“Thank you, darling. Better now than never.” James’s lips curved upwards as his eyes devoured Tim’s perky ass.
“Those are the ones you requested last week. Sorry I’m behind schedule, but I was late today. Traffic.” Tim shot me a conspiratorial look, as though I knew exactly what he was talking about, which I didn’t. Tim had made it a habit of being late; I was always on time.
Apart from today.
“Don’t worry about it.” James waved his hand playfully. I wondered if he would be so kind to me? “Isn’t there a saying ‘save the best for last’? Catch you at lunch.”
Tim flashed his white, even teeth before closing the door behind him.
“So.” James sighed and turned to face me. I swallowed past the sudden lump in my throat as his easygoing expression turned a few shades darker.
No preferential treatment for you, Stewart.
“I’m sorry I was late,” I said to break the uncomfortable silence. “There was some paperwork I needed to go through, and I thought I might as well do it from home.” Which wasn’t a lie. I had been planning to go through paperwork last night when Sylvie persuaded me to join her at our usual joint and Mystery Guy came in between.
“Don’t bullshit me. I know you’re lying. But that’s not why I called you in.” He moistened his lips and his gaze scanned the door behind me, and then settled back on me. “What went down with Mayfield?”
“He didn’t turn up.” James’s eyebrows shot up and he looked displeased. A sense of foreboding washed through me. Maybe Mystery Guy reported back to his boss, who complained to James, and now I was in bigger trouble than I thought. “Why are you asking?”
“Because I had a phone call this morning.” James’s frown intensified. Uh-huh. That wasn’t good. I swallowed hard and imagined myself cleaning out my desk.
“Mayfield’s offering you a job in his department,” James said, eyeing me. “He wants you to start straight away.”
My mouth dropped and I almost toppled off my chair. Holy cow. Being rude was all it took to land a job with a big firm? And that’s when I remembered that I had been doing more than talking. All heat drained from my cheeks. I had banged Mystery Guy, who in turn persuaded his boss to hire me. I could only imagine his arguments.
She is very, very good. We need more people like her, people who are cooperative and forthcoming, and who take business to a whole new level.
Oh, God.
I had just slept my way up the corporate ladder.
Talk about cheap.
“Obviously, I said that you’d rather stay with us because you’re very happy with your benefits package,” James continued.
I bobbed my head to signal I was following. Actually, my benefits package wasn’t that great. I wanted to point out I was still waiting for a promised pay rise six months ago, but I kept my mouth shut.
James grimaced, and my heart sank in my chest before he even opened his mouth to relay the bad news. “I’m sorry, Brooke, but I’ll have to fire you. Mayfield said he’d cut off all our contracts if I didn’t let you go.” He brushed his hand through his hair, as though relieved it was over, adding, “It was great working with you though.”
Holy mother of pearls!
That wasn’t a good enough reason to fire me, was it? Somewhere at the back of my mind I realized I could sue his ass for…oh I don’t know…but a lawyer sure as fuck could come up with something. James said Mayfield would cut off all our contracts. What kind of psycho would do that to hire one person? It’s not like I got famous showing off my skills on The Apprentice. Nor I was like Sylvie, graduating in the top of my class. What the hell did Jett—no, I wouldn’t even give him the courtesy of calling his name—Mr. Arrogant Guy, say about me?
My mind was spinning, and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. I was not sure if I should be angry or happy or both?
It took me a moment to grasp the meaning of James’s words. My heart began to drum in my ears and my cheeks burned. I had finally landed a job with a big firm. Granted, it wasn’t Delaware & Ray, but a beginning. The big break I had been waiting for. So why was I hesitating? Why didn’t it feel like sweet success?
Because you didn’t earn it.
My subconscious reared her nasty head. I had slept with someone in a higher position than mine, but I didn’t do it on purpose. I wasn’t a ho, because that’s a woman who deliberately sleeps with a guy for the sole purpose of gaining a personal advantage, financially or otherwise.
“I’ll have to think about it,” I said.