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35
Enzo
After working to get myself under control for a few minutes, I leave my suit jacket in the office and head back to the conference room, noting that Annie’s desk is closed up. Instinctively, I glance at Jake, who gives me a look of disgust.
Why do these people not understand business?
The conference room is empty, so I assume the Petersons are gone. I find Mr. Jacobson walking back from reception.
“A word,” he says.
I follow the man to his office. Mindy peeks up from her computer for a moment as we pass. Does the entire office know what just went down?
“Shut the door,” he says, pouring himself a glass of scotch.
He doesn’t offer me one, nor do I want one. I’ll be hightailing it to Annie at some point to grovel.
“Sit down,” he commands, and I sit in the same seat from weeks earlier. “I assume the rumors are true.”
“No. It was a case of creative disagreement. That’s all.”
He sits down, sips his scotch, and releases a breath. “I know you think I’m senile, but I’ve been in business a long time. I’ve seen a lot of work romances come and go. You and Miss Stewart are in a relationship, and you pissed her off during that meeting. Something didn’t go the way she wanted?”
I don’t confirm or deny his statement.
His eyes find mine over the rim of his glass. “So you were having a sexual relationship with an employee under you?”
“Technically, Shelby was her boss.”
He shakes his head. “You’re the senior ad exec. She’s an assistant.”
“You mean junior ad exec,” I clarify.
He shrugs like “think what you will.” My blood boils. I knew this was all a game to him.
“Anyway.” He sets down his scotch and extends his hand to me. “Welcome to Jacobson, Earl, and Mancini. The partnership is yours.”
Damn, I never thought this day would come. But my elation quickly diminishes when I realize why I’m getting this partnership.
He smiles, clearly oblivious to my discomfort. “Pour yourself a glass of scotch. We’ll celebrate.”
I mindlessly wander to his bar and pour myself a scotch. I wish I could just take the partnership and not care. Men in my situation have done it before. Be selfish and take what you’ve worked your ass off for your entire career. Still, I need to make sure I’m crystal clear on his reasons for finally giving me the partnership. “So what changed your mind?”
“The fact that you didn’t let Miss Stewart’s sexual power over you override your good sense on this campaign. Here I thought you might’ve fallen for her, what with you pushing for her to be promoted to a junior ad exec and using her ideas for the Coddle campaigns.” He laughs as though I’d only been doing it because she sucked me off after hours, not because she had some good ideas.
I set my drink on the table. “She’s talented. My new assistant needs to be hired so Annie can concentrate on her ad campaigns.”
“Look at you. She doesn’t even have her own campaigns. I think I’m going to leave Coddle with you. She can start off with some magazine and newspaper ads. You know, the smaller accounts.”
My heart wrenches. Would I have presented Annie’s condom ad to Coddle if it was the better of the two? If roles were reversed and she came up with the male campaign and I went with the family planning line? Would I have seen it her way with the demographics? I sure hope I would have. The decision was hard, and yeah, I didn’t tell her beforehand because I didn’t want to deal with the fight. The fight that inevitably came and almost in front of a client.
But Mr. Jacobson’s belief that I don’t value her opinion, or her ideas is way off base. He’s going to take her off the Coddle account after she won them over with the tampon ad and her approach for the diapers.
“I think she needs to stay on Coddle with me.” I sit back down on the couch.
He shakes his head. “No, she doesn’t. You have it from here. Not to mention, you’re no longer a couple, so I assume she’ll quit. Don’t worry, we’ll make it uncomfortable enough for her to quit so no sexual harassment case can be filed.” The way he says it makes me think he’s familiar with this tactic and he’s seen success from it.
“It was a mutual thing between us. You don’t have to worry about her filing.”
