Seriously? That’s it?
“Excuse me,” I say, standing.
I flee from the conference room. I cannot sit there with the bullshit he’s going to spew at them. I head to the bathroom, my stomach revolting, and almost throw up my entire turkey club from lunch. How could I have been so stupid? I trusted him, and he didn’t present my idea after we agreed to let the client make the decision. He says he sees me as his equal but in practice that’s not true.
I stand straight and leave the stall. Screw him.
Heading to my desk, I spot Enzo walking toward his office. Our paths will cross. I have no choice but to walk right into him if I’m going to my desk.
He’s eyeing me. I’m sure he thinks he can grovel and flash me that smirk and I’ll melt into his arms. Not this time. This time, Enzo Mancini is not going to get what he wants.
Turning right, I look at Jake, who perks up in his chair.
“Miss Stewart, can I see you?” Enzo opens his office door.
I smack on a fake smile. “Sure thing, Mr. Mancini.”
Once I’m in the office, he shuts the blinds.
“No! Open them.”
He blows out a breath. “Don’t get bent out of shape because of us. It was a business decision. That’s all.”
“We agreed. Three campaigns. You only presented yours.”
“Because it was the best one.” He shrugs out of his suit jacket.
I have no idea where the Petersons are at this point and I don’t care. “We agreed!”
He rolls up the sleeves of his shirt. “I’m the senior ad exec. The final decision is up to me.” He’s cool and calm, seemingly unaffected. “Selling to guys was the right way to go for the client.”
“You purposely lied to me.”
Before Enzo can respond, Billy walks in and shuts the door. Obviously, the blinds didn’t deter him. “You guys better shut the fuck up. The Petersons are still in the conference room. I don’t do the people. That’s your job. I’m the behind-the-scenes guy, so someone better get their ass back in there.”
I’ve never heard Billy be so authoritative.
“I guess the senior ad exec should do it.” I cross my arms and jut out my hip.
“What the hell happened? I thought we were pitching three?” Billy asks the same question I did.
“Mr. Senior Ad Executive decided not to but failed to mention it to us.”
Billy raises his hands. “Well, the client loved it, so let’s put it aside. All that matters is that Coddle is signing.”
“Exactly.” Enzo holds his hand out toward Billy like “listen to the man, he knows what he’s saying.”
I spear Enzo with a scathing look. “You betrayed me.”
“I didn’t betray you. This is business. That’s all.”
Billy looks between the two of us. “Shit, are you serious? You guys actually slept together?” From the sound of his voice, you’d think he’s four and we just revealed Santa Claus isn’t real.
“Billy, give us a moment,” Enzo says, his eyes still locked with mine.
He wants a staring contest? Fine. He’ll lose at that childhood game just like rock, paper, scissors.
“Things were so great. Why did you have to go and sleep together?” Billy whines but leaves the office.
Once the door is shut, Enzo breaks the distance, but I step back and put my hand on his chest.
“Do not take this personally.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because of this.” He gestures to me.
“Are you sure it’s not because I’m a woman?”
“What?” His face twists. I know it’s incredibly unfair of me to pin him with that, but the Enzo who bulldozed his idea down our clients’ throats isn’t the one I’ve come to know. “How could you even think that?”
“Mr. Jacobson, did he tell you to hit a home run for the guys?”
He steps back and shoves his hands into his pockets. “You’re kidding me. You need to stop thinking every little thing is some sexist move a guy is making to get ahead of a woman.”
“Then cut off your dick and see how well-respected you are. Here I am, still sitting outside your office weeks after getting a promotion, getting you coffee and answering your phone calls. Would that have happened to Jake?” I cross my arms.
Enzo blows out a breath. “I get that, but it’s out of my control. I pitched the ad that was the best for the client.”
“You stand by your decision?”
His back straightens, and that’s all I really need to know.
“Fine. I’m out for the afternoon. You can handle them on your own since you know what’s best. I’m just the measly assistant who should feel lucky to play with the big boys, right?”
His head falls back so he’s staring at the ceiling in frustration. “For the love of Christ, Annie.”
I leave and shut the door. All eyes are on me, and small groups of coworkers are huddled together, gossiping.
Game over, everyone. The gossip train is moving on to another station because it’s done here at Jacobson and Earl, just like Enzo and me.
Chapter 35
Enzo
* * *
After working to get myself under control for a few minutes, I leave my suit jacket in the office and head back to the conference room, noting that Annie’s desk is closed up. Instinctively, I glance at Jake, who gives me a look of disgust.
Why do these people not understand business?
The conference room is empty, so I assume the Petersons are gone. I find Mr. Jacobson walking back from reception.
“A word,” he says.
I follow the man to his office. Mindy peeks up from her computer for a moment as we pass. Does the entire office know what just went down?
“Shut the door,” he says, pouring himself a glass of scotch.
He doesn’t offer me one, nor do I want one. I’ll be hightailing it to Annie at some point to grovel.
“Sit down,” he commands, and I sit in the same seat from weeks earlier. “I assume the rumors are true.”
“No. It was a case of creative disagreement. That’s all.”
