Jack: Did you receive your offer letter?
Katherine: Yes.
Jack: Just yes? No further comments? :P
Katherine: 85K is not as high as I hoped.
Jack: What were you hoping for, 85 million?
Katherine: How did you guess?
Jack: I had a feeling you were a pricey employee.
Katherine: Well, you know …
Jack: You excited to start on Monday?
Katherine: Oh, yeah, I can barely contain myself. I’m thinking of getting some fireworks.
Jack: We can have some fireworks in my bedroom.
Katherine: You can have some, but I won’t be there to see them.
Jack: I was hoping you’d be the one lighting the fire.
Katherine: Keep hoping and dreaming … and maybe, one day, pigs will fly.
Jack: It’s like that, is it?
Katherine: Yes.
Jack: Well, we are happy to have you starting with us. I think you’ll like your team … good people …
Katherine: You know the people on the junior marketing team of the hotel division? What are their names?
Jack: Ouch. You got me there.
Katherine: That’s what I thought.
Jack: I’m sure they are good people if they work for me.
Katherine: Good or desperate?
Jack: Wow, those digs keep on flying … I’m dodging and darting.
Katherine: I have to go now, Jack. However, thank you for the job. I will do my best.
Jack: Glad to hear that. Feel free to text or call me at any time.
Katherine: I won’t.
I smile to myself and put my phone back into my pocket. I don’t need to continue the conversation. I’ve said what I needed to say, and now I’m at peace. At least for the rest of the day. I just need to get through the next couple of months and avoid Jack as much as possible. I don’t trust myself around him, and I just want to focus on my bigger goals without complicating my life and possibly embarrassing myself again.
“Katherine, these are your team members.” Joanne Planford introduces me to the small team sitting around the conference table.
She’s a no-nonsense middle-aged woman with short black hair and shrewd eyes. I was surprised that she was Jack’s assistant, as I’d been positive he’d have some cute blonde at his beck and call, but apparently, when it comes to work, Jack is all business. I was also surprised that he hadn’t been here to greet me or welcome me on my first day, though I was glad that he wasn’t here.
“Hi.” I wave to the three members seated at the table with bored expressions on their faces.
