Thanks for sticking with me while I'm moving. Should be done over the weekend. Love Billie
The following morning, as Tally arrived at the office, she was met with a tense situation unfolding near her desk. Ryan and Blake were engaged in a confrontation, their attention shifting towards her as she entered. Blake approached her, attempting to touch her, but she swiftly evaded his advance by stepping back. Ryan seemed pleased with her reaction to Blake’s attempt, while Blake appeared angry. Tally had no intention of allowing him to touch her, uncertain of where his hand had been that morning. Most likely touching his skinny blonde.Tally turned away from them to put her handbag on her desk. It gave her the few seconds she needed to gather herself. With renewed composure, Tally turned around to face them. She straightened her shoulders, then, placing her hands on her hips, she glared at them.After no one speaking, it was Tally’s voice that cut through the silence. “Can someone kindly enlighten me on what the hell is going on here?”Ryan crossed his arms across his chest and sta
Tally had everything triple check before lunch. She cleared her inbox and Ryan had an appointment with Marty, his personal trainer, in 10 mins.Getting up, she walked to his open door. Leaning against the doorjamb, she stood there studying him, as he sat behind his desk facing the computer screen to the right of him. It put his face in profile to where she was standing.“What is it, Tally?” Ryan said, without looking away from his screen.Ryan had always been incredibly observant, as if he had eyes in the back of his head. He had realized she had been standing by the door.Tally smoothed her hands down her navy pencil skirt as she entered the office. Though she still thought of Ryan as an asshole, her perception of him had slightly shifted in the past day. “I was wondering if it would be alright with you if I went home for lunch. I might be a bit late returning,” she said.Ryan looked up from his screen then to watch her. When he said nothing, Tally felt the need to fill the silence. “
Holly gently placed her hands on Tally’s shoulders and spoke with a hint of concern, “I hate to say it, honey, but losing him isn’t a big loss. You deserve someone better.”Holly’s words surprised Tally, and she asked, “Really? You didn’t like him?” Most people seemed to like Blake, except for Ryan. No one had ever mentioned anything to her before about not liking him.Holly let out a snort and replied, “The few times I encountered him, and mind you, it wasn’t often. He always seemed to act superior, and he only paid any real attention to the attractive-looking ladies.”Holly picked up Tally’s hands, giving them a squeeze, making her feel even more sickened by the situation. She couldn’t help but wonder if she had made better choices in friends sooner. Instead of being content with Blake’s friends, she might have discovered his infidelity earlier.Now, more than ever, Tally was convinced that this wasn’t his first time cheating. Yes, it hurt to realize she had wasted so much time on hi
Tally leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms into the air over her head, letting out a moan at the pull on her muscles. Before lowering her hands to rub her tired eyes. She had just finished the last letter Ryan had left for her to type up. He hadn’t needed it until tomorrow, and he had told her to go home at five. But she had still stayed back to make up for her very long lunch. Standing, she looked at Ryan, who was still working at his desk. It was late, looking at the clock on her computer. It was after 6:30pm. Tally shut down her system and collected her things. Getting up, she went to Ryan’s open door.“I’m going home now. See you in the morning.” She said to him.Ryan turned his head to regard her before he looked out his windows where it was still light. When he checked his watch. Seeing the time, he frowned. “I thought I told you to go home already.”Tally shrugged. “It’s not dark and at least my in-tray is clear for tomorrow.”Ryan sighed, throwing his pen down on the
Tally let out a tired yawn as she stepped off the lift on their floor, her mind still clouded with the events of last night. The first person she saw was Holly. She had promised Holly that they would go shopping today, but it had completely slipped her mind amidst the sleepless night she had endured.Every little noise had jolted her awake, fearing that Blake might return. Though she knew he didn’t have keys to her townhouse, the possibility of him finding another way in, like through a broken window he could break, haunted her thoughts. Tally couldn’t determine if Blake would be that foolish, and uncertainty plagued her mind.She had two options: either move to a new place or invest in a security system. Both choices would come with a financial burden, not to mention the need to consult with her landlord before making any modifications to her current residence. Tally sighed, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the decisions she needed to make.“Mornin’ Tally,” Holly greeted her cheer
Tally rushed back after lunch with Holly. Stashing her shopping under her desk as she opened Ryan’s door and headed into his office. Looking around, she couldn’t see him. He must have been delayed by Marty. The gym was on the floor below them with the apartment.Ryan’s lunch was supposed to be delivered and placed in the fridge. She just needed to take it out and put it on his desk, so it would be ready for him when he returned. Tally removed the lunch from the fridge and placed it on his desk, along with cutlery. Then Tally went back to his kitchen nook and switched on his personal espresso machine, making sure to check the water level. Everything was prepared for Ryan to press a simple button upon his return.Tally was heading back out of the room when she walked into a granite wall. She lost her balance and would have fallen over had Ryan’s arm not gone around her waist, anchoring her to his front. She could feel the warmth of his hand through her thin blouse. It was only then she r
Tally opened her eyes to light streaming in from the large window over the bed she was currently lying in. Her head hurt… She blinked, taking in her surroundings. This wasn’t her bedroom. It took her a moment to realize she was in the office apartment. Having been here to drop files off to Ryan when he had stayed or even to business associates of Ryan’s if they needed anything.Tally struggled to remember the events of the previous day. Her head throbbed, making it difficult to think clearly. She tried to recall how she ended up in the office apartment, but her memory was hazy.As she lay there, she became aware of the arm draped over her and the hand resting on her breast. Panic surged through her as she realized she had slept with someone, someone she couldn’t even remember. This was completely out of character for her. Blake had been her only sexual partner, and they had been in a committed relationship. “Please god, don’t let this be Blake.”Feeling the warm naked body behind her s
Tally headed straight to the bar, requesting another cocktail. She wasn’t typically a heavy drinker, but tonight she was ready to let loose and have some fun. Driving home was not an option for her as she had taken the bus to the party and planned to take a cab home.As she stood at the bar, Tally was pleasantly surprised to see Ethan, a colleague from the marketing department, standing beside her. “Hey Tally, you’re looking amazing,” Ethan complimented her. Tally flashed him a smile, genuinely appreciating the kind words. “Thanks, Ethan! You’re not too bad yourself,” she playfully nudged him.Others may think she was flirting with Ethan. However, what most people didn’t know about Ethan was that he was gay. Tally had known this since their college days, even though they were enrolled in different courses. Despite that, they had managed to forge a friendship and now found themselves working for the same company, under Ryan’s leadership.Suddenly, a wave of guilt washed over Tally as sh