Chapter Six: In Which She Meets Her Match
Glory sat in the chair crossing and uncrossing her legs, looking around the room trying to find something to entertain herself with. Jackie was sitting behind her desk giving her dirty looks every couple of minutes. Glory gave her a bright smile, because that's what she did when someone hated her. It was like the mental equivalent of 'yeah screw you too!' in that type of situation.
She started tapping her fingers against the arm of the chair humming rather loudly and off key, hoping to annoy her a little. "Could you not do that?" Jackie hissed at her. She stopped humming and pulled her hands together in her lap, "If you would let me go back into Mr. Fox's office then you wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. Would you?" She rolled her eyes at Glory's argument and went back to doing whatever it was she was doing. "Suit yourself..." She started humming and tapping again.
She looked ready to get up out of her chair and come at Glory but luckily Frankie walked through the front door as if it were divine intervention, "Good afternoon Jackie." The blonde's expression changed immediately into a charming smile, "Good afternoon Mr. Weston. I didn't know you had an appointment today." She looked down at her book, scanning the page feverishly. Frankie chuckled, "Oh it wasn't an official thing. Arden asked me to come by if I had a free moment." She nodded her head, "Of course. I'll let Mr. Fox know you're here." He nodded his head and his eyes scanned the room, falling on Glory. He smiled at her, "Miss Novacek." He leaned against the front desk, "What brings you here today? Hopefully not any more practical jokes..." He suggested.
She could see why Frankie and Arden worked well together they both are able to carry themselves around with that same smugness. "Not today, but it's still early so who knows. You know I find it interesting how dedicated Mr. Fox' employees seem to be. I bet nothing slips by them. I mean take Jackie here for instances, she's like an iron wall. No one is getting through her."
"Indeed..." He said with amusement, clearly not missing the jesting in Her tone. Jackie looked up to Frankie with a smile and then a completely straight expression when her eyes flipped toward Glory.
"Mr. Fox says he'll see you now." Jackie said as she hung up the phone, still smiling at Frankie. Oh he'll see Frankie but not her? She had been waiting in his stupid lobby for the past thirty minutes. She would have gone in there sooner if it wasn't for the big hulking security guard standing near his office door. He clearly wised up to the type of person he was dealing with. Glory frowned as Frankie nodded his head and pushed himself up right, "Well it looks like your master has summoned you." She mumbled crossing her legs again.
Frankie laughed, "Would you like to join me?" He asked as he motioned for her to follow him. His question took her by surprise but she wasn't about to wait around in this room anymore. Jackie's eyes widened a little, "I didn't get the okay for her to go through..." She scrambled. Frankie waved off her comment, "Don't worry about it Jackie. I want her to come with me."
Glory couldn't stop the smirk that spread across her lips as she rose up out of the chair. Perhaps Frankie was nothing like Arden at all. Jackie looked a little panicked, "Mr. Fox won't like this at all..." Glory shrugged her shoulders, "Who cares what he likes." Frankie chuckled at her comment and walked away towards Arden's office. She started after him but turned her head back, "Relax Jackie, if you're not careful you'll grey prematurely." She looked like she was ready to rip my hair out.
Glory turned quickly and fell into step beside Frankie, his long legs making her feel like she had to jog to keep up with him. "You sure know how to make an impression on people don't you?" He commented with a chuckle. "Unfortunately for every one I meet..." She smile up at him brightly. He pushed the white door open, "On the contrary Miss Novacek, I find you to be very refreshing." He smiled down at her and she walk into the room in front of him blush fanning her cheeks at his comment.
Arden was leaning against his desk reading something, "Thank you for coming by on such short notice Frankie." He didn't even bother looking up from his paperwork as he pushed off his desk and turned his back to them.
"It's not a problem. We are friends after all." Frankie says as he comes to stand by Glory, easing out of his jacket. "Although I am curious as to what it is that has you so stressed." Arden turned back to them ready to unleash his problems but when his eyes meet hers the expression on his face flat lined, "I see you continue to disregard other people's wishes Miss Novacek."
