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“Well, I’d come over here to tell you about the new project I’d like you to work on,” Max continued, “but if you’re going to defend my little brother for breaking a Dashwood brousins’ agreement, I might have to reconsider.”
He turned away and took a couple of dramatic steps toward his office.
“Max, no. Please.” A chill panic cooled my embarrassment. “What goes on between you and your brothers and cousins is none of my business. I shouldn’t interfere. I’m sorry.”
He turned back, smirking.
“Shit. Were you kidding?”
He raised an eyebrow and shrugged.
“Well, anyway,” I told him. “All I was saying is, Elliot’s a good guy. You know he’s a good guy. And it’s over now, anyway. So maybe don’t be so hard on him.”
He turned to leave again, but his shaking shoulders gave him away.
“Oh, stop it, Max. I can see you laughing.”
He swiveled to face me again. “Couldn’t resist. And you’re right. Perhaps I did take it out on him. But, I mean, frankly, when were you ever not right? You wouldn’t still be in this job if I didn’t know how valuable you are, what a difference you’ve made to how I organize myself. I want to use your skills to help us grow, rather than just heat up my abandoned coffee.”
“That is one of my most annoying tasks. Right up there with organizing rides home at three a.m. for all the pre-Polly chicks.”
“Huh.” He gazed into the middle distance. “You know, I barely even remember those days. It’s like my life before Polly never existed. Once I was with her, everything else faded away in a cloud of irrelevance.”
“Well, look at you.” I leaned back in exaggerated surprise. “You old romantic.”
“Lest I give any impression I might suffer from mortal human emotions, let’s get back to the point.”
I sat up straight, like a schoolgirl waiting to be graded, and clasped my hands in my lap to hide the tremors suddenly taking hold of them.
Max folded his arms and looked down at me with the self-assured look he gets when he’s certain he’s doing the right thing. “As much as I’ve tried to think of someone else for this role, everyone I come up with pales in comparison when I rate them against the job I know you’d do. So, yeah, if you’d still like to do it, I’d like you to take the lead role in the Joyntz acquisition.”
I leaped out of my chair like there was a spring under my ass. “Hell, yes. Yes. Of course I still want it. Yes. Absolutely.” And I seem to be applauding myself. Or Max’s better judgment. Or something. But I definitely need to stop clapping.
“I’ll take that as a yes, then,” Max said, turning back to his office for real this time. “But don’t forget, I still need you twenty hours a week. This is just a test run. We’ll see how it goes.”
“You won’t regret it, Max. I promise. I’ll make you so pleased you gave me this chance. It’s going to be great. Already have a list of ideas. Thank you so much. I’m so happy you changed your mind.”
He peered at me over his shoulder as he pulled his office door open. “I just accidentally exhibited signs of humanity. Don’t make me do it again.” And he walked into his office without looking back.
As soon as he was gone, I grabbed my phone and called up my messages. Then stopped. The one person I wanted to text was the one person I couldn’t text.
The thrill of finally getting the promotion I’d wanted bled out of me. The most exciting opportunity I’d ever had in my whole life. Given to me because I work hard, do such a damn good job, and show potential to do more. I’d earned this all by myself.
That was the day I’d been waiting for. But without Elliot to tell, it was anticlimactic.
Even if what took place between us hadn’t happened, I would still have wanted to tell my friend Elliot before anyone else.
But I’ve lost him as my friend too.
Well, not lost him as much as deliberately and willfully thrown him away.
And replaced him with this tiny pink office and its brick wall view.
I’ve done my best to pull myself together in the three weeks since then, kept myself busy setting up this office, getting to grips with what I have to with Joyntz, all while still working for Max.
I keep reminding myself this is the opportunity I craved, what I’ve spent years working toward. And it truly is perfect. I’ve made this happen for myself, and this is the start of my future. If I can pull this off, Max will soon see me as executive material. And from there… well, my portfolio could only get bigger and better. As will the life I always dreamed of.
And I’ve jumped straight into it. Even in this short time I’ve already irritated the living crap out of the Joyntz executives with the number of questions I’ve asked as I formulate our post-acquisition plan. Max says that annoying people is a sign I’m doing things right.
