Chapter 18
CURTIS
Monday morning, and I’d been so busy working on Marvin’s campaign, I’d hardly seen Donut Girl. Not that I wanted to. Ha, lies. I stood and tilted my head side to side, cracking the kinks out. I’d worked on the campaign all weekend, staying up until one both nights, and tonight would be the same.
I’d taken on the impossible, but I had to find a way to make it work, or I was done.
And in the meantime, I didn’t have time to find out why we were losing clients and who was behind the false accusations against me.
I couldn’t even ask for Aunt Steph’s help because she did whatever my father said, even if she didn’t agree.
He always managed to bully everyone into his way.
He used guilt with Mom and Aunt Steph. With us kids, he used insults, making sure that any self-esteem we had was just enough to get our jobs done but not enough for us to believe we could make it without him.
I knew this. Why did I buy into it?
My buzzer sounded just as my door opened. Victoria strode in, smiling. “Curt, darling. I have to run something by you. It needs to be signed off in an hour.”
I frowned and opened my mouth to ask why she thought she could barge in—friend or no friend, I always showed her courtesy in the office, and I expected the same—when Faith appeared at the door.
A pair of black tailored pants hugged her hips and flared out a bit halfway down her shin.
I itched to run my palm over those curves.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Knight. I hope it’s okay that I didn’t have time to announce Miss Worthington.” She was very diplomatic—I’d give her that. Except I didn’t miss her struggle to get the irritated look off her face when she glanced at Victoria, who was already seated on my couch with her laptop.
I held in my smile. I was ridiculous, truly.
Just seeing Faith made me feel somehow lighter.
Maybe I was lacking sanity, and I should just quit.
Either way, this would all be over one way or another soon—I’d keep my job, and she’d go back to marketing, or I’d lose my job, and I’d never see her again.
I just needed to keep my moronic crush in check until then.
I really had no ounce of self-preservation. “That’s okay, Faith.”
“Also, I’m ready to take notes.” Before I could tell her no, she walked in with her laptop and shut the door.
She sat on one of the chairs in front of my desk and set herself up, avoiding my gaze.
She was like a four-year-old, thinking if she couldn’t see me, then I couldn’t see her.
Whether she was here to take notes for me or for my father, I couldn’t say, but I’d let it slide.
Irritation flared in my gut, but this was an unimportant meeting. She could win this round.
Victoria stared at the side of Faith’s head and rolled her eyes—uncharacteristically unprofessional. I had no time to decipher that today, and I only hoped she’d treat Faith well when she inevitably ended up back in marketing. And that was too much politics for one day.
I slid behind my desk, sat, and peered at Victoria. “Have you emailed the files?”
“No. I’ll do it now.”
Victoria couldn’t see Faith’s face front on, but I could, and it was her turn to roll her eyes. I wholeheartedly agreed—if you were going to rush in here and demand I look at something, at least be prepared, for fuck’s sake.
My inbox dinged. I opened the four files and had a quick look.
“You expect me to read through a brief, fifteen pages of copy and watch two videos and a commercial, and okay all these graphics?” Having a quick look was fine, but to pick apart anything that needed fixing…
I would have to look closely and write notes.
“This should’ve been a scheduled meeting with the team.
I don’t have time this afternoon.” Tension crept up my neck and lodged at the base of my skull, setting off a dull ache.
Now I’d have to stay up until at least 2:00 a.m. Fucking wonderful.
She waved her hand, not put off at all. My father had employed her to make his best buddy—her father—happy, but he also liked her tenaciousness and unflappable attitude.
She was displaying it now, and I didn’t appreciate it.
“You just need to have a cursory look. My team’s done a great job on this.
Your PA even did some of it before she was snatched from me.
” She smiled. “Craig from Fullerton’s is waiting for it.
” She glanced at Faith, who’d been typing away as she spoke. “Can I speak freely here?”
“Yes, of course.” What did she know about Faith being here? Was Victoria in on it too? I couldn’t trust anyone, not even one of my oldest friends.
“In light of the accounts we’ve lost lately, I don’t want to go over on delivery time. We don’t want to lose another long-standing client.”
Faith dutifully kept her gaze glued to her laptop.
Did she blame me for our waning client list?
What had she been telling my aunt and father?
I hadn’t given her anything much to report, except my unscheduled meeting with Marvin the other week.
Hopefully they’d just think it was a random lunch.
“Faith, I’m going to email you these. I want you to look over the graphics and videos.
Make notes. I’ll look through the copy.”
Victoria’s eyebrow rose. She shut her laptop and leaned forward. “Faith is hardly senior enough to check work I’ve thoroughly gone over.”
“From what I’ve seen of her resume and work so far, she has plenty of experience and is quite capable.
She’s good enough to be my PA, so I think that speaks volumes as to what my aunt thinks of her.
” My gaze found the subject of the discussion, her cheeks coloring slightly.
Hmm, did she have an inkling of a conscience at me sticking up for her, even though she was a liar?
The way my feelings about this woman ping-ponged from desire to anger had my head spinning.
I looked at Victoria. “Come back in an hour, and we’ll have feedback or questions. ”
Her eyes widened as if a waiter had just told her they didn’t have the expensive champagne she was after.
She didn’t like it when things took an unexpected turn.
True to her personality, though, she wouldn’t let it defeat her.
She stood. “Fine. I’ll be back.” Her response almost sounded like a threat. I chuckled as she left.
Faith stared at me. “What’s so funny?”
“I pictured Arnold in The Terminator.”
She paused, looking at me as if she was shocked I’d make a joke.
Then she laughed, and it was the most delightful sound I’d ever heard.
If I’d thought she was gorgeous before, I was about to be slayed.
That smile did things to my heart. Things I didn’t want or need.
I cleared my throat. “Anyway, if you could go through all that at your desk, that would be great. Thanks.”
Her laugher cut off, the light in her eyes dimming. “Yes. Of course, Mr. Knight.” She quickly collected her laptop and hurried out, shutting the door behind her.
I was a prick. But then again, I had every right to be. I needed a metaphorical kick up the ass every time she bewitched me. I wasn’t an inexperienced teen—I was a grown man who had control of his decisions and feelings, dammit.
Shutting all the bullshit out, I got to work.