Chapter One
It was at times like these that Eliza Marsh longed for landline phones to make a comeback. Slamming the handset down with a resounding bang would be far more satisfying than angrily jabbing her finger against the end call button of her mobile.
“Go screw yourself, asshole,” she grumbled, too late for the recipient to hear.
“Uh, hello to you too?”
Eliza’s head shot up and she relaxed as Lee, her colleague and closest friend, walked through her open office door.
“You should probably close the door if you want to be left alone with your profanities. But it’s much more fun to rant to someone else. What’s up?” Lee asked.
They plopped down on the sofa that often acted as a makeshift bed on the nights that Eliza worked so late it didn’t make sense to drive home and back. Eliza stretched as her muscles awakened after spending far too long hunched over her desk today.
“Just the usual sexist shit. Rory thinks it’s beneath him to explain himself to a woman, despite that woman being his boss and doing her damn job to ensure he’s doing his. He’s taken two extra weeks to close the McKellen account and gets pissed that I’m questioning why.”
Eliza got up and grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge in her mini coffee bar beside her desk. She passed one to Lee as she joined them on the couch.
“Why haven’t you fired his ass yet? You’re the boss, cut himloose to ruin someone else’s mood.”
Eliza had had the same thought many times, but unfortunately the corporate game she had to play daily didn’t work that way.
“Money. He brings it in, most of the time anyway. I may be a boss, but I’m nottheboss.”
“Yet,” Lee chimed in.
Eliza smiled. Her goal was clear, and the path to get there was one she had been travelling for what felt like forever.
“Yet. Once that happens, no amount of money that he brings in will save Rory’s behind. For now, though, he makes my stats look good, and that’s what’s going to matter next year.”
Having begun her career as an intern with L&O Marketing, Eliza had dedicated almost twenty-five years of her life to the company. She had been appointed COO six years ago and became the first woman to land the second in command position. Her drive, confidence, and the charm that won her client after client had gotten her here, and she was certain it would take her all the way to CEO. A role that could finally be within her grasp with her boss’s rumoured early retirement in less than a year.
“You look like you could use a drink. The kids are with Prince Charming this week, right?”
Eliza rolled her eyes at the nickname Lee had given to her ex-husband back when they had first started to date. It was a nickname that had stuck throughout their relationship and marriage, and hadn’t ended with their amicable divorce.
“Yes, Henry has the kids. I should probably go get some sleep, though. The new nanny starts tomorrow, and I’d rather not give her the wrong impression if I’m exhausted and hungover when I haven’t even had the kids all week.”
Lee hopped up from the couch.
“You’re allowed a social life. All work and no play leads togrumpiness, and nobody wants to deal with a grumpy Eliza. Come on, just one drink.”
Eliza grabbed her bag and flicked the switch for her office lights. They made their way out of the almost empty building and into the slight chill of the late Friday evening. Despite the majority of the staff being workaholics, most still managed to drag themselves away on time to start the weekend.
“Fine. One drink, and you’re buying,” Eliza huffed.
Lee hummed in response, both aware that one drink would turn into three before they knew it.
“That new, swanky hotel that opened up on the quay is supposed to do amazing cocktails. You know, the chain that is all modern and colourful and the staff all look at you like you’re bothering them by asking for something?”
Eliza frowned as they walked the short distance toward the quay.
“Why would we want to go somewhere with bad service?”
“It’s notbadservice, it’s supposed to seem aloof or something. Like you need them more than they need you and all that jazz. And we want to go there because of the amazing cocktails, remember? Keep up, old woman.”
Eliza pushed her shoulder into Lee’s and huffed.
“I’m ten years older than you, you brat. It’s not my fault you act like you haven’t matured past your teenage years.”
