"It's Southern themed!" Liz piped up. "It's actually going to be a lot of fun, I think."
"Now remember," Grant told them, "this is not a cushy job where you just lounge around and spend money. We need results."
"Yes, of course," Allie said firmly.
"I'm not really talking to you. This is more for—well, really only for Carter."
"Hey!" Carter protested. "I can do stuff."
"You'd better!"
56
Carter
When Grant returned from his dinner with Allie, he sat Carter down.
"We're giving you a position in operations," Grant said.
"What about Allie?"
Grant smirked. "She's going to be your boss."
Carter was taken aback.
Grant explained, "She's going to be running a new division, and you and Liz will be a part of it. Do you think you can handle that?"
Carter nodded.
"So," Grant said, standing up to pour them celebratory drinks, "what are you going to do about Allie?"
"I, uh… nothing?"
"You need to make it work with her somehow. You two are all over the news. People in the company know about your relationship."
"So?"
"So it needs to be legitimate, or at least look that way," Grant replied, handing Carter a glass with a sip of whisky in it.
How ironic,Carter thought as he and Grant clinked glasses. His fake relationship now had to be fake again.
This was it, though, the moment he had been waiting for. Wasn't it? To pursue her for real?
He stewed over it the next few days. Allie maintained a professional relationship and gave no hint that she wanted something more with Carter.
On the Friday before Brandy and Fernando's couple shower, Carter ran into Vance in the hall.
"Congratulations on the promotion," he said.
"So you're staying at the company too?"
"Of course. Sales, you know," Vance replied.
"So no hard feelings?" Carter asked after a too-long pause.
"None at all," Vance said, gripping Carter's hand tightly, and walked off.
People were acting really strangely, Carter thought. Maybe it was because summer was almost over. It almost felt like fall as he and Allie drove to New Cardiff.
