ELIJAH
“How long will you be gone?” Harlow rolled over on her stomach while letting out an exaggerated groan.
My eyes lingered on the black lace bra and panties she wore as I replied, “Two weeks.”
“E, that’s too long,” she whined.
“Come on. We’ve gone longer without seeing each other.”
“True, but I just got back today, and you’re leaving tomorrow. Is that not crazy to you?”
I closed my suitcase and caught her gaze.
“It’s two weeks,” I stressed, before kissing her forehead. “Before you know it, I’ll be back.”
She rolled her eyes, seemingly unconvinced. Her silence didn’t bother me as I resumed packing. Minutes later, Harlow got up from my bed and stalked over to my closet. I assumed she would come out wearing one of my sweatshirts, like she always did when she came over. I went to my bathroom to grab my travel toothbrush and mouthwash.
When I returned to my bedroom, Harlow had changed into one of my sweatshirts and a pair of leggings. She pulled the front of her hair into a bun and left the back out freely, cascading her shoulders. The outfit was an one-eighty from the lingerie she wore to seduce me upon her return home.
“Where are you going?” My head tilted to the side and my eyebrows wrinkled. “I thought you wanted to spend the night.”
Harlow slipped on her boots. “I did, but clearly you don’t want me here.”
“What makes you think that?”
She waved her arms around in the air. “Instead of spending time with me, you’re packing for some bullshit trip to Encinitas. And haven’t even thought about inviting me.”
I scratched the back of my neck. “You said you didn’t like it out there.”
“So? You still could’ve extended the invite. This is exactly what I was talking about. You only think of yourself.”
Here we go.
Whenever Harlow didn’t get her way, she’d throw a tantrum, then leave. This was the same stunt she pulled before leaving for Paris a month ago. She hadn’t been in town but for a few hours and had already found a reason to fight with me. I was sick of this shit. With a deadline looming over my head, and no clear direction to guide my current project, I didn’t have the energy to argue.
“And now you’re just standing there with that stupid, nonchalant look on your face.”
“Harlow, I don’t want to fight. Last time I took you to Encinitas, you complained the entire time. I go there to tune out the noise and lock in. You know I have a deadline coming up and I haven’t painted in months. When you went to Paris to find inspiration, I supported your decision. You didn’t invite me, and I didn’t feel a way about it. All I'm asking is that you grant me the same grace.”
“It’s the timing of this trip. You’re avoiding me.”
I looked around my bedroom, then at her. “You were just in my bed. How am I avoiding you?”
“Sex has never been a problem for us. I’m trying to do something different with you. Remember what we talked about before I left?”
My teeth grazed my bottom lip as I nodded. “Yes, I remember.”
“And what’s your answer?”
“Damn, Harlow. You landed a few hours ago, and you’re already demanding an answer to the ultimatum you gave me? There’s a lot I have to consider before moving.”
“Like what?” She eyed me expectedly. Her head canted and eyebrows rose in anticipation.
“My career,” I gritted. “Or is your career all that matters?”
She was a photographer who often worked with fashion designers and magazines. When she was offered several opportunities in Paris, I was happy for her and wanted her to go. I hadn’t expected her to spend time with old “friends,” partying every night, living like a rockstar or some shit.
How could I consider moving out of the country with her when we weren’t even in a serious relationship? I didn’t know what to call what we were doing. It had been almost a year of back-and-forth, and I was tired of the wild ride.
“I can’t help that my career is taking off, Eli. When opportunities like this happen, I can’t not take them.”
Her jabs hurt, but I let them roll off my back.
“I know, which is why I’ve done nothing but support you.”
My adrenaline was pumping through the roof, and heat coursed through my blood. Harlow couldn’t even let the post-sex haze run its course before killing the vibe.
“Support is more than pats on the back and motivational speeches. It’s being present.” Harlow’s slanted ebony eyes narrowed. “I feel like you don’t support me or my career.”
I ran my hand over my mouth, stifling an aggravated chuckle. Harlow was impossible sometimes. I bit my bottom lip and shook my head. She wanted to fight, and I just didn’t have it in me tonight.
“If you wanna leave, Harlow, go ahead.” I pointed toward the door.
Tears filled her eyes as she glowered at me. For seconds, we stared in silence. My nostrils flared and eyebrows rose, waiting for her to make the final decision.
