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Alex went back to his own workout, finishing up with leg presses. Then he showered, dressed, and drove to his office in Scottsdale. He had a nice setup on the tenth floor, with windows and a view of the McDowell Mountains.
He’d worked for Neiman Industrial Risk Insurance since college, starting as an intern and then sliding into a special agent position after graduation three years ago. He’d built a great client base with a nice profit margin for the company, but some of his insureds had taken financial hits during the economic downturn and hadn’t renewed their policies with NIRI.
So Alex was on a mission to pimp his portfolio again and hopefully keep his head off the chopping block as the company “reset” its workforce. That was a bullshit term for layoffs. He didn’t want to make that death list. He had a mortgage and a two-year-old Volvo S60 to pay for. A sleek, yet safe and practical car for a safe and practical guy.
He snickered.
Safe and practical, my ass.
Twenty-four hours after Lola had barreled through his front door, he’d taken her up on the FWB proposition. And Pete had been right at the gym. It wasn’t the smartest thing a dude in love with his best friend could do.
Focus, man.
His thoughts shouldn’t be on Lola and red-hot sex. They should be on saving his butt and his financial future from a reset.
Chapter Five
Lola had to force herself not to bounce anxiously in her chair as the Marketing team went around the table, giving their status updates. She’d quickly learned it was done in order of seniority, not priority of projects. Despite her ad campaign being at the top of the list, she was low man on the totem pole. Thus, she’d be giving her updates last for some time to come.
Especially since Mark had explained they weren’t planning on adding anyone new to the department anytime soon. In fact, he’d been more than happy to tell her that there’d been no openings when she’d been promoted into the department. They’d made a special concession for her, following her bold campaign pitch.
She’d known that already, and she’d considered that it might be the reason for some of the animosity flowing her way. That and the Legally Blonde stigma she’d suffered since high school—most people treated her as though it were her hair and breasts that got her through life. She recognized what she thought was the familiar scrutiny from her new coworkers.
Only Maxi had cut her slack from the get-go, on Lola’s first day at the Baltimore office.
She’d sauntered over to Lola’s desk, propped a hip against the edge, and insisted, “Let’s reiterate your name, unless you’re okay with everyone calling you ‘Barbie’ from here on out.”
“‘Lola’ will suffice,” she’d said between clenched teeth. Yes, she’d heard the whispers and snickers, even though she’d already been introduced around.
Maxi had laughed good-naturedly. “That’s really not much better, but all right.” Then she’d announced to the fishbowl that was the O
perations division, “Listen up, people. New girl’s name is Lola. Remember it.”
She’d winked at Lola and had marched off to her office. Lola had stolen a peek at the name stenciled on the wall next to the door and the title beneath it. MAXI SHAYNE. OPERATIONS MANAGER.
Lola had had no idea what that particular position entailed, but she’d liked Maxi instantly.
In Scottsdale, the jury was still out on whether she’d mesh with Sarah, Jen, and Mark, as well as Tiff the admin, Jake the manager, Tom the director—who planned to retire next month—and Todd the VP.
’Course it didn’t help matters that Lola hadn’t exactly been the shiny new penny yesterday as everyone had trampled on her campaign idea. She couldn’t exactly hang her new colleagues out to dry for not rolling out the welcome mat when she’d flailed so miserably.
She hoped today might be a different story, though.
When it was finally her turn to speak, excitement fluttered in her stomach like a million butterflies taking flight. Whatever Alex had done to her last night seemed to have unleashed some creative force within her that had left her awake the majority of the evening, battling through a rash of thoughts that had all crystallized in the shower this morning.
She might be going way overboard here, but what the hell did she have to lose? Lola hadn’t gelled with the team yet and she hadn’t impressed them at all yesterday. She might be shipped back to Baltimore or she might lose her job with Staci Kay altogether, but if there was one thing Maxi had taught her when she’d convinced Lola to pitch her campaign, it was the very simple concept of no guts, no glory.
Lola Vonn had guts. In spades.
So she jumped without a chute.
“I really loved all the ideas from yesterday’s meeting,” she said, her gaze flitting around the table as she made eye contact with everyone in the room. “I realized there was something missing; that the concept wasn’t fully defined. But…” She frowned. Sparing a glance at the VP, she asked, “Is it okay if I stand?”
He nodded.
“Thanks. I think better on my feet. It’s the shoes.”
Sarah actually cracked a grin. A shot of confidence helped Lola plunge forward, though her nervous anxiety had her pacing the conference room.
