I nod, trying to look attentive while my brain screamsfuck this placeon repeat.
“I’m putting you on a performance improvement plan. Ninety days to show us you want to be here.”
A PIP. The corporate kiss of death.
“I understand.”
But as he drones on about expectations and metrics and professional development, my mind drifts back to last night. To green eyes and a voice that made my knees weak. To the feeling of being wanted by someone who looked at me like I was…
Oh God.
The memory hits me like a freight train.
My hand. On his… on his…
Oh no. Oh no, no, no.
“—and we’ll check in weekly to assess your progress. Mary? Are you listening?”
I must make some sound—a yelp, maybe, or a whimper—because Dave’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Are you okay?”
I shake my head violently, trying to dislodge the image of my drunk self grabbing a stranger’s cock through his jeans.
“Sorry. Yes. Weekly check-ins. Got it.”
But I don’t got it. I can’t got anything right now because I’m pretty sure I sexually assaulted the hottest man I’ve ever seen, and now I’m sitting in a performance review trying not to have a complete mental breakdown.
Did I really…? Oh God, I did. I grabbed him. And he just stood there. Probably paralyzed with horror.
“Mary, you look green.”
“I’m fine. Just… processing the feedback.”
Dave closes the folder. “I hope so. Because I like you, Mary. But this is a business, and we can’t carry people who aren’t pulling their weight.”
I nod again, muttering something about understanding and improvement, but inside I’m spiraling.
Real or dream? Real or dream? Please let it be a dream.
But I can still feel the phantom weight of him under my palm. Still taste wine and something dangerous on my lips.
Definitely real. Definitely happened. Definitely ruined.
I walk back to my desk on unsteady legs, feeling like everyone can see my shame written across my forehead in permanent marker.
Stephanie smiles at me as I pass. “How’d it go?”
“Great,” I lie. “Really productive conversation.”
I sink into my chair and immediately want to crawl under my desk and hide until this whole day, this whole week, this whole year just… disappears.
My phone buzzes. For a split second, my heart leaps.
It’s Jasper.
I answer, and before I can even say hello, his voice is already shrieking through the speaker.
