Chapter 31
Gavin Scott:
Can you meet for coffee this morning?
Me:
Already went! I came in early today to work on something. Let’s get lunch
Gavin Scott:
Why aren’t you answering your phone?
I really need to talk to you. You never called me back last night
Me:
I promise we’ll talk later. I’m on a roll right now and I can’t have any more distractions. Going to turn off my phone
I feela little guilty blowing off Gavin, but I can’t afford distractions right now. I spent last night formulating a plan. The best plan I could think of for getting Tristan engaged in an actual work conversation. A plan to save my job, and maybe even force Mitch into considering that promotion.
And now I need to execute that plan before something else gets in my way.
It wasn’t difficult to find a new strategy. I just had to stop boxing myself into this idea of what I should be doing. I can’t just be another Gavin or Eduardo. I’ve always known I don’t get to play by their rules, so why was I trying to, knowing I’ll always be ten steps behind?
The fact is, they have their strengths, and I have mine. And I’m finally going to use them.
I’m Olivia fucking Diamond, heiress to Diamond Sky Vineyards. Well, kind of. But there’s one thing I am sure of. I am brimming with big tit energy.
SLACK DIRECT MESSAGE
Olivia Diamond:
I’m sorry again for calling so late last night. And for the texts this morning. But were you able to come up with that client list yet?
Andie Oh:
Seriously, when do you sleep? Is my best friend a vampire?
And yes, I just emailed you the file. It’s password protected since it has everyone’s contact info, but the pw is just SIZZL
Olivia Diamond:
THANK YOU!!! I’ll sleep once I get the promotion
Andie Oh:
I also secured budget for transport. You’re sure you can handle everything else? It might be tight but Mario thought this was a great idea. He was impressed you came up with it
Olivia Diamond:
The CMO knows my name!?
And no budget needed, I got everything taken care of minus the shuttles. I really owe you for this!
Andie Oh:
You owe me nothing. I’m excited to spend a Friday in Sonoma
Budget’s taken care of, email list ready to go, PowerPoint presentation in the works. There’s just one more thing to set this plan in motion.
Me:
How would you like an exclusive tour of Diamond Sky?
Tristan Cross:
What makes it exclusive?
Me:
Possible barrel tasting – you probably know we never do those
A tour of my family’s private cellar
Oh, and I’ll be the one leading it
Tristan Cross:
When is this happening?
Me:
Next Friday. Tour starts at eleven
Tristan Cross:
I’ll be there
I hover over Gavin’s name in my iMessage window. My phone is still off so I screenshot the conversation on my laptop and send it to him. I can explain the details later, but I don’t even want to be tempted to hide it.
Me:
I’ll explain my devious plan at lunch today, just wanted to loop you in
A message bubble pops up on the screen immediately, but to my surprise, it’s not a response from Gavin.
SLACK DIRECT MESSAGE
Daanesh Khan:
Good morning, Olivia. Do you have a minute to chat?
What the hell? Daanesh and I have definitely gotten friendlier over the last few weeks, but we’ve almost never interacted at work. He’s the CEO, and an engineer at that. He never has a reason to talk to me. This can’t be good.
Olivia Diamond:
Sure. Right now?
Daanesh Khan:
Yep. Meet me in conference room B
B? Shit. I’m pretty sure that’s the soundproof one.
“Hey, Daan,”I say, walking in. I was shooting for casual, but in the current setting it feels like a possible mistake. “What’s up?”
I take a seat across from him and try to decipher anything I can from his expression. He looks tired, a little sad maybe?
“Is everything okay?” I ask. He still hasn’t spoken, but he really does look beat up about something. I know he was with Gavin last night. Maybe a rugby match gone bad?
“Not really,” he finally replies. “Do you feel safe here, Olivia?”
My eyes dart around the room like I might find some sort of weapon.
“Yes?”
“I mean at this company. At my company.”
“Oh. Of course, I feel safe.” I’m starting to wonder if this is a new style for our quarterly reviews. I’ve heard of other companies in the Bay Area letting employees review their leadership. Maybe I got picked by the random generator.
“Look, I promised Gavin I would wait to talk to you, but I don’t want to lose any more sleep over this. I need to know exactly what happened with Mitch, and why you didn’t feel comfortable coming to me or to HR.”
I see red.
He promised Gavin? Gavin promised me. What the hell is this, some sort of ambush? Gavin trying to save the day again and failing miserably again?
