Cara continued through the next few days of work with relative ease. She had developed a fantastic working friendship with Melissa from the very beginning, a notion that pleasantly surprised her. Cara had been fully prepared to deal with a bunch of fake people, but surprisingly, all of these people were either really genuine or just really good actors.
Hayden hadn't returned to the office the next few days. She had heard through rumblings in the office that he'd flown back to Toronto for the rest of the week -- something about settling a personal matter.
Whatever that means, Cara thought to herself. She was always very careful to speak professionally of him but inside she was pretty angry. She was angry and her anger confused her.
You didn't want anything with him anyway, so why are you so bitter? she would scold herself internally.
On the other hand, she absolutely loved Tove. He was the sweetest guy, always coming in to chat with her and Melissa about the project ideas the company was considering and the anniversary ideas he was planning for his girlfriend Melanie.
Friday afternoon, Tove came in from a lunch meeting with a smile. "Ladies, we've officially landed the Headley project!"
"That's wonderful!" Melissa exclaimed and Cara followed suit with a congratulations.
"I would like the four of us to go out to dinner tonight to celebrate!" Tove said.
"Is Melanie back from her conference?" Melissa spoke up.
"No, she's still out of town -- she wouldn't mind though - its business and she knows we're all like a family," Tove replied. "The fourth person I was referring to is Hayden. He's flying out this afternoon, I'm picking him up from the airport in about an hour."
Cara's knot was back. The knot that had been forming in her stomach since last weekend and that had taken a brief vacation when Hayden was gone -- it was back with full force.
"What do you think, Cara?" Melissa said turning to her.
If there was one thing Cara knew, it was that you never turn down a business/social outing with your boss -- you make the best of it.
"Sounds great," Cara replied with a smile.
Tove nodded and smiled.
~~~~
An hour later
"So how was your trip?" Tove asked Hayden as Hayden loaded his luggage in the back.
"It was alright...kind of glad to be back though," Hayden said.
"That bad?" Tove asked.
"Just mom getting on my case that she saw another picture of me with yet another woman in one of those gossip rags...I told her to quit reading that shit but she's compelled. She keeps telling me I need to settle down....completely ludicrous," Hayden said, lighting a cigarette.
Tove half smiled, "she's just worried that her baby boy is going to have illegitmate children coming out of the woodwork in about 15 years."
Hayden rolled his eyes, "I'm not strung out on heroin...I'm not an alcoholic...and I'm not married...so my going out with different women shouldn't be cause for a family intervention."
"Speaking of going out, get cleaned up when we get back...we have dinner reservations at the Ivy for 8:00 tonight."
"Oh yeah? What's going on?" Hayden asked with interest.
"We landed the Headley account today."
Hayden was happy and hesitant at the same time, "that's good...but is Sienna still their choice?"
Tove looked over at him, "yes....but that shouldn't be an issue. It's not like the two of you would even have to interact...it shouldn't be a major issue. This is a great project for us."
Hayden nodded and settled back in his chair for the ride home.
After some weaving and manueuvering on the freeway, the two managed to get to PCH and back to their house.
Hayden was grabbing some clothes out of the closet for the dinner when he asked, "...so are we meeting the Bentley's?"
"No, actually. We're meeting Melissa and Cara," Tove replied.
"What?" Hayden asked. "As in Melissa and Cara from the office?"
"Yes..." Tove said, waiting for the backlash.
"Oh, alright," was all Hayden said in response.
~~~~
The group of four met at the Ivy right at 8:00 and were seated promptly.
Tove ordered a bottle of champagne and appetizers.
"I'm glad we could all come out to celebrate!" Tove said. "We landed a huge deal today....and this is also to celebrate Cara's first week with us!"
Cara smiled, "Thanks. I am really enjoying working with you guys!"
Hayden was quiet, not sure what to say to Cara. The two hadn't seen each other since they were practically yelling in the middle of the office. The lack of communication was not lost on Melissa or Tove, but only Tove understood the reason behind it.
Casual conversation continued through the second course of the meal.
"So, Cara, you moved here from Virginia?" Tove asked.
"Yes, I've only been here in Los Angeles for a few weeks," Cara replied. "I graduated from college and I moved here with my college roommate."
"That's really exciting," Melissa said. "I've always wanted to pick up and move somewhere."
"Don't you dare!" Tove laughed. "We need you at the office!"
Cara smiled, "yeah....I guess I've always had a nomadic quality...I've always enjoyed going from place to place -- I grew up in Ohio but moved to Virginia for college."
"So, then its in your nature to just pick up and leave," Hayden said, suddenly.
Cara turned to look at him, sort of surprised by his remark. It could have been a casual comment, but it seemed to be laced with another meaning.
Tove looked at Hayden. "So, Cara, do you like Los Angeles so far?"
"Yeah, its been great so far. My roommate is an actress, so she's a lot of fun...always going out on auditions. Melissa, you met her at the party last weekend," Cara replied, careful not to mention the fact that Hayden had also met Steph. He wants to pretend that night never happened, I'm not going to remind him about it, Cara thought to herself.
Melissa nodded, "Yeah she was great."
At that moment, Tove's cellphone rang. "I'm sorry guys! Excuse me a second, its Melanie."
Hayden rolled his eyes, "tightening that leash tighter huh?" he called out to Tove.
Cara just looked at Hayden.
"Excuse me, I'm going to the washroom," Melissa said, sensing the overwhelming tension between the two.
The two were silent for a moment.
"Why do you hate me?" Hayden asked suddenly.
"I don't hate you," Cara retorted.
"Well you certainly don't like me, that much is obvious," Hayden replied.
"To be perfectly honest, I start to like you and then you go and make assinine comments," Cara said.
"What comments?" Hayden asked.
"You jumped down my throat the other day about women throwing out mixed signals, for starters," Cara said. "Then just now, you made some sort of wry comment about picking up and leaving...what is that about?"
"It was just a general observation," Hayden said. "You said you're nomadic which kind of implies that you never stay in one place very long to make any attachments."
"Well, I'm sure that's something you can relate to very well isn't it?" Cara said, a biting tone in her voice.
The more she was around him, the more he infuriated her.
"....and what is with your attitude toward women?" Cara said, on a roll now. "You make fun of your brother because he actually has a meaningful relationship with a woman? That's mature."
"I tease him, alright?" Hayden said. "It's called a sense of humor."
"I think that's how you really feel though....I think that you feel if any one woman slowed you down long enough, she'd try to control you...is that it?" Cara said, each moment passing with more boldness, she was surprising even herself, for the second time this week.
"You don't know me...you don't know anything about me," Hayden said, suddenly finding himself very irritated. If there was any one thing that made him angry, it was being second guessed.
"You only think you know what would go through my mind about relationships or women or whatever...and the truth is, its none of your business....and the possibility of it being your business walked out the door with you last weekend."
Cara's eyes widened. He had her there. He had her completely and utterly speechless.
Tove and Melissa returned to the table around the same time. Tove observed the shocked look on Cara's face and Hayden's flushed cheeks. He knew his little brother turned bright red when he got angry - he'd done that since he was three years old.
"So, are we ready to celebrate some more?" Tove asked, trying for a cheerful tone.
No one at the table looked much like celebrating anymore.