“Just checking to see how you’re going. You know your ex, Mark, the one who cheated on you and dumped you, well, he was just on one of my news shows. His agency is expanding. If you’d stayed, you probably would’ve gotten a raise.”
I shut my eyes tightly and tried to force out the negative energy.
She knows not what she says. Forgive her.
“Napping on the job and talking on the phone?”
I opened my eyes to Victoria glaring at me. I kept my sarcastic, “If I was napping, I wouldn’t be able to talk” to myself. “It’s my lunch break, and I’m multitasking.” That was as rude as I dared be. Maybe she’d think I was trying to be funny. My whole life, I’d bitten my tongue more than I should’ve, and if I wasn’t careful, I’d chew it to a pulp.
“Well, make sure you’re off soon.” She turned and glided dramatically to the elevator. Was she upset that her office wasn’t on the executive floor when she was so close to the boss? I hadn’t seen anyone else barge in on Curtis while I’d worked here. Even his aunt had knocked.
“Hello? Are you there?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“Well, what do you have to say about Mark?”
“Was Amanda there too? Were they doing it live?” This conversation was ridiculous. I might as well make it more so.
“Faith Harriette Emery, don’t be so rude!” Oops, she’d slapped me with the middle name.
“What do you want me to say?” One minute she’s telling me not to go for good jobs, then she’s telling me I should’ve stayed. Not that I’d had a choice, but if I had, as if I’d work for the man whocheated on me. And man, it sucked that he and Amanda were making more money. Karma was a load of crap. If she existed, all Amanda’s hair would’ve fallen out, and his dick would’ve shriveled to a prune. Plus, they’d both have butt boils. “Have you had some of Bethany’s edibles again?”
“Wash your mouth out. I don’t dabble in that nonsense, and neither does your sister.” I hated when she called her that. We weren’t related by blood or choice. The only thing Bethany and I would probably agree on was that.
“Hmm, if you say so. Look, I’ve got to get back to work. If you like, I’ll come visit you when I lose this job, and you can gripe some more. We’ll make a day of it.” I’d tried the direct, rude method with my mother before, but she was immune. Maybe this time she’d get the message?
“Don’t be ridiculous. You always have to take things too far. At least you have a job right now, even if it won’t be for long. That’s something. I’ll call you next week. Bye.”
Hmm, that worked. Great.
“Who was that?”
Curtis stood in his doorway, curiosity livening his expression.
Heat moved up my neck and to my cheeks. At least he hadn’t heard her side of the conversation. “My mother. I have to be blunt sometimes. I don’t think I’m actually going to lose this job… I hope. Anyway… can you please forget you heard anything? Also, before I get in trouble for taking a private call, I’m on my lunch break since we worked through it.” The more he knew about my life, the more ammunition he’d have against me. There was protection in mystery.
When Mark found out about my mother, he used similar tactics to put me down and make me feel less than. It made me easier to manipulate. I wasn’t falling for that again, and as far as my mother was concerned, I’d been far less patient with her attitude after Mark. Maybe I was moving in the right direction.
“Okay, on all counts. I’m going to be working the rest of the afternoon. Please don’t put any calls through.”
What could he be working on that would require that kind of concentration? “Of course.”
“Thanks.” He went back into his office and shut the door.
I crossed my fingers that Amy would have some info for me tonight. Time was running out.
CHAPTER 20
CURTIS
Wednesday morning felt like Friday afternoon. I’d worked until 2:00 a.m. last night… again, and I wasn’t going to make the deadline for Ranger Foods. I’d even been too tired and stressed to bother Faith with some bullshit assignment at 1:00 a.m. Cramming two weeks’ work into one week wasn’t something I wanted to continue. I was a workaholic, but even this was going too far. I hadn’t had time for my workouts because four hours’ sleep each night was more important. And today, my father hovered his domineering finger over the domino that would collapse my life as I knew it. He’d called a surprise early meeting with the board of directors.
I sat to my father’s left at the boardroom table, the seven other directors—all men over fifty, except for my aunt—staring at me grim-faced. I’d adjusted my demeanor to calm, “nothing to see here” mode. They didn’t need to know I was sweating underneath my three-thousand-dollar suit.
My father cleared his throat. Arms resting on the tabletop, a pen in one hand—for no reason because his assistant was sitting next to him, her hands poised over her laptop, ready to take the minutes. “I’m calling this meeting to order.” Everyone’s gazes swung from me to my father. “We have one order of business today.” He slowly turned his head and set his stern focus on me. There wasn’t an ounce of hesitation or regret in his eyes. I’d thought he couldn’t disappoint me anymore than he already had.
I was wrong.
