day.
After my shift, I had dinner at Rob’s, then we shot another vlog. In this one, he was hanging cabinets. While I worked, he’d finished the formerly broken wall, so the archway was professionally framed, no longer a mess of broken plaster, bare wires and exposed posts. I asked a few leading questions to get him started, and once Rob was comfortable, he gave a great performance. He explained the progress he’d made since the last video and included the viewer in the project through body language and expression.
“That looks fantastic,” I said.
He smiled, though he didn’t stop until he finished with the installation. “This is actually kind of fun. Sorry to make you wait, but—”
“No, it’s fine. The kitchen will be done soon, won’t it?”
“Another week or two, depending on how hard I work.”
I surveyed the progress. The subflooring was gone, replaced by a gorgeous wood grain. Kneeling to touch it, I realized it wasn’t hardwood, though it was close enough to the dining room in shade that I doubted anyone would notice the difference.