I blow out a relieved sigh, the sound fading into a laugh.
“Alright,” I say with a nod. “Let’s do this. I’ll set the table?”
Mary smiles at me before turning her attention back to the pasta sauce, and I start over toward the cabinet to pull down plates.
“I could use some more wine, while you’re at it,” Jenny says.
I chuckle to myself, hiding my eye roll before turning to face her, plates in hand.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say, grinning widely.
If only I had known things could be this easy.
MARY
Ilook pretty damn good, if I do say so myself. Ifeelgood, too.
There’s nothing that’s technically all that special about today—I’ve had meetings with clients and investors a thousand times over. It matters this time, though. This meeting with Ms. Goldthwait is a make-it-or-break-it moment for the ranch. I have to pull it off and sell my proposal like I’ve never sold anything before. This isn’t important to Mary Bryce of Branded, it’s important tome.
My excitement is obvious even to me, and I brush my hands over my skirt to smooth it out. It’s the first time in a while that I’ve gotten dressed up, and I forgot how nice it feels.
I don’t mind the jeans and tanks I’ve been wearing around the ranch, but a well-planned outfit makes me feel unstoppable. As I turn to grab a different pair of heels, my phone goes off on my nightstand.
It’s early enough that a call is a surprise, and my eyes go wide when I see the contact lighting up my screen.
Shit, I never responded to that email.
“Mr. Jameson, hi!” I answer, praying that my voice isn’t shaking.
Maybe I can pretend like my response didn’t go through? Service out here has been spotty enough that he might believe that.
“Good morning, Mary,” he says. “I’m calling about the email I sent you the other day.”
“Yes, sir?”
Play it cool, Mary. You’ve got a great poker face.
“I didn’t get a response from you, but I assumed the Wi-Fi out there was just down again. Sounds like it’s been a nightmare.”
Oh, thank fuck, I won’t even have to lie. All I have to do is agree with him, that’s a relief.
“Anyway,” he continues, “I’m sure you’ll be happy to get out of there. I need you back in the office today.”
A startled laugh slips out before I catch myself, and I make a lame attempt at covering it with a cough.
“Today?” I ask. “I have meetings planned with Ev–er, with the Black Spruce Ranch clients until later afternoon. The investor we’re meeting with is actually in town, so I could come by afterwards.”
He doesn’t seem to notice the slip, but I’m glad I didn’t call Everett by his name. I’ve never gotten close enough with my clients to call them by their first names, especially not to my boss. My carefully tailored professional interest tends to be a selling point when it comes to my skills.
People usually want a marketer, not a wannabe therapist.
“Don’t worry about that,” he says. “The Luxe Resorts team wants to come in at 1:00, and they expect you to be here. They’re insistent they’ll only work with you, so I officially pulled you from the ranch and reassigned you.”
I’m so shocked I can’t even speak. He pulled me from the account entirely?
I made the decision to stay, though. Isworeto Everett and Jenny that I would help them fix this. I’ve been thinking about ways to stay here permanently, for fuck’s sake.
He can’t just pull the rug out from under me like this and expect me to follow along.
