Chapter 13 #2
“That’s beautiful! Your grandmother would be so proud of you.”
Clara nods.
“Excuse me, I have to take this,” I say, taking a step from her as my phone buzzes.
The call is from the interior designer for the event.
“Oh, hi there, Brittany.”
The conversation takes longer than I anticipate. I take notes for most of the call and tying up loose ends.
“Everything must be perfect, Brittany,” I repeat my boss’ exact words to her. “This is huge, and we don’t want anything to go wrong. Stick to our initial color scheme for now until I get confirmation from Mrs. Randolph to tweak it a bit.”
She affirms and finally, I end the call.
A sigh of relief escapes my lips. My ears feel warm from all the calls I’ve answered today and it’s not even noon yet.
I plop on one of the nearest chairs in the room and rest my head on the desk to catch my breath for a while.
My phone pings with multiple notifications. I raise my head and see a message from Collins. It’s only a thumbs up emoji, signifying that I had done a good job getting Cameron on board with his ideas for our first public appearance as a couple.
A smile tugs at my lips as the memory of our conversation yesterday crosses my mind. He was his usual grumpy self, but our words didn’t escalate more than the playful banter. It’s a good thing I never back down from a challenge, even if that challenge was my hot, brooding roommate.
“Look at you sitting on your hands when you haven’t even done half of your work today.”
I roll my eyes at that annoying voice.
Miranda slams a thick folder in front of me. “There! Mrs. Randolph said she wants you to go through that and compile the guest list for the gala based on their net worth.”
“But we can do that digitally,” I counter, frowning at the papers. “I already compiled one two weeks ago, and she approved it.”
Miranda shrugs. “Well, that’s history now. She wants a fresh list, and you better not miss out any important name,” she instructs, wagging a finger at me, her pink manicured nail almost poking me. She sways her hips and walks away with a smug grin on her face.
I shake my head at her. “If this woman thinks she’s going to ruin my day today, then she’s got something else coming.”
Without opening the folder, I login to my computer and search for the one I submitted a fortnight ago. I cross-check it over the city’s most affluent citizens and add missing names. I edit the file name and send it to her email. Then, I lean back with a smile on my lips. Take that, Mrs. Randolph!
I can already picture how red her face will be once she receives the email. I can’t help it, I break down into a hearty laughter that leaves my sides aching and a few colleagues staring at me with arched brows.
A few hours later, I’m done handling the important details and head to Mrs. Randolph’s office to submit the hard copy of my report as requested.
I know she only asked me to go through that painstaking process of pen to paper just to stress me.
Like Julia always jokes, she’s taken her role as my evil stepmother a little too seriously.
I keep my fingers crossed as I knock on her door. There’s a muffled reply from the inside. I don’t wait for another. I just push the door and walk in.
“Mrs. Randolph, here’s the report you asked for. It’s lunchtime so I’ll be heading out now.”
I place the file on her table, but she barely acknowledges me. Her gaze is fixed on whatever reel she’s watching on her phone. It’s one of her habits.
As I get to the door, she calls me back in a barely audible voice. I turn slowly and plaster my signature grin. “Yes, Mrs. Randolph?”
“Cancel your lunch appointment. You won’t be needing that.”
I blink in disbelief. “Excuse me?”
She places her phone on her desk with deliberate slowness and laces her palms. “Don’t play dumb. You know I hate repeating myself?”
“My auditory perception is fine. It’s your statement that probably interfered with it,” I retort without thinking.
She glares at me. “What did you say?”
I keep quiet.
“Thought so,” she remarks, the fury dissipating from her face.
“Now, I want you to go to the venue you booked for the gala and confirm availability because I just received a call saying that our competitor, Keats & Kimberly, have made arrangements to use the venue on that same date. As we speak, negotiations are ongoing and it’s clear that we might lose it to them. ”
My brows furrow in confusion. “That’s impossible! I was there an hour ago and everything was fine. When did this call come in?”
Her mouth forms the words, but nothing comes out. Wait, is she trying to trick me? How mischievous can this woman get?
“Mrs. Rando-”
“Are you insinuating that I’m not well-informed?” she asks in a cold tone, a deadly look in her eyes.
“No, that’s not what I mean. I was just–”
“It seems since you gained a new status as a hockey player’s wife, you have lost your manners. I’m going to forget that Cameron Gray is your husband and take drastic measures if you dare question my authority ever again.”
