After her birthday party at The Hot Spot Mike drove Bailey home and stayed the night. During the drive she sensed agitation from Mike but was far too inebriated to initiate a conversation. Picking her phone up from the bedside table and clicking through it alerted Mike of her consciousness; he vowed to get answers to his questions before leaving Bailey’s house.
“Do you want to tell me what last night was all about,” Mike demanded.
Bailey sat up slowly in her bed with a pounding headache. “Not particularly. And, why do you have an attitude so early in the morning,” Bailey countered.
“Really? You think having that guy show up at your birthday party is not a big deal?” Mike asked.
Biting back her frustration with Mike’s insecurities Bailey responded calmly, “Like I have said previously, Casey is a coworker and friend. I ran into him on my way out of work yesterday and mentioned to him where I was having a party when he asked about my birthday plans.”
“You must take me for a fool,” Mike lashed out, “you say it's nothing going on with you two and yet he's always around. He popped up in the parking lot that day I came to your job. You just so happen to have a late-night work event with him for which I was not invited to, and now he mysteriously shows up to your birthday party; with an expensive gift at that.”
“Mike, this is my job, and you know that I work with professional athletes and yes some of them I am friends with. Some more than others, but it means nothing,” Bailey shouted back. “These guys live in a world where they are the star, and it is my job to keep them engaged with the real world which means I need to keep them as my ally.”
“Honestly, Bailey, you can say what you want but I have eyes,” Mike started, “I wish I could believe you, however every time I turn around this guy shows up. So, either you’re blind to what is really going on, and I know you’re smarter than that, or you must think I am a fool.”
Mike looked around the room for his clothes. He spotted them on the chair in the corner of Bailey’s room. She must have picked them up and folded them in the early morning hours while he was sleeping, he thought to himself. “You need to think about what it is you really want,” Mike said as he stepped into his pants. “You need to come clean about the thing you and Casey have going, or I don't know.”
“Come clean? What are you talking about?” Bailey asked while throwing back the covers to get out of the bed, and why are you starting a fight with me on my birthday weekend?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mike replied while slipping into his shirt. “You’re worried about your birthday, and I am telling you how I feel about your friendship with your ‘coworker’”.
“Mike,” Bailey started massaging her temples, “there is nothing to come clean about. You need to let go of whatever story you created in your mind. I cannot be responsible for your insecurities about my career.”
Mike was in disbelief of what Bailey had accused him of, “So now I'm insecure? Really, Bailey?”
“What else am I left to believe? You knew where I worked from the jump and now, because a player came to my party last night you are behaving like a jerk, completely ruining the vibes from last night and for the weekend.” Bailey sat back down on the bed exhausted with the conversation and feeling defeated. “Do you not have female co-workers?” she asked, “Or is your industry male-dominated?”
“That is not the point, and you know that, Bailey!” Mike criticized. “Yes, I have female friends and colleagues and guess what, I don't buy them jewelry for their birthday.”
Bailey was livid, she could not believe Mike would start a fight with her the morning after her birthday because Casey showed up with Jamal Scott and gifted her a diamond necklace. The gift was far too expensive for her to accept, and she planned on returning it at a later time.
“So let me ask you this,” Mike followed up, “why did you accept the gift then?”
“And, like I said, I can't control what someone else does.” She rebutted.
She planned to return the diamond necklace Casey bought for her, though she had no intention of telling Mike. If he did not trust her then what was it all worth. If she did not work for the Oilers, Bailey would be working for some other professional sports team. If Mike couldn’t handle how Bailey interacted with the players, then the two of them would never work.
Mike finished dressing and made his way out of her room. “So, you’re just going to leave a conversation you started,” Bailey asked.
“There’s not much more left to say. I’ll hit you up later,” Mike offered.
Bailey said nothing else and made no efforts to stop him. She could not believe he had the audacity to have an issue with her job and then walked out despite the conversation not being over. One thing Bailey learned from her father was to never let people see her sweat. Mike would either need to get over his insecurities or leave her alone. Either way, Bailey was committed to her career, and she was not going to jeopardize it for anyone. She picked her phone back up and made a call to her favorite guy.
