“No?” She arches her pretty brow.
“No. I’m not going to sit here and gossip about my colleagues.”
“I wouldn’t call it gossip. I just—”
“I like everyone I work with. We work hard for Graham, and I don’t know a soul upstairs who doesn’t put in 110 percent.”
She’s still got her brow arched. She doesn’t believe me.
“I’m serious. It’s the only thing I like about this place.” Oh shit, I shouldn’t have said that.
“You don’t like working for Morgan Financial Holdings?”
Now she’s egging me on. “Didn’t I just say I liked it here thanks to my coworkers?”
“That’s not the way you phrased it.”
“I like it here fine.” Now I’m irritated. It’s like she’s twisting my words around. “I enjoy my work. It’s stressful sometimes, yes, but I enjoy the creative aspect of what we do, and the people only make it better.” Then I do that thing I do when I’m unhappy: I smile. “All I meant to say was my colleagues are great.”
“Okay.” She writes something down, and I lean forward in the hopes that I can make it out. It feels like I’m under a microscope now, and I don’t like it.
“Assuming the folder has some information about you included, what do you think Clive would write about?”
I stare at the pretty Alison and then blink. That question is rather ridiculous. How the hell would I know what Clive would write about me? The guy hates me. I shake my head and fold up my napkin, placing it next to my tray. “I have no idea.” I look at my watch, hoping she gets the hint that this meeting is over.
“Wait.” She reaches across the table and places her hand on top of mine. “I’m sorry. That question was stupid.”
I nod but remain quiet.
“Let me ask you this….”
I wait.
“Has anything happened recently that gave you pause?”
Gave me pause? “What do you mean?”
“Has anything happened that didn’t make sense? That concerned you either about your work or of someone else in your department?”
I only have to think about that for a second. “Well, there was the issue with my data on my last presentation.”
“Your data?”
“Graham said my social media data was way off.”
“And?”
“And Clive usually provides me with that kind of information. So I can’t help wondering if he was sabotaging me.”
“That’s a bit paranoid, don’t you think?”
Paranoid? I just explained—
Nope. I’m not doing this. I check my watch again. “I need to get back. I’ve got a meeting with Sam this afternoon that I need to prepare for.” That’s a lie. I don’t have any meetings today.
“Oh, right.” She shuts her notebook quickly and sets the pen on top. “Thanks for taking time out to talk to me, Ben.”
I wrap up my sandwich and put the lids back on my sides. Glancing around the space, I find the area that houses condiments, plastic utensils, and bags. Looking at Alison, I say, “Excuse me,” and step over to grab something to carry the rest of my lunch upstairs. I pick up a bag for her as well, in case she wants to take that stupid salad with her.
