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truck onto the road.
They chose a popular restaurant close to the office and relaxed a
bit as they waited for their food. Tristan seemed nervous, as
though she had something on her mind and didn t know how to
convey what she was thinking. Tension formed a knot in Claire s
stomach as she wondered if Tristan were about to give her the
let s just be friends speech.
Claire, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with
me Saturday night? Tristan slowly raised her eyes and looked at
Claire shyly.
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Murky Waters
Relief flooded every inch of Claire s being when she heard
Tristan ask her out. She was so thrilled that she didn t immediately
answer as she rejoiced in her head. Tristan became nervous again
and started to fidget with her cigarettes as she waited impatiently
for a reply.
That sounds wonderful, Tristan. I d love to have dinner with
you. What did you ...?
Well, hello, strangers, Mike said as he walked up to their table.
I see that Tristan has brought you to the lunchtime hot spot.
Mike s words were friendly, but his eyes were cold when he
regarded Tristan.
Hi, Mike. Oh, and thank you for the flowers. With all the
commotion this morning, I didn t have time to thank you, Claire
responded cheerfully, trying to break some of the obvious tension
rolling off Mike in waves. To add to the awkwardness of the
moment, Mike seemed to be waiting to be asked to join them. And
when Tristan showed no intention of extending an invitation,
Claire thought it would have been improper if she did. Mike
picked up on the hint and went off in search of his own table.
Tristan cleared her throat when he walked away. That was
awfully nice of Mike to send you flowers. Though she tried to
sound casual, Tristan could not hide the sarcasm in her voice.
He s just trying to make me feel welcome, I guess.
Are you sure that s all he has in mind? Tristan looked directly
into her eyes.
No, I m not totally sure, but I can assure you I have no interest
in him if that s what you re implying.
Sorry, Claire, I didn t mean anything by that comment.
Yes, you did. Claire returned Tristan s gaze. And I like it.
Does this little hint of jealousy mean you like me more than a
friend? Claire was surprised by her own boldness.
Tristan s face turned a bright red. I m sorry that I have not done
a very good job of showing you that I want more from you than
just friendship. I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but please
just be patient with me.
Claire felt bad that Tristan seemed to be struggling so hard with
their budding relationship. Tristan, I ll always be patient with
you. There is no need to try to explain anything until you re ready.
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Robin Alexander
And when you do, just know that I will be here ready to listen and
be here for you.
Claire was on a high when she returned from lunch. She had
something to look forward to Saturday night. She sat down in her
chair and went over the ticketing screen to make sure everything
had been issued when Lauren tapped lightly at her door.
Claire, do you have a minute? I really need to talk to you
privately.
Sure, come on in and close the door. As Lauren took a seat,
Claire pushed away from the desk and gave her undivided
attention. What s on your mind, Lauren?
Lauren looked around nervously. It s about Mike. Claire, I don t
think you realize how infatuated he is with you. He talks about
you incessantly. It s obvious to me that you don t feel the same
about him, but he has had the biggest crush on you since the last
time we worked together. Let him down easy, Claire, and do it
quickly before he starts planning an engagement party.
Claire was floored. I had no idea. I knew he seemed interested,
but I never dreamed he thought of me that way. She stopped short
when Mike walked into the dispatch center.
When Lauren saw the expression on Claire s face, she sunk down
into her chair. Oh, dear Lord, that s him, isn t it? Ask him to
come in and make up something quick, so I don t have to explain
why I m in here with you.
Claire waved Mike in and asked him to close the door. Please
have a seat, Mike. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank
you both for the fine job you ve been doing. Your help has made
my transition go very smoothly. Tristan seems to be very pleased
with us, and I owe it to your diligence and hard work. If there is
anything I can do to make your jobs easier, please let me know.
Claire silently applauded herself as her agents left her office;
she d been quick with that little speech, even though it was well
deserved. She glanced over at Mike while he worked, and for a
split second, she felt pity for him until Lauren s words replayed in
her mind. He has had the biggest crush on you since the last time
we worked together. Pieces of the puzzle were coming together,
and she felt the anger rise in the pit of her stomach, thinking that
her tormentor had been right under her nose all along.
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Murky Waters
The next morning, she decided to take the bull by the horns and
talk to Mike. She felt safe talking to him in her office with Tristan
on one side and a roomful of people on the other. She used her
anger to instill the courage she would need to initiate the
unpleasant conversation.
Mike, the gesture of these lovely flowers was very kind of you,
but I feel the need to be honest with you. I like you as a co-worker
and a friend, but that s as far as it can go with me. Most
importantly, I am your boss, and a relationship above anything but
friendship would be considered improper. And to be blunt, I m not
interested in exploring a personal relationship with you. I just
wanted to bring this out in the open now, so there will be no
miscommunication between us. Claire paused as she noticed the
color drain from Mike s face.
I ve stepped over a line with you, haven t I? His voice was
barely a whisper. I ll be very honest with you since you are being
so open with me. I have wanted to date you for a long time, but I
cannot stand the thought of making you uncomfortable around me.
If that is what I ve done, then I am truly sorry. You don t have to
worry about me misconstruing your kindness or friendship from
here on out. And I sincerely hope that we can continue to work
together like we always have.
It can t possibly be him. He looks like he is going to cry, Claire
thought to herself as she listened to Mike s heartfelt apology. I m
sorry to have been so blunt, Mike, but I was afraid that if I was not
completely candid, it might cause tension that neither of us needs
right now.
No, don t apologize, Claire. I appreciate your candor, and I will
give you my word that this will not affect our working
relationship. He finished with an uneasy smile.
Thank you for being so understanding, Claire offered as Mike
left her office.
Claire glanced toward Tristan s office where Tristan sat with her
eyebrows raised in question. From Tristan s vantage point, she
could see the expressions on Mike s face, and she wondered what
they could have been discussing to elicit such a response. Claire
gave her a reassuring smile before getting back to work on the
morning reports.
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Robin Alexander
When Claire s hungry stomach had just begun to complain, her
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