“I’m not sure what Gavin told you, but nothing happened with Mitch. And there’s nothing I need to talk to HR about. I’d really just like to get back to work.” I stand.
“Liv,” he says quickly and pauses. “Please.”
When I sit back down, I cross my arms over my chest, hoping it sends the right message.
“Can we talk as friends for a minute?” he continues. “Just forget this is my company. Our roles don’t exist.”
“That’s not exactly easy to do but sure.”
“Did you know I have three sisters?” he asks, catching me off guard. I shake my head. There’s very little I know about Daanesh outside of work. “When Gavin told me how Mitch has been treating you, all I could think about was them. Two are still in school but the oldest, Sana, she just started working as a data scientist for a company in Dallas. If I knew her job was threatened for anything other than performance, I’d be livid. And I don’t want anyone working for me that feels otherwise. I just want to make it clear that I will never condone misogynistic behavior, and you should never be afraid to come to me if something like that happens.”
He nods his head, announcing my turn to speak.
“I appreciate you saying all this, I do. But it doesn’t change anything.”
“Why not?” he asks.
“Okay, let’s just play this out. Hypothetically. Because I have not made a complaint and I don’t plan to.” I let my eyes flare. “But let’s say I tell you Mitch is threatening me, harassing me, being inappropriate, whatever. What do you do then? You fire him, I assume?”
“Yes.” Daanesh thinks this is the response I want, but he still doesn’t get it.
“So, then what happens to me? I get a new boss?”
He nods, shrugs, like of course I would. No big deal.
“Great. Now I have a new boss who knows I got the last one fired. That sounds like a great start to our relationship. Mitch will be gone, and sure, people might talk about him, but he’ll move on to another VP role somewhere else, no problem. I’ll be the one living with the rumors. The girl who got the VP of sales fired. People will love to speculate about what happened; if it was really even his fault at all. Maybe I’m just too sensitive or couldn’t take a joke. If I ever do get promoted, it’ll be because the company is scared of a lawsuit, or hell, maybe it’s because I started sleeping with you to get what I want.” He shudders at this. It’s nice to know where he stands, but it still doesn’t change anything.
“The rumors will be endless, and I’ll hate it here even more than I do working for Mitch. Eventually, I’ll leave, and start over at the bottom somewhere else. Tell me if any part of that scenario sounds like a win for me.”
He swallows thickly. “I don’t know if that’s exactly how it would go, but I see your point. You’re really not going to work with me on this? You don’t want Mitch gone? I’ll do everything in my power to not let it affect you.”
I take a second to think about it. “Of course I want him gone, but not like this. Not because of me. All I want right now is to do my job and make some magic happen, all on my own.”
“If this is about the promotion you’ve been working toward, I?—”
“Nope. Don’t even say it. I do not want to win that way. Can you please keep this between us?”
He nods and something about his expression makes me want to believe him.
I stand up and leave the room before he can dangle any more carrots in front of me. Because I don’t want his help, or Gavin’s or anyone else’s.
I want zero doubt. I want to erase the possibility of whispers and lies that spread like wildfire. I want it to be perfectly fucking clear that I earned that position, that it wasn’t because some man likes the way I look, or feels sorry for me, or wants to make up for someone else’s indiscretions.
I pass the wall of fame on my way back to my desk, the wall covered in velvet portraits of every sales rep who’s closed a million-dollar deal. Gavin has a whole damn row.
Seven portraits of him I have to pass on the walk, seven times to feel the betrayal, seven expletives escaping my lips.
“Liv?”
Make that eight.
“Hey, asshole.”
“Can we talk? Please?”It’s not even nine in the morning and he’s already begging. At least I can take a little pleasure in that.
“I actually have a lot of work to do,” I say, bee-lining it to my desk.
As soon as I sit down, I put on my headphones, drowning out his pleas.
SLACK DIRECT MESSAGE
Gavin Scott:
Please let me explain
Olivia Diamond:
Explain what? Your need to run to Daanesh and betray me?
Gavin Scott:
I didn’t betray you! He cornered me. Demanded to know why I lied about dating you. He found out weeks ago.
This surprises me and I briefly glance up from my computer. Gavin raises his brows in an attempt to talk, but I deny him. There’s no way Daanesh has known for weeks.
Olivia Diamond:
That’s impossible. Nice try though
Gavin Scott:
I swear, Liv. He said he saw a text you sent Andie, totally by accident. I think it must have been when you were going to that charity event because you said something about not having to bring me since no one from work would be there
What? That’s way too specific to be made up but it has to be a lie. Andie was in Santa Barbara with her boyfriend when…
I yank off my headphones and fall back into my chair. Unbelievable.
