Friendly Skies Page 20

  Judy read them over and signed on all the dotted lines. She had to promise not to sue. It probably should not have been so easy to make that promise, but after her experience trying to divorce Greg, she wanted no part of another court case.

  Stephanie hugged her and helped her carry her stuff out. She had to call a cab because she’d walked to the office and couldn’t carry it all home. Once the taxi was loaded, Stephanie gave her another hug,

  “I’ll miss you Judy, you were always my favorite.” Stephanie was crying.

  Judy wordlessly got into the cab. She had a tough time with goodbyes on a good day, but the last 24 hours had been a disaster.

  Just like that, for the first time since she moved to Seattle, Judy was unemployed.

  *

  She walked into her nearly empty condo and dropped her boxes unceremoniously on the floor. For lack of a better idea, she checked her phone which she hadn’t checked since last night. There were a couple of messages from Dani wondering how the launch party went, and one from Jason, checking to see if she’s okay. The realtor had also called to confirm the closing date on the condo. Judy decided to call Dani. If anything, maybe Dani could help her make sense of everything and figure out her next move.

  Dani arrived in a flourish. When Judy opened the door, she swept in, dropped her things and gave Judy a hug.

  “I know something’s up, Judy. You had a magical night last night and should still be getting your beauty rest.” Dani let Judy go and picked up her bags to bring to the kitchen. “I brought provisions. Steak salads for nourishment and strength, and wine, well, just because. You never know.”

  “Oh, well, I have the wine covered,” Judy said, pulling out the box from the fridge and filling up a glass for Dani.

  “Hmm. This must be something monumental to require wine before noon. Well, far be it from me to let you drink alone,” Dani said taking a sip.

  “I don’t even know where to start,” Judy burst into tears.

  “Oh baby,” Dani said, giving her another hug, “Whatever it is, it’s okay. Let it out.”

  Judy cried hard enough to give herself the hiccups. She let all her sadness and frustration wash over her. After she calmed down, she told Dani everything from Rich and his awfulness, to Jason and his heroic actions.

  “Jason wasn’t too concerned about losing his job with Bradford. He has a job opportunity in Southern California that he’s thinking of taking.” She choked up a little at that.

  “Oh, girlfriend, I don’t think he’d leave you here. That man is head over heels in love with you,” Dani said while rubbing Judy’s back.

  “Well, there’s more. I went into work this morning to check on the fallout from last night, and Stephanie was there. She said that Rich had a tail on Jason for the last several weeks, and the PI discovered that we are seeing each other. He told Rich and Rich told Stephanie. Rich requested that I be removed from the Bradford account.” She sighed.

  “Well, I don’t know if he can do that after he assaulted you,” Dani said thoughtfully. “I’m not sure he’s in a position to make demands when he committed a felony and you could press charges.”

  “There’s more,” Judy said.

  “What? Jesus. Okay, go on,” Dani said.

  “Stephanie had to fire me because I am dating a client. There’s a no-tolerance policy for that, and I knew it. So, I’m unemployed. But they gave me a severance package.” She handed Dani her severance package papers.

  “I wish you hadn’t signed yet - I’d love to have negotiated with them,” Dani said. “I could have gotten you more money. You know that, right? They offered you something generous because they know you could destroy the Bradford Aviation relationship, and to do it, all you would have to do is report the attempted rape.” Her eyes were hard and serious.

  “I know,” Judy said. “But I can tell you one thing, I don’t want to keep going through this over and over. It’s bad enough I have to re-live all the shitty things about my marriage just because Greg is a greedy bastard and knocked up his dancer girlfriend.” Judy paused, thoughtfully. “And maybe this is okay. I mean, I’d been looking at an exit strategy from advertising anyway, maybe it’s time to make the career change. I don’t like it being forced on me, and I wasn’t ready, but whatever.”

  “Well, speaking of Greg,” Dani said, “this development might actually help you in your divorce proceedings. You are definitely no longer the breadwinner in your relationship.”

  “Even so, I got this way by dating someone else, won’t that look bad?”

  “Not in Washington. After all, Greg gets alimony even though he left you for a penniless, single mom, pregnant dancer.”

  That was a good point. That might be the first silver lining of this whole fiasco.

  “And another thing,” Dani said carefully, “Maybe the timing of this is perfect. Jason has an opportunity to move to Southern California. Suddenly, you have a lot less tying you to Seattle, right? Think about it,” Dani said.

  “Speaking of Jason, how did he react to the news of you losing your job?”

  “I haven’t told him.” Judy looked at Dani under lowered lids.

  “What? Why not? Oh no. Judy, no, you aren’t going to pull back are you? No. I can’t let you do this. Jason is the best thing that has ever happened to you. Do you hear me? THE.BEST.THING. You need to talk to him.” Dani was apoplectic.

  “I know, I know, it’s just, the last 24 hours have been emotionally super-charged. I need to process this. Anyway, he’s flying. He’ll call me when he can, but he’s busy when he’s flying.” Even to Judy, her excuses sounded flat.

  “That’s ridiculous. He’d want to know, Judy. You know he would. I can’t make you talk to him, but if you break up with him, I swear to God I will beat sense into you, myself.”

