Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 94106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
A few weeks later, I sat in the conference room with my marketing team going through the first two months of results from our advertising campaign. It turned out to be the best bang for our buck we’d ever had—more successful than billboards, newspaper ads, and advertising in commercial real estate mags.
The marketing team had come up with a few new advertisements to run—four video ads—each one targeting a different demographic. So far, we’d only used static graphics. Each twenty-second video featured a different couple who’d met on Match.com and also used shared office space. Apparently, people ate up those short vignettes where the happy couple tells their bullshit love story, so the click rates are through the roof.
Though today, I fucking hated them. Screw these happy people when I have to be miserable.
The spots were shot in our offices, and the couples mentioned why they loved using our shared workspace. They seemed more like Match.com success stories than advertising, but I guessed that was the point. I was able to stomach two, anxious to be done with the happy couples projected onto the whiteboard.
The third couple came on the screen, and a woman who was probably in her mid-thirties said, “My parents are divorced. I’m divorced. Ron was the first person I met on Match.com.”
Ron piped in, smiling at her. “We hit it off, but she didn’t want a relationship.”
The camera zoomed down to the man’s knee, where the woman laid her hand. “I went out with a bunch of men because it felt like I was supposed to.” She shrugged. “But I just kept thinking about Ron.”
The dude laughed. “She was in denial, but I knew right away.”
The camera moved in close to their faces, and they looked into each other’s eyes. Then it zoomed down to her belly—her pregnant belly—and her hand, adorned with a wedding ring, rubbed her stomach. “Sometimes you just have to take a chance.”
The video then moved on to how he also took a chance and started his own business and needed impressive office space without the commitment and price tag. But I’d stopped listening.
I stood abruptly before they could even show the last video. “Good job. Run with it.”
I saw the confusion on my team’s faces as I walked toward the door. They looked at each other, silently asking what the hell was wrong with me. I just didn’t give a shit.
Later that night, my office phone rang. The caller ID said it was Logan. I didn’t feel like talking, but he’d called my cell earlier, so I figured I’d make sure everything was alright. Tossing my pen on the desk, I leaned back into my chair.
He started talking before I even said hello. “Remember the twins from Chi Omega? The gymnasts who had those juicy lips?”
I nodded. “Jenna and Justine. Jenna was a business major and Justine pre-med.”
“Whatever. I saw them in the elevator of my building today at work. Haven’t seen them in a few years.”
“How are they doing?”
“They’re fucking hotter than ever. That’s how they’re doing.”
“Are you calling to tell me you hooked up with them both? Because I really don’t want to hear the details.”
“No. I’m calling to tell you Jenna asked about you. She said she had the biggest crush on you back in college.”
“Oh yeah? That must’ve bruised your ego.”
“Not at all. I’ll take either one. I still can’t tell the difference anyway. We have plans with them Friday night.”
“We?”
“Yeah. The four of us.”
“No, thanks.”
“Dude…do you know how flexible they are?”
I still had no interest. I rubbed my eyes with one hand. “I’m not up for it.”
“They’ll get you up for it. Come on. What are you going to do? Spend the next year abstinent, only to drive out to Montauk with your hopes up on Memorial Day and have Valerie’s new, forty-year-old boyfriend answer the fucking door when you knock?”
My jaw flexed. “It’s Valentina.”
I should’ve never told him about what was going on with me, what went down this summer. But the day after I left him alone with the two women who’d tried to pick us up at the bar, he showed up at my office to ask what the hell was going on. And like a pussy, I unloaded my tale of woe on him.
But the thing was, I knew Logan—he could be relentless, and believe it or not, he was concerned about me. He just thought getting me laid was the way to make me feel better. I had no doubt that if I said no, he’d be standing in my office at some point tomorrow. I wouldn’t even put it past him to show up with the twins at my place Friday night.
“Fine.”
“Excellent.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “You won’t regret it, buddy. I’m telling you, that Janna had a twinkle in her eye when she said your name.”