"There he was, standing there, chatting with my coworkers. OUR COWORKERS! It's been over 10 years since I saw him, and now he just shows up, out of the blue, with hire papers? As of yesterday, he didn't even live in this state. How could he possibly be here?" I ranted as we sat in the car before work.
"I think you're looking too much into this. Did he even know you lived here again?" My husband asked.
"It wouldn't be hard to figure out, we are friends on Facebook. Plus, he knew where I was from when we met. This would be more understandable if we were in Georgia! I don't understand why you're so ok with this. This is a guy who I left home for just to have him promptly dump me. This is a guy I followed into the Army just for him to again, promptly dump me. He made me a lot of what I am today, and you're fine with him working with us?"
"I think you were teenagers."
I dropped the subject, but Mark had not eased my suspicions. I knew he was up to something, and I was going to figure it out. Someone's high school sweetheart doesn't just show up at your work, in another state, for innocent reasons.
I watched from my desk as our supervisor escorted him around the floor. I couldn't help but think about the pain I felt every time he scolded me for being clingy. I thought about all the tears that were wasted on him and the self esteem I lost every time I took him back.
"He's kinda cute isn't he? I mean, you don't find to many gingers that hot." Tanya's voice pulled me out of my concentrated stare.
"HUH!?" I blurted.
" The new guy, he's hot. Didn't you notice?"
"He's all yours," I replied turning back to my work.
"I think I'll go for it."
I watched as Tanya left the room and strutted towards the two men. "Hey Bryan, you have soooo much work to do. Why don't you let me take over the tour?" I heard her suggest sweetly, batting her lashes at the old man escorting her prey. I rolled my eyes as I watched her take Nick by the arm and lead him to each office, giggling and smiling as she introduced him to everyone.
"...And this is my office, I Share it with Laura..."
Nick turned and smiled. "Hey Darlin'," he said in the accent that used to make me swoon.
"Her HUSBAND works 2 floors up. You'll meet him in a minute." Tanya said barely hiding her jealousy.
"We know each other Tanya, you can back down," I said staring into Nicks smug eyes.
"Yeah, Laura and I go way back," Nick beamed. "I thought that was you, it's been what, 5 years"
"You flatter me, Its been 10," I corrected not bothering to hide my sarcasm.
"You look exactly the same you did the last time I saw you, maybe even more beautiful." I continued to glare as Tanya butted in.
"Oh wow, you do have history. So did yinz, like, date? Tanya asked visibly dreading the answer.
"More than just that, I was her first..."
"You weren't my first Nicolas,"
"I was your first," he said firmly with a wink.
"Ok then, moving on..." Tanya demanded taking nicks arm and tearing our eyes apart. The memories of full conversations exchanged between Nick and I with out saying a word came flooding back, but this time, the messages I was conveying were very different.
Tanya flashed me a look that could bring on the end of the world as she lead him out of the room, trying to bring his attention back to her by rubbing his arm.
"I met Nick today," Mark mentioned over dinner.
"I know, Tanya was very eager for you two to meet."
"Yeah I seen she was trying to dig her claws into him."
"What did he say," I asked, hanging on Mark's every word.
"Not Nothing really, he seems alright. I invited him for drinks this weekend, so he can tell me all about what you were like in high school."
"Oh God."
"I know he hurt you, but I think this is all a coincidence."
He was probably right, but none of this seemed to be coincidental. My gut was telling me something was going to happen, and I wasn't going to let him make me the fool again.
"I'm taking him down town this weekend. I figured I'd show him the strip, then find a sports bar. Are you going to come?"
"I don't know if any if this is a good idea," I confessed.
"Just come," Mark pleaded.