Electric Impulse

chapter 18 | troy

Three Months & Two Weeks Ago

Tuesday Evening

My phone rings. "Hey, Troy!"

"Aria, can you meet me at the studio?"

"Sure thing. I have some new designs and slogans I want to show you."

"Cool. We have some financials to go over."

"OK. See you in few?"

"That'll work."

Twenty minutes later, I pull up in front of our office building. My trusty old rust bucket is worse for wear. It's to the point now, that I have to kick the creaky car door from the inside, just to get out. It's getting harder and harder to get in and out of this thing. A new ride can't come soon enough. Once out, I wait for cars to pass and the road to clear and like a linebacker on the football field, I lunge, shoulder first into the rusty-hinged door. It manages to stay closed. I'm naming this car Gertrude.

I could've gotten a new car with that 10k from Phoenix. Instead, I chose to invest it in my business. It's a side job for now, but it's growing. So, hopefully, it pays off.

As I approach the front door, my eyes follow the line of the renovated factory up to the sky. In a previous life, this building was used to make tools. Now, individual lofts are rented out to small businesses. It feels like a college campus here. Pure potential and the excitement of progress permeate the walls. Every business here is a startup. I love the vibe of this place. There's a modern, yet retro feel, with the vintage cream city brick, huge exposed pipes, and high ceilings.

Troy must have gotten in before I did. When I arrive, the lights are dim, and "Sparks" by Coldplay is playing softly in the background. I go to the back office to drop off my bag. Troy's there waiting for me, drinking a glass of red wine.

"Want a drink?" he asks reaching for a second glass.

"Sure? You mentioned finances on the phone."

"I want to change the supplier for our T-shirts. The company I'm considering has better fabric. It's plusher and fade-resistant. We can increase the quality and therefore the value of our product, and cover the costs by adding an additional 15 percent to the price. I wanted to run it by you before making the switch. What do you think?"

"Well, I'm more on the creative side of things. I generally leave the business side to you, but I can see why you'd want my input. We'll want to justify the increase upfront. The copy on the website should mention the benefits of the new fabric. On the back end, we could add something small of value."

"Great ideas! We could add samples. I'll reach out to our suppliers to see if they know of any companies willing to provide samples of their products for free. It's a great way for a company to spread the word on a new product. That's a win-win for anyone that partners with us on this initiative."

"Our target customers are young, adult women. So cosmetic and perfume samples could make awesome companions. We could even reach out to those makeup subscription companies and see if they'd be willing to provide our customer with exclusive coupon code discounts."

"That's brilliant." Troy gets up from behind the desk and walks towards me. "Aria, I love how your mind works. Everything about you is—"

My heart breaks into a sprint. Sensing that things are about to get hot and heavy, I quickly stand up.

"—beautiful."

Troy unintentionally blocks me from walking away. His six-foot-something frame towers over me, pressing against my body. I'm pinned between him and the chair behind me. We're so close I can feel his minty breath on my lips as he stares deep into my eyes. My heart flutters. I have to admit, I've wondered what those lips would taste like but that was a simpler time. It's too complicated now.

"Everything about you is so sensual." He caresses my cheek with his hand. "I can't help but . . ." He leans in for a kiss and just as he does, the chair gives way. I must have been leaning on it, because it slides across the office floor, and I slide with it, freeing me from being between a rock and a hard place. Almost a near fall, I catch my balance just in time.

Taking a deep breath, I'm confused, feeling both disappointed and relieved. "Troy, I don't think we should cross that line. As much as I want to, I don't want to hurt our friendship or our new business. I mean, what happens if it doesn't work out? I care about you too much."

Troy backs away with his hands up. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." He comes back. "You know what? I'm tired of apologizing. There's just . . . there's something about us. Don't you feel that? Aria, we're good together."

I feel the pull to him but I also feel a pull from another direction. I'm drawing a blank. What's stopping me? Why don't I feel I should move forward with this?

A weird sensation takes over. Déjà vu. I've been here before, exactly like this, in this office as Troy said these exact words to me but something tells me I shouldn't do this. It doesn't feel quite right.

But why? The boy is fine as hell. He makes you feel good . . . .

"We could be good together. Look at what we've built, what we've created." He looks around the room. "I want to be with you. I've always wanted to be with you. If you need time, I can give you that."

Why am I so flustered? "Listen, Troy. You are one of my best friends. You've been there since day one. I honestly love you. You know that, right? You could have any girl you want. I mean, look at you but now is not the time. I just got out of a serious relationship. There's too much to lose if this went sideways. I'm not ready. I'm sorry. I just can't right now."

He backs away. "Ha. No. I understand." He takes a deep breath. "I respect your wishes. I'm here if you need me. In any capacity, just let me know." He stands there stoically as if he's erased all emotion but I know better.

I close my eyes for a second. "Thank you." I pause. "Umm, the new designs are on the iPad in the New Line folder. Take a look and let me know what you think?" I give him an innocent peck on the cheek. "Thanks for understanding." Signals are going haywire in my brain. I've got to get out of here.

Walking out of the office, past the T-shirt press and work tables, I quickly exit the studio. I'm practically holding my breath in the elevator all the way down until I hit the fresh night air.

I can't believe you just did that.

What's stopping me?

____________________

A/N: Hey Lovers! Now that Troy has made his move, what do you think of Aria's response? What would you do??? I'd love to know! Tell meh!

I'm dedicating this chapter to because she's out there promoting other writers here on Wattpad. I think it's awesome when you take time to shine the spotlight on people you admire. Good work