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“Come on, Good Girl. Lay it on me.”
Chapter 18
Harlow
“I’d like to be friends with you.” I’d like to be able to see his smile and hear that gruff laugh. “But it can’t be friends like we’re friends now.” He can’t play with my hair or make me feel like I’m the only thing he sees. “What we’re doing this week… it has to end here.”
He looks past me into the morning sun.
“Why?” And then before I can answer he adds, “I’m not arguing with you. I’m asking, because I don’t get it.”
That’s the thing. I don’t think most people would. No matter how I tried to explain. But Wade? I think he might.
“You know how you were with hockey, where you wanted it even though your coaches maybe didn’t see your potential until you proved it?”
Some of the light leaves his eyes. “Yeah.”
“My career goals come with their own set of obstacles. Not everyone sees my potential. I’m young—”
“You’re smart as hell with a handful of degrees to back it up.”
“Thank you. But I’ve already been boxed out of the job I’ve invested a lot of time and energy in.” Years of experience, trainings, and certifications at every turn.
“What happened?”
“I’d been offered a promotion to head up the division. But at the last minute, they did some restructuring and brought someone else in.”
He coughs, eyes narrowing. “Someone with more experience?”
If only. Someone with moreentitlement.
“Someone with a better relationship with the person making the decisions.”
“So now you work for this…guy?”
He thinks it’s about me being a woman. That there’s a boys’ club behind my problems. Who knows, maybe that’s part of it. But not all. Not even most.
“No. I don’t work for him. We’d already backfilled my position with someone who moved from out of state. I became a redundancy.”
“The fuck, Harlow?” he demands, outraged on my behalf. “They can’t do that, can they? Does HR know?”
It feels like everyone knows.
“There are a number of issues complicating the situation. But no. This avenue of advancement isn’t an option anymore. Which means what I do now matters. I can’t afford to drop the ball. So no distractions. No conflicts. No mistakes.”
“This guy in charge. He still going to have a say in your advancement?”
“Yes.” And that’s the point. “He’s at the top of the food chain.”
“You should definitely take my seats. Invite him to a game.”
I lean a shoulder into Wade. He’s strong and solid and warm. “If only it were that simple.”
“Don’t tell me he doesn’t like hockey.”
Shaking my head, I take a deep breath. Dig deep to keep my voice level. “He doesn’t likeme.”
He’s quiet beside me. Then, “Why the hell not?”
