“You’re a failure and a disappointment. How could you do this to me, Curt?”
I held in the laugh that wanted to reverberate off the walls. Could she spell irony?
“Unfortunately for you, Victoria, I have all the proof I need of you sabotaging me and my family’s company to send clients to Piranha.”
Another picture appeared of an email thread between Victoria and Amanda with Victoria laughing about ripping off the client by not utilizing all the funds they gave us and trashing their campaign. And Amanda thanking her for the gift of a new client.
“That’s just the first crumb of the giant donut.” I hoped Faith enjoyed my donut analogy—I made it just for her. “If you’d like toleave, Victoria, there’s the door. You’ll find some lovely FBI agents waiting for you in the hallway.”
Her mouth opened and closed several times, like a fish gasping for air. She was probably upset that orange clothes were in her future—the color did nothing for her complexion.
I flicked my gaze to Faith, hoping to see her happiness, vindication that I’d listened to her and she was right, not caring anymore what Victoria did or didn’t do.
Because the only person in the room who mattered was Faith.
Instead of looking happy, she’d frozen. Faith, Amy, and Kayley were staring at me. Amy was the first to move, leaning across to say something into Faith’s ear. It made sense that Faith needed time to process, and I wasn’t even finished. My heart ached. I wanted to run to her and ask if she was okay, put my arms around her, and protect her from the past, soothe her pain, reassure her that everything was going to be good. I needed to know she was okay. I wanted to hear what she thought about these revelations. It was selfish of me, but I was desperate for her to tell me I’d done the right thing, that she forgave me, that she might feel the same way I felt about her.
But it wasn’t time. Yet.
“I would share more, but I don’t want to compromise due process. In light of these revelations, I would hope that you can all see that I was competent in my role at Knight Advertising, that I gave my very best to that company. What Victoria did affected Knight Advertising but more so has ruined my reputation as a capable professional. Which brings me to my next announcement.”
I stared at my father. Always cooler than an ice sculpture at the North Pole, his fists were resting on the table, his mouth pinched—looked like my heatwave of revelations was melting his self-control. My mother glanced between him and me. She could usually handle him, but I could see the whites of her eyes, like askittish filly being approached by a racoon crashing cymbals together.
I grinned, my eyes travelling over every table in the room. It was important to keep people’s attention, make them think I was speaking directly to them. Important, considering what I was about to say wasn’t nearly as exciting as what I’d led with. It was like being offered celery to finish a meal instead of a decadent dessert.
“So, in other news, I’ve just registered a new marketing and agenting company. This”—I gestured to the walls and ceiling—“and the floor below are going to be our head office. We’ve already signed Ranger Foods. Marvin Black, the owner, has been incredibly supportive over the past month. And I’ve been lucky enough to secure the lovely Sunshine Farraday as our first talent.”
She’d apologized profusely when I presented proof—the law firm Amy worked for were top notch, luckily for me—that the social media accounts that started the rumors had been paid off by Victoria. Fortunately, she hadn’t signed with her new agent yet and was only too eager to make it up to me by signing with my new venture.
“We’re only representing ethical companies and artists.”
Which might restrict our earning capacity, but at the end of the day, how much money did I need? The company would turn a good profit, but I would just get less of it. I wanted to run a successful company with the woman I loved. I wanted to take her on vacations, spoil her rotten, and live in the moment. I had plenty of money already, so this was about personal fulfilment, not more riches.
And, yes, as Faith would say, I was privileged to have that option.
“In light of wanting to be more ethical and focused on the good of many rather than the few, staff will be remunerated above market and will be offered shares in the company, with the totalpool to be 30 percent.” I gave Faith’s friend Destiny a nod. She’d already agreed to come on board. I was cherry picking only the people I trusted 100 percent. Which wasn’t many, unfortunately.
I gave Aunt Steph a nod. She held the screen controller at the ready.
This was the moment it could all go wrong. My palms were sweating as if I was about to ask my crush to the prom. It didn’t matter how old one got, when faced with rejection from the love of your life, you could be reduced to a puddle of sweat. It was a good thing that spontaneous human combustion wasn’t really a thing.
I stared at Faith.
Then laid it all on the table.
FAITH
Amy squeezed my hand, her head ricocheting from side to side like a meerkat scanning for threats as she tried to look at me and Curtis at the same time. I wondered how much crazier tonight would get.
Were we all about to turn into forest creatures?
If so, I could see Amy as a wolf—strong, capable, loyal. I’d definitely be a racoon, for obvious reasons, and Curtis… he would be a black cougar—sleek, clever, irresistible even if it meant death to rub his furry tummy. Victoria—who was intermittently staring at the exit probably fretting over being arrested—would still be a human because she was so gross, I couldn’t see any animal claiming her as their own, not even an alligator. Sucked to be her right now, and I wasn’t sorry. Normally I could drum up some kind of sympathy for people, but not today. Karma visited, and she’d slayed.
I turned to Amy and held up my hand to celebrate the victory.Her gaze stopped ping-ponging, and she gave me a “have you gone mad?” look.
I shrugged. “I wanted a high five. Whatever.”
Curtis’s voice grabbed my attention again. It might’ve made my stomach do little flippy flips. I was prewired to react to him in ways I wish I wasn’t. How could I get over him when I just wanted to get under him? If my mother appeared beside me and called me pathetic, I’d happily agree with her.
