Chapter 25
FAITH
I’d requested a meeting with Stephanie so I could resign.
I sat in front of her desk, my nerves pulled tighter than a strangulating Victorian corset.
It was all I could do to stop my leg from bouncing.
Curtis and I had discussed how to do this and give her as little information as was necessary.
We didn’t want to tip anyone off as to what we did and didn’t know while we untangled the whole mess and discovered who, exactly, was targeting him.
Yes, Victoria was suspect number one, but was anyone else working with her?
And was her endgame to ruin Curtis or the company or both? And why?
Me resigning meant they might put someone else in to spy, but it didn’t matter anymore.
Curtis and I were going to work from his penthouse from now until the end of next week.
Whoever it was would never get a chance to do any damage.
“I couldn’t find anything that pointed to Curtis being guilty of sloppy work or sabotage.
There’s also no proof of him sexually harassing anyone.
I’m not a professional, though, so take that as you will. ”
The divots between her eyebrows smoothed. That was a good sign—she was relieved. “Are you sure?”
“As sure as I can be.” I crossed my fingers that Queen B would keep mum about me liking Curtis because it would undermine my “findings.” Curtis reasoned that his threat coupled with the fact that I was quitting would be enough to keep her mouth shut.
She would think the problem of me had disappeared.
Next Friday, Curtis was presenting our work to his mystery client—he would give me more information tonight…
at his place. I ignored my vagina when she cheered at the news.
The flutters in my stomach were for an entirely different reason.
Less than two months ago, I’d been given the opportunity of a lifetime, and I was about to throw it away.
Momster would be insufferable when she found out I’d lost yet another amazing job.
But Curtis said if we pulled this off, I’d stay employed, not that it was in the contract.
As kind as he’d been today, and orgasmic, he might be using me to get his project done.
Also, if he tired of me before I did of him, he wouldn’t want me around.
I knew how that worked. But this time, I was going into this eyes—and legs—wide open. “I’m sorry, but I’m quitting.”
Her eyes widened. “What? Why?”
“I couldn’t figure out who was losing the company business, and you explained that if it continued, I wouldn’t have a job.
And I don’t want to keep spying on Curtis because, as far as I can see, he hasn’t done anything wrong.
I wasn’t honest with you at my interview either.
I had issues at my last place of employment—I won’t go into details—but suffice it to say that I lost my job through no fault of my own, and I’m honestly tired of having drama hanging over my head.
” Now I looked like a liar, but maybe she’d drop it and just let me go.
I felt crappy letting her down—she’d taken a big chance on a strange loser in a café.
That kind of lightning-strike opportunity didn’t come around twice—when was I ever going to impress a prospective boss by kicking someone in the balls ever again?
But once this whole debacle was over, I was going to regroup… somehow, rebuild with no strings, and I’d pick a job where I had a female boss. I was obviously an idiot who couldn’t be trusted. And if I forgot it, Mom would be sure to remind me.
“Well… I’m not sure what to say. I’m disappointed to hear you weren’t honest with me before, but your work in marketing was good, and I’m sorry to see you go.”
I wasn’t even going to ask for a reference. Putting a job you’d spent so little time at on a resume looked bad for so many reasons. I stood. “Thank you so much for giving me a chance here. I’m sorry I let you down.”
I dropped my executive-level elevator keycard on her desk, then hurried out of her office because stupidly, my eyes burned. I’d really hoped this was going to be the place I thrived at and proved my mother wrong. But somehow, I’d managed to screw it all up.
Because I was falling for the boss.
Again.
But this time something was different. He wasn’t Mark.
In fact, if I could believe what I’d seen and heard about Curtis—and orgasmed—he was the opposite of Mark.
And as much as what happened with Mark had turned my life upside down, I hadn’t been as heartbroken as I’d thought I would be.
I’d felt more anger at my stupidity in falling for his BS at the beginning.
Dating him had been exciting at first, but then a bit boring. Maybe I’d stayed for the convenience?
Curtis was more dangerous. He was someone who could break my heart.
I knew it in the pit of my donut-loving stomach.
But was that going to stop this mess of a human from diving in headfirst?
