Mate's Call

by Lola Gabriel

  “Why?”

  “You’re the project manager, and your employees dropped the ball on this one. The woman you replaced should’ve been responsible, but someone must take the fall,” Thad replied, popping his yellow and black polka-dotted suspenders, before flouncing out of her office.

  She’d quickly learned that Thad was a bit dramatic, but he was a great source of information. Tanya would just have to remember never to share anything personal about herself with him.

  She wished she had time to gather more details before the meeting, but she had to be on time. The last thing she needed or wanted to do was give Mr. Greene any more reasons to doubt her abilities to perform the job. Being unprepared for this meeting might accomplish just that.

  Gathering her laptop and phone, she quickly made her way down the hallway. She looked left and right as she turned the corner, fearing she might run into her an irate Mr. Greene yet again. When she made it into the conference room, she was glad to see she was the first to arrive. Plugging in her laptop, she settled down in her chair to pull up any files and media stories she had on Isabelle Manning.

  Within minutes, the conference room filled up with Thad, Mr. Greene, Ken from legal, Veronica, the company’s expert on damage control, and Rebecca, who was Tanya’s direct boss and the chief marketing officer. Ken filled them all in on the details of the lawsuit.

  Tanya quickly learned that Ken had discussed the case with Mr. Greene and Rebecca earlier. She reasoned that was probably why Mr. Greene was in a foul mood so early in the morning. Even though she regretted running into Mr. Greene, Tanya was glad she had the second cup of coffee to remain alert.

  After Ken provided the details of the case, Veronica updated everyone on Isabelle’s background. She had been involved with several actors and powerful men before her husband, always creating a firestorm after the relationship ended.

  “Andrew, the best defense here is to acknowledge the affair, and let it die down over time,” Veronica advised.

  “Why the hell do I need to defend my actions to the media? Better yet, why the hell do I need to discuss my affairs with anyone? Who I am sleeping with is my business!” Andrew defended, slamming a fist on the conference table, causing Tanya to jump in her seat.

  “It is your business, but when you’re the head of a major firm like Greener Communications, you’re bound to be in the public eye. You know this, Andrew. You aren’t new to this!” Veronica was fuming.

  “I don’t give a damn, Veronica!”

  “Well, you should, Andrew! It would make your life easier, and our jobs a lot easier as well,” Veronica argued.

  “Veronica, that’s why I pay you. To keep my name out of scandals!”

  Veronica, a tall, brunette woman with exotic features, squinted angry eyes at Andrew and leaned across the table. “You pay me to keep your name out of scandals, Andrew, but when you’re on the arm of a different woman every few days at high visibility events, you make that job damn near impossible! What did you do to cause this catastrophe? Use her for a few weeks, and then break it off after you slept with her? Did she bore you, Andrew?”

  Veronica stood up and left the room, slamming the door behind her. Andrew hardly noticed her departure. He tapped his fingers on the table as he stared out of the floor to ceiling windows. The room was so silent, you could hear a pin drop.

  “Ken, meet with Isabelle’s husband’s attorney, as well as Isabelle’s, and find out what they want. I want this story shut down immediately,” Andrew ordered in a much calmer tone than his original rant.

  “I’ve already got appointments scheduled with both.”

  Andrew nodded his head. “Thanks, Ken.”

  “With all due respect, Andrew, Veronica was right about one thing… We should acknowledge the reports and attack it from that angle. There’s no point in lying about something the public knows is true,” Rebecca advised.

  “Did I say lie? No, I simply said I don’t see why it needs to be acknowledged at all,” Andrew refuted.

  Rebecca continued. “Twitter’s going crazy with this story. It’s trending on Facebook, and Instagram users are sharing all of the pictures Isabelle’s husband shared on his account. Top Gossip is all over this story, and the biggest question is why did you become involved with her knowing she was married?” Rebecca stated. “That’s the one we’re working to put a twist on now. Married women aren’t usually your type.”

  “Isabelle’s marriage was in trouble, and she needed a friend in her corner!” Andrew exploded, standing up pacing the room.

  “Yes, but from the pictures, it looks like a lot more than friendship,” Rebecca intervened.

  “How the hell did the team not get ahead of this? If you all would have been doing your jobs, we wouldn’t be in this situation! Who was supposed to be in charge of the team who was working on Isabelle’s campaign? Tanya’s been here a week. Rebecca, you should have taken the lead on this transition. Do I have to do everything?”

  Andrew turned an infuriated glance in Rebecca’s direction. Tanya was relieved she wasn’t being blamed, as Thad had warned. Andrew’s eyes then landed on Tanya.

  “Get with Thad and gather all the details to turn this entire thing around. Not just the reputation Isabelle had before this, but including this. I want to hear the details of the campaign by morning!”

  “Yes, sir,” Tanya mumbled. She had been reviewing a file she found.

  By the end of the meeting, there was a plan in place to protect the company’s image and attack the allegations. The room began clearing out, and Tanya disconnected her computer and prepared to leave the conference room.

  Andrew stared out the windows overlooking the bustling city, which he had been doing most of the meeting, except for the times he was yelling.

  “Tanya,” he called out, without turning around.

  “Yes, Mr. Greene,” she answered, turning around to face him.

  His back still to her, he ordered, “Close the door and stay a moment.”

  Tanya set her computer on the table and followed his commands. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest as she waited to be reprimanded for the earlier coffee incident.

