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JOSH: Hello, my beautiful fiancée. I'm just walking towards the building after two and a half beers with Keith, crying into my beer about my hard luck with you know what. I'll be there momentarily, craving your affection and some reheated day-old take-out fried rice and beef with broccoli.
ELLA: I'll be waiting with bated breath for your presence...
I laughed, glad to be blessed with a beautiful woman, smart, accomplished and with a great sense of humor.
When I finally arrived at the building, I said hello to the night security guard and took the elevator up to the penthouse. I was unwinding my scarf and unbuttoning my jacket when the elevator doors finally opened. There, waiting for me, was my love, dressed in nothing but a tiny frilly apron around her waist, and a smile. I went right over to her and pulled her into my arms for a kiss, squeezing one buttock when I did, enjoying the creamy smoothness of it.
"What about reheated day-old Chinese take-out?" I asked, nuzzling her neck, one hand squeezing her breast.
"It can wait," was all she said, her voice throaty. She turned around and I followed her to the bedroom, my hands grabbing her naked buttocks.
15
Ella
I stewed the rest of the week, unable to get Krista's words out of my mind. I decided to talk with Maryanne in HR and see if I could get a better idea of how people moved up in the company and what qualifications they usually had in order to be an editorial assistant. Maryanne was a middle-aged woman with perfectly styled blonde hair and rose-colored eye glass frames. Dressed smartly in a suit that seemed to be inspired by Dior, she was very professional looking.
"Hi, Maryanne," I said and sat down at the chair in front of her desk. "Thanks for agreeing to see me without an appointment. I wanted to ask a few questions about jobs at Dominion."
"Ask away? What are you interested in?"
"What does it take to get hired as an editorial assistant?"
She pursed her lips and considered. "Usually, some experience in the book publishing business and some familiarity with the editorial process, experience editing at some level."
"Do you usually look for an MA in English?"
"It's a bonus but not a requirement, if the other qualifications are exemplary." While she talked, she went over to a filing cabinet against the wall and searched through some files. She found one and pulled it out, bringing it back to the desk.
She opened it up and I saw that it was my HR file.
"For example, you have a degree in English from Dartmouth. That's impressive. It's an Ivy League college and so it carries a lot of weight. You were also the editor of the Stonefence Review, which is a notable student literary journal. You had a couple of short stories published as well. That's a great resume for someone hoping to go into book publishing."
"So, it's not unfair that I am going to be an editorial assistant in May?"
"No, of course not. Why would you think that?"
I shrugged, not wanting to mention Krista. "I didn't want to be seen as getting the job without being properly qualified."
"Did someone make you think that?" she asked, frowning, her hands folded on the desktop. "Tell me who and I'll speak with them."
"No, it's okay. I just didn't want people to resent me for getting the job after only four months."
"Did someone say something to you?"
I shrugged, not wanting to actually name Krista. "I heard a whisper, and that's all I'm going to say."
She leaned back in her chair. "Don't think you were hired because of Josh for a second. We were lucky to get you as an intern. That's why Sharon hired you on the spot when you asked if the job was still available."
"I thought it was because she had no one for two weeks and was desperate."
"That, too, but you shouldn't discount your credentials. Ivy League degrees and experience editing a literary magazine are not bad for a starting resume. You were a catch. Don't forget it. You and Josh marrying won't diminish that."
"Good," I said. "I just don't want the staff to resent me, and think that I got where I get because of my relationship to Josh."
"You didn't have that relationship when we hired you. As long as you don't screw up majorly, you should be fine. Don't let the naysayers get you down. In this life, they will always be there, trying to undermine your confidence. If you doubt yourself, they win." She closed the file on the desk and gave me a firm nod. "Don't let them win."
"I'll try not to," I said and exhaled, telling myself that her words were wise. Krista was just jealous. People were going to be jealous of me because I met and was marrying Josh, one of the richest eligible bachelors in Manhattan. I couldn't let them get in the way of my happiness.