Don’t be ridiculous! If Momster was going to lecture me for being stupid, I might as well be all-in and deserving of the title.
I was too embarrassed to head into marketing and say goodbye to Destiny and the others.
Maybe I’d send them farewell emails. I stopped at the break room—it was late afternoon and predictably empty.
I stood in the doorway where Curtis had crashed into my life—destroying my morning tea and ruining my vagina for any other men.
“Bye, future donuts. I’ll miss you every morning, your happy, colorful sprinkles.
I’ll never forget you.” At least I was able to say a proper goodbye to someone.
I gave a little wave and kept on toward the elevator.
Argh, Queen B was walking toward me, but she was looking down at her phone.
I glanced around, hoping there was somewhere to hide.
There was a large pot plant to my left, but it was flush against the wall with no room behind it.
I could turn and walk the other way until I found something big enough to shelter me.
I wasn’t scared of Queen B anymore—I just didn’t want to see her smug face.
Rich people like her always came out on top when they were against people like me.
Life was easier when you had charcoal for a conscience.
Unfortunately, Karma wasn’t a real thing, or mean people like her would suffer more than their share of mysterious and massively itchy genital rashes.
She was closing in. Please don’t see me. Please don’t s—
Her head snapped up as she reached me, as if she were a shark who could smell blood in the water. Predictably, a smirk settled on her face. “Leaving, I see.”
At least I didn’t have to be polite to her now I didn’t work here. “Your powers of observation are astounding. Congratulations.”
She blinked. I wasn’t sure what she was feeling because her face was a frozen landscape of Botox.
I’d prefer to think she was shocked and appalled.
“Well, I’m the one with the multiple six-figure job, and you’re just the pathetic, unemployed loser.
Congratulations. You’ve found your level… at the bottom.”
I gave her a slow clap and ignored the barb at the end that hurt the most. Had she been comparing notes with my mother?
Sarcasm danced and twirled through my words like a tutu-wearing elephant.
“Congratulations on being a Grade-A bitch. Your years of practice have culminated in such creative, original insults. I bet you’ve been sitting on those insults for years, just waiting for the right time.
” I smiled. “Stay classy, ballbag.” I saw the tiniest twitch of her eyebrows wanting to rise, like the last dying kick of a cockroach’s legs, but they couldn’t get there.
I gave her the middle finger, turned, and strode confidently to the elevator, pretending I had my shit together.
At least I’d said what I wanted to say at the right time.
How often did that happen? Not very. Well done, me.
I high-fived myself with a quiet clap above my head.
I’d totally be reliving this brief moment of triumph for years to come.
Thankfully, the elevator came quickly because I could feel Queen B’s glare on my back. Hopefully, I’d never have to see her again.
Now to focus on a week and a half of what was probably going to be the best time of my life—working on an exciting project with the hottest man I’d ever met.
Even if it was a temporary thing, I was going to make the most of it.
Because Queen B was wrong. My rollercoaster ride was still climbing toward the stomach-soaring part. I hadn’t hit the bottom by a longshot.
That was still to come.
Ipadded from foot to foot as I stared out of Amy’s third-floor living room window to the lit street below. Curtis’s driver was supposed to text me when he was downstairs, but I was full of nervous energy and ready to run out the door at the first sign of an ivory BMW SUV with blacked-out windows.
Amy laughed behind me. “You need to pee again?”
“Ha-ha, no. Or maybe.”
She came and stood next to me. “I hope you’re wearing appropriate undergarments.” She giggled at her word choice.
“Yes. The sexiest I have. My red, lacy set. I would’ve gone crotchless, but they’re in the wash.” I laughed. Crotchless, indeed. I preferred my jeans stayed clean, thank you very much. Also, if they were crotchless, what was there to wash?
“I was thinking you’d go with your invisible ones.” She shoulder-bumped me, and her eyebrows bobbled up and down.
I pulled a face. “Ew, just no. Also, wouldn’t that come across as a bit desperate?”
“No way. He’d think it was hot. Ask me how I know.” She grinned.
I put my hand over her mouth. “Just. Stop.” She licked my palm. Laughing, I wiped it on her cheek.