Page 27 of Mr. Perfect

“Well, don’t let him smooth-talk you into staying. Stick to your guns.”

“I turned in my notice last night but he refused to accept it.”

“Who is this guy?” Adeline asks, annoyed.

“McAllister Stonewall,” I say. I might even sigh his name a little. This doesn’t get past Adeline, because she cocks a knowing eyebrow at me. “What?”

“Is he dreamy? Because you just said his name like he is.”

“He’s very good-looking,” I admit. “And a little bit… overpowering.” That’s an understatement. “And I just don’t know anymore. He kind of flipped my world upside down yesterday.”

We get off the train at Building Eleven—that’s where the executive restaurant is—and I fill her in on how he humiliated me at yesterday’s meeting as we take the escalator up to the dining room.

“What a dick,” Adeline says.

I hold up two fingers to indicate the number in our party to the host at the front and then we follow him to a private table in the back where I bring the celebrities. Once we are seated I get back to the conversation. “Right? I’m not overreacting? I mean, maybe I overreacted in the meeting and my escape down the slide was ridiculous, but I was just… shocked. It was stupid to put all those personal things in Heath’s message stream.”

“And delusional,” she adds.

“Maybe a little,” I admit. “But McAllister Stonewall could see they were not meant for him and he not only read them, he responded. A man with class would’ve ignored them. And a boss would’ve sent a polite email about it. Not humiliated me in front of the entire executive staff.”

She nods, putting on her pouty face in sympathy. “He handled it wrong.”

“I did too. I understand that. But… but how do I look him in the eye for the next two weeks?” I pause for a moment, wondering if I should tell her the rest. Yes. I better just come clean. “And there’s something else on the phone too.” I screw up my mouth a little to indicate this is not good.

“Spill it,” Adeline says.

“I have this Pinterest board, right?”

“Riiiight…”

“And I post my delusional things on there.”

“OK.”

“Plus, I might’ve made a board with workplace gossip on it. I have these nicknames for everyone, like Jennifer Sluts-around, and Clarisse Takes-all-the-credit, and Marty Brown-nose.”

Adeline bursts out laughing.

“It’s not funny! And I sent the link to Heath. Which means…”

“Oh, my God, why would you do that?”

“Because I’m stupid?”

“So he saw you being Ellie Office-bitch?”

I smile. “Yes.”

“The board was public?”

“No! That’s what I don’t understand. It’s private, just Ming and I can see it.”

“So how did he see it?”

“I sent him the link, I guess?”

Adeline shakes her head. “He can’t see it, Ellie. If a board is private, then it’s not available to anyone unless they are added to it. Did you add Heath?”