21. Chapter 21 #2
After what felt like hours of fraught silence, Francis finally spoke, “No doubt you’ve all figured out what this meeting is about. I won’t delay. Congratulations.” Francis looked at us with what was the closest thing to a smile that I’d ever seen from our boss.
The assistants and I glanced at each other with unease, and Ambrose was the first to respond. “Thank you. I’m honored to be chosen, given the top-notch competition from my peers here.” The last part he said with a faux-gracious smile to Jessa and me.
“Indeed, the competition was fierce, and it was impossible to choose.” Francis paused while we all held our breath.
“So we didn’t. One of Kylan’s goals has always been expansion, so adding new agents was a natural choice.
The three of you will all become agents, and we’ll open up a fifth assistant role to support the additional work. ”
Ambrose gasped before arranging his expression into a polite smile. “Congratulations to my two junior colleagues as well then, Jessa and Annie,” he said, again with the faux-gracious tone.
I didn’t much care about Ambrose’s reaction though.
I’m going to be an agent!
As shock coursed through me, I glanced over at Jessa, who appeared terrified but excited .
I’m becoming an agent? What? Me? Me!
After just a couple months of learning the assistant job, I was being promoted. I , Annie York, was becoming an actual agent. It hardly seemed possible.
“As you know, Laina will be leaving soon. Annie, you will move into her office and take on many of her clients. This decision was based only on practicalities. You are already familiar with Laina’s clients and organizational methods.
Jessa and Ambrose, you’ll move into your positions in the fall, when we have new offices prepared and new assistants hired and trained.
” Francis paused. “You’ll all no doubt have more questions, but that is all, for now.
” With an air of finality, Francis stood, tilting their head briefly in the direction of the door.
I rose quickly and thanked Francis, knowing they didn’t like to waste time.
Ambrose and Jessa followed, a bit more sluggishly.
Ambrose had a distinctly disgruntled air about him as he walked out of the office, and Jessa still seemed to be in a daze.
For me, it was all I could do not to literally run to Sofia’s office with the news.
And not long after I plopped into a chair in her office with a mile-wide grin, a familiar voice rang out. Or more like sang out.
“Happy agenting to you, happy agenting to you, happy agenting to Annieeeee—”
“I think she gets the picture,” said Rainn, cutting off our roommate as he laughed. “Stick to dance, Raf.”
Rafael sighed dramatically. “I’m an amazing singer. You just have poor taste.”
“Then I guess everyone else in the world does too,” Rainn said, his lips twitching.
Before Rafael could come up with a suitable retort, I cleared my throat loudly and said, “Hey! Um, hi?”
Both men turned to me, nearly falling over themselves to apologize for the clumsy entrance and to congratulate me on the promotion. I chuckled as I watched them, my heart feeling full for the first time in … forever .
“I found out about the promotion yesterday,” Sofia said. “So I called them up this morning and told them to come on by for some news.”
I gasped. “So they found out before me?”
“She didn’t tell us you were promoted. We knew when we heard ‘news,’ it had to be that,” Rainn said, an oddly shy grin on his face as he looked between Sofia and me.
I crossed one leg over the other, a thoughtful expression on my face. “But Sofia could have been calling you here to comfort me because I didn’t get the job.”
Rafael burst into laughter, and to my absolute shock, Rainn and Sofia joined in.
After he stopped laughing and wiped his damp eyes, Rafael looked at me in disbelief.
“Oh, come on. You had to know the job was yours. Like they could really pass up the opportunity to promote you . There’s no one better than you. ”
“I love you guys,” I said, warmth flooding through me.
“But you’re a bit biased. I thought the promotion was a long shot, honestly.
But … whatever. Who cares. You guys, I did it.
I did it!” I jumped out of the chair and nearly bowled them over with a long group hug, and when I finally tore myself away, I found Sofia waiting for one as well, which I was happy to oblige.
“Sofia,” I said. “I couldn’t have done this with you. Any of this. Ah, ah—don’t say anything. You don’t get to object. You’re an awesome mentor. Own it, girl.”
She eyed me thoughtfully and then smiled. “You’re so right. We’re both brilliant, you know. And these guys know it too.”
Rafael nodded, grinning back at us. After a moment, Rafael nudged Rainn, who jumped back.
“Oh, hey, sorry, I zoned out a bit,” Rainn muttered.
Rafael gave him a strange look before turning back to us. “So, we’re of course throwing you a big party to celebrate. Joel’s parents’ house, Friday night.”
My eyes widened. “Oh, I don’t know if I—”
“Don’t bother arguing. You don’t have time to plan a party, I know, but you can make time to go to one, girl.
You love parties. Don’t you worry about anything—we’ll handle all the planning and invite some friends.
We’re going to tear it up one last time before you get serious as our new Agent Annie. ”
“That has a nice ring to it,” Sofia said, biting her lip with a smile. “Should we invite anyone from here or—”
“Eh, I lean toward no,” I said quickly, “Or at least very few. You’re my only cool friend here, Sof.
At least, the only friend who isn’t more of a rival.
And Rainn … I guess you could invite your buddies in IT or HR if you want.
” I tried to think of a way to say ‘don’t invite Kylan’ without sounding rude or suspicious, but I came up short.
Hopefully Sofia would realize the last person I wanted to celebrate with was my college boyfriend. Ex-college boyfriend.