She’s bluffing.
No matter what, Mrs. Randolph will never pass up an opportunity to be in the good books of elites just for the benefits they bring to the company.
I humor her, “My apologies, Mrs. Randolph.”
She nods with a satisfied smirk, expecting me to run out and do her bidding but I have other plans. There’s no way I’m skipping lunch just to drive across town for this.
“What are you waiting for? Go and check it out already,” she barks but I maintain my stance.
“Just a minute, Mrs. Randolph.” I reply holding up a finger gesture. I type my password into the iPad and access the small camera I installed at the venue after making the full payment.
“Here you go,” I hand her the live video footage to prove that there’s nothing out of place from the last hour I was there. She frowns and shoves the device back into my hands.
“Well, I guess it was misinformation. You can go,” she says the last part stiffly, but I’m already skipping out the door before she’s done. “I want you back here once the lunch break ends, not a minute later,” she calls after me.
I stifle a laugh as I sashay down the hallway.
Brie 1 - 0 Mrs. Randolph
I’m laughing so loud the sound of the traffic stands still, and the cops might probably arrest me for constituting a nuisance.
“I’m serious, Brie. Even though he’s a hot hockey player, his life is too boring. I don’t envy him at all,” Julia says, suddenly a change of heart. I imagine her diving deep into Cameron’s life as much as she can online. Apparently, he’s boring now.
I’ve been on a call with her since I ordered my lunch at my favorite spot. At least I was able to eat in peace without anyone raising their cameras to film me, but I’m not a celebrity. I laugh again. It’s all getting to my head.
I’m done with lunch and heading back to my office and Julia is still talking my ear off, keeping me company. I fill her in on Cameron’s usual grumpy attitude and how he seems impenetrable and now she’s suggesting ways to bore holes in his armor and get to him.
“What do you have in mind?” I ask just to indulge her. I don’t actually plan to do anything to Cameron even though he’s an ass.
“Remember those movies we used to watch as kids?”
I nod even though she can’t see me.
“We can steal a page out of Kevin’s playbook.”
“Which Kevin?” I ask.
“Kevin Macalister in Home Alone.”
“You think a prank will get a reaction out of him? What if he pranks back with something worse?”
“Then we’ll be ready,” she replies with full confidence.
We? As in he even knows Julia exists.
“I don’t know, Julia…” I trail off.
“Don’t worry, Brie. It won’t be anything serious.”
I relax a bit at that but then her next question sends off warning bells in my head. “What insect gives him the creeps?”
“Julia…” I drag out as a warning.
“Well if you knew him well, that would be easy. Swapping his shampoo with hair dye sounds too easy, so let’s think of something else.”
“I can start with that, Julia, then next time we can do something more serious like sending a message to his exes.”
That makes Julia giggle. “Yes! That’s what I am talking about. Just imagine how mad they would be if we told them to meet at the same spot. Oh, that would be so good!”
“Oh, Julia. You haven’t changed one bit. I’ll be home first before him so it will be easier to mess with his shampoo. I’ll also turn off the water from the source when he’s in the middle of a shower. I’ll hide his towels too so that he’s stranded. How about that?”
“Heck yes, girl! You can see him naked, and he’ll be begging. I love it.”
“Begging for a towel,” I correct her.
She laughs, diving straight into details of a prank she played on a coworker.
We stay on the call until I get to the office.
The pissed look on Mrs. Randolph’s face once I walk in makes me hang up with a promise that we’ll catch up some other time.
I fall face flat on my bed the minute I get home. I listen for any sounds in the apartment, but like I already know, Cameron isn’t home yet.
I shut my eyes for a minute, replaying the events of the day. I smile as I recall how I outsmarted Mrs. Randolph’s plans to make me work overtime.
My phone rings, startling me. I frown as I stare at the private number on the screen. With trembling hands, I swipe the answer icon.
“Brie Gray!” a robotic voice calls out.
A shiver runs down my spine. This is the first time since the whole marriage news that someone is addressing me that way.
“Who is this?”
There’s a rustling sound and then the voice speaks again, “Do all you can to keep your husband safe. There are eyes watching him and trust me, baby girl, he may not survive until the next hockey season.”
The beeping sound sends my mind into overdrive as the call disconnects.