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"I'm guessing you didn't check on the contest?"
My stomach bottomed out. Cade hadn’t mentioned anything either, though he probably hadn’t looked at the updates—and I actually forgot to. We’d been together the whole weekend, and he’d been the only thing on my mind.
"No, I didn't. Is there news?"
"Yes. We didn't make it to the next round."
I felt as if someone had pulled a rug out from under me and I'd fallen nose first against her desk.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I really thought we were going to make it into the finals. We had a very good product. What was the grade?” I was truly stunned. I hadn't expected this. “Oh, now I want to rush back to my computer to look at it.”
"We didn't get the feedback yet. Our score was high, but I assume the others got an even better grade. I’m disappointed, of course, but as you know, I had a purpose when I entered the competition, and I'm close to finalizing it," she continued.
"Okay. So are you moving forward with Cade?"
"No, I honestly didn't like Mr. Whitley's attitude. I would've thought he'd be more open to us, given your relationship with him."
I pressed my lips together to stop from making a sassy remark. That was unfair of Sonya. One thing had nothing to do with the other.
"In the meantime, I’ve been in talks with the Bean Masters."
"Really? They're interested in buying?"
"Yes. I've spoken with the CEO at length."
"As long as you're happy with the person who takes over your company, that's all that matters."
Sonya cleared her throat. “Alfred Danvers wants me to go to his office with a presentation. I'll think about whether or not I should include you on the team."
I blinked. That was like a slap in the face. I was her VP of marketing. That was my job. "Why shouldn't I be included? I prepped everything with Arthur for Cade."
"The reason I'm not sure you should be on the team is that I made a mistake of telling Alfred about you and Cade. Your relationship."
What. The. Hell? How in God’s name would that have come up in a conversation? A business one at that?
"And?"
"Apparently, he's not a fan of Cade, so he didn't take it well that someone from my team was... well, he put it as ‘fraternizing with the rival.’"
I stared at her. "What are you not telling me, Sonya?"
"Look, nothing is set in stone yet, obviously. All I'm asking is for you to be polite when you eventually meet him."
"I'm always polite." Sonya’s passive-aggressive way of handling our conversation was starting to piss me off. There was obviously more to it, and apparently she didn’t think I needed to know.
"He doesn't have spectacular manners, if I'm honest. He likes to push people's buttons. So, if and when you two meet, and he remarks on something you're not okay with, just let it go."
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask,"Or what?"
Is it just me, or is Sonya acting extremely belligerent today?
"Let me ask you something else, Sonya. What do you think will happen to me if you end up selling to him?" Though from what she'd already said, I knew my answer.
Sonya pursed her lips together. “I think that depends on how you're going to get on with him.” She didn't meet my eyes as she said it.
"I appreciate the heads-up," I said. If she ended up selling to him, I would be in need of a job. I’d assumed that would be the case from the get-go but had held on to the hope that I’d fit into a new team.
What a clusterfuck. I couldn't believe it. I was being punished because I was in a relationship with Cade when it all seemed to be quite different a few weeks ago.
