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I opened my mouth to launch into my own defense, but she held up a hand and I instantly shut up.
“I understand that you and Mr. Brighton were working together at his request, on very important company business. And from what I can tell, you did a fine job. He approved the ads and my team is now free to move on to other pressing matters. However, if misconduct was committed, it doesn’t matter how good of a job you did, there will be consequences.”
“I have something I would like you to read,” she continued, passing a page across the table.
I leaned forward and glanced over the paper. It was a thick paragraph of legal mumbo-jumbo. Some of the passages were highlighted in yellow and I read along as fast as I could.
“Our company has a very strict non-fraternization policy. A policy, which you can see, you signed your name to when you were first hired. So, help me understand, where is the confusion? If you had questions about what you were agreeing to, you should have asked before you signed.” With her diatribe completed, she leaned back in her chair and pursed her lips at me, waiting for me to try and wriggle my way out of the corner she just put me in.
My mind reeled for a moment, unsure where to begin, but then it locked into focus and I sat up a little straighter in my chair. “I’m not sure what you heard, or think. I know everyone around here has been gossiping about me and talking behind my back since the moment I got here. This has nothing to do with Mr. Brighton and everything to do with the fact that I don’t fit in here. I’m not from the posh, silver spoon, champagne-brunch crowd like everyone else here. I understand that. I came to do the job I was hired to do and was immediately placed with Mr. Brighton—who was the subject of some pretty juicy water cooler gossip way before I even got here. So it was easy to come up with stuff. They want to talk about me and throw me under the bus. I’m different and they don’t like different.”
I paused to take a breath, adrenaline pulsing through me. I had never talked to anyone else in authority like this before. I had always thought about it, and wanted to, but had never given myself permission to be so bold outside of my own head. It was scary as hell, but I figured it was a last ditch effort. I was most likely fired anyway, so what did I really have to lose?
“The funny thing is that I remember signing my paperwork and I believe there was a whole chapter on celebrating diversity in the workplace and how your firm is equal opportunity, and you value everyone for their individual strengths. I wouldn’t want you to get tangled up in a nasty court battle about discrimination in the workplace.”
Rita’s expression remained frozen except for the tiniest twitch of her eyebrow at my accusation. If she hadn’t had so much Botox pumped into her forehead, it might have been a full on flinch.
I decided it was mission accomplished and relaxed into my chair, smiling my sweetest smile in her direction.
“I’m sorry to hear you feel you have been…discriminated…against during your brief time here. Naturally, we do our best to find a place for everyone and make them feel welcome. However, I feel we are getting away from the real issue at hand, and that is your relationship with Mr. Brighton.”
Shit. That was a short lived victory. I thought for sure I had thrown her off my tracks.
“Let me assure you, there is no relationship with Mr. Brighton. And now that I’m no longer managing his account, I doubt we’ll have any more communication or even see each other.”
The words left my mouth and I felt my heart twist in my chest. I took in a silent, steadying breath and continued, “I apologize if there has been any scandal on my behalf. Trust me that was never my intention. All I want to do is go back to the job I was hired to do and that is working with the tech department. I’ve been reviewing the training materials from Bryce and I know I can do this job. Please, just give me a chance.”
Oh good, the groveling has begun. As much as it pained me to kiss up to Rita, I knew it was necessary. I needed this job and I couldn’t risk it any further by running my mouth. She wasn’t buying it, so it was time to move on to plan B.
Rita considered me for a moment. She looked ready to speak again when her phone beeped, signaling an intercom message. She snatched up the receiver and gave a gruff, “What is it?”
She was silent as she listened, but my stomach dropped when her lips curled into a devilish smile.
“Well, it’s your lucky day, Allison. Your corroborating witness just arrived,” she said, setting the phone back down.
“What, uh, what do you mean?” I stammered.
“Mr. Brighton is here.”
Chapter Ten
My heart had kicked into hyper-drive by the time Cooper was ushered into the room by Rita’s main assistant. He walked into the room, shoulders squared, and his face masked, unreadable.
“Mr. Brighton. Please have a seat,” Rita said, rising from her seat to greet him.
He sat down in the chair next to mine but didn’t turn to look my way or make any move to acknowledge my presence.
Rita sat back down again. “How can I be of assistance, Mr. Brighton?”
I kept my eyes forward, staring at the floor in front of me, trying to get my emotional roller-coaster to put on the brakes. My heart was racing, my face was flushed, and I felt like throwing up and crying all at once.
“I came to clear up some confusion in regards to Miss Rand and me. I find that when I allow others to speak for me, things get blurry, so I prefer to handle these matters personally, face to face, when possible.”
The sound of his voice was more than I could handle, my mind flooded with images of him…all of him…with all of me. I felt my cheeks growing even hotter so I brushed my hair forward to act as a bit of a curtain between me and Cooper. The last thing I needed was for him to know how absolutely insane he was making me, just by sitting two feet away.
“I’m so sorry you had to come all the way down here, Mr. Brighton. This all seems very childish, but there have been some rumors running rampant and I am working with Allison here, to try and clear everything up so we can all get back on task.” Rita was very clearly struggling to remain diplomatic and professional in handling such a delicate matter. Her struggle would normally have entertained me—but in the moment I couldn’t so much as crack a smile at her efforts.
“Let’s be honest with one another, Rita. We have, we’ve known each other for a very long time,” Cooper interrupted. “You seriously want to know if Miss Rand and I are having anything other than a working relationship. Is that correct?”
