Doris ran theentire department by herself and she was nowhere to be found. Her desk lookeduntouched. Apparently, she had the day off.
Spinning around, Icased Mr. Tucker’s desk. It was across the office, but because of the openfloor plan, I could see it from here. The only thing standing in my way wasbasically every single one of my coworkers, a brick pillar and my own doubt andfear.
“How’s theaccount?”
I jerked, surprisedby the person standing to my left.“Oh my God.Catherine, you scared me.”
As the top femaledesigner at STS, Catherine Dawes was everything I aspired to be. She was atleast five years older than me and light years cooler. Starting with herperfectly smooth, expertly tamed platinum blonde hair to herhoundstoothwrap dress, she embodied poise and professionalism.
Today, I lookedlike a cracked-out hipster with hair that wouldn’tlaynicely or do what I asked it to do. I couldn’t blame the hair on Henry though.That was one hundred percent me.
The Maverick curse.
“What account?” Iasked stupidly.
“TheBlack Soul account.Didn’t Henry handpick you for that project?”
“Uh…” I didn’t knowwhat to say. Her gaze probed mine, looking for something I couldn’t identify.Was she jealous? Did she want the project? She could have it. I was over BlackSoul and working with Henry Tucker. “I guess.”
“What’s it likeworking with him?”
I folded my armsover my chest, feeling distinctly singled out. Catherine never spoke to me. Noteven when we’d been paired on projects together. In general, she always kept toherself.
So I didn’tunderstand where this was coming from. Had Henry asked her to say something?Feel me out? In the proverbial sense, anyway. We already knew that if he wasgoing to do it literally, he would do it himself.
“It’s fine.” Iwished I wouldn’t have walked all the way over here for Doris who couldn’t evenbother to show up for her job.
I must have glancedat Doris’s desk because Catherine’s gaze moved in the same direction. “Are youlooking for Doris?”
“I was,” Iadmitted. “But it’s not a big deal. I can just talk to her when she gets back.”
“She won’t be backfor another ten days,” Catherine supplied. “She’s on a cruise.”
Well, shit. “Areyou serious?”
“Is it important?We got a memo about this last week. We’re supposed to go to Henry if we need somethingHR related. He’s covering while she’s out of the office.”
Of course he is.
“It’s seriously nota big deal.” I started to move away from Catherine toward my desk. “I’ll catchher some other time.”
“Molly,” she calledafter me. I only stopped because I was so surprised she knew my name. “Ifthere’s something you want to talk about or if… something happened that youfeel should be shared, I’m here for you.”
I licked dry lipsand determined to forget about what had happened and move on with my life andthis project. “Okay. Uh, thanks.”
Catherine’s bizarreproposal stayed with me for the rest of the day while I pretended to work. Iwanted to tell someone. I would even tell Emily if it meant getting it off mychest. But I couldn’t seem to get the words past my lips.
It wasn’t until shestarted packing up for the day that I finally found the courage to confess.
She turned andasked, “Happy hour?”
I blinked at herand said, “Henry grabbed my boob this morning,” in a rushed, whisperedexplanation.
Her response boomedthrough the office. “He did what?”
Glancing around, Idropped my voice and repeated, “Henry grabbed my boob,Em.After the meeting this morning.He started by puttinghis hand on my shoulder and when I tried to move away,he grabbed my boob.”
She dropped herpurse and laptop on the floor and shoved her rolling chair over by me. “Likefull on?”