  “I’m not certain everyone is taking their responsibilities as seriously as they should. If they were, the allegations about this would have never come to light. I want the team focused on turning Ms. Manning’s image around, but I also want you to create a team that does the same for the company. And I want daily reports from you on the progress of it. You’re a fresh set of eyes, and I would like you to oversee this project making sure every detail of Ms. Manning’s image is seen in better light. She’s giving us another chance, and I don’t take that trust she’s placed in us lightly. Is that understood?”

  Tanya stood with her eyes glued to his back and her tongue glued to her mouth. She was uncertain what to say, and she tried to gather her thoughts. This was her opportunity to prove to him she was not the idiot she was sure he perceived her to be.

  “Of course. Did…did you have any recommendations for who you would like on the team? I mean, I can figure it out. I…I just want to know if you have any suggestions?” Why can’t I speak like a normal human when I’m around him?

  He simply shook his head and ran his hands through his thick thatch of dark hair. “I’m leaving that up to you,” he said, in a deep, troubled tone.

  Tanya shook her head to clear the chill that ran down her spine at his voice. He was her boss. Why were her thoughts turning to how sensual he sounded? Why was her breathing starting to speed up? Was she sweating?

  “Don’t make a mess of this, too!” His thunderous tone cleared any thoughts she was having as she grabbed her laptop off the table.

  “Yes, sir,” she muttered, running to the door and fumbling with the knob.

  Thad was waiting for her when she returned to her office. She kicked the door closed behind her, and began hooking her laptop back up to her docking station.

  “Well, how did your first big meeting with the boss
man go?” Thad’s smile indicated he was enjoying every minute of the drama.

  “I have no idea of what that was in there, but it was uncomfortable, and you, sir, did not prepare me for anything.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You don’t know what I’m talking about? Why did Veronica storm out? She’s supposed to be in charge of damage control!”

  “Oh that,” Thad said, waving a hand in an indifferent manner. “She knew his reputation, and she still pursued him. In the beginning, it was a fling, and then she developed feelings for him. That man has no feelings, except down there,” Thad explained, pointing at his crotch.

  “They’re involved?” Tanya asked, trying to push down an unexpected emotion of disappointment.

  “Not anymore. They had a couple of dinners, a night of great sex, and the next morning she thought it was to be an office romance. Unfortunately for her, he was onto someone else. Poor Veronica can’t seem to accept that she’s been replaced, even though they were never really a thing.”

  “How do you know all of this?”

  “We all work crazy hours. When girls need to talk, they come to me.”

  “When were Veronica and Mr. Greene involved?”

  “Just over a year ago. I don’t know why she won’t go to work anywhere else. She has talent and connections. It’s like she’s out for revenge or something. I have no idea,” Thad stated, shaking his head.

  3

  “Wow! Sounds like he’s impressed with you.” Sarah placed a large serving of lasagna on Tanya’s plate.

  “I doubt that,” Tanya replied, sipping her wine and placing it on the coffee table. She sat cross-legged on the living room floor with her laptop beside her.

  Sarah had just returned from a business trip to London, and Tanya was telling her sister all about the office drama and the coffee incident with Andrew.

  “Why else would he put you in charge of an important task like that? Not only is he asking you to pull the team together, but he wants you to head it. And, he is putting his reputation in your hands.” Sarah handed Tanya the plate of food and sat on the couch to consume her own.

  “Because he wants to convince himself I was worth the hire, I guess. I don’t know,” Tanya replied, shrugging her shoulders.

  “Well, it sounds like he’s impressed to me. If you’re not careful, he’ll have you working late nights with him soon.”

  “I don’t think so. He’s not even on the team. And trust me, I believe he wants to stay as far away from me as possible.”

  “But you do have to report to him, right?” Sarah asked, around a mouthful of food.

  Tanya’s face turned crimson. “Yes, but he makes me so nervous. I wish that I could just report to my direct boss, who could then report to him. When he’s around, I can’t think straight. I can’t form an intelligent sentence, and for some reason I keep tripping. Overall, I just become a clumsy idiot, Sarah. You should see me.”

  “I’d rather not. Just calm down, and remember, he’s a person just like you are. It doesn’t matter that he’s a hot, sexy, billionaire, and he’s only thirty-one. It doesn’t matter that every woman within a hundred feet of him wants to jump his bones—”

  “Sarah!” Tanya blushed and lay her fork down. She took a sip of her wine to douse the heat that was taking over her body. The wine had the opposite effect. Tanya kept thinking about how firm his chest had been.

  “Well, it’s the truth. I’d jump his bones. Well, I would have, but not now that he’s your boss. But that’s beside the point. He’s still just a person, and he’s no better than you. If I were you, I would take advantage of this special interest he’s showing. It’s up to you, rather you use it to have a little fun or use it to advance your career.”

  “Listening to you might land me in his bed, and a whole lot of trouble,” Tanya said.

  “Would that be such a bad thing?” Sarah wiggled her eyebrows unashamedly.

  “Yes, it would.”

  “Oh, yes, I forgot. You only sleep with men you love,” Sarah teased.

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing,” said Tanya, as she shoved a piece of food in her mouth.

  “Well, not for you, I guess. Someone has to preserve the innocence of the universe. I’m just saying that if it were me—”

  “If it were you, you’d have already been