Page 32 of Book Club Confidential

“Why don’t you join me in my office?” He turned and strode away without additional comment.

Millie wrinkled her nose. “Sorry.”

“What’s going on?” Tessa mouthed, moving slowly passed Millie’s desk.

Millie seemed to deflate as she returned to her chair. “Good luck” was all she said.

A dozen sets of curious eyes trailed her and Xavier as they cut through the workspace to the row of offices along the back wall.

Xavier’s PA, Josephine, appeared concerned as they passed her desk, positioned just outside his open door.

“Close the door,” Xavier said, taking a seat behind his broad glass-and-metal desk.

Tessa obeyed and sat in the white leather chair across from him.

“Is there something you’d like to talk to me about?” he asked, folding his hands on the desktop and fixing her with a pointed stare.

“I don’t think so,” she said. She set her bag on the floor at her feet and gripped her coffee as if it was a shield or life raft. “I should probably ask you the same question.”

Dissatisfaction rolled from him in waves. What could possibly have gone wrong by 8:00 a.m.? More importantly, what did it have to do with her?

Was this because she spoke up in the meeting yesterday? Or because she went out for lunch without telling him she was meeting a client?

“You’ve been different since the gala,” he said. “We’ve all noticed.”

Tessa’s chest tightened. She felt like a middle school student sent to the principal instead of the high-achieving adult she was. “Different in what way?” she asked.

“I believe you’re angry Peyton got the promotion,” he said. “If I’m right, that would mean you are angry with me, but you’re choosing to take it out on him. Either you don’t understand how things work here, despite your years with the company, or you do understand, and you don’t care. In which case, your antagonistic behavior toward Peyton might be cause to sit down with HR.”

Tessa’s jaw locked. “Excuse me?” The flimsy response was the best she could muster as a thousand angry words piled on her tongue.

“As your boss,” he said calmly, as if she might’ve forgotten his role, “I need you to know I see the changes in you, and they aren’t going unnoted. You have every right to do as you please, within reason, while on the clock or representing this company. Change your clothes, your hair, your disposition, fine. But I have to think about what’s best for this place as a whole.”

Tessa bristled as his words grew more pointed.

“I want to nip this thing with you and Peyton in the bud before your behavior begins to negatively impact Hello, Marketing’s bottom line.”

“Wait.” She puzzled. “What?”

“When I asked Peyton to make a team for the Lilacs and Lace pitch, he did as I asked. He thought through the objective carefully, understanding that the people here are our greatest resource, and he approached each staffer individually to ask for their help.”

There it was, she realized. Peyton tattled.

She’d fully anticipated going to battle with him again over this before he left her alone on the matter, but she hadn’t expected him to run straight to Xavier.

“We need you on this pitch team, Tessa,” Xavier said. “And Peyton’s wise enough to know it, so he approached you for that purpose, and according to him, you said no. You told him you’re too busy, but I made it clear in the meeting that this pitch is our top priority.”

“I just signed a new account,” she said, her rioting nerves eradicating any bravado. “The returning client I mentioned. The one who asked for me?” She waited for some sign Xavier cared or remembered that she’d told him this yesterday. “He worked with us several years back when he opened a bookstore.”

Xavier frowned. “Tessa, a bookstore is hardly priority over—”

“He sold that business,” she interrupted. “And he’s invested in two dozen more local shops since. He wants me to help him recreate the success he had with the bookstore for each of those new businesses. I think my focus is best served there. Working with him.” Not to mention it was an excellent opportunity for her to test her chops on a variety of businesses and concepts. This was big. Maybe not national, Lilacs and Lace big, but still. Surely her boss could see that. She wanted him to be proud of her. Why wasn’t he proud?

Xavier sat back in his seat. Deep lines formed across his forehead and gathered at the edges of his eyes and mouth. His tan reminded her of the mornings he’d spent on a golf course with the other male employees, while she’d been buried in work and email.

He wasn’t proud, because he didn’t even see her.

She’d thought of Xavier as a friend and mentor until a few days ago. She thought he saw her as a mentee. Someone with potential and talent that he could help her harness and grow. When he’d previously passed her over, she’d told herself it was because the men who received the promotions were older, or had been in the field longer, while she was still getting her start.