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“Do we know each other? Please tell me you didn’t really ask that question?”
Brian was really confused, and the crowd was looking at him as if they all knew how he knew the attractive woman.
“Really, I’m sorry for whatever I did but —”
“Oh, are you really, Mr. Cholan?” she asked through clenched teeth. Okay it was getting worse. It was obvious she knew him and to make things worse, a majority of the place was female. So, him not knowing her just looked so bad.
“Please, you have me at a disadvantage.” The young woman stepped off of the stage and then looked him in the eye.
“I bet you being at a disadvantage is a new thing for you. I bet you’re used to making split decisions and changing other’s lives. I bet—”
“Have we met?” he asked, feeling a little frantic as the women started to nod with her.
“Met? No!” With that answer, the room started to calm down. He went from being Frankenstein the monster who had to be exterminated, to the poor guy this woman was picking on.
“Then why are you so angry?”
“Because we never even met, and you ruined my life.”
With those words, the woman sat down on the floor and started to silently cry. Brian got down on the floor with her and grabbed her hands in his.
“I’m not sure what you think I did but I’m here now, what can I do for you?”
The woman sniffed and then looked up at him.
“Really?”
“Really, hit me and let’s work this out,” he said with a smile. She really was quite attractive. She probably needed some work done on a car or in her home. Brian thought most issues that women had could be solved with money. He was trying to place her in his neighborhood, maybe? After all she knew him, and he still couldn’t place her. He heard her when she said they had never met but surely they had met once for her to have this strong of a reaction.
“Okay, well I want to put the financials together for Butler,” she said.
“Who are you?” Brian asked in a frigid voice.
She stood up and brushed herself off, then extended her hand.
“I’m Jessica Tingles and you and I work together, or we will if Ms. Prince has anything to say about it.”
“Oh, oh I do know you!” He saw the young lady start to smile and knew right then and there nothing would ever be the same again. “I saw your application to my department. I’m not as good with names as I am figures, excuse me. Your application was very impressive.”
Jessica cocked her head to the side in what seemed like surprise. “You remember my application?”
She was looking at him as if he had just saved the world and Brian had to admit it was a pretty amazing feeling. It’s true, her emotional state could definitely be questioned right now but as long as things were going his way, he was onboard.
“I turned it down because you were overqualified. I didn’t want you to be bored.”
Jessica seemed like she lost some of her fire and came to sit next to him at the table. When she plopped down, he didn’t say a word.
“I started as a secretary in Butler. I worked up to the top of the pool and went to school at night to finish my degree in accounting. I got a second job thinking, as soon as I get this degree, it would make it all better. Then when I got my degree, I was promoted to work with the CFO. I knew I was going to be moving up.”
Brian didn’t say a word. He had heard stories like this before but knowing it had happened to Jessica made it sadder.
“I was ready when Mr. Middleton started to give me projects to do. I was thinking I was on my way up. He would recognize my potential and give me a spot. A position opened up. I know because I posted it, and I went to him and —”
“And he didn’t give it to you,” Brian finished the sad tale for her.
“That’s right, he didn’t. Mr. Middleton said he couldn’t give away his right arm. I was good enough to do the reports he gave. I was good enough to review the items, but I wasn’t polished, fancy and whatever it is they are all looking for to be put in a position that recognized me.”
Brian exhaled, knowing he had heard this story more times than he could count. Each time he had felt so helpless but then an idea started to roll around in his head. “I take it you went to the party tonight and that is what brought you here?”