He sits down, sips his scotch, and releases a breath. “I know you think I’m senile, but I’ve been in business a long time. I’ve seen a lot of work romances come and go. You and Miss Stewart are in a relationship, and you pissed her off during that meeting. Something didn’t go the way she wanted?”
I don’t confirm or deny his statement.
His eyes find mine over the rim of his glass. “So you were having a sexual relationship with an employee under you?”
“Technically, Shelby was her boss.”
He shakes his head. “You’re the senior ad exec. She’s an assistant.”
“You mean junior ad exec,” I clarify.
He shrugs like “think what you will.” My blood boils. I knew this was all a game to him.
“Anyway.” He sets down his scotch and extends his hand to me. “Welcome to Jacobson, Earl, and Mancini. The partnership is yours.”
Damn, I never thought this day would come. But my elation quickly diminishes when I realize why I’m getting this partnership.
He smiles, clearly oblivious to my discomfort. “Pour yourself a glass of scotch. We’ll celebrate.”
I mindlessly wander to his bar and pour myself a scotch. I wish I could just take the partnership and not care. Men in my situation have done it before. Be selfish and take what you’ve worked your ass off for your entire career. Still, I need to make sure I’m crystal clear on his reasons for finally giving me the partnership. “So what changed your mind?”
“The fact that you didn’t let Miss Stewart’s sexual power over you override your good sense on this campaign. Here I thought you might’ve fallen for her, what with you pushing for her to be promoted to a junior ad exec and using her ideas for the Coddle campaigns.” He laughs as though I’d only been doing it because she sucked me off after hours, not because she had some good ideas.
“Look at you. She doesn’t even have her own campaigns. I think I’m going to leave Coddle with you. She can start off with some magazine and newspaper ads. You know, the smaller accounts.”
My heart wrenches. Would I have presented Annie’s condom ad to Coddle if it was the better of the two? If roles were reversed and she came up with the male campaign and I went with the family planning line? Would I have seen it her way with the demographics? I sure hope I would have. The decision was hard, and yeah, I didn’t tell her beforehand because I didn’t want to deal with the fight. The fight that inevitably came and almost in front of a client.
But Mr. Jacobson’s belief that I don’t value her opinion, or her ideas is way off base. He’s going to take her off the Coddle account after she won them over with the tampon ad and her approach for the diapers.
“I think she needs to stay on Coddle with me.” I sit back down on the couch.
He shakes his head. “No, she doesn’t. You have it from here. Not to mention, you’re no longer a couple, so I assume she’ll quit. Don’t worry, we’ll make it uncomfortable enough for her to quit so no sexual harassment case can be filed.” The way he says it makes me think he’s familiar with this tactic and he’s seen success from it.
“It was a mutual thing between us. You don’t have to worry about her filing.”
He laughs. “I never thought you were so naive. She’ll file. You screwed her over. Her panties are in a bunch and one of her feminist friends will convince her to file.”
Seriously, how can I just now be seeing how horrible this man is?
“With all due respect, Mr. Jacobson, that’s not Annie.”
“Annie?” He shakes his head. “I think you have fallen for her.”
I have. I know I have. If I didn’t care about her, I would’ve told her before the meeting about the change. I purposely held back the information so we could live in our bubble for one more day. This is probably why people say no work relationships. If she’d been just an assistant to me, I wouldn’t have cared what she thought or what her reaction might be. But I didn’t want to hurt her and going the nice route to try to convince her I had the better idea didn’t pan out.
The last thing I’m doing is telling that to this jerk though. He has no concept of caring for someone other than himself.
“Who do you see taking my place?” I ask, changing the subject.
“I think that Jake fellow. He’s been sitting under Zilroy for almost two years. He’s the best candidate.”
“You’re going to make Jake an ad exec and give him my office?”
“Not your office, but he could be an ad exec.” He sips his scotch.
He’s got to be fucking kidding me. Jake hasn’t worked a campaign of this magnitude. The job should be Annie’s. The fact he’s keeping me around and pushing Annie to the curb tells me all I need to know about this man and this company.
My hands are clenched on my knees and I inhale a deep breath before standing. “Mr. Jacobson, this kills me, but I can’t accept the partnership. Actually, I’m turning in my notice.”
His eyes widen. “What? Is this about her?”
I hold out my hand, but he doesn’t shake it, nor does he move as if he’s going to. “It is, but it’s more about the way I want to do business. I’ve told you many times how talented Annie is, but you’d let her rot in an assistant role rather than let her contribute to your company and help it thrive. Your small-minded theory that men rule the world and women are here to please us is old school at best. At worst, it’s discriminatory and misogynistic. I can’t work for a company that would deliberately keep someone down and promote people who didn’t deserve it based on their sex or something else they can’t control. Good luck, sir, and I do thank you for the opportunity you’ve given me with this company.”
“Enzo,” he calls as I’m about to leave his office. “You do understand what you’re giving up? All because you allowed a woman to get under your skin? There are others out there. She’s not the only woman in New York. Think about it, son.”
