He was innocent. And I didn’t see why he would sabotage his own company by losing clients. In fact, I’d decided there was one person who might have contributed.
Queen Victoria.
After the issues the other day with her marketing package and being told to fix things, I’d taken it upon myself to go through the campaigns for the clients who’d left. I’d found something very interesting, and I needed to tell Curtis. I might be overreacting to what I’d found, but I didn’t think so. I also didn’t have 100 percent proof. At this stage, I was assuming by joining the dots.
So, did I honor my contract? What if Curtis’s father was looking for an excuse to get rid of his son? From the beginning, I’d hated that his own father was asking me to spy on him. I’d thought maybe Curtis was untrustworthy, but even though my man radar was off for finding a partner, I’d seen and heard enough to know that he was a decent person. And my person radar was still functioning. It made me want to tell Curtis and help him clear his name.
It was a huge risk, though. If anyone found out, I’d not only lose this position but any future job. Unless I changed my name, which wasn’t out of the question. I wasn’t super attached to Emery. I could change it. Faith Sprinkles had a nice ring to it and would cheer people up because they’d think of donuts or cakes. Sprinkles made everything better.
Was I ready to risk the best job I’d ever had? I took a deep breath and shut my eyes.
“Slacking again, Faith?” My eyes popped open. Queen V stood there, polished to perfection, like a poison apple. “I’m not sure if we’ll want you back in marketing when your stint here is over.”
I smiled. “I love your jacket. Where did you get it?” She blinked, unsure whether I was being sarcastic or not. Yep, my kindness was lethal today. “Honestly, it really suits you. Not that I could afford anything like that.” Let her think I thought I was inferior. The only thing she had better than me was locked in her bank account. Okay, she had better posture and a prettier face, but my personality was way better. At least Amy would think so.
“Ah, thank you. Is Curtis not back yet?”
He’d left a note on my desk that he had an urgent meeting with the BOD. “No. Sorry. Would you like me to tell him you stopped by?”
She cocked her head to the side. “Hmm. I doubt he’ll be in the mood if he knows I want to speak to him.” She gave me a fake smile—it didn’t reach her beady eyes. Fine, they weren’t really beady, but if someone’s looks reflected who they really were, they would be the beadiest beady eyes in the history of beady eyes. “Don’t mention I was here. I’ll catch up with him later.” She turned and left. Looked like she was still pissed about the critique.
My cell phone rang. Each muted chime from my bag jangled my nerves. Also, I hated the word jangled. Why did my brain have to think it? Shaking my head, I slid the phone out of my bag. Stephanie’s name flashed on the screen, sending my pulse into overdrive.
To come clean, or not to come clean. That was the question.
“Hello, Stephanie.”
“I know I said I needed answers by Friday, but do you have anything for me?” She sounded as stressed as I felt, which was a change to how most of our conversations about this had gone. I shut my eyes. If I did the wrong thing, it would blow up Curtis’s life and mine. If I did the right thing, it would only blow up my life. Breaking the NDA was going to get me fired, and Curtis would probably fire me as soon as I told him what I’d done. Me coming clean was not going to go down well.
Let the firing begin.
I licked my lips, and my stomach tightened. Bye, bye ten-thousand-dollar bonus. “Ah, no. I’m still working on things and hoping to get back to you on Friday. Sorry.” I felt my nose. Still the same size. Phew.
“Are you sure?”
“Yep, totally sure. Sure as the sandy expanse that leads to the sea.” Why did I spout stupidity when I was nervous? Other peoplehad talents for great things. I had a talent for making those people look even better.
“Right, okay. I’m trusting you with this, Faith. Please don’t let me down.”
“I know. I won’t. Ah, he’s heading this way, so I best go. Bye.” I didn’t even wait for her to sign off before I hung up and threw the phone into my bag. Curtis was almost at my desk. His expression screamed anger, but the way his head tilted toward the ground said defeat. What happened in that meeting? Had they already fired him?
He reached my desk and stopped. A kicked puppy couldn’t look more down. His eyes, which usually held strength and fight, had dulled, like a sapphire before it was polished. The brilliance had disappeared, covered by emotions I knew well. Whatever had happened in that boardroom, I was betting his father had been at the stinky, warm, shitty center of it. “Any calls?”
“Just one from the florist. Your sister’s birthday flowers and signed limited-edition book are being delivered next Monday.”
“Great.” His expression didn’t match his words. His face said things couldn’t be any less great, even if the whole building collapsed on him and Victoria was the one person he would have to spend eternity with.
I didn’t have much to pack up when I was fired. That was the only benefit to having been here for such a short time. Here went nothing. But it was everything. “I have to tell you something. Can we go into your office?”
His forehead lines deepened. “Is everything okay?”
He’d never shown concern toward me before, except for at the pub, but that was an emergency situation. Normally he was hardline professional at best. “Yes and no. Depends how you look at it.” I wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so I stood.
His eyebrows rose. “Okay, then.” He turned and led me into his office. I shut the door and took a seat in front of his desk, but hedidn’t sit. He went to the window, shoved his hands in his pant pockets, and stared out at the gray day. Hmm, having his hands in his pockets stretched the fabric tantalizingly over his firm butt. But that wasn’t what I was here for. Although would anyone criticize me for having one last perv before I was sent packing? It was only fair, right?
My stomach gurgled with nervousness. Warmth moved from my jaw to my cheeks. Guilt. Embarrassment. At least it would be over soon. Maybe I could find a retail job and rent a cheap place near Momster’s. Or maybe nowhere near her. I could still freelance with my marketing skills. There were plenty of jobs out there if I was willing to take a massive hourly pay cut. I’d started again so many times; it would be fine. Maybe Mom was right. Chasing better things had only left me exhausted and disappointed.
“Right, well, I know we’ve discussed that we’re not each other’s favorite people, but after I tell you what I’m about to, you’re going to hate me more than my incompetence and non-company-style margins.” His back was to me, and I wondered if the brief ear wiggle meant he’d smiled. I took a deep breath and continued. “Your aunt got me to sign an NDA, so after I tell you this, if you don’t fire me, she will. I totally understand I’ll lose my job, and that’s fine.” It wasn’t fine, but there was no point crying about it to Curtis. I didn’t even have the right to call him Bosshole anymore. He hadn’t been much of an asshole since saving me, and I guessed I owed him one.
