Chapter 23 Your Sales Numbers Come from Kissing Ass
“Why did you agree? Weren’t you trying to turn him down?”
Outside the villa, Ryan regarded Chloe in exasperation.
“You keep changing the plan. How am I supposed to keep up?”
“You saw Dad taking his side. I couldn’t get out of it. If you don’t come, I’ll be stuck with Jason by myself.”
“It’s always one more favor. Where does it end? I have things to do.”
Chloe held up a finger.
“Just this once. We’ll act like a couple, make him give up, and that’ll be it.”
She hesitated.
“I could pay you another seventy-five hundred.”
Ryan said nothing.
A pretend husband at home, a pretend boyfriend everywhere else. Yes, both women were beautiful, but none of it was real. He was getting tired of performing.
Chloe caught his arm and gave it a gentle shake.
“Please? It’s the weekend. Think of it as a free vacation. Food, a place to stay, and a beautiful woman for company.”
The weekend.
That gave him pause.
Grace would probably be home, too. Two whole days of pretending to be happily married in front of Henry.
Weekdays were manageable: dinner, a little conversation, then their room. A weekend meant more time together and more chances to slip up.
Camping suddenly sounded appealing.
Mistaking his silence for continued reluctance, Chloe tried again.
“I’ll introduce you to a beautiful friend of mine.”
“Forget that. I don’t even have my own house or car. Are you trying to find someone else to look down on me?”
He smiled.
“All right. I’ll go. But you owe me a favor.”
“What kind of favor?” she asked warily.
“I don’t know yet. I’m new in town. Eventually, I’ll need someone who knows the place.”
Her expression remained cautious.
“Nothing unreasonable,” he added. “If you think I’m asking too much, you can say no.”
“Deal.”
“See you tomorrow.”
“Where do you live? I’ll pick you up.”
He wasn’t ready to discuss his living arrangements.
“Just give me a meeting place. I’ll be there.”
“All right.”
Back at the office, he ran straight into Derek.
Derek still resented being put in his place. Catching Ryan apparently sneaking back from an unauthorized break was too good an opportunity to waste.
He stepped into Ryan’s path and raised his voice.
“You’ve barely started and you’re already disappearing during work hours. No discipline, no respect for the rules, and—”
He sniffed.
“Is that alcohol? You skipped work to go drinking?”
“What business is it of yours?”
Ryan pointed to the Sales Team Eight sign.
“Can you read that? Sales. We visit clients. Build relationships. Take people to lunch. Or should I sit at my desk and wait for orders to fall into my lap?”
Derek stiffened.
“If you’re so interested in attendance,” Ryan continued, “ask for a job in HR. Your talents are wasted here.”
“What clients could you possibly have? You just started.”
“So new employees shouldn’t try to sell anything? Brian gave me a list and a deadline. I’m supposed to work on it.”
Ryan looked him over.
“Not all of us can sit around drinking tea, playing on our phones, and hitting our targets by kissing the boss’s ass.”
Derek’s face went red. Behind him, their coworkers were watching.
“Who are you calling an ass-kisser?”
“Sorry. Wrong choice of words.” Ryan smiled pleasantly. “A loyal employee. One who supports every decision his leader makes.”
He continued before Derek could respond.
“The boss says jump, you ask how high. Keep him happy, and the accounts somehow find their way to you.”
A woman nearby snorted and hurriedly covered her mouth. Others looked away, trying not to laugh.
Everyone knew how Derek operated. He wasn’t particularly good at selling. He was simply Brian’s favorite: always available, always obedient, always willing to do the unpleasant work.
In return, Brian sent him dependable accounts and easy commissions. His numbers stayed respectable without much effort on his part.
The laughter made Derek’s humiliation unbearable.
His face darkened. He clenched his fist and swung at Ryan.