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“Make do? How could you be not gay and not absolutely drooling over that? I’ll switch if I can look at that on my off hours,” Ally offers.
Alice snickers. “No one’s switching, ladies. Mr. C requested it this way so that’s how it is. If you want a change, you’ll have to ask him. I wouldn’t recommend it. When he makes a specific request, he’s generally got a reason and won’t be swayed.”
What could be his reason?
She continues. “Down there’s the coffee station.” I see a coffee cup sign suspended from the ceiling.
“You can get yourselves juiced up and then boardroom with Mr. C, Aiden, and the rest of the marketing team in ten minutes. It’s right next to the coffee station. We keep a fridge stocked with juice for all and there’s always a bowl of fruit refreshed each morning, little boxes of cereal. Granola. Get your vitamins, girls. There’s coffee and tea and water there, as well. Fridays, one of the managers always takes turns bringing something yummy. Bagels. Donuts. Something like that. Cool?”
I give Alice a nod, Ally makes some sort of verbal agreement, but I’m a bit dazed. I shake it off as Alice continues.
“Your computers have been assigned and there are onboarding binders on your desks. Go through them for passwords, employee handbooks, some stuff you need to sign, and so forth. You’ve got personalized mugs and other company swag in a bag hanging from your coat hooks, too. My cubicle is over there in case you need anything.” She gestures to her right.
She ensures we’re good and disappears, leaving me and Ally in my cubicle.
Ally gives me a pointed look. “What? You’re like you’ve seen a ghost. Do you have a problem with your roommate and VP?”
I don’t know Ally well enough to know how much I can trust her with private information yet. I’ve known her less than an hour, so I am not about to tell her I walked into a domestic argument with something about a sex video of some girl he’d hooked up with, about seeing him in his underwear, nor discuss cleaning up the filthy apartment, and him stealing my food and acting like an ogre. Not to mention that he was being a total asshole and not even forthright about who he is. So, I fib.
“No, it’s fine. I’ve barely seen him. I just wanted a female roomie. That’s all.”
She looks at me appraisingly, and I know she doesn’t believe a word out of my mouth. She confirms that with what comes out of her mouth.
“I call bullshit. We just met, but we’re office besties, you and me.” She gestures between us. “So, that includes giving me the goods on the office hottie. I’ll get it outta you later. For now? Coffee and then marketing meeting. But know this. I’ve got your back, sister. You can trust me.”
I give her a wobbly smile.
Yeah, I thought I could trust Stephanie, too. Stephanie had been my bestie since training bras. I guess I’ve got trust issues what with my sister stealing from me, my bestie talking smack about me, and my boyfriend dumping me out of the blue and going out on a fucking date the very same day.
I push away the foul taste that’s suddenly in my mouth.
She rounds the half-wall separating our cubicles. I bend and shove my bags into a drawer of my new L-shaped desk and smooth out my tan pencil skirt, then reach into the bag and pull out a purple mug with the company logo and my name written on it.
I turn around and see that Aiden’s still on the phone and he’s got eyes on me.
He was checking out my ass, the ass! He has a perfect view of the opening into my cube from his office.
I narrow my eyes on him and then remember he’s my boss.
Well, technically my boss’s boss. Hopefully he’s not going to be here and in the same apartment as me for that whole three months.
Shit, shit, shit.
Wait. He’s the one staring at my ass. My boss’s boss is staring at my ass. And that’s gotta be a human resources violation. I tried to be nice, he didn’t. I cleaned his mess and he thanked me by eating my food and being rude to me. I’m the one with the clear conscience here. If I cow to him, I’m reinforcing my status as Carly the Doormat.
No. Hell, no.
I clear my expression and ignore him, then I step out of my cube, careful to not even look at him, though I feel like he’s looking at me, and get to Ally, who links arms with me again and we head to the coffee room.
I’m not happy that my roommate situation isn’t going to be resolved. But, I can deal for now while I assess things.
Maybe he’s only here for a week.
Maybe I’ll only have to deal with him by email or something.
Maybe I can just avoid him and spend most of my non-work time on the 14th floor at Ally and Meryl’s apartment.
We’ll see.