I turn toward him. “I’m not your son. In fact, I’d be embarrassed if I was. And you’re wrong, sir. She is the only woman in New York. The only woman for me. If you think that’s the only reason I’m walking out on this job, then you might as well close up shop, because times have changed, and you’ll never continue to succeed with your thinking.”
I open the door and shut it behind me.
“Mindy,” I say with a nod.
“Enzo.” She types away on her computer.
I head to my office to pack up my shit, the realization quickly surfacing that I have no idea what the hell I’m going to do now.
Chapter 36
Annie
* * *
“Explain it to me again.” Beth’s rocking Cecilia and can’t hear me over the soothing machine. Seriously, didn’t our parents survive without all these newfound gadgets? Are they really necessary?
“He didn’t even present my idea.” I rock myself on the floor of Cecilia’s room, my arms around my knees.
“I thought things were good. Why didn’t he tell you?”
“You tell me.”
She walks to the crib, lays Cecilia down, then signals for me to leave. “You know what I really think?”
We walk toward the family room and I fall into her couch. “I don’t know, do I? Are you on his side?”
She hits me to sit up and give her room. I crawl into the corner of the couch, chewing on my nails. “I’m always on your side, even when you’re wrong. Let me ask you a question. Why are you so mad?”
I throw my hands in the air. Has she not been listening to me for the past hour? “He lied to me.”
“He omitted.”
“Same thing.”
“Not entirely. If you weren’t banging him, would you have expected him to go with your ad idea?”
I narrow my eyes. “Where are you going with this?”
“Just answer the question.”
“Yes, I would have. We agreed to show three ads.”
“And I agree he should’ve told you, but I want you to think about why you’re really mad because I think…” Her mouth twists in a way that says she doesn’t want to actually tell me, but I’ve cornered her.
“Oh my God, just say it.”
“I think you were waiting for him to disappoint you.” She stands and heads to the kitchen as though she’s afraid of what I’ll do.
I follow her anyway. “Why would I do that? He’s been great. I know it might be hard for you to believe, but he’s been all over me. He wants to spend more time together than I do.”
She digs a bag of chips out of the pantry. “You mean more time than you’re willing to agree to.”
The audacity of this woman. “What, did he pay you to act like this toward me? Point the finger my way? I know he has a way of buttering people up, but you’re my blood. My sister.” My voice is rising.
“Shh, you’ll wake Cecilia.” She hands me a Diet Coke, and we both head back to the couch. “Let’s face it. You’ve always had this I’m-not-good-enough chip on your shoulder. I get that Mom leaving affected us differently, but you hold it like a badge of honor that you’ve kept Enzo at arm’s length.”
“I was guarding my heart. He was a manwhore before me.”
“Was he though? We don’t really know if he was. He might not have wanted a relationship, but you don’t know if he used women. The fact that he’s torn his shirt open and let his heart fall out for you doesn’t really align with that theory.”
I look at the pop can in my hands and back at her. “I guess I thought you’d be on my side here.”
Her shoulders slump. “I am. I’m always on your side, but I think you’ve pushed your issues with Mom away for so long, it’s affecting your current relationship. So she woke up one day and realized she didn’t want
to be a mother. Newsflash, she probably never wanted to be one but found herself in an unhappy life with Dad and two daughters. Was leaving us shitty? Hell yeah. I can’t imagine ever leaving Cecilia. But she left us with Dad, the kindest, most loving man who raised us well.” She slides over and places her hand on my thigh.
I don’t know why Beth has to bring up something so crappy when I’m already drowning in betrayal from the man I was… whatever. “This thing with Enzo has nothing to do with Mom.”
“Why did you come up with that rule for how many weeknights you could spend together?”
“Because it was all new and…” Tears well up in my eyes and I swallow them back.
“It’s me. I’m your sister. You can trust me.” She squeezes my knee.
I glance at her, and the wall of tears topples over. “I was afraid he’d get sick of me and leave.”
Beth’s lips tip down. She knew. Of course she did. She knows me better than I know myself sometimes.
“You’re wonderful. I hate that you don’t think so. That you think Enzo wouldn’t see how beautiful you are inside and out and how lucky he’d be to have you.” She grabs a box of Kleenex from the sofa table behind us and puts it in my lap.
I take one and run it under my eyes. “I’m not that bad. It’s just… I didn’t want him to get sick of me.”
“And maybe you kind of liked the way he fawned and pushed to see you?”
It was nice—his can-never-get-enough-of-you attitude. No one had ever made me feel the way he did. Like I was his and he could spend every second of every day with me and never tire of it. That he never wanted to leave me… meaning he never would.
A strangled cry leaves my throat. “Oh my God, you’re right. I’m messed up. I was transferring my feelings of not being good enough for Mom onto Enzo.” I pick up a throw pillow and put it over my head.
“You’re not messed up. Look at how much you hate her. She hurt you and that’s why you have those strong feelings.” Beth puts her arms around my shoulders.
“You hate her too.”
She shrugs. “Not as much as you. I tamp down my expectations. I’m not going to be upset if she doesn’t want a relationship with Cecilia or me. That’s her loss. When she’s older, if she has regrets, she’ll have to live with them. She made her bed.”
Forbidden Desires Page 37