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27
Enzo
The Coddle bath time presentation goes smoother than the diaper one. Blair said she’s swamped and didn’t even ask us for an actual presentation, just to send over the video, which they loved.
“Mr. Jacobson will see you now,” Mindy, his assistant, says.
“Thanks.”
I walk in and shut the door, hoping this is when he’ll give me the news about my partnership.
“Enzo.” Mr. Jacobson pours himself a scotch, holding up his glass to offer me one.
“Of course,” I say.
Instead of sitting at his desk, he guides us to his couch and chair with a view of Manhattan that makes my view look like a back alley. “You know, I was the one who hired you. I saw your resume. Saw what you did as an apprentice. Benny said you were a hotshot and that your ego would get in your way.”
Good thing poor Benny Earl passed. May he rest in peace.
“But I told him your ego was what would make you great.” He smiles and sits in the chair across from me. “And years later, here we are, talking about a partnership.”
I nod, sipping my scotch, and place the glass on the table. I need my A-plus game here. “I can’t thank you enough for every opportunity.”
He nods. “You know I don’t listen to rumors. I hear them, but I learned a long time ago not to listen.”
I shift in my seat in an attempt to ease some of my discomfort.
“We’ve all had our indiscretions.” He sets his drink on the table between us and leans forward. “It’s hard when all these young women are walking around flaunting what they’ve got, fishing to find themselves a rich husband.”
I slide to the back of the couch, any words lodged in my throat.
“You and Annie Stewart are getting along well. After your long run of assistants, I’m curious what makes her so easy to work with.”
Shit. He knows.I open my mouth to speak, but I don’t get the opportunity.
“What I’m asking is are you going to bat to try to get her promoted because of a relationship the two of you have after hours?”
“No.” I don’t stop to even think about it. She deserves the promotion whether or not she’s sleeping with me. “She’s good, Mr. Jacobson, one of the best I’ve worked with.”
He takes a sip of his scotch and sets it down. “I see where the advantage might come in to have her on board to handle the female products. She saved our ass on the diaper thing. Motherly instincts, I suppose.” He chuckles.
I don’t agree . I’m finally realizing that I’m working for a class-A asshole.
“I think she’ll benefit Jacobson and Earl overall,” I say because I have nothing to add to his sexist talk.
He mulls that over for a minute. “I guess we could promote her to junior ad exec. What could it hurt? It’ll make her happy and avoid a sexual discrimination issue for a while.”
“Sir—”
“But we’ll wait until after we’re done with Coddle. I heard you’re on to tampons. Good luck on that one. Why don’t you let her lead it? I want to see what she has without your input.”
“You want to give her the tampon pitch all to herself?”
“Well no, she’s too green to let her have at it with no oversight.”
I could argue that she’s not, but I don’t say anything.
“Guide her. Oversee it. Makes sure whatever she’s got lives up to the standard we’ve set here.”
