Chapter 13
She set her briefcase down by the door, walking over to check her messages. Heading into the kitchen, she flipped through her mail, making mental notes to call everyone back.
Pulling a pot out for pasta, she set the mail on the counter. Grabbing another pot and setting it out, she grabbed the sauce from the fridge and poured it into it, setting it on the stove and then filling the other pot with water.
Walking over, she grabbed the phone and dialed.
"Hello."
"Hi Michelle."
"Hey girl! What's up?"
"Nothing, just calling to talk. You got some time?"
"Sure. So how's work going?"
"Good, same ole. We're getting things rolling on the fundraiser, can I sign you up for it?"
"Don't I always every year?"
"Well yeah, but ya never know, you may wanna try to be slick and get out of it."
"Who me? Never!" Michelle laughed.
"Yeah yeah."
"So, all done with Olympics stuff?"
"Well sort of, the group is gone, well almost all of the group."
"Almost?"
Jordan, stirred the sauce and added the pasta to the water. "Yeah, Howard Dorough is still here."
"Ohh yeah! I remember you mentioning him. He's the one who thought you were the secretary. You like him right?"
"Like? Hardly. Yes he's nice, I don't know if I'd say I like him, I hardly know him."
"So why don't you?"
She stirred the pasta. "Why don't I what?"
"Get to know him. Go out sometime."
"Michelle, you know I don't have the time for that. Work keeps me busy and I have to focus all of my energy there. Besides, we already went out to lunch so..."
"You went out to lunch with him?!"
"Only because he insisted, he made fun of my crackers."
"Jordan really."
"What?! He did!"
"Anyway, so I still think you should go out with him. Show him around Utah, didn't you say he was in some music group or whatever."
"Yeah, the Backstreet Boys."
"Ok, so chances are he doesn't get to look around a lot. You could be his tour guide, ya know, show him stuff outside of the whole Olympics field. He's probably bored out of his mind not knowing where all the good stuff is."
"I don't think so. My job is done showing him around."
"You really have to stop that, how many times have I told you, you need a life Jordan. Everything involves work. All work and no play makes for a dull Jordan."
"Michelle, we go through this same conversation over and over and it never changes."
"That's cause you're so damn stubborn."
"I know."
"Anyway, you wanna go out tonight? To a club or something."
"I don't think so."
"Well I don't care what you think, you're going and that's it. I'll pick you up at eight."
"Michelle..."
"Don't Michelle me. It's bad enough you won't go out with...Howard, but you ARE gonna go out with me."
Jordan sighed. "Fine. I'll see you in an hour."
"Good. Think about what I said Jordan, maybe he can be the one to change things for you, maybe you'll wanna make time for him." With that Michelle hung up.
****
Jordan listened to the pulsing music and sipped at her drink, watching Michelle dancing with one of the many men she'd acquired since being there. They all seemed to gravitate towards her, no matter where they went, they all lined up. Michelle had always been more open than her, more outgoing.
She watched as Michelle made her way back over to the table.
"Come on Jordan! Get out here with me! There's tons of guys and they're as hot as hell!"
"No thanks, I'm fine."
Michelle frowned. "Come on! You're no fun!"
"This was your idea remember?"
Michelle rolled her eyes. "Maybe we should just invite Howie hmm? Would that help?"
Jordan stared at her over her drink, refusing to see how riled the thought made her. "Do what you want."
Michelle groaned, starting to walk towards the dance floor. "I'm not giving up on you Jordan! You know that!"
Jordan sighed. Michelle's words rang over and over in her head. Maybe she should call him, but no, she couldn't do that. She really didn't have time. Her work was her life, but she couldn't help but wonder. Did she just have this conversation with herself at work earlier? And hadn't she promised herself she wouldn't think of him again, that he was out of her life? Damnit, Michelle had to bring it up again. Technically she did, but she didn't think it would...she should've known Michelle would make a big deal out of it.
She stared hard at her drink. What if questions kept swirling around in her head. What if she called him? What if they did go out? It was a risk she wasn't sure she was willing to take.
