Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Maureen was eying me doubtfully, her mouth downturned like a cat. “Lily, that’s so sweet. But Con needs a professional. You just don’t have enough experience, and two weeks isn’t nearly enough time.”
I’d thought she might say this. I had a backup plan. “Okay, then what if I’m the assistant to the temp EA,” I said gamely. “I don’t have certifications and experience, but I know Con and the company better than an outsider.”
“It does seem like a two-person job sometimes,” Maureen murmured. Her doubt was becoming speculation. She was wondering if it might just work.
“I worked the front desk at the campus library for two years,” I said encouragingly. “It was part of my work-study program.”
Maureen smiled kindly, but I could tell it hadn’t added much weight to my argument.
“And I was the receptionist at a law firm for the last two summers,” I added. “And—”
“Okay,” Maureen held her hands up with a laugh. “I think you’ve convinced me. I want to see about moving you up from Brand Development immediately though. I go out on maternity leave in four weeks, and we’ll need every day.”
My heart leapt. Not only was she agreeing, but I was going to get away from Brand Development early? This was better than I’d hoped.
“Do you mind leaving Brand Development early?” she asked, knowing full well I didn’t.
I shook my head so vehemently that she put a hand on her stomach and laughed. “I didn’t think you would. Are there any loose ends you need to tie up? Projects to finish?”
I thought of the endless alphabetizing they’d been having me doing and the hours I’d just spent sitting behind various team members while they worked without bothering to explain what they were doing. “No projects.”
Maureen looked unsurprised. “Not a very welcoming group, are they?”
I shook my head and shrugged. “No big deal. I was temporary.”
“Well, I’ll be glad to have you.” Maureen glanced around. “I’ll get another desk brought up. I need to talk to Con, and HR, but I’m hoping to have you in here by tomorrow.”
“I could just stay,” I said. “I’ll pull up a chair and shadow you. I won’t be in the way.”
Maureen patted my arm. “I know you want out of Brand, but we have to go through Con and HR first.”
My heart squeezed. This was the most delicate part of my plan, but I was counting on Maureen’s influence to make it work. “What if he says no?”
He would absolutely say no. Hell no. I was taking a risk by trying to outmaneuver him. He might even follow through on his threat to try to drive me back to Ohio. But Maureen got a stubborn look on her face at the question. “He won’t,” she said determinedly. “This is the first plan that makes sense. If you’re here and we get a good temp EA, I’ll actually be able to relax on maternity leave. Or as much as newborns let you relax. I wouldn’t know. They can’t be more work than CEOs anyway”
I went back down to Brand Development, cautious optimism surging through me. If Maureen had her way, this would be the last time I walked through the chilly Brand offices.
And if Maureen had her way, I’d have mine, too, soon enough.
15
CON
“No fucking way,” I told Maureen pleasantly. I wasn’t going to yell at my pregnant EA. Not when she had kept my professional and personal obligations neatly organized for the last ten years, found a solution to every problem, and not once threatened to quit when shit got weird. And shit got weird a lot in this job.
She was like a sister to me, and I’d do anything for her.
But not this.
Maureen put her hands on her hips. “Con, this is the only fucking thing I’ve ever asked you for.”
“That’s not true,” I said. “You ask me for things all the time.”
She paused, considering it.
I leaned back in my chair and started ticking them off on my fingers. “You borrowed the apartment in Paris last year; I got you tickets to the Charged Up premiere last month, you took—”
“Okay fine, yes.” Maureen smacked at my hand. One of the only people in the office who could have gotten away with it. “But I deserve all those things.”
I laughed despite my annoyance. “Undoubtedly. But you’re not getting this. If you think you need two temps to replace you, we’ll get two temps. You don’t need Lily.”
“Lily knows the agency better than a temp though. And I trust Lily. You could end up with two duds.”
“Lily’s been here a month. She doesn’t know the agency any better than a temp.”
“She knows you, though, and she’s not intimidated.” Maureen put her hands back on her hips and rocked her weight back, wincing slightly.
“Sit down, Mo.” My jaw tightened, both with concern and at what she said. It would be better if Lily was intimidated, because I was starting to figure out where Maureen’s insistence was coming from. Somehow, some way, Lily had put her up to this. “I won’t intimidate the temp either,” I said tightly.