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“It wasn’t that it wasn’t well written, it was a great story. I read it myself. But there were other factors that made choosing yours impossible. I do want to encourage you to keep writing and submit again next time submissions are open.”
“R-really?” I hear her sniffle.
“Yes. You are incredibly talented and I think you just need a little more experience, something the other contenders had. So maybe in time, yours will be chosen. Please don’t give up on writing,” I encourage her.
“O-okay.” I can hear her blow her nose before thanking me and hanging up. I really need Reba to start screening my calls. I hate having those conversations.
Before long, it’s time for my meeting with Lucy and Mr. Lefts. I sigh, seeing his face is not on my list of things I want to do today. But I make my way with my iced coffee and binder in hand to the meeting and take a seat next to Lucy.
“Is everyone here?” Mr. Lefts asks. He is notorious for not knowing all his employees. Too many times has he started meetings without half the staff being here.
“We’re missing Kim in marketing, but she’s on a conference call,” Lucy explains.
“Perfect, we can get started then.” He claps his hands together and looks between Lucy and I.
We present our presentation without any interruptions which might be for the first time ever. I swear we usually had at least ten questions or issues arise with Mr. Lefts. Some of which could be answered if he just let us tell him the rest of the presentation.
“I liked it,” he says when we finish. I think half the room snaps their head to stare at him. Not that the presentation wasn’t awesome, it was. But we’ve never so much as heard praise come out of his mouth before.
“T-thank you, sir.” Lucy smiles. She looks as shocked as I feel.
“It could use a few improvements but I’m willing to push the project forward. I like the presentation, good work, girls.” I ignore the way he calls us girls because the rest of his statement is positive.
The marketing team makes their presentation next and they look more relaxed than we were. I guess we caught Mr. Lefts on a good day? I raise an eyebrow, wondering what his angle could be, but I don’t know. He smiles but doesn’t say anything about the marketing teams presentation which could mean he hates it but maybe he’s in some kind of anger management now? It is really jarring and freaking everyone else out.
After the rest of the presentations, he’s the first one out the door. As if he couldn’t leave the room fast enough. We all stay behind to talk about how weird that meeting was and how weird he was acting. Lucy heads to her office, not taking part in the office gossip like usual, but I love to be a part of it.
“Is he taking medication?” Barbara in marketing asks.
“Maybe he’s in anger management,” I offer.
“He must be going through a midlife crisis,” Sal in illustrations says.
“He’s only twenty-two,” I point out.
“Well, with his anger he wasn’t going to live that long,” Barbara jokes.
We laugh and chat for a bit, but it is clear no one actually knows what is going on with him. Which only makes the office on edge more so than usual. I check on Lucy after lunch and she’s working away on the next book proposal.
“Hey, did you see that email I sent?” I say loudly as I step into her office. It is office code for can we talk.
“Yes, I did.” She gestures to come in, and I nod.
“No one knows what’s up with Lefts but it’s weird as hell.”
“It is, he was actually nice to me today and asked if I needed to come in later because of Noel.”
“Whoa.” He is usually giving her a hard time about her coming in a little late every day.
“Anyway, I finished up this proposal so the next one has your name on it. It’s a romance, but the one you chose,” she explains.
“Okay, are you going to the dinner at the hotel tonight?” I ask every month and every month she gives me the same answer. It is like a mixer for the seasoned authors to meet the newer authors.
“No, I have to get home for Noel, but say hello to all our authors for me,” she says with a smile.
I nod and head back to my office. Which is where I work until it’s time to head to the event. It’s a monthly way to introduce our new authors to the team and to our previously published authors. It’s always a draw of who’s actually going to show up but usually a good variety of people do, which is why I go. Lucy has the Noel excuse but for most of us, it is encouraged that we go.
Reba peeks her head in to let me know she’s heading home for the night but my dress is hanging in the bathroom and my shoes are on her desk. I thank her and she heads out. I love buying new clothes so I have a black skin tight, floor length dress that shows off my figure and a pair of heels that have me towering even further over everyone else. I change, style my hair slightly, and redo some of my makeup before heading to the cab waiting for me downstairs.