“Eli, wait,” she reasoned, sounding calmer than she had moments ago. She reached for my arm, and I took a step back.
Shaking my head, I replied, “Nah. I’ll call you tomorrow sometime.”
Harlow bit her lip as she closed the space between us. She reached for my hands, sending a wave of heat through me. When I tried to pull away, she tightened her hold.
Her eyes softened and words honeyed as she said, “I don’t want to fight. I just missed you so much, Eli. You don’t know how much better it would’ve been if you were there with me. But I appreciate you allowing me the space to go out there for work. It’s only fair that I do the same for you. Hopefully, this will give you the opportunity to see why we need to make this move.”
I licked my lips while letting her words settle. There was no doubt in my mind that she missed me, but I knew she wasn’t ever lonely. She didn’t spend her nights thinking of me like I thought about her. Harlow was in Paris enjoying her freedom, spending time with old lovers that she swore were her “friends.” We’d go days without speaking, then she would call waxing poetic as if nothing ever happened. She had to have known her inconsistency felt like punishment for not going with her.
If she wanted to talk about avoidance, I could go there. But the argument would be pointless. Harlow would find a way to put the blame on me, leaving me at square one; angry and resentful of her. A year ago, this arrangement was fun, no stress; just good vibes. Now it was feeling forced. I didn’t like how toxic we’d become.
“I’m only leaving because we need time to cool off. Maybe I can join you next week, if you find your creative flow by then,” she added with a shrug.
“Yeah, maybe.” I had no intention of inviting her to Encinitas, especially if this was the energy she’d bring.
“Call me when you get there.” She squeezed my hands after a moment, expecting a response. When I didn't give her one, she dropped my hands and stepped back. I nodded, then followed her downstairs. Before exiting the front door, she looked at me once more.
“You’re the only one I want, Eli.”
I kissed her forehead, then cupped her cheek. “I do too, more than you know.”
The wry smile she flashed before leaving pulled at my heart.
Every day that she was gone, I thought about the ill-timed ultimatum she dumped on me. Moving with her was far more serious than she made it seem. I hadn’t ever lived with a lover, and I wasn’t sure if I would be ready anytime soon. Harlow and I had a lot of growing to do as an item and individually before I could consider. While she was away, I weighed the pros and cons of going to Paris. Thoughts of moving consumed me, worsening my creative block, which sent me spiraling and the insecurities soon followed.
After talking to Chris, my former roommate, and closest friends, he suggested I go away to clear my head. The timing of the trip wasn’t ideal, but it had to be done. I needed to submit updates to the curator of my upcoming showcase and had nothing to show. The pieces I started lost their spark, and I scrapped them. The Tanner-Hayden showcase wasn’t an opportunity artists got often, and I couldn’t showcase anything less than stellar.
At times, I questioned why I was selected as their rising artist recipient. I hadn’t done a show in two years, and had a habit of being inconsistent. If I didn’t have the inspiration to work, nothing would get done. There were far more qualified artists who should’ve been chosen. Perfectionism and internalizing criticism left me uninspired. I fell out of my rhythm. I needed the hunger from two years ago to return. This showcase was personal to me; it was a shot at redemption.
Pushing away all the thoughts clouding my mind, I returned to my room and finished packing.
This trip had to be the answer to my problems.
* * *
IMANI
Ms. Pressley,
We’ve reviewed your application materials carefully, and we’re excited to invite you to interview for the Creative Director position at The Jones Collective.
I drew in a deep breath before reading over the details for my upcoming interview for the umpteenth time. A slow smile covered my face and heat filled my cheeks.
The Jones Collective, a company under director Sergio Jones's production agency, Jones and Watters, was searching for a creative director to join their team. I’d been stalking their postings for the past three months. A month ago, I received an email announcing the vacancy in their creative director position. That same night, I submitted the application. When I sent my portfolio over, I didn’t expect to hear from them.
The Jones Collective was in high demand, and I assumed my application would get lost in a sea of entries. My projected salary was double my current pay; benefits included unlimited paid time-off and a relocation stipend. Completing the application out of spite might’ve been one of the smartest things I'd done this year.
The opportunity was too sweet to ignore. But was I ready to move? I bit my bottom lip as I thought about the two-bedroom apartment I had in downtown Silver Spring, my friends, and my family. I would have to leave it all behind for this job. I’d been in Maryland my whole life. Maybe it was time for a change of pace. Looking out of the window, I peered up at the gloomy sky.
