Idolatry

For the next few weeks Win was happy. She loved Cole more every day.

But then without warning, it all fell apart and like the beginning of their relationship, the cause was Merril. Win hadn’t seen Merril since the dinner they had shared on the night she had first started seeing Cole. Now in the last week the other woman had been into the office every day. Each time Win was polite and respectful but Merril ignored her and walked into Cole’s office like she owned the place. Her attitude irritated Win but to her dismay Cole didn’t seem to mind and as he did nothing to stop it, she couldn’t do anything either. 

It was an hour before closing when Merril arrived that Friday. Cole was out seeing another client but he was due back in half an hour. He had been out of the office often that week and Win didn’t always know where he was. He had also had a couple of evening meetings but she didn’t think much about it until Merril said something that brought it all together. 

When Merril walked in she went to move past Win but this time Win had to stop her. She couldn’t let the other woman go into Cole’s office alone. “Merril Cole’s not here” she said. “You’ll need to wait out here.”

“Really?” Merril said turning to look at her and speaking to her for the first time.

“Yes” Win said keeping her tone even but firm.

“Okay” the other woman said “I have a better idea. Tell Cole he can come by my apartment tonight instead. He knows where it is, he’s been there often enough” she finished and after giving Win a smirk, she walked out.

Once Merril had left, Win dropped down into her chair. She felt shattered. Of course Cole knew where her apartment was, that’s where he had been all week. It all made sense now she realised with a searing pain piercing her heart. Merril was much more his type that she was. Win no longer felt like she was inferior to him but deep down she knew it was only a matter of time before he moved on to some one more suitable, she just never thought it would be with Merril. Cole had tried so hard to rebuff her. But as that thought occurred to her something hit her. If he wasn’t tempted by Merril, would he have needed a third party to hold her off? He was a mature, intelligent man, he shouldn’t need help to repulse any advance unless of course he was fighting himself rather than her. Oh god, Win thought as a tear escaped her eye and ran down her face. 

This was her own fault however she realised. Win couldn’t really be angry with Cole. She had let herself get involved with him when she knew their relationship made no sense. Even if he wasn’t the god she had made him into, he was so far out of her league the whole thing was ridiculous. And to make matters worse she had put her job on the line in the process. Her whole life was a mess now because she had given into emotions she didn’t have a right to feel.