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I expect Mitch to shake my hand, but he comes in for a solid hug. “He’ll be fine; don’t you worry.”
I’ve heard that line enough times to make me want to dick-punch someone. Or multiple someones. I know it’s meant to be encouraging, but honestly, this isn’t a bounce-right-back kind of injury, so the fine part seems like it’s going to take a long-ass time to get to.
I redirect the conversation away from Alex, because talking about him makes me feel guilty for not being home.
The proposal is seamless until I get to the second-to-last slide. When I click to it, the screen fills with a picture of me and Alex from the night we met. We’re mouth-fucking—like, hardcore. The letters D-T-F spin onto the screen below my tongue sliding into his mouth. Mitch clears his throat. Bunny giggles.
“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. That isn’t part of my proposal. I mean, obviously watching me and Alex mouth-fuck has nothing to do with managing your financial portfolio. I don’t—” I choke on the words as I move to the next slide, hoping to get rid of the horribly inappropriate image. But another slide of Alex and me making out pops up. I hit the back button, revisiting the previous mouth-fuck before I finally get to one that isn’t embarrassing.
“I apologize,” Mr. Stroker says.
I can feel the tears. They’re so close to spilling over. I don’t want to look at him, because I can hear how angry he is. I’ve blown it. I don’t know how those pictures ended up in my proposal, but I’ve lost the account for sure now, and possibly my job. This is the worst week ever.
“Violet has some colleagues who like to play practical jokes. Unfortunately, their timing on this one is poor.” He hits the button on the phone beside him. Edna, his personal secretary, answers in a chipper voice. “What can I do for you, Mr. Stroker?”
“Have Jimmy and Dean from accounting come to conference room B, please.”
“Of course.”
“What’re you doing?” I whisper—not like it matters, the Darcys can still hear me.
“They need to apologize.”
“It’s okay. I mean, it’s not. But it’s not like everyone hasn’t already seen those pictures. They were everywhere for a while. And Alex and I have been caught doing worse.” I wish I could stop my mouth from opening and spewing out words.
“Like in the locker room.” Bunny winks at me. “Mitch told me all about that!”
Jesus. Could this get any more embarrassing?
Stroker’s eyebrows rise, wrinkling his forehead. I try not to react, but I can feel the heat in my face.
“We don’t need to see anything else, Violet,” Mitch says. “Bunny has done her research on you, and we know you’ll do an excellent job handling us.”
My mind is stuck somewhere in the gutter thanks to the mouth-fuck pictures because when Mitch says “handling us” I think he means his junk, not his financial portfolio. Thankfully, a knock on the door prevents me from saying something even more embarrassing.
Jimmy pops his head in the room. Dean’s right behind him, shoving him forward so he can get in, too. “Hey, Mr. St—” Jimmy stops when he sees the Darcys, and his perfectly shaped eyebrows shoot up toward his artfully styled hair.
“Oooohhhh…” Dean lifts his hand to his mouth.
I’m fairly certain we’re matching in our horror.
“I assume you know why you’re here.” Mr. Stroker has put on his angry face. It’s super convincing, maybe because he really is upset.
“I think so,” Jimmy says slowly.
In case there was any question, Mr. Stroker cues up the PowerPoint and goes to the incriminating slides. I close my eyes to block out the view of my tongue in Alex’s mouth.
“I’m so sorry. I put the mouth-fucking slides in a while ago and forgot to take them out.” Jimmy cringes when Dean elbows him in the side. “I mean the kissing slides. Violet calls it mouth-fucking, which we think is funny—”
“Shut up,” Dean hisses.
“It’s okay,” I mutter. “Can you just—”
“It’s not okay, Violet. This is unprofessional behavior. What if the Darcys weren’t so understanding?” Mr. Stroker gestures to the massive image on the screen. My tongue is the size of my actual head.
I sink down in my chair, wishing Stroker would take the hint and change the slide. I steal a peek at the Darcys. Mitch’s eyes are darting between my tongue in Alex’s mouth, Jimmy and Dean, and then back to Bunny.
My humiliation knows no end.
I raise my hand. “Mr. Stroker.”
“Yes, Violet.”
“Can we change the slide to something that isn’t me with my tongue in Alex’s mouth, please?”
He glances over. “Oh. Right. I was making a point.”
“I think it’s made.”
“You two, go to my office and wait there. I’ll deal with you when we’re done in here.” Stroker waves them out.
Jimmy and Dean trip over each other to escape. I have no idea what the damn point of that was.
