WHEN I ARRIVED at work, Don’s haughty assistant, Marjorie, was waiting in my cubicle. Wearing a tailored pinstripe skirt and blazer, she sat perched on the edge of my guest chair as if something in my space might rub off on her. Probably my mediocrity or lack of cut-throat ambition. As the boss’ right-hand, Marjorie’s ego was through the roof, and she didn’t fraternize with low-level marketers like me. When she needed one of us, she paged us and made us stand court in front of her desk like a lowly commoner groveling before the queen.
Surprised to see her, I stopped short. “Good morning, Marjorie.”
She flashed me an impatient smile, finished typing a sentence on her iPad, and then gave me her undivided attention for approximately three-point-four seconds, which had to be a new record. “Good morning, Jessica. Don would like to see you in his office.” She stood and her fingers flew over her screen again.
“Right now?” I asked, setting my purse down and glancing at my laptop. My job often felt like a complicated juggling act. Yesterday’s hiccup in my normal schedule had thrown all my tasks in the air, and I needed to get busy and figure out which ones to catch first.
Her gaze popped up to meet mine, and the corner of her lip raised in a sneer that forced me to question my intelligence and right to consume oxygen. Of course, she meant now. If the matter wasn’t urgent, she wouldn’t have wasted her precious time waiting at my desk. I was clearly an insufferable fool for even considering that Don would be willing to wait for me to check my email and put out any marketing fires before I marched my unworthy behind into his office.
“Yes.Right now.” She rolled her eyes and marched out into the sea of cubicles.
Awesome. I cast one more longing glance at my laptop, grabbed a pen and notepad, and hurried into Don’s office. He was on the phone, but he glanced up, smiled, and gestured for me to close the door behind me. After it clicked shut, I sat and waited as he finished up his call.
“Jessica,” he said as he hung up. “I’m relieved to have you back at work today. You had me worried when you left and didn’t return.” He chuckled. “I know I told you to take an early lunch, but I didn’t mean all day.”
“I called in and told Marjorie I had to take the day off…” I glanced over my shoulder, ready to shuffle out to her desk and drag her into his office to confirm.
“Oh, yes. She passed along your message, but she didn’t give a reason why. I just… Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”
If I’d told Marjorie I was heading to the police station, the rumor mill would have mass produced assumptions as to why. They would have picked apart my social media posts, searching for clues about what I’d gotten myself into, and I wasn’t about that mess. I didn’t tell Marjorie anything, because it wasn’t any of her business. Don was fishing for information while trying not to cross the line of what he could legally ask an employee. He was always so proper and professional withme, yet I’d been passed over for a promotion because he was screwing my competition. The thought made my backbone stiffen and my fists clench.
“Nope. I’m good.”
His brow furrowed. “Look, I know you’re upset about me promoting Chad, and disappointed that you didn’t get the position, but let me assure you I value you. You’ve always been an exemplary employee, and I have plans to promote you in the future. Just give me a little time to work out the details and figure out where your talents would best be suited.”
Wait, what?
This sounded a lot like an attempt to pacify me. Did he think I bailed on work to go job hunting? The idea had never even crossed my mind, but now… finding another job suddenly didn’t seem so scary or overwhelming. Maybe itwastime to start looking. His expression was worried, and a part of me felt like I should reassure him that I wasn’t going anywhere, but I bit my lip before the words could tumble free. Don didn’t deserve that kind of reassurance.
I was sick of being a doormat, and tired of people thinking they could use me and get away with it. In the past twenty-four hours, I’d been held at gunpoint, witnessed a shooting, had a one-night stand, and moved in with a biker club. I wasn’t his boring, safe employee anymore.
“I had a personal issue to take care of, but I’m fine now. Thank you,” I said.
His frown deepened at my expression, making me wonder what the heck my face was doing now. Forcing a smile, I added, “My unexpected absence did put me a little behind on a couple of projects.” I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. “I have a design due in a few hours…”
The lines across his forehead were so deep he could use them to store extra change. “Okay. But my door’s always open if you want to talk. I mean it, Jessica. You’re a valuable employee, and I don’t want to lose you.”
No, he wanted to string me along with empty promises of a promotion while only advancing his little sex buddy. No matter how upset Don looked, I refused to feel sorry for him. Choosing to focus on the way he’d made me feel when he passed me over, I marched out of his office and returned to my cubicle. Don thought keeping his side piece happy was more important than doing his job.
Good sex causes people to make bad choices.
Don wasn’t the only one who’d gotten swept up in pleasure. Just thinking about the way I’d waited for Spade last night like some desperate cat lady with her first glimpse of man meat made my cheeks burn.
Stupid, Jess. It’s over. You’re probably never going to see him again. Let it go.
Still, I checked my cell phone for his reply one more time. Nothing. Disappointed and feeling like the world’s biggest sucker, I opened my laptop and got to work.
***
Spade
I bought a deck of cards from the hospital gift shop, and Uncle Jaime and I spent the morning playing Blackjack and flicking each other shit. His comebacks were a little slower than normal, and some of his blinks lasted a little too long. I chalked it up to recovery until he closed his eyes in the middle of a play with his hand outstretched and holding a card. I’d never seen anything like it, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think he was narcoleptic.
“You okay, Tio?” I asked.
“Just resting my eyes a minute.” He opened them and glared at me. “When did you get so damn impatient?”
My impatience had nothing on my concern. I watched him, but the stubborn old bastard didn’t give anything away. After lunch, his nurse gave me a pointed look and told Uncle Jaime he needed his rest. I took the hint and got the hell out of there to run some errands, promising him I’d be back.
