Chapter 7
“And then, he tried to kiss me again! For the second time in one day!” I yell, pacing the polished floors. as Merry and Gina follow my movement while sipping the champagne I took as a souvenir from the family dinner.
“It’s like all of a sudden, his eyes are open and I'm this attractive woman he has the hots for. He even had the guts to call me beautiful! Like I would fall at his feet a second time.” I groan, throwing up my hands in frustration.
“But you are beautiful.”
“No! Gorgeous,” Merry taps Gina’s shoulder playfully. “She looked so gorgeous in that red Valentino gown. I cajoled her into buying.” Both girls giggle and it grates on my nerves.
“That's beside the point! The point … ”
“Is that Cole is finally seeing you! Isn't that what you've secretly been wishing for?” Gina cuts in, donning an innocent look. I gape at her, spluttering in anger, “Absolutely untrue! Total rubbish. ”
Merry nods in agreement, unfurling her legs from under her. “That’s nuts! Dee doesn't want him.”
I sigh in relief and gesture at Merry, “Thank you!” I slump onto the couch and cover my face with my palms.
“Dora, darling… Don't you think you're overthinking things?”
My hands fly off my face immediately as I glare at Merry. “I thought you're on my side?”
She shrugs. “There are no sides here. We’re worried about how agitated you're getting over an almost-happened kiss.”
Gina nods and comes to sits beside me, cradling my head in her lap. “I agree. You're so worked up, these frown lines would take layers of concealer to cover.” I slap her fingers off my forehead and begin to chuckle.
I exhale and sigh. “You’re both right. I'm overthinking things.”
Merry and Gina exchange a high-five. “Admission is the first step to overcoming any problem. Now, why did the compliment trigger you?”
I groan, hiding my face behind my hands.
A part of me doesn't want to share the reason because I am afraid they’ll laugh at me.
But these were my ride-or-dies! Since we met during orientation day in college we’ve all been fairly inseparable.
Merry is now a contract chartered accountant while Gina is one of the Chief Editors for Inside Scoop Magazine .
They have been a constant source of encouragement, boosting my self-esteem all through my university days.
It is because of them I've learned to accept my body as it is.
I'll admit, I'm still learning to love my body, but they set me on the right track, regardless of my one-time stupid mistake with Brady.
I sigh as that particular memory resurfaces. “Well, you remember that night when I was sixteen?” They both nod, encouraging me to go on. “He’d called me beautiful and then denied me in the next breath.”
Both girls flinch, nodding in understanding. “Ouch,” Merry exclaimed, patting my feet.
“Bummer! Sorry about that, Dora,” Gina adds, stroking my hair. I may dislike pity, but I enjoy being babied by my friends. I settle into Gina’s petting, my mind racing with thoughts of how I'm going to face Cole at work in a few days.
Monday makes it one week since I began working at Prime.
I step off the elevator, arriving thirty minutes earlier than I usually do.
I needed time to compose myself since all the executives have a meeting with Cole this morning at ten.
I make a mental note of all the lapses I recorded during my review of the marketing reports, putting them on a scale of priority as I stroll down the empty hallways.
I'm halfway to my office when some voices break into my thoughts. “…it’s not like she deserves the position. How could he fire Mr. Rory just like that?” I don't recognize the first voice, but the second one is very familiar.
“She looks like she knows what she's doing,” comes Sally’s happy reply.
“Oh, stuff it, Sal! You only see the good in everyone.” The third voice I recognize. Delores Stone. She's the Lead Inventory Control Specialist for all branches of Prime Universal Supermarket. She’s also a new thorn in my flesh.
“We all know she landed this job because her brother probably asked the big boss for a favor,” says a fourth voice with a note of certainty. That voice holds no note of familiarity. Why in the world were they talking about me first thing in the morning? Didn't they have anything better to do?
“I think it’s unfair that Rory gets the boots and this diva with her flirty rhinoplasty body takes his place,” Delores adds with a huff.
My stomach begins to churn with rage and I see red. What did Delores mean by that? It isn't enough that she is openly claiming that I’m not smart enough to hold my job, did she have to bring my body into it, too?
“Well, I hope she wasn't hired out of sentiment. She sure looks pretty, but pretty doesn't drive sales.” The first voice adds with a hint of concern.
“Yeah, right. She's as pretty as a rare, empty China vase from the Ming dynasty – pretty, but empty,” Delores declares with a laugh.
That is it!
I grind my teeth together as I make a U-turn towards the cafeteria, where their voices are coming from. As I step into the sunny room, they all freeze. All except Delores, who stares at me with open contempt.
“Girl power, huh? Women supporting women, right?” I ask with false saccharine sweetness.
“Hi, Miss McLean,” Sally pipes, but Delores cuts her off.
“Stuff it, Sally! We don't owe her one bit of solidarity. An eavesdropper never hears anything good about herself.” Delores adds, crossing her arms over her chest while staring me down.
“As opposed to those who gossip and spend all day spitting venom about other women,” I enunciate with a full bring-it-on smile.
“At least I didn't cost anyone their job in the name of favors,” Delores added, stepping toward me.
“As much as I don't want to waste my time proving to you that my new position is based purely on merit, and not favor, I want you to know one thing. I am damn good at my job! And you'll see that…” My finger slides from one guilty face to the other. “You’ll all be witnesses to that.”
Delores laughs long and loud. “I don't want to see anything! You'll soon find that this company is no place for an incompetent spoiled Daddy’s princess.”
Her words hit me like a slap. “What did you call me?” I snarl, closing the gap between us.
Since we’re roughly the same height at 5’7, we’re standing nose to nose.
Delores sneers at me, her perpetual smirking lips heavily layered with red lipstick to match her blazing red nails.
She flips her blond layered hair over her right shoulder, trying to provoke a reaction out of me.
“You didn't hear me the first time? I’ll be happy to repeat it again,” She sniggers, baring her teeth like a wolf staring at fresh meat. Is she needling me?
“Woah! Let’s both calm down,” Sally implores with a laugh, trying to squeeze herself in between Delores and me.
I rein in my anger and step back, earning a sigh of relief from the two other women in the room.
I haven't even spared them a glance since I entered the cafeteria.
As I look their way, their gazes both flit away in shame, or maybe embarrassment.
I recognize their faces now. The plump brunette woman works on my floor.
She’s in her mid-thirties, always sporting a quiet smile.
The skinny blond woman, with a body that doesn't match her sharp, angled face, works on Cole’s floor.
I'm not certain what their roles are, but they had to have lots of free time on their hands to gossip about me this morning.
I plaster on most dazzling smile, shocking all four women. “I’m perfectly calm, Sally. Thank you. Ladies…” I nod at them and excuse myself. As soon as I exit the room hu shed, hurried whispers fill the air. That should give them something else to talk about.
I'm still raging with pent-up anger, but I know better than to give these women a show.
Delores is searching for something to discredit me, but I won't give her that chance.
I'd rather channel all these emotions into my work.
Results are the best way to shut naysayers up.
I slam my office door, grab my notepad, and dive into the marketing reports.
Cole and the rush of feelings he evoked in me are far from my mind as I begin to lay out the methods of the new strategy I hope to employ.
I don't realize hours have flown by until Sally buzzes me on the intercom with a meeting reminder.
She sounds cautious as she speaks and I swallow a chuckle.
I refuse to hold a grudge, not when I can show those bitches how damn good I am at what I do.
I'm going to make Cole so much money that all the branches will see my worth!
I gather up my notes, straighten my clothes, and touch up my lipstick.
“Game time!” I say with a wink to my reflection in my compact mirror.