Boss smiled at me like a proud father. “Impressive, isn’t it?”
“Very,” you-know-who replied, but then he ruined it. “I would like to add in a few more feature enhancements like more variability and ordering control. I would also like to bring in a graphic designer to update the interface.”
I whipped my head toward him. “What’s wrong with the current design?”
“It’s busy and outdated.”
I looked to Boss for support. That was my design, and we had carefully gone through several versions until we got it right. We had even sent it out to several potential clients for feedback.
Boss tugged on his collar. “Kelli, maybe this is a good time to turn over the design work to someone else, so you can focus more on marketing and selling the product.”
My shoulders dropped. How could Boss take his side?
“I didn’t realize the design was yours,” Ian said.
I glared at him. I wanted to say it wouldn’t have made a difference, he still would have said the same thing, but all I could manage was, “Is our meeting over, Mr. Greyson?”
“What’s with all the formality between you two?” Boss asked.
I stood up without Ian’s answer. I was declaring the meeting over. “Mr. Greyson feels it sets the proper boundaries between himself and his employees.” I almost said lowly subjects, but that would have been going too far. I walked toward the door but turned back before marching out. I caught a glimpse of Boss’s confused face and Ian’s stunned one. “Excuse me, I have an appointment.” There was no need to say it was with me, myself, and I.
I headed straight for my office to put on my walking shoes and grab a jacket. I needed to walk around the lake to clear my head and possibly reevaluate my decision to work for Mr. Pain in My Backside. As I walked back past the conference room, I could see Boss and Ian deep in discussion through the window of the now-closed door. I’m sure my name was being brought up.
When I hit the cool air, I breathed in deeply. I felt so out of control. I couldn’t, in recent memory, remember feeling so out of sorts. I needed to get it together, but for some reason I couldn’t seem to, nomatter how hard I tried. As I walked, I tried to focus on my breathing. I tried not to think about the idiot who occupied the conference room and ate sushi. Okay, I may have thought of him, but it was to pray that his sushi was tainted. He deserved a good case of food poisoning. How dare he be surprised that I actually have talent. And how dare he call my designs outdated. I worked hard on those. I researched the best color schemes, patterns, and placements for ease of use and aesthetics.
So, I wasn’t doing well in not trying to think about him. Stupid, good-smelling, handsome man.
After thirty minutes of walking I felt a little better, but I knew I couldn’t stay out there forever. Good news though, the trees around the lake were beginning to bud. Spring was just around the corner. Thank goodness. More good news, when I made it back upstairs to my office, the conference room was devoid of people. I walked back to my office in peace and finished the rest of my day on the phone with potential clients. I was more than ready to leave when five rolled around. I walked out to an empty reception area. Delfia had gone home for the day as had Boss. I didn’t think he planned on working full days for the remainder of the week. It seemed like his brain was already set on retirement.
With high hopes, I approached the conference room, but it seemed where Ian was concerned, my hopes would always be dashed. There he was, still working away. I planned to walk on by and not say anything. Yes, that was unprofessional, but I think where he was concerned, the less I had to do with him, probably the better for both of us. He, unfortunately, had other ideas.
“Do you have a few moments?” he said as I walked by.
Reluctantly, I stopped and leaned against the door frame. I gave him a look that said sure, whatever.
He set down the file he’d been going through. “I hope I didn’t give you the impression that I’m anything but impressed with your work and vision. You’re very talented.”
“Thank you. Have a nice evening,” I said dully.
The way he pinched the bridge of his nose said he was disappointed in my lackluster response. “Good evening,” he replied.
I took that as my cue to skip out of there.
There were a few account managers left on the lower floor finishing up their day. I said my goodbyes to them. A couple of them expressed their wishes that I had been made the new director. I wasn’t sure how to respond other than to thank them and lie by telling them Boss knew what he was doing, and I was sure Mr. Greyson was beyond capable. That wasn’t a total lie, I had no doubt he was capable, I just didn’t like his methods thus far.
It was a little depressing thinking about the could-have-beens as I walked out to my car. Oh well, I got a raise out of it, right? It didn’t help much; money wasn’t the most important thing to me. I had learned more money didn’t equal more happiness. But it did buy trips to the Virgin Islands, and that could make me happy. On that cheerful note, I threw my satchel in the car.
“Kelli,” Ian called my name.
Really?I turned around to face him. “Don’t you mean, Ms. Bryant?” I mocked.
“No. We’re off the clock,” he said it like it should be obvious.
“You can’t have it both ways,” I countered.
He grinned. “Sure, I can.”
“Well, Mr. Greyson, it’s either one or the other for me. Do you want to be Ian or Mr. Greyson?”
