Page 9 of Exchange of Heart
‘So, you wanna talk about that Freddie guy you mentioned earlier?’ his voice wavered.
My eyes narrowed, hopefully in a way that made him wish he hadn’t asked. He must have been used to tough people though, because his silence persisted as he waited for my answer.
‘No. It’s fine.’
‘Yeah, it sounds like it’s real fine.’ The sarcasm in his voice made me want to slap him.
He had no idea that I’d weaselled out of my family’s Sunday dinner, unable to break the news to my mother that I’d lost out to a less qualified man. Her disapproval could be aimed at either the patriarchy or myself, and the idea that she’d consider me a failure would be another stake in the heart I couldn’t bear. Just the thought of it had me burying myself deeper into the comfort of the burrito of bedsheets I’d wrapped myself into over the weekend. I’d laid there from Friday evening to Monday morning like a stiff vampire decaying in her coffin, hanging up halfway through Hayley’s sympathetic voicemail. The sun rose and fell, the moon shone, life went on.
Everyone’s life except mine.
‘A guy at work got a promotion that should have been mine.’ I sighed, remembering Freddie scurrying past my desk this morning avoiding eye contact.
That baby-faced bastard. My time would come and Freddie would scurry back to the legal nest he never should have left.
‘Should have been yours? That’s a bit presumptuous, don’t you think?’
‘No, actually. I don’t. The last three promotions at my work have all been men and there’s no way Freddie’s more qualified for the job than I am, considering he came from legal. He barely even has any experience in the actual role. No doubt similar to your promotion that landed you as a finance manager.’
Corey swerved the car and stopped in the gutter. ‘That’s it, enough about how you don’t think I deserve my job. Our final exam is in two weeks.’ His finger wiggled between us. ‘Whatever this is we’re doing here? Highest score wins, no more arguments.’
The challenge was an itch I couldn’t wait to scratch with victorious nails. A final chance to prove I was equally worthy of a role like his despite being a woman. ‘Absolutely. And you’ll admit women in the workplace don’t always get offered the same opportunities – even when our qualifications and experience are on par?’
‘It doesn’t really prove that, but I’ll look into it.’ He offered his hand.
I reached for it, but he pulled it back at the last second.
‘And you’ll admit my brain is worthy of my job,’ he said.
‘Deal.’ I sealed our fate with a shake.
By the time we arrived at my apartment, the rain still hadn’t eased.
‘I’ve got an umbrella in the back. I’ll walk you to your door.’ He unbuckled and reached behind his seat.
I couldn’t take this gentlemanly offer from him. It would risk me thinking he actually had a heart. ‘I’m already wet, it’s fine.’
‘You’re damp, but there’s no need to be soaking.’
‘You men,’ I bellowed. ‘You’re all just putting on a good face to get you into heaven, aren’t you?’
His chin dropped, his mouth forming an O while trying to conjure words. ‘I— I’m not trying to sleep with you.’
‘You don’t have to sound so horrified. I meant being in the good graces of the world. Not… that.’ I shuddered.
‘Men aren’t dogs that drool over anything that breathes.’ He pushed open his door, released the umbrella to shield him from the rain, then stomped around the car and pulled mine open.
‘More like a Bonobo,’ I muttered about the horniest animal I knew.
He sighed. ‘Let’s go.’
My nose wrinkled at the green splatters covering his black umbrella. ‘There’s mould growing on your umbrella.’
Lowering it to inspect, he raised it above his head a few moments later. ‘That’s not mould,’ he said through gritted teeth.
I tilted my head and squinted at the green blobs, then at Corey’s clenched jaw. Either he’s a compulsive neat freak, or I’ve hit a soft spot insulting his umbrella. I glanced back up and focused on the curves of each shape, all of them identical. Two rounded squiggles connected by a line? The rain blurred them beyond recognition.
‘Hurry up,’ he said.