A change of scenery would be nice.
“Knock, knock,” Alexis sang while strolling into my cube. I closed the email and turned my chair toward her. “Online shopping again?” She had her hands on her hips and humor danced in her hazel eyes.
I nodded my head. “Something like that.”
“What is it? You’ve been acting all cagey since yesterday. Did Samuel pull another fast one on you? I heard him and Dana arguing in the kitchen. Apparently, he took credit for her presentation. Don’t tell me he did it to you, too?”
“No, no. Me and Samuel are cool, for now. We found a middle ground after the last incident.”
My arch nemesis, Samuel Smith, another project manager at our agency, was a snake. He was always plotting behind someone’s back. Everyone at the office kept their distance from him because he couldn’t be trusted. He came across cool and super down to earth. The moment you opened up to him, he screwed you over. I learned the hard way that Samuel only looked out for himself.
We were the best on the team, and were often paired together on projects by our boss, Devin. I was sure he knew we hated each other, but he didn’t care as long as we met our clients' needs. Our last disagreement led to me applying for the creative director role at The Jones Collective. We went to Devin for mediation and when he took Samuel’s side; I knew I would never get the recognition I deserved.
“Okay, so what’s up then?” Alexis pressed. “Are you back on dating apps?”
“What? No.” I looked around, hoping no one heard her. “I was invited to an interview at TJC.”
I used the codename we created for them. We couldn't risk someone overhearing us rave about another agency.
Alexis sat on the windowsill and crossed her legs. “Well, I guess I should congratulate you, but I also want to shake you. You didn’t tell me it was time to plan our exit.”
“It wasn’t planned, trust me.”
“Mhm.” She rolled her eyes playfully. “When is it?”
“Two weeks.”
“Wow. An interview fresh off vacation. Let me help you pack up this cube. You’re definitely not coming back.”
I laughed at her gathering my Post-it notes and pens. “Don’t gas me up, please. I haven’t gotten the job yet, and I’m not sure if I want to move.”
Alexis glared at me. Sitting on the edge of my L-shaped desk, she whispered, “You’ve been here for three years and haven’t been promoted once. Devin is doing all he can to keep you under his thumb and from stealing his spotlight. Word on the street is that he’s giving Samuel the AngelFace campaign.”
My heart shattered into a million pieces.
“But Devin told me-”
“Aht, aht. We know Devin will lie without flinching.”
Devin knew how badly I wanted to work with renowned supermodel, Selimah. Ever since she launched her brand, I’d been watching her and thinking of ways to elevate AngelFace. We’d been in a bidding war for months over this campaign. I’d gone above and beyond with the pitch just for Devin to take credit for it. He smoothed things over like he always did and made promises he never intended to keep.
If what Alexis said was true, I would be crushed and embarrassed for allowing him to use me again.
“And besides, my source is never wrong.”
“Who is your source?”
Alexis shook her head. “I can’t reveal that information. All you need to know is the knife in your back is about to get twisted. He is making the announcement at the next meeting.”
I checked the calendar, nodding when I realized it was during my vacation. “Keep me posted.”
“You know I got you, boo,” Alexis replied with a wink. “Now, let’s go to lunch so I can spill the tea that’s not suitable for the workplace.”
I laughed, then grabbed my wallet from my drawer before locking it. As we strode to the elevator, Alexis caught me up on her current projects. She worked as a digital content creator and often came to me for advice.
“You know you can text me while I’m gone, right?”
She shook her head vehemently. “Nope. You haven’t taken a vacation in a year. And even then you were online the entire time. I’ll use this as practice for when you leave me to work at TJC.”
“Don’t say that too loud,” I scolded, looking over my shoulder.
Alexis rolled her eyes. “Maybe if someone overheard us, you’d be getting the promotion you deserve.”
I laughed at her before pushing the elevator button again. I knew it wouldn’t make it come any faster, but I was eager to get out of this office. Moments later, the elevator doors opened, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Samuel and Devin stepped off with bags of food in their hands. Samuel nodded while Devin smiled politely at us.
“Imani, before you leave for the day, can you swing by my office? I’ve never gone two weeks without you, and I want to pick your brain before you go offline.” His gaze swept over me, lingering on my body longer than necessary.
