Page 41 of Watching Her

“But you’re getting there,” Marlee quickly added.

“Which means a lot of work. I don’t have a nine to five job any longer.” I could feel the tension in the room rising.

Brittney grabbed a chair, sitting down in her twenty-thousand-dollar wedding gown. Nothing stopped the woman when she wanted to make a point. “Girl. From the week after graduation, you accepted a job you adored and coveted. But it was never a nine to five scenario. And you were missing out on all the fun stuff.”

“Should you be sitting in your dress?” I challenged, to which she tossed her hand like it was no big deal. Her fiancé could and would afford anything she wanted.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

I could admit to no one but myself that I was completely jealous. The streak was a mile long. She’d found the perfect man while I’d caught myself a dud. Oh, just thinking about Carrington created evil, violent images in my mind.

I’d quite prefer the ones from earlier even if they’d never come to fruition.

“Let’s get to the real truth here,” Brittney continued. The woman was more tenacious than anyone I knew.

Including myself.

“This is all about the announcement. Isn’t it?” Marlee just had to jump in.

“What announcement?” I’d hoped no one had paid any attention.

“About Carrington’s promotion?”

Brittney cocked her pretty little head, her coiffed blonde hair far too perfect. I wasn’t petty, but some people had a way of finding all the silver linings or the silver spoons. Whatever the saying.

“Oh, who cares.” I wasn’t good at passing anything off and my best friends knew it. They waited, staring at me. Giving me space. Or wishing I would scream, which is exactly what I wanted to do.

“You do,” they both offered at the same time.

“Because that promotion was yours,” Marlee added. “You worked hard for it and to see that low-life piece of human flesh being promoted after everything he did to you is… Well, if it were me, I’d put an icepick through his eyeball.”

I almost choked hearing her intensity and I knew she meant it. At least I could laugh. “You’re right. I hate him. He’s a backstabbing brown-nosing little weasel, but I believe in karma. He’ll get his comeuppance one day right up his ass.”

Or, as likely promised, he’d be in control of the company when George retired.

“That’s the spirit,” Brittney exclaimed. “Now, no more wallowing in self-pity.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

My body cringed before they could both chime in at the same time.

“Yes, you are.”

“And,” Brittney continued, “you’re going to have fun at the wedding. There are going to be plenty of wealthy, insanely handsome eligible bachelors there. You know how it goes. Pictures will be taken and could potentially get back to dear ole Carrington. Just like he enjoyed shoving his relationship with Titty Girl in your face.”

“Titty girl?” I laughed, full on and hard.

“Plastic tits, baby. You can see them a mile away.” Brittney was so much fun to be around.

“She’s right, baby girl. Live a little and the pictures could get back to your old boss.”

I rolled my eyes at Marlee. “Here’s the problem. Good ole Carrington made us keep our relationship on the down low. There were no pictures of us anywhere and not a single soul at the company knew we were hooking up. Which means Mr. Covington had no clue we were dating or if he did, he was told I was a femme fatale.”

“Is that why you were fired? I thought it was because you’d caught him with a couple chicks, threatening to expose him.”

My laugh turned darker. “Hardly. Carrington didn’t care that I found out, but he did know the term ‘hell hath no fury,’ which was why he planted evidence of some atrocity. Mr. Covington had no choice but to fire me. Carrington knew I was better suited for the promotion and his tiny dick couldn’t handle girl power. If I’d come out after that and mentioned we’d been dating, you know how well that would have gone over.”

Both girls looked dejected, but Brittney shook her head vehemently. “Nope. You’re not getting off that easily. You’re going to have a hot affair and that’s final.”