  Dani meant well, but Judy needed a little distance from Jason. It was good that he was flying this weekend. The last thing she wanted to do was jump into his life, asking him to rescue her from hers. She spent years working her ass off in a career she didn’t love so that Greg could get his writing career started, and look where that got her. She needed to figure out what she wanted to do next for herself. She was done letting her life decisions revolve around a man. Even if that man was as perfect as Jason. Plus, she didn’t want him to put his life on hold while she sorted hers out. That seemed unfair.

  “Hey, so tell me, was the dress a success?” Dani asked, changing the subject.

  “Oh, yeah, I think so. Stephanie said he stopped in his tracks when he saw me.” She smiled with that inner glow of joy that always surfaced when she thought about Jason.

  Dani spent the day with Judy, leaving only at Judy’s insistence because she had a date with Paul.

  “You sure you’ll be okay? I’m happy to stick around and watch movies, drink wine, order pizza. As a matter of fact, that sounds like a great idea to me.” Dani picked up her phone and started to call Paul to cancel.

  “No!” Judy exclaimed. “I’m fine. I’m going to go to bed early and start over tomorrow. It’s been a day to forget.” She was exhausted and emotionally spent.

  Dani left in the early evening and Judy couldn’t keep her eyes open. She snacked on more of Jason’s bagels and went to bed.

  She spent the rest of the weekend packing. The realtor had confirmed the closing date on the condo with new buyers, and they asked if they could move it up to the 15th. Judy didn’t know how she was going to find a place to live in 12 days, but whatever. She’d figure it out. She arranged for her things to go into storage until she found a place to live, but the first thing she wanted to do after the closing was go back to Illinois and see Mom and Kate. It had been too long.

  She was still unsure about what to do with Jason and her career. The last thing she wanted to do was hold him back in his decisions while she wavered about her next move. By the end of the weekend, a break from their relationship was sounding more and more like the only option.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

 
ON TUESDAY AFTER THE long weekend, Judy had reached and decision, and she did the worst of the things that she knew she must do. She needed a break from Jason and she needed to give him the freedom to make his own decisions. She didn’t want to be the reason he stayed in Seattle and turned down the Southern California opportunity, and she also needed to figure out what was the right move for her.

  Jason came directly over after he got into Seattle, and she could see how travel-worn he was. He’d been so busy and what she was about to do was going to crush him. It made her monumentally sad. He took one look at her and rushed to her, gathering her in his arms.

  “I missed you. I can’t believe I didn’t hear from you. Why?”

  He had texted and called while he was gone, but she hadn’t responded. She felt like she needed space. Maybe that they needed space. But definitely she needed space.

  He said all this into her hair not letting go of her. Just for a moment she allowed herself to feel how strong and solid he was, and how wonderful it was just to lean into him. But she pulled back. She couldn’t give in to this. She knew she was doing the right thing for both of them.

  “Jason, we need to talk.” she motioned for him to sit.

  She sounded a little cold, and it made her feel cold to be this way. She should be warm, always warm, with Jason.

  “I don’t like the sound of your voice or the expression on your face. Judy, whatever decision you’ve made, please, let me talk to you about it.”

  He looked frightened. He was already negotiating with her and he didn’t even know what she was about to say.

  “Jason, I need some time.”

  She started out calmly, but then she couldn’t hold back. She burstinto tears. He gathered her into his arms.

  “No, you don’t need time away from me, we help each other,” and his voice broke. “We are stronger together,” he said, “invincible, even. Whatever is happening, we’ll solve the problem together.”

  This was unbearable. She had to make it stop. She pulled away again.

  “Jason, I lost my job. I’m getting a divorce, and in 10 days I’m going to be homeless. Let me figure this out before I figure you out. You are getting ready to possibly move to California,” she said through a veil of tears. “And I don’t know if I can do that. I’ve lost so much. I can’t bear to lose you, but I can’t bear to lose the life I have made here either. I need to end this before it becomes even harder for us.”

  She knew she wasn’t making much sense, but she also knew that she needed some time. She pulled herself together.

  “I just need a little time. We just need a break.”

  “Tell me what happened at work,” he said with fire in his eyes.

  “It’s okay. It’s over.”

  “No, Judy, tell me what happened.”

  “Fine, okay. I went in on Saturday to deal with whatever fallout there was from the party. Stephanie caught up with me immediately and told me that Rich ordered me off the Bradford account, but she was making him squirm and wouldn’t agree to do it.”

  She paused. She debated continuing, but nothing would make sense unless Jason knew what had happened.

  “But she knew the whole time she would have to fire me because Rich put a tail on you and found out about our relationship.”

  “He fucking what?!” Red flushed up from his shirt collar and into his face. His eyes glittered dangerously.

  “He told Stephanie he put the tail on you because he didn’t think you were making all your flights. You were, of course, but the PI revealed our relationship.”

  She sighed. She sat down with her head in her hands.

  “I’m going to kill him,” Jason said.

  Judy felt a steely resolve start to slowly spread through her.

  “Jason, did you ever think that maybe we aren’t very good for each other?” She asked even though she didn’t believe this herself.

