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I mean, yeah, perfect in terms of general likability. But when they rated her in terms of standing on a political stage next to me, she failed badly.
“I don’t see any chemistry there.” “They seem like strangers.”
I mean duh, we fucking are.
Or my favorite from the focus group member who didn’t want to pull any punches: “I think she’d be lowering her standards for him”.
Yeah, fuck you, too.
Other candidates were about the same. Some with high likeability scores but low on the compatibility scale. Some ranked amazing as my partner, but dogshit in terms of likability, and I’m not sure what that says about me but I’m choosing to move beyond it.
In short, none of them worked.
Except one. Fucking. Usurper.
Fumi.
I know I should be stoked that something great came out of this whole charade of Meredith’s. After twenty-odd candidates fell short, we finally got one Cinderella out on that stage that killed it.
She wowed the focus group. She nailed a perfect compatibility score. It would all be fine and dandy, except?—
“She fucking cheated.”
I frown as my gaze swivels to my brother. Alistair shakes his head, pacing my office.
“I mean it’s fucking ridiculous. Surely this is against some condition of her employment here.”
Taylor snorts, a grin on her face as she rolls her eyes.
“Something amusing you’d care to share with the class, Tay?” I mutter.
She shoots me one of her trademark “are you fucking serious” looks.
“Gabriel, you set up this whole absurd?—”
“It’s not absurd, Taylor. It’s my election?—”
“We’re talking about paying a woman to be your fake wife so that you can run for Governor,” she snaps. “I’m sorry, but what part of that isn’t absurd?”
“She cheated, Taylor,” Alistair growls. “She used the fact that she’s worked under Gabriel for almost four years, used what she knows about him to?—”
“How is that cheating?” Taylor barks. “I call it research. Using her own smarts and cojones. Which is precisely what I thought we hired for around here.”
I sigh. “Taylor?—”
“Why exactly is Fumi the bad guy here? Because she’s a woman?”
I shoot her a look. Alistair rolls his eyes. “Tay, I think you should step away from this conversation.”
“I would be very careful about what you say next, Alistair,” she says icily. “If you have any fondness for your balls, that is.”
My brother sighs. “Not because you’re also a woman. Jesus. Because she’s your friend.”
“Says the guy with his name on the side of the building who’s also fucking one of our employees.”
“I’m engaged to one of our employees,” Alistair hisses back. “And I’m not running for fucking governor, nor is Eloise trying to get money out of me in exchange for being my fake fucking?—”
“Enough,” I roar, standing.
