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Chapter 26
As much as Rory wanted to see Grant during the holiday weekend, she returned to San Jose without stopping at the Mousehole.
Throughout her life, she’d always had her parents and sisters, but she’d been the one with the independent, renegade streak. The one who didn’t need anyone to take care of her. However, being with Grant was a whole other level ofcare, and she’d already told him that she was going to find her own way through this.
Just like he had.
She spent the rest of the weekend at her computer—testing and studying the various urban planning and architecture programs she’d sent to Hunter. She tracked down the designers and bombarded them with questions.
She contacted the chief of the architecture program at the National Center for Preservation Technology, the head of a forensic consulting and technology firm, and five historical preservationists. She scheduled meetings with the architects of the design firm and the engineers of the construction company Hunter had hired for the Mariposa Street expansion.
By the time she went to work on Monday morning, her mind was buzzing with ideas and her blood was zinging with excited energy. She didn’t even mind walking into The Hive, and she didn’t care what anyone was thinking when they looked at her.
“How was your weekend?” Douglas turned to her, scratching his goatee.
“Fine.” Rory sat down and signed into her computer. “Yours?”
“Er…fine.” Wariness flashed in his eyes, as if he didn’t know what to make of her cordial response.
“Good.” She pulled up the latest review files.
She worked until six, then left her Digicore code behind and went home to tackle more of her new project. She texted Grant a photo of her dinner—take-out chicken Pomodoro and a salad—and, in return, he texted her a photo of a fried onion blossom.
RORY: I want that.
GRANT: You’ll have to come and get it this time.
Oh, she would. Soon.
Turning to her computer, she pulled all of her more questionable skills to the forefront and tracked down information on the five men who had been keeping score on her. She compiled her findings into separate folders and began printing things out—photos, emails, screenshots of various accounts, social media pages.
The next day, she did it all over again.
And again.
And again.
A week later, she scheduled a meeting with the Digicore CEO.
“What can I do for you?” Faintly impatient, Brad looked up at her from behind his desk.
“I quit.” Rory put her resignation letter on his desk, narrowing her eyes on him. “Effective immediately. I won’t work for a company that refuses to take action against or even acknowledge sexual harassment.”
He opened and closed his mouth, his eyes widening. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb.” Planting her hands on the desk, Rory looked him in the eye. “I know you discourage complaints to HR, not that HR would do anything about them, anyway, and that all of your policies and tactics contribute to a toxic atmosphere of pervasive discrimination and harassment. It will be interesting to see how your partnership with Intellix works out if they ever learn of Digicore’s tolerance for reprehensible behavior. Starting with the CEO.”
“Who the fuck are you to talk to me like that, you little bitch?” Brad bolted to his feet, his face flushing with anger.
“I’m adistraction, remember?” Rory pushed away from the desk and folded her arms. “Oh, did I mention I discovered your own record for groping and propositioning women, especially during interviews? You’re lucky you didn’t do that with me, or I’d have kicked you in the balls. Maybe I still will. Metaphorically, at least.”
“What the—”
“Just a little warning, Brad.” Rory swiveled on the heel of her boot and walked to the door. “But don’t let my threatsdistractyou from your work.”
Her spine straight, she strode out of the office. As she walked back to The Hive, her supervisor Brenda approached from the breakroom.
“Rory, we have a project meeting scheduled at three.”
“I won’t be there. I just quit.”
Brenda’s eyes widened. “Youquit?”
“You were right about what you said to me.” Rory looked the other woman in the eye. “Reporting harassment can destroy a woman’s career in this industry. But it doesn’t have to be like that. If you ever decide you’re sick of playing their game, l know you can find a better place for yourself. I hear that Intellix has a much better environment. They could likely use a smart, experienced woman like you. Maybe you’ll even learn that having a thick skin doesn’t mean you need to compromise your integrity.”
She brushed past Brenda and returned her workstation. She’d already cleared out her desk of a few personal items, and she grabbed the box and walked outside.
The second she stepped into the bright California sun, a combination of relief and fear flooded every part of her. Resigning and leaving The Hive didn’t mean she was done with her former coworkers.
Not yet.