“What’s wrong?” Gavin’s staring at me. He’s doing it in that sweet “I’m just here for you” way that makes me melt. But I don’t want to melt for him right now.
“There’s no one I can trust anymore.”
“Sparkles.” He gets up and comes over to sit in Paul’s old chair. “You can trust me, you can. This was all just one big clusterfuck, but that doesn’t mean you can’t trust me. I’ve only ever had your best interest in mind. You know that.”
I realize the office is starting to fill up and I look around, hoping this conversation isn’t being overheard. Gavin notices and grabs both of my hands to pull me up. “Come here.” He drags me into the closest conference room.
“How can I make this right, Liv?”
Make it right? Does he think he has the power to turn back time?
“Yesterday,” I announce. “I told you I had a plan yesterday. You couldn’t even give me a whole twenty-four hours to fix this myself?”
“Liv, I told you. I never planned to tell him anything?—”
“I believe you, that you didn’t go to Daanesh by choice, but you didn’t have to tell him everything. You just wanted to fix it.”
I pin him with a stare, daring him to lie to me.
“Of course, I did! How do you expect me to stand by and watch as these guys take advantage of you?” He throws up his arms, his voice laced with vitriol. “Do you think it’s easy for me to see the texts from Mitch disrespecting you? The ones from Tristan? How could you expect me to see that and not want to do anything about it? I love you, for fuck’s sake.”
I’ve never felt so conflicted. Everything he’s saying has me wanting to run to him, to let him wrap me in his arms and make everything better.
But would that mean I’m giving up on myself?
“I love you too,” I whisper in reply. “But I’m done feeling like a possession. I don’t want you to fix everything for me. You’re not my keeper. I don’t belong to you.”
“You think you belong to me?” he asks incredulously. “Is that a joke? I belong to you. I lied to one of my best friends for weeks, for you. I was—I still am on board with you figuring this situation out on your own, and I told you I’ll be there to help as much or as little as you want. I would do anything for you. Don’t you get that?”
He’s been inching closer to me with every word and suddenly he’s right here, sharing breath. His hands reach up to cup me face as he says, “You’re in charge, Sparkles. I’m just along for the ride.”
“Really?” I ask, trying not to grin. It’s impossible with the way he makes me feel, sunlight begging to pour out of me. “You’ll let me do this my way? No fixing?”
“I only have one request,” he adds.
I narrow my eyes. “What?”
“I got your text. This thing in Sonoma you have planned. Whatever it is, let me be there. I’ll keep my distance, won’t say a word. I just can’t stand the thought of him near you. I want to be close if you need me.”
“I guess chivalry isn’t dead,” I muse. I like the idea of him being close. There is always a solid possibility of me getting in over my head. Again. “I can work with that.”
“One more request.”
“Really, Scottie?”
“What if I said my life depended on it?”
I scoff, dropping my head to the side. “Fine, what is it?”
“Kiss me.”
His request surprises me. But my body reacts instantly. My eyes dart behind him to the door of the conference room. Luckily, we happen to be in one of the two rooms without windows and glass doors.
“It’s just us, Sparkles,” he whispers against my lips. He drops one hand to my waist and lets the other thread through my hair to cup the back of my neck. “Please,” he begs. “Put me out of my misery.”
My lips curl into a grin. “I thought we agreed to keep this out of the office. Getting caught in the elevator was bad enough.”
“This doesn’t count,” he says, pressing into me until my back’s against the wall. “Didn’t you hear the part about my life depending on it? Don’t you care about my survival?”
I shake my head, still grinning, and pull him toward me until I’m perfectly sandwiched between Gavin and the whiteboard. “If your survival’s at stake…”
I know we should stop this before it starts. I know this. I’m just too turned on to care. Gavin’s hot, and he’s really good with his mouth, but the lack of control he places over me is what’s really doing it for me right now.
I grip the shirt at his chest, and pull him even closer, our lips finally coming together. His hands roam from the hem of my dress up, up until he’s fiddling with my bra while his lips move to my neck.
I wrap an ankle around his calf and tug, positioning his leg between mine. He quickly takes the hint and presses into me, his lips forming a grin I can feel under my jaw.
“Am I still in charge?” I ask, tilting my head back to give him better access.
“As long as you want to be.”
“Good.” I grab his hand and pull it under my dress. “I have a ton of work to do, Scottie. Let’s make this quick.”