  “What? What the hell are you talking about, Judy?” Jason was defensive.

  “Look at it objectively. Two days after I meet you for the first time, my husband announces he’s leaving me. Two months after we reconnect on the Bradford account, I’m jobless and it looks like you are on your way out of a job, too. Don’t you think our relationship is a little destructive, Jason?”

  She knew she was being unfair. She didn’t believe any of it. She had been more herself than ever when she was with Jason. She believed in her heart that he made her a better person. But she also knew that the best thing for him was Southern California and its opportunities. The best thing for Judy? Well, she hadn’t figured that out yet, but she needed some time and space to do it.

  One thing that couldn’t hurt was being a little more careful with her heart. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing Jason, but it was starting to look like she was going to lose him anyway. He wanted to separate from Bradford Aviation and relocate to California to follow his dream. It was entirely possible that Jason defending her honor like he did would make that a possibility even sooner than he’d imagined.

  She wasn’t ready to pick up and move. And why should she have to? She had spent a lot of time trying to placate and make things work with Greg, and yet he decided to shack up with a single-mom dancer anyway, and then knock her up. How did she know that Jason wouldn’t end up doing the same thing to her?

  Somewhere in her heart she knew this wasn’t true. He would never do that to her. But her heart and mind were in self-preservation mode.

  “Are you seriously blaming me for Greg leaving you?” Jason looked incredulous. “I mean, I’ll take the blame for you losing your job because we knew that might happen. But Jesus, Judy. It’s not like I set out to fuck up your life. I’m in love with you. I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you.” He practically yelled in his anger and shock.

  She couldn’t take it anymore. Wait. Did he say marry? Tears were streaming down her face. She had to end this.

  “Jason, no, I can’t do this. I need time and space and to figure out my life. You need to figure out yours, too, without me complicating it. Let’s just give ourselves some time. Please, just leave.”

  “Judy,” he said softly and moved toward her.

  She could see the heartbreak in his eyes. He reached for her but she backed up a step. It destroyed some part of her to do this to him. She loved this man so much, and causing him pain was the last thing she wanted to do.

  “No,” she said. “I need you to leave. I can’t do this.”

  Judy cried, loving him with all her heart. She turned away and faced the window. She didn’t see him put his head in his hands and cry quietly for a few minutes, and then get up and leave without a word. But she felt him do all of that. She always felt Jason.

  When the door closed behind him, she had never felt so empty in her life, not even when Greg left her in Catalina.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  JASON COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. What the fuck just happened? She seriously just broke up with him?? He was in shock. He had a pain in his chest that was unfamiliar and terrible. What did she need time for?

  And what the hell with Rich? He put a tail on Jason? Why would he do that? It’s easy enough to figure out if he was making all the runs he needed to. Jesus. The clients would have complained if he’d been a no-show.

  He stood in the hallway of Judy’s building leaning against the wall. He wanted to knock on her door and force her to deal with him, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. She was stubborn and she had dug her heels in. But the thing was, he knew she loved him. He knew it was breaking her heart as much as it was breaking his. So why was she doing this?

  He wasn’t moving to California. At least not right away. He wanted to be wherever Judy was. He’d talked to Tommy about it and Tommy just told him to take his time. There would always be a job for him in California if he wanted one. That was Tommy. He’s a good guy and he understood letting life have the upper hand sometimes. But Christ, he didn’t even get to talk to Judy about th
is. She had cut him loose the second he arrived.

  Everything she said was total bullshit and she knew it. They loved each other and they belonged together. He practically proposed to her and she ignored it. Maybe it wasn’t the best proposal in the history of proposals, but whatever. If she wanted time, he’d give her time. Not too much time. He’d be back for her. But today, he’d give her time.

  He needed to sort out Rich, anyway. That bastard had messed with the wrong guy.

  The next day Jason went to work at Bradford. He had a few days off from flying but he had some maintenance issues to sort out with one of the planes. He also had rodent problem to take care of.

  “Hi Jason, how’s it going?” Trina asked as he walked in.

  “Hey Trina, is Rich in?”

  “Yep, go on in. I think he might have been expecting you today,” she said.

  Jason walked into Rich’s office. Rich was sitting at his desk, looking like he might actually be working but Jason knew better. He was probably surfing internet porn.

  “Jason, my man!” Rich said, standing and offering Jason a hand. Jason ignored it.

  “Rich, we need to talk,” he said quietly. There was no mistaking the waves of fury emanating from Jason. It took everything he had to not kick the shit out of Rich.

  “Aw, Jason, I know what you’re gonna say, and look. Whatever happened to Judy’s position was her own fault. She knew the rules about dating clients. That’s not on me,” Rich said with a wave of his hand.

  Jason went silent. He counted to ten. Then twenty. He shot daggers at Rich with a glance.

  “Rich, there are so many things wrong with you that I can’t even begin to list them. But let me tell you something, the very last thing I’m in here to talk about is Judy losing her job.”

  He took a step forward and Rich took a step back, even though his desk separated them.

  “Let me start with you assaulting her at the launch party. That shit is never okay. You deserve to be in jail.”