********************
Talking to her dad always made Bailey feel better. He possessed so much wisdom and she was committed to absorbing as much of it as she could. Bailey’s father went into protect mode after her mother died. Though he treated her like a princess he made sure she knew how to take care of herself; and if anything serious were to happen she had reinforcement from her brothers and him. Whatever hole Mr. Jones could not fill, he nurtured relationships between Bailey and her aunts, both his and his late wife’s sisters.
“Hi dad,” Bailey sang soon as her father answered her call.
“Hey baby girl. How are you? Mr. Jones replied.
“I'm good, just recovering from last night.”
“Oh really, what did you all do?” Mr. Jones inquired.
“I had a party at The Hot Spot, it's down in the Gaslamp district. On Sundays they have a cigar bar you would love it,” Bailey shared.
“I’m pleased to hear you enjoyed celebrating your birthday and that you made it back home safely,” Mr. Jones returned.
“Daddy, can I talk to you about something,” Bailey sighed.
“Sure, what’s on your mind,” Mr. Jones comforted.
“You remember that guy I told you I was seeing” Bailey quizzed.
“Sure,” Mr. Jones agreed.
“We had an argument this morning about my job. I think he’s insecure about where I work,” she announced.
“Why would you say that? Things were going great when you spoke of him last,” Mr. Jones confirmed.
“Can you believe this morning Mike started a fight with me because one of the players came out to my party and gave me a gift. He has in his mind that something is going on between myself and Casey. I can’t keep reassuring him and his ego that there's absolutely nothing going on between Casey and me. I work with professional athletes, and some are my friends. I can’t constantly be worried about how Mike feels with each person I encounter,” Bailey shared.
“Baby girl you know I love you and you know I always got your back, but you need to be honest with yourself about the situation” Mr. Jones challenged.
“I am being honest,” Bailey started.
“Are you really? You and I both know that you have had a crush on Casey Christopher and we both know that you crossed the line and went on a date with him a few months ago. So don't sit here and try to act innocent as if there's nothing going on with you two” Mr. Jones challenged.
“Yeah, but dad I also told you that I ended that situation with him. He respected the fact that my career is very important to me and that I would never blur the lines with him again” Bailey protested.
“Can you honestly say Casey feels nothing for you,” Mr. Jones started, “Tell me this, what did Casey buy you for your birthday gift.”
Bailey chewed on her bottom lip as she pondered her father's question. Did she feel absolutely nothing for Casey? Or did she just block it out in hopes that her feelings would go away? “Well, he bought me a diamond necklace… but I am going to return it,” Bailey replied.
“I have spoiled you,” Mr. Jones started, “The fact that Casey is comfortable enough with gifting your expensive jewelry says a lot more than you think.” He continued, “And, I will not allow you to be dishonest with me or yourself about the situation with Casey.”
“But dad,” Bailey started to interrupt.
“But dad, nothing” Mr. Jones cut her off, “Not once have you thought about this from Mike’s perspective because you think men should succumb to your every whim. I obviously blame myself and your brothers for this attitude, but you really need to check it.”
Bailey was taken aback by her father’s tone. She had called him seeking comfort from Mike’s overreaction to Casey attending her party and here he was doing the exact opposite. Accountability was something her dad preached to her and her brothers growing up; and while she was not excited to hear what he had to say, Bailey listened closely.
“Bailey, darling, you need to take some time to really think about what's going on in your love life and how to get it under control. One thing you don't want is for your career to ruin your relationships and you end up old and alone. You say that you want to be married and have a family one day; do you want your career to interfere with that” Mr. Jones cautioned.
Sighing, “I don't know if I can go on with Mike and there's no way that I could ever be with Casey” Bailey admitted. “Daddy, can you come down here next week? I miss you and I just want a sense of normalcy,” she asked.
“I’ll look up airfare and will get back with you before the weekend is up” Mr. Jones confirmed.
“Thanks Daddy. I’ll talk to you later. Love you, bye” Bailey said before disconnecting her call.