“Can you believe they had me travel all the way across the river on the MAX for that Eastside marketing meeting,” Blair said, “like I’m some kind of cube worker whose thoughts are so small that it takes dozens just like me to come up with one idea good enough to use?”Blair still wasn’t sure what had offended her more.The fact that someone with a higher title within the corporation considered her just another face in the crowd of zombie cubicle workers, or the fact that the Key hadn’t provided her with a complimentary Pearlride.
“Someone has to lead the regular people.”Maxine sucked in a breath, her lips tightening intoan O.
“Tell me.”Blair nodded encouragingly, already able to read Maxine.The independent, decisive, and competent assistant was a lovely change of pace.It wasn’t until Maxine that Blair had realized how much time she spent fighting or calculating her next battle strategy with her previous assistants.She was never truly at ease, and she never would be as long as her relationship with Maxine was tethered to the MediCenter, but Blair appreciated the possibility that they could maybe one day be friends.For now, there was only one person on the planet who could get Blair to release her guard completely.But she’d been so busy clawing her way up the MediCenter ladder that she hadn’t spent quality time with her brother in months and, until Denny fixed his comlink, they also wouldn’t be chatting anytimesoon.
Maxine settled into the black chair opposite Blair.“Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but the marketing pod has been totally uninspired lately.To the point that there have been talks of reassignment within the department.”Her arched brows shot toward her hairline.“All the way up the chain.”
A soldier clad in Key Corp tactical gear stood frozen in the still image that appeared on the screen behind Maxine.Tree trunks wider than the man himself shot up from the ground on allsides.
Blair crossed and uncrossed her legs.Shewasalready late to the videocast...
“Andhave you heard who’s in the running for the head position?”Maxine continued, excitement driving her delicate eyebrows toward the deep widow’s peak of her short blondhair.
Head of marketing wasn’t the title Blair had her eye on.But a title was a title.Besides, all of her titles thus far had been likeill-fittingpants, kept on long enough to prove they weren’t right, and cast off for a better fit.
Blair silently set her jaw and reclasped her hands while her toes tapped under herdesk.
“Well, I’ve heard who it’snot.”Maxine tucked her holopad under her arm and sniffled.“And it’s notyou.”
If Blair were the violent type, she would have snatched one of those pointed pencils and reached across her desk and given Maxine something to sniffle about.Instead, she cleared her throat and planted her bare feet on the plush rug.“Good.I don’t want the position anyway.”
Red.
“Of course.”Maxine settled against the high back of the velvet chair.“I can’t picture you over on the Eastside.You belong at the MediCenter.”Her lips again tightened into that gossipy little O.“But I can’t say that I wasn’t curious as to the reason why anyone would not consider you for a titled position.So I looked into it.”
Blair bit down on the inside of her cheeks.
“I don’t know if you knew this...”Sass tacked itself to Maxine’s tone.“But the MediCenter director can’t hold any other titles.”
Blair squeezed her fingers together so tightly her ragged nailbeds drained ofcolor.
Maxine scooted to the edge of her seat.“You’re on the board’s list of candidates!”
Copper pooled against the sides of Blair’s tongue as she carved slivers in her cheeks.“Of course Iam.”
She’d expected to be considered by the board.More than that, Blair expected to be the next MediCenter director.But expecting something and it coming to fruition were two different beasts.She’d learned that early on, made adjustments in her thinking, and now had her own office and troop of cube workers looking to her for guidance.
Maxine tucked her hair behind her ears.“Youknew?”
Blair’s expression was flint.“Yes.”
Black.
“Well, I apologize for unnecessarily taking up your time.”Maxine shuffled stiffly in her seat and freed her holopad from under her arm.“And I will do everything in my power to assure you’re appointed.”
“Maxine,” Blair said, as the petite blond stood and turned to face the holoscreen.“I do love to know all of the buzz, so if you would...”Her pulse increased and her palms grew clammy as the confirmation tunneled through each section of her brain.She ran the tip of her finger across her bottom lip.She’d made it to the final round.She, Blair Iris Scott, was being seriously considered for the head position of the Westfall MediCenter.It had always been possible, and everyone knew she’d sacrificed her life for the opportunity, but this was real.This wasn’t in her head or tacked on the vision board she kept in her private virtual meditation chamber.This was actually happening.
Momma and Daddy would be so proud.
Her throat tightened with the thought, and her body heated as she fought back the memories thundering behind hereyes.
“Blair, I will always let you know what I hear.Even if it means you’re hearing it twice.”Maxine’s lips sharpened with a smile.
Blair nodded her thanks.
Maxine understood Blair.Perhaps she was a strongholdtoo.
“So, just a quick note before I leave you to catch up on current events.”Maxine’s perfect Key Corp–red nails clacked against her holopad as she flitted to Blair’s side.“The production team on the Zone Seven raid video tried to get a statement from Dr.Scott, but she declined to comment.”
