Page 68 of Saved By the CEO

“I’ll just wait for the estimate,” I say.

Mom sighs, and I can hear the smile in it. “You are impossible.”

“Genetics.”

She laughs, and for a second, everything feels almost normal.

Then we say goodbye, and I stand there with my phone in my hand, staring at the dark screen.

A minute later, I open my banking app.

Rent. Groceries. Credit card. Savings. Mom’s car.

It’s fine.

I’ll just skip takeout for a few weeks.

People are still actingweird around me.

Which is to be expected, I guess.

Still sucks, though. Especially when it starts affecting my work.

By ten-thirty, I’ve already been bypassed three times. Legal sent the contract comments directly to Andrew, even though I asked for them. Kyle from Architecture emailed him to “double-check” whether the Westbrook renderings were actually supposed to go to Communications. And now Jessica from Client Relations has emailed Andrew about tomorrow’s client call, “because Carly mentioned moving it.”

Carlymentionedmoving it.

Carly also sent the updated invite, attached the revised agenda, and confirmed the new time in writing, but sure. Let’s all pretend I communicated this through smoke signals and feminine whimsy.

I hit reply all.

The client call was moved to 10:30 to accommodate the legal review. The updated calendar invite was sent this morning, and I’ve attached the revised agenda here as well.

Then, because I am professional and not at all fantasizing about setting the building on fire, I add:

Please direct scheduling questions to me going forward so Mr. Bennett’s inbox stays clear.

A minute later, Andrew’s door opens.

He steps out with his phone in one hand and a printed report in the other. His eyes move briefly to my screen, then to my face. “Everything all right?”

“Yes, Mr. Bennett.”

Something flickers across his face. Then it’s gone. He looks down at his phone. “Why am I getting questions about tomorrow’s client call?”

“Because Jessica wanted confirmation.”

“From me?”

“Yes.”

“You manage my calendar,” he says. “I don’t want my inbox used as a second approval system.”

“I reminded them of the process.”

“Good.” There’s a beat. “Westbrook meeting in five.”

I grab my laptop and stand. “I have the deck ready.”