Chapter Eighteen #2
Tessa folded her hands on the table. “Lilacs and Lace also sell a line of organic hair removal products,” she said.
“Then we can show that the company believes in the right for women to be hairy,” Peyton said, doubling down. “But if ladies want to be smooth, then they have a product for that.”
The men nodded.
Tessa checked the time on her phone. It was nearly five fifteen. She still needed to drive home, do her hair and makeup, then change.
She couldn’t stay and argue with him tonight, nor did she want to. “Or,” she said, “we can use the campaign to showcase their products, instead of making them an afterthought.”
Peyton shot to his feet, palms flattened on the table. “How is that helpful?” He looked to Xavier for backup. “She shot me down without making any suggestions.”
“Brainstorming means considering all sides to every idea,” Xavier said. “Then we pick the strongest ideas and build a campaign. Tessa has a point, so let’s keep going. What else?”
Peyton dropped into his seat and went back to typing.
Xavier started an around-the-room, asking everyone to share at least one relevant thought or idea.
Tessa’s phone vibrated with an incoming call from Kate. She pressed the option to reject and sent a text response instead.
Tessa: Sorry! Stuck in a meeting
Tessa: Leaving soon
Tessa: Won’t be late
Tessa: Promise
A series of small dots bounced on-screen, indicating that Kate was typing. Then they stopped and didn’t start again.
Tessa’s heart fell. She knew how bad this looked. Knew Kate would assume she’d abandoned her and her quest to change.
The mental calculations began anew. Kate’s event started at seven. Tessa’s dress was pressed and waiting. She’d showered this morning. All she really needed to do was change clothes, add some jewelry, makeup, and heels. She could leave her hair down, if she had to.
If she left now, she’d get stuck in heavy traffic.
Walking or jogging home would be faster than driving, but then she’d need a shower.
There wasn’t time for that, especially if her hair got wet and she had to blow it out again.
Her current makeup would definitely run in the shower as well, setting her back some more.
Peyton stood again, looking at his laptop before speaking. “I think we should use a color palette of neutral tones to reflect the skin tones of women around the world, then overlay a rainbow of other colors, to showcase and celebrate the unlimited differences in every woman.”
The table perked.
Tessa gasped.
“Tessa?” Xavier asked. “You don’t like it?”
“I like it a lot,” she said. “It was my idea.”
Xavier frowned. “I thought you weren’t working on this project until today?”
“I brainstormed ideas a few weeks ago,” she said. “Peyton knows that, because he saw me with Nina in the conference room when we discussed this.”
“Tessa,” Xavier scolded. “What are you saying?”
Tears of frustration and overwhelm stung her eyes. “That color palette was Nina’s idea, not Peyton’s. He took the other idea, too, about female empowerment.”
Peyton scoffed. “The idea you just hated? Make that make sense,” he said, laughing as he looked to the uneasy employees around the table.
Xavier narrowed his eyes on Tessa. “The latest suggestion is exactly what we need. If that idea was truly yours, why would you intentionally withhold it? If you took the time to create it, why would you then keep it from me and this team?”
Peyton sat and leaned back in his hair. He raised his brows in question. “Exactly.”
Tessa’s phone vibrated anew. Kate’s face appeared on-screen.
The time was 5:40.
Her throat tightened with panic and emotion. How had she become the bad guy? And how had Peyton gained access to her ideas? She’d moved them off the network and onto her device.
“Tessa,” Xavier spoke her name like a curse. “Accusing Peyton of intellectual property theft? That is a serious accusation. And intentionally withholding material that would help us win this account is a serious disappointment. What is going on with you lately? Why are you looking at your phone?”
She darted her gaze to him, stomach knotted, and palms slick with sweat. “Sorry.”
“We’ll have to sort this out with HR tomorrow,” Xavier said, voice stern but mildly miserable.
“Right now, we have fourteen hours to create a pitch worthy of this account. We cannot lose this incredible opportunity. This is so much more than landing a new account. It’s our chance to reinforce our outstanding reputation as the best advertising and marketing firm in southern Virginia.
” He dropped onto his chair and yanked his attention away from her.
She grabbed her phone and sent another apology message.
Kate replied immediately.
Kate: Please don’t do this
Kate: I need you
Heat climbed from Tessa’s chest to her face and lightened her head.
If she walked out now, she could lose her job.
If she gave in to the pressure and conformed to her old ways, her friends might do the same. She couldn’t allow that. She wanted better for them. She wanted the best for them. Happiness and joy. A life they loved.
She couldn’t set a precedent for folding under pressure. And she didn’t want to let herself down either. She’d come too far.
The voices around her warbled as she stood and collected her things. Her vision grew hazy in the periphery.
“You okay?” someone asked as she took her first unsteady step.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I have to go.”
She put one foot in front of the other, gaining stability and momentum with every hurried step away from the conference room.
Millie froze in the white-tiled hallway, shock on her delicate features. “Everything okay?”
She nodded, surprised to see Millie had stayed.
“Tessa!” Xavier barked. His voice echoed after her.
“Go,” Millie whispered, motioning her ahead and striding in Xavier’s direction. The click-clack of her heels reverberated off the tiles.
Tessa hurried onward, forcing back the tears.
“What’s this about?” Millie demanded as Tessa reached the elevator.
She jammed her fingertip against the call button, commanding herself not to lose control at the office. Do not cry! She screamed inwardly. Not until you’re in your car!
“Tessa!” Xavier snapped.
“It’s six o’clock,” Tessa said. She cleared her throat when it cracked. “I have an event in an hour. I can’t miss it. It’s important.”
“This is important!” He pushed passed his ex-wife in the narrow hallway, and Millie gave chase.
“Xavier!” she scolded. “Calm down!”
The elevator doors parted a second later, arriving like the getaway car it was. She hurried onboard and turned to press the lobby button.
“If you leave this office,” Xavier warned. “After I’ve told you how important this is—” His face passed every shade of red to eggplant. “Don’t come back.”
Millie yanked his arm. “No! What are you saying?”
“Leave now, and you’re fired,” he clarified, eyes hard. Threat made.
“You can’t fire her,” Millie said.
“I can,” he said. As the doors began to close, he added, “I will.”
“No,” Tessa said, chin up and shoulders square. “You won’t, because I quit.”
The doors sealed before her, and her tears fell wild and free.
It wasn’t fair. Wasn’t real. She loved her job. She loved her clients.
And she’d let it all go, because the altruistic, strong, and confident heroine in her story wouldn’t have tolerated being talked to that way.
Too bad the very real version of her couldn’t survive on fictional money.
Shit!