"Hey, you're the one who told me I had to help you figure out this situation or else. If you want to be rude I'll gladly leave." She turned to walk away but Frankie put his hand on her shoulder stopping her from leaving. "Arden can you stop antagonizing the poor girl?" Frankie asked as he removed his hand from her shoulder. Glory turned back towards them to find Mr. Fox sulking a little as he took a seat in his big chair. "Take a seat Miss Novacek." He commanded. She scowled at him but crossed towards the chairs in front of his desk and sat down. Frankie chuckled to himself, "You two are like an old married couple..." Both of them turned and looked at him with equal looks of disgust.
"As If anyone could marry someone as impulsive and big mouthed as her. I'd sure feel sorry for the poor bastard, he'd be liable to he drink himself to death." He commented dryly. Glory's mouth dropped open at his words. "I don't know I think she's quite lovely actually..." Frankie replied with a smirk. She stuck her tongue out at Arden as if to say 'suck it!'
"How mature of you..." He mumbled across his desk to her.
"I never claimed to be mature." She smirked.
"Arden what is it you needed from me?" Frankie interrupted their banter. Arden closed his eyes and breathed deeply, "It's about this whole mess. I know that I agreed to it the other day but Isobel called me last night."
"Whose Isobel again?" Glory asked curiously.
"She's his former fiancé." Frankie calmly says, "And what did she say?" He seemed legitimately concerned for his friend. Arden's demeanor did seem rather deflated which from all the encounters Glory had with him it didn't seem not normal. She watched him run his hand through his dark hair, messing up its perfection, "She called to ask me how I was and to tell me that she hoped that I found someone who would actually make me happy."
"Why does everyone seem so gloomy? That's great news! You could get her back!" She pushed herself up out of the chair feeling like she might have actually gained her freedom back.
"No." Mr. Fox stated without hesitation.
"No? Why not? Isn't that what got us into this mess in the first place?" She placed her hands on his desk and leaned in towards him. He spun his chair around so that neither one of them can see him, "No. You were the one who got me into this situation in the first place. She chose to leave because of your words. I was made to look like a fool, it won't happen again!" His voice shook with anger. Glory eased back away from his desk feeling a strange heaviness in her chest. Maybe she shouldn't have given the guy such a hard time. He had gotten himself on the raw end of a bad deal.
He rose up out of his chair, "I am not pleased by this situation and if I could avoid it then I would but I can't. I only wanted to make sure that this was the only way to fix it." He looked over his shoulder toward Frankie who was standing in the same spot as before seemingly unmoved. "I'm sorry my friend but this is probably the best way to handle things, for all parties involved." Frankie's gaze fell on her for a moment before turning his attention back to Arden, "Isobel made her decision and you have made yours."
Glory understood he must mean that he's made the decision to not chase after her, even though it looked like he wanted too. Men, she didn't get them at all. She let out a sigh, "You're pathetic."
"Excuse me?" His voice rumbled deep and low.
"You heard me! I said you're pathetic. You don't understand the first thing about what it means to love someone. I bet you've never truly loved someone in your entire life, other then yourself!" She probably shouldn't have said all of that. It might have been a little harsh but it was true. It was all clear to her now that this was the biggest problem on his list of problems and for some reason deep down inside a part of her wanted to help him. She couldn't explain it but something about him looking all sad really got to her.
"How dare you! What do you even know about me?" His body was shaking.
"I may not know a lot about your personal life but it doesn't take a whole lot to see that you don't know what it means to love someone and as much as I'm probably going to hate myself for this later. I want to help you." She put her hands on her hips as if to make it clear she was ready to stand my ground. Glory noticed Frankie do a double take her direction at her comment.
"What?" Is the only word that came out of Arden's mouth.
"What is it with you today, do you have a hearing problem? I said that I want to help you. Don't ask me to repeat myself again, cause that's the last time I'm saying that." She pursed her lips together.
" And who says I want the help of some like you?" The way he said the words felt like a knife in her chest, but Glory does her best to ignore the feeling. She shrugged her shoulders, "No one said you wanted it but clearly you need it. You don't have to agree with me, but he does." She tilted her head towards Frankie, "And sense he's the one calling the shots with this whole thing I'd say majority rules. So it looks like your stuck with me for now."
Arden had that death stare down pretty good, and he was currently giving Glory his best rendition of it. Frankie cleared his throat, "I think then since we are all here, we could discuss the terms of the agreement." Arden and Glory continued to look at each other neither of them flinching, "Fine." They replied in unison.