Chapter Two: Office Politics
Dealing with those two airheads has made me late for work, but I still take the time to step back and admire my brand new Mercedes. Silver with black leather interior, fully loaded and customized. I had to clean every dime out of my bank account to get it, but it was worth it. I've got a good job as an art director at Meyers & Lawson advertising agency. I'm also close to getting a promotion that would make me the senior creative director. The position would mean that I was in charge of the entire art department and it comes with a hefty bonus, so I'll get my money back in no time.
I take another five minutes to stop by the ladies room to check myself out. It's a humid day so my curly sandy brown hair has predictably taken on the look of a fright wig. I smooth it up as best I can, reapply my lipstick and put on a fresh layer of mascara. The cream colored pantsuit I'm wearing is fitting just right and the perfect complement to my mocha skin. A pair of matching Manolo Blahnik stilettos completes my ensemble. Damn. I look good.
I know I should head to my own office now, but I need to stop by and chat up my girl Jessica first. Jess is a tall, busty, bubbly blonde from Iowa of all places. Normally she's the kind of chick that I would hate on sight. I mean she used to be a cheerleader for god's sake. But Jess is so sweet and funny that even I couldn't help but like her.
Unlike me, Jess lives for celebrity gossip. She's got a subscription to every entertainment magazine that's ever been published. She's been in Los Angeles for three years but she still acts like she just fell off the turnip truck. She is going to freak out when I tell her what happened to me. I'm just headed down to the secretarial pool to give her the dish when I spot Daniel coming toward me.
Daniel Mcpherson, my boss and my boyfriend. I fell for him the first time that I met him. Danny is built like a football player, broad through the shoulders and slim through the hips. He was the tight end on his college team and if you take one look at him, it's easy to see why. His eyes are black as coal, just like his close cut wavy hair. His skin is golden brown and he's got one of those deep, Barry White type of voices. The voice alone is orgasmic. In addition to being smart, assertive and charismatic, he's also the youngest senior executive at the agency. And he's all mine. At the moment though, he doesn't look too happy to see me.
"You're late, Ms. Monroe."
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Mcpherson. You're not going to write me up are you?" I hope the teasing tone in my voice will remove the iciness from his.
"This is the second time you've been late this month. Maybe I do need to write you up."
I take a look around to make sure that no one is in the hallway, then I step closer to him. "Is something wrong, Danny? You've been snapping at me all week. Are you nervous about us moving in together?"
Danny grabs my upper arm and jerks me into the corner. "How many times do I have to tell you not to bring that up at work?"
"No one is around."
"Are you trying to get us both fired?"
"Of course not."
"Then I suggest you try to maintain a more professional demeanor." Danny adjusts his tie and walks off.
"I'm telling you Reece, you've got nothing to worry about. Danny is just having the commitment jitters."
I'm having lunch with Jessica and trying not to stare as she digs all the insides from her bagel. Why have a bagel and scrape it until all you have left is a shell?
"Danny is just wigging out because he's giving up his bachelor days. As of this weekend you two will be co-habitating and it's probably freaking him out. Once you two get settled in together, everything will be fine."
"I hope you're right." I want to believe what she's saying, but I'm not sure. I'm so worried that my stomach is tied in a knot.
"Stop worrying about Danny and finish telling me about what happened this morning."
"I already gave you the highlights. Some punk ass former boyband member ran into his Frankenboob ex and he was too afraid to brush her off, so he pretended that I was his girlfriend. Then he actually offered to pay me to go to some party with him. The end."
"You are the worst storyteller ever, Reece."
"Sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind. Not just Danny. Mr. Meyers is announcing who's going to get that promotion today."
Jess gives me a big toothy grin and bumps me with her shoulder. "What are you worried about? You know you've got that job in the bag. Not only have you been working your ass off, you just happen to be dating one of the guys that makes the recommendation."
"Danny wouldn't choose me just because we're seeing each other."
"That's not what I said. I'm just saying that it couldn't hurt your chances. Now back to the important stuff. What was JC wearing? How's he styling his hair these days? Did he let it grow out again, because that looks good. But only if he doesn't let it get too greasy looking."
I just smile while Jess continues to babble on about JC's hair, and his gorgeous (her word, not mine) eyes. Her voice slowly becomes background noise, because all I can really think about is the way that Danny just cut me off cold and walked away from me.
I'm sitting in the waiting area outside of Mr. Meyers office. Nicholas Meyers is one of the senior partners and a lecherous old fool. I didn't wear pants today because this suit is cute. It's hard to feel like a professional when someone is doing their best to look down your blouse and up your skirt.
I'm two seconds away from biting my nails and ruining my french manicure, when Mr. Meyer's assistant gives me the okay to go into his office.
Cautiously, I stick my head in his door. "Hello, Mr. Meyers. I was told that you wanted to see me."
"Yes, please have a seat Reece." He eyes me up and down. As soon as he realizes that I'm not wearing a skirt, the disappointment on his face is obvious. Can't blame the man. My legs are fierce. "You're looking lovely as usual."
"Thank you. What was it exactly that you wanted to see me about?"
"As you are well aware, we'll be making the announcement this afternoon about who will be receiving the promotion to creative director." Mr. Meyers moves from behind his desk and sits on the edge of it.
"You know I like you Reece. You've done exceptional work for the firm, always willing to go above and beyond for every client. You were the front runner for the position."
I'm skinning and grinning until it sinks in on me that he used the word 'were'. As in past tense.
"What do you mean, I was the front runner?"
"I called you in here because I thought it would be unfair to you to make the announcement with no advanced warning. We've decided to go with someone else."
His words hit me like a sledgehammer to the stomach. "Why? You just said that I'd been doing an excellent job. I've worked myself to the bone. Several of the campaigns I worked on were award winners. I don't understand."
"Some new information came to light and it was suggested that you might not be the best person for the position."
My heart almost stops. For a second I think that maybe Mr. Meyers has found out about Danny and me. Not only will I not be getting the promotion, maybe he's about to fire me. "What information?"
"As you know the partners don't get a chance to work with the creative team very closely, so we depend on the recommendations of other executives to help us make our decisions. One of the executives expressed concerns about you getting the job."
"Who was it? What did they say?"
"You must know that I'm not supposed to tell you that."
I can see that I'm gonna have to work the information out of this old goat. My legs may be covered up, but I have other assets to work with. It's completely unprofessional, but I've got to do what I've got to do. I throw back my shoulders and stick out my chest. "Don't I deserve to know why I'm not getting the promotion? Please, Mr. Meyers."
"Well okay. But you can't tell anyone that I told you this. The executive that we spoke with raised concerns that he thought you were too inexperienced for the position. He said that you were impetuous and immature."
I sit there with my mind racing, trying to think of who might have wanted to give me the shaft. "So that's it? I was passed over because of what one person said. That doesn't seem fair."
"I understand how you feel Reece. But this was one of our most trusted employees. He made a very good case, citing several examples of your tardiness and what he called borderline insubordination."
I can feel a cold sweat running down my spine. My mind has raced to a conclusion that my heart doesn't want to hear. "Who was it? Who blocked my promotion?"
"Daniel Mcpherson."
