“High-end garbage talk?”
Her expression makes me laugh, so this time, I let it out freely.
“Yes. High-end garbage talk. I’m simple. Grew up in Montana. I don’t get all the fancy things people die for here.”
“So, you took my design and made it your own?” Her words cut, but her body language is easing, so I think I’m breaking her walls down.
“No. I took your design and made it ours. That’s what coworkers do when they work together. I was very clear in the meeting why you were upset, and I didn’t take credit for your work. I promise.”
She nods but looks away. “Christina told me.”
Her walls are down, so I continue, knowing I’m finally getting somewhere, “Thankfully, she liked it, and we were able to keep the client.”
She glances down, pretending she’s picking lint off her shirt. “Yeah, I heard that too.”
“All I was trying to do was make sure the client was happy. I did all that work on Sunday just in case I was right and she didn’t like our direction. I honestly thought your concept was better, but it’s not up to us. It’s up to her, and I didn’t want us both to fail.”
She uncrosses her arms and lets out a breath, still not looking at me though. “Yeah, I get it.”
“I know you and I have never really gotten along, but that’s not what this was. I would never purposefully do something vindictive like that. It’s just not who I am in my core values.”
She stares at me, and I give her that time to hopefully forgive me. I watch as her eyes soften, giving me a little reprieve from this mess we’ve been in all morning.
“Whatever.”
She rolls her eyes, then walks to the coffee maker, pouring herself a cup. I take that time without her looking at me to let out a deep breath, feeling the tension loosen in my shoulders, which has been there since I got the client’s email.
“Christina told me to ask what our next steps are,” she says while stirring the sugar and cream in her coffee.
“She gave us samples. I have yours on my desk. I’ll give you the files I was working on this weekend. She has some tweaks that you can work your magic on.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
I pause, not sure how she’ll react to what I have to say next. I know my first thought washell no, and after the morning we’ve had, I’m sure she’ll feel the same way. I just hope she doesn’t shoot the messenger.
“She wants us to come visit the ranch.” I don’t say anything else as I wait for her reply.
I expect her to turn fast to look at me or to yell out there is no way she’ll go anywhere with me, but what I don’t expect is for her to close her eyes and just breathe.
I give her the time she needs because I’m not sure what else to do with this reaction.
She’s still facing the coffee maker with her eyes shut, and she asks, “When?”
“We are supposed to look at our schedules and let her know. As soon as we can though.”
“Fine. I’ll let you know.” She turns the opposite direction of where I’m standing and leaves the break room without giving me a second glance.
I was prepared for a lot of things when I came to work this morning, but her acting so calmly at the idea of going anywhere with me was not one of them.
Zoe
My hands are shaking so bad that I’m afraid I’ll make a scene with my coffee spilling out of my cup while I walk back to my desk. I never drink out of these paper cups they supply, but here I am, walking back to my desk with it, only because I needed to do something to keep my mind from freaking out. I didn’t eventhink about putting a lid on until I was a few steps away, and there was no way I was turning around to grab one.
Jana glances up at me as I sit. “Coffee? In a paper cup? Isn’t that your travel mug sitting on your desk?”
“Don’t ask.”
I hear the giggle escape her lips, but I don’t pay her any attention.
