Chapter 15
Chapter 15
THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON, I sat with the project team around a large table in the Marketing Department, discussing the project’s status and upcoming action points. As I listened to Will making suggestions as to how we could approach our next milestones, I watched as others in the room listened intently to him, nodding along, occasionally interjecting with ideas of their own. Will listened respectfully to everyone in the room, and when he disagreed with someone, he got his point across gently but firmly.
Since Laura’s suggestion I wasn’t working well enough with him, Will kept popping up in my head when I least expected it. Like out to dinner with Parker when one of us ordered a burger. Or doing squats and crunches at Pilates class. Even when I was in the bath! He totally ruined my soaking zen, that was for sure.
Every time he waltzed into my thoughts, an unpleasant sense of guilt hung in the air around me. I had been so intent on making sure I looked good to the project team, a much better leader than Will, I’d ended up damaging my chances at the Regional Manager’s job. And been unfair to him.
Then, there was Marissa’s assertion he was in love with Paige. I don’t know what it was, but something told me he wasn’t, that Marissa had put two and two together and come up with a banana.
I chewed the inside of my lip. It was obvious to me Will was a decent guy. He’d had a tough time in childhood, but he’d come through it and, in his own words, turned out great. He treated people well. He led people well. What’s more, he’d helped me out with my short-lived golfing career all those evenings after work—potentially putting his life at risk as I inexpertly wielded a golf club.
That had to mean something.
Sure, he could be a total know-it-all and a complete show-off, and then there was that weirdness with his friend, The Joffster, that night. But doing what he had done for me was going beyond the call of duty. At his core, Will Jordan was okay.
I swallowed. His favorite café is my favorite café.
“Anyone want to add to that?” Will asked, surveying the faces in the room.
I put my hand up. “I would.” All eyes turned toward me. I was certain I detected a moan from someone in the room. I ignored it. “I just wanted to say . . . that is, I believe wholeheartedly . . .” I cleared my throat, nervous. “What I’m trying to say is, I for one think what Will has said sounds really great.” I smiled and nodded at him encouragingly. “Don’t you think, everyone?”
The others in the room shot me looks ranging from agreement to puzzlement to downright hostility.
Will furrowed his brow. “Which part, exactly, Dunny?”
I threw my hands up in the air. “All of it! Don’t you think, you guys?” I looked around at the faces in the room. “Will has such good ideas. I think we should definitely go with these ones and consider revisiting some decisions we’ve made in the past, too.”
Will leaned back in his chair and regarded me through narrowed eyes. “You want to revisit past decisions?”
I looked at him, my eyes bulging. “I do! I’ve reviewed some of my input and I have come to believe, in the best interests of the project, we should have gone with a few more of your suggestions, Will. You see, I’ve been thinking lately I can sometimes dismiss your ideas too quickly. And I want to change that.” I stood up, pushed my chair back, and started to pace the room. I was getting into the swing of things now. “In my mind, leadership isn’t all about being the person who makes the decisions. It’s about making the right decisions and working successfully as a team. From here on out I want to be more”—I searched for the word Laura had used—“consultative. Yes, that’s what I want to be. More consultative. With you, and with everyone.” I opened my arms in a dramatic gesture to show just how very consultative I planned on being.
I looked at Will, awaiting his reaction. He tried and failed to suppress a smile. “Is that so?”
“Yes, yes it is. I believe we can all work together and achieve great things.” I was unwavering in my commitment. If Laura wanted me to show leadership through inclusiveness, then I was going to include the life out of each and every person in this room. Starting with Will.
“Sure, that sounds . . . reasonable,” Simon, one of the project coordinators, said hesitatingly, looking around at his colleagues.
“Yes. Being consultative is . . . err . . . a good thing, right?” said another, looking at Will for confirmation.
As I sat back down at the table, I noticed Melanie typing something into her phone. I narrowed my eyes at her. So, she was the mole who’d told Laura and Hugo I didn’t work well with Will! An image of Melanie with a long, pointy black nose and whiskers, burrowing happily in the dirt, flashed into my mind. I had to work hard to suppress a rising giggle.
“Okay. Great.” Will was still looking at me as though I was speaking in tongues or something. “Consultative Cassie. It has a ring to it.” His smile was quizzical. After a beat, he added, “So, to recap, you’re happy with changing the date for phase four to the twenty-first, despite your protestations at our last meeting?”
“Yes. Absolutely. Bring on the twenty-first, I say.” I punched the air.
He nodded at me as if in slow motion. “And you’re happy to work with me and Design Zoo on the final graphics?”
“If that’s what you think best, Will, then yes. Of course.” I smiled and nodded at everyone in the room. They were all watching me closely.
I turned back to Will. He raised his eyebrows in question.
“Will, what matters here is teamwork. Leadership, yes, but teamwork first and foremost.” I turned and looked directly at Melanie. “I don’t need to be in charge. It should be shared.”
Melanie flashed me a weak smile and shrunk in her seat. Good. Scuttle back to your mole hill where you belong, missy.
Will eyed me for a moment, clearly trying to work me out. “All righty then. It looks like we can wrap this thing up for the day. We’ve all got our actions, Cassie more than others, it would seem.”
I nodded at him and smiled, happy with the new me. Consultative Cassie.
“Shall we meet up again on Friday at nine?” Will continued.
Everyone around the table pulled out their phones to check their calendars. There was a chorus of “Sounds great,” “No problem,” and “See you then.” People stood up, collected their things, and filed out the door. I was about to follow the others when Will asked, “Can I talk with you for a moment, Dunny?”
I smiled at him brightly. “Sure.” Not even that ludicrous nickname could sway me from my new path. I followed his lead and sat down opposite him. I plastered on a smile. “What can I do for you, Will?”
He eyed me for a moment. This was becoming a habit. “You could explain what that was all about for a start.”
I knew exactly what he was referring to. I decided to act innocent. “What what was all about?”
He shook his head. “You know what I’m talking about. Usually you fight me on every point and try to take over.” He shrugged. “Sorry, but it’s true.”
“You’re right. But that’s now all in the past. I’ve decided you’re not all that bad and maybe I should give you a chance.”
“‘Not all that bad,’ huh? High praise.” He raised his eyebrows and smirked at me. For the first time in recorded history, I didn’t want to wipe that smile off his face.
“You know what I mean. I . . . I guess I’ve been a bit tough on you. You have some great ideas, and I don’t really give you a chance. Plus, you’ve been really nice to me with the golf thing. I’m—” The word stuck in my throat. “I’m sorry,” I managed in a croaky voice.
“You’re sorry ?” His eyes got huge.
I lifted my chin. “Yes. I’m sorry,” I sniffed.
He watched me for a moment. He narrowed his gaze, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair. “Your golf date with what’s-his-name went well, didn’t it?”
I felt heat in my cheeks. “Yes . . . but that’s not what this is about.” I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. Talking with Will about Parker felt . . . wrong, somehow.
“How did it go? Did you maim anyone? Or yourself?” He studied my face closely for a moment. Again . It made me want to squirm. “No re-broken nose or anything. Must have gone okay.”
“No one got hurt. And it went well.” Other than the lack of love.
“Oh. Well, I’m glad I could help.” He stood up abruptly, rolling his chair out from behind himself. “I’ll see you later. Got a meeting to get to. Keep up the . . . consulting.” He collected his things and put his head down as he went out the door. He was gone in a flash, without a backward glance.
I was left, sitting on my own at the oversized table in the empty meeting room, wondering what in the world had just happened.