Chapter 1
Lexie
“Whose idea was it to have this holiday shindig on the Saturday after Thanksgiving?” asks my co-worker and best friend, Cammy.
“Mr. Parker’s. Evidently, his December is ‘booked solid’ so this was the only time in November that worked.”
“Oh, well, at least it isn’t before Thanksgiving. I’m a firm believer that we need to celebrate one holiday thoroughly before moving on to the next one.”
I groan, “Agreed. I hate it when retail stores put out Christmas stuff in October.”
“Me too! That makes me cray-cray.” Nodding her head toward Mr. Parker, she asks, “What do you think he got everyone this year?”
“No clue. Katya took care of the gifts.”
“Ugh, she probably got us all crackers and stinky cheese.”
“Or pink slips,” I add looking at Cammy with an arched brow.
“She doesn’t wield that much power, Lex. She’s only his administrative assistant.”
“Executive assistant. And don’t you forget it,” I say rolling my eyes.
“Hey! I work in the public relations department, so I know the hierarchy of Parker and Associates, and she’s listed as his administrative assistant, not executive assistant. If she calls herself anything else, she’s a lying sack of dog turds.”
“Well, Katya is many things, but my guess? She’s probably not dog pooh.”
“She’s a bitch,” mutters Cammy. “She had you running ragged getting this office Christmas party going. Did you sleep at all this week?”
“A little. I had to get here early and stay late every day this week.”
“But, was she here early or late?” asks my irritated friend.
“Nope. She’d just text me lists of things to do.” Texts I’d promptly ignore. I created the party the way I wanted. Her ideas were terrible.
“You were supposed to co-organize the party. How did you becomeherassistant?”
“No clue.” Well, I know when it happened. “It happened immediately after Mr. Parker announced that the two of us were going to plan and organize the party, ‘as a team’.” I add with air quotes. “Without a beat, she started bossing me around.”
“Why’d you let her?” asks Cammy with a look of pity on her face.
“Because, Cam. I’m only the receptionist. I’ve been here eight months. She’s got seniority.”
“She’s only been here a little over a year. She’s got nothing.”
I shrug. “It is what it is.”
Sighing, Cammy pats my back, “Well, you did a great job on this party. You should start your own party planning business.”
I look around the space and smile. I’ve transformed the conference room and the large open space in the middle of the office called The Pit. It usually houses rows and rows of drafting tables but tonight it’s a Christmas, er, I mean Holiday Wonderland. “It is pretty cool, isn’t it?”
“It is. And you can’t tell me Katya Manson had anything to do with this,” she says lifting her palm up to the ceiling that’s covered in glittering lights, glowing amongst silver, blue, and white tinsel. “Nope. This was all me.”
“And the food? That woman doesn’t eat so I know you chose that too. It’s yummy goodness.”
“She wanted to go all healthy and vegan.”
Cammy snorts into her martini. “And this drink, Lex. It’s stellar.”
