BLAIR
Believe me, I know.
BLAIR
Watch your back, though. He’s evil. And if he’s being a dick, there’s something he’s not happy about.
ME
Great.
As predicted, Lance keeps us throughout dinner, but at least he has the decency to order in food for everyone. As I drop my trash into the bin out in the hallway, I hear him call out my name.
“Hey, great work today. I really appreciate everything you are doing. I can’t tell you what an asset you’ve been to our team.”
I turn my head to look at his hand, which is back on my shoulder again. This must be a tell of his, a move that says,I don’t fucking like what is going on, but I’m not sure what is going on, so I’ll play along with a friendly grip on your shoulder.
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Yeah, I was just speaking with your father. I wanted to make sure that we’re all good.” Lance offers me his best display of his twinkling white veneers.
I’m confused. I’m not sure what he would be talking to my father about. He must see it on my face.
“You know. That your relationship with Blair won’t be a problem. He let me know about your history with her andassured me that your priority is TWA. In fact, he was surprised to hear you were still talking to her. I explained our offices are on the same floor so you two were bound to run into one another.”
As if on cue, my phone buzzes in my pocket, and I don’t even have to guess who it is. I know it’s my father. And I already know he is livid that Lance called him.
“He’s absolutely right. My relationship with Blair is strictly professional,” I say through clenched teeth, unable to calm the rage running through my veins.
“And you’ll let me know any updates on Sophia’s proposal?” Lance says.
Everything is becoming super clear now. He knows Sophia wants Blair and, if Blair can lock her in before she’s terminated, it will be a year before Sophia can renegotiate with TWA unless she agrees to a huge penalty payment.
“I’m sure Blair will keep you updated. That’s really not my place.”
“But it’s your place to review a proposal from TWA, or Blair, actually?” Lance says. The question is rhetorical, and the subtext is that I need to prove my professionalism.
“We better get back in there.” I walk away before I lose control and tell that cocksucker to fuck off.
When we finally wrap for the evening, I’m too in my head to go to Blair’s house, so I head home. I feel like an asshole when I finally text her a few hours later with the lie that we’ve just wrapped. I’m hoping that she’s already in bed, but when she responds, I pile on to an already shitty day by telling her an even shittier lie.
BLAIR
I’m still awake. I can have a glass of whisky waiting for you.
ME
I better not. Lance sent me away with homework I need to finish by tomorrow. Raincheck?
BLAIR
Of course. I’m sorry you had a shit day.
I don’t respond to her because I’m that big of a dick. I need some time to figure out how I want to handle this.
thirty-six
. . .