My nod was curt. “Yeah, sure. I’ll send a calendar invite in a few.”
“Sounds good,” he said, before backing away from us.
Once the doors closed, I rolled my eyes and sighed.
“I want to pick your brain before you go offline,” Alexis mocked, before retching dramatically.
I sighed, leaning back against the cool elevator walls, and I met Alexis’s gaze. “He’s such an asshole.”
“The biggest.”
If only Alexis knew her work bestie was messing around with their asshole boss.
* * *
“Two weeks, Mani?” Devin hadn’t shut the door good before questioning my upcoming vacation.
“Two weeks,” I repeated. “You approved of my request months ago.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m starting to regret it.” He nodded toward his desk. “Have a seat.” Devin smirked at me, curiosity gleamed in his brown eyes as we took our seats. “I know I’ve been leaning on you a lot this year. Every time I came to you with a project, you gave it your best. I don’t take you being on this team for granted.”
I nodded, tired of the same spiel he did before fucking me over.
“You’ve been loyal, and that doesn’t go unnoticed, baby.”
A breath fell from my lips when he loosened the blue tie around his neck. He stood and walked over to me. Leaning against the edge of his desk, he stared down at me. The desire in his eyes weakened my resolve, but I refused to fold this time.
“What did you want to talk about?” I asked.
“You know, I don’t do much talking.”
I chuckled. “Devin, you said this wouldn’t interfere with work.”
“It’s not.”
“Yet, you have me blocking off time on my calendar to do what? Fuck in your office in the middle of the day?”
“You didn’t have a problem with it last Wednesday.”
“It was after hours, and we said it was a one time thing. Neither of us can afford people knowing about this. You need to tighten up and stop wasting my time.”
Devin ran his hand over his mouth, looking sexy as ever. He knew he was fine too with his smooth caramel skin, round brown eyes, and full lips. “Damn, Mani. You know I love that attitude of yours. I’m going to miss it.”
Heat filled my cheeks, but my facial expression remained impassive. His words always affected me. That was my problem. I needed to pay more attention to his actions.
Stay strong, Mani.
“Devin,” I warned. “We need to be discreet.”
Working late-nights on multiple projects forced us into proximity. Our conversations slowly turned personal, revealing things I never shared with coworkers. Devin and I had a lot of similarities. We grew up with divorced parents; we didn’t have siblings, and we used work to distract us from having sucky personal lives. One night, he invited me out for drinks, which led to me inviting him to my apartment.
Keeping our rendezvous under wraps was the hardest thing I’d ever done. Devin had become too lax over the last few weeks, though. He stopped by my cubicle “just because” throughout the day, asked me to stay late in front of others, and sent texts that teetered the line of professionalism. I liked Devin. I knew our relationship was inappropriate and if anyone found out, we could lose our credibility, and reputations could be tarnished. Mine more than his. The more I thought about it, the more disappointed I was with myself. I wasn’t leveraging this relationship properly.
The news that he was giving Samuel the promotion over me had me feeling stupid for ever sleeping with him. I wasn’t doing it with the expectation of getting promoted, but the things he shared during pillow talk gave me hope. Losing the promotion while sleeping with the boss was a loss I wasn’t willing to accept.
During lunch, I confirmed my interview with The Jones Collective. The guilt I felt earlier was long gone. It was time for me to step out of my comfort zone.
“Fine. Come to my place tonight,” Devin said, pulling me from my thoughts. “I’ll drop you off at the airport in the morning.”
“I don’t need a ride to the airport. And besides, you'll be late for work.”
“I can come in a few minutes late,” he said, swiping his nose. “In all seriousness, I hope you enjoy this time off. I have a few things lined up for you when you return.”
“Don’t tease me, Devin.”
He smirked. “Never that, baby. I always look out for you.”
My heart rate spiked from the adoring look in his eyes.
“Are these solo projects or…”
“Yeah. I need to see who is really the creative genius around here.”
“Now, you already know the answer to that.”
“True, but I have to be fair. You already have an unfair advantage.”
His eyes roved over me, and I hated how easily I smiled.
“See you at eight?”
I nodded as I stood from my seat. Ignoring the nagging feeling in my chest, I accepted Devin’s hug I just hoped it wasn’t all a ploy to fuck me over.