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I’m so giddy, it makes me laugh. “Is that how you answer your phone?”
“What?” She focuses on our conversation. “Rocky? What’s going on?”
“What’s going on with you? You answered your cell like it was the store phone.”
“Did I?” She makes a little surprised noise. “We just got in a big shipment. You caught me in the middle of sorting. What’s going on? Are you okay?”
“I’m great! I’m so great, I think I did it!”
The clock ticks, and she finally asks. “Sorry, did what again?”
“Renée! Are you paying attention to me?” I’m walking around my office, my hand crossed over my waist, replaying how it all went down in my mind. I took a big risk, and it massively paid off, whether my asshole boss wants to acknowledge it or not.
“Yes!” She hits the word a little hard. “But you’re being so cryptic.”
“I think I have successfully impressed Patton Fletcher.” I do a little march as I say the words. “Correction! I think I successfully knocked his socks off.”
Renée laughs, but it sounds more like disbelief than celebration. “What did you do?”
“You don’t believe me! I’m offended!”
“Just tell me what happened.”
I run through my story about the fictitious fees and security. “They were seriously quitting the deal, but I made like Sir Mix-a-Lot. I pulled up quick and retrieved it!”
I do a little booty-shake. Renée has no idea what I’m talking about, but she’s still encouraging. “I’m very proud of you. I knew you could do it.”
“Thanks, sis.” Dropping into my desk chair, I exhale all my emotions. “It was so shocking how Martin just burst into the meeting. I’ve never been in a situation like that before. I mean, I’ve seen them in movies and stuff, but never in real life. I was totally rattled.”
“Is that so?” Her voice goes strangely high.
“Yeah… Did you know him? He kept looking at me like he recognized me.”
My sister and I don’t look exactly alike, but people say we have a family resemblance.
“Ahh… yeah, I remember him.”
“His eyes really struck me. They seemed so tired.” Turning in my chair, I look out the window, remembering. I start to get sad, but I shake it off. “Anyway, Patton was not ready to give an inch. I practically had to drag an acknowledgment out of him. And it was barely an acknowledgment, let me tell you.”
“Well, I’m very glad for you. Now I’d better go, okay? Call again soon, okay?”
Pressing my lips into a frown, I cut my eyes toward my phone. “Sure, sis. I’ll call later. Love you.”
“Chin down.”
“Right.”
We disconnect, and I toss my phone on the desk. Whatever.
My feet are propped on one of my drawers, and I’m basking in my second victory in two days working here. I’ll be in that old boy’s club yet, you just wait.
Smarmy Jerry was thrilled when I told him I’d changed my mind about going to happy hour with them. “Good decision. It’s the best way to bond with your coworkers.”
He might be right, but I have ulterior motives. I really want to know what the hell is going on with Martin, and maybe I’ll find out what the hell crawled up Patton’s butt and died.
I might have defended him to Renée, but she’s right. He doesn’t have to act that way to be the boss. Something else is going on, and I want to know what.
AJ’s is a massive rooftop lounge. It has two huge bars on each end, with smaller sitting areas off to the sides. It’s rectangular and modern, and the décor is all leather, chrome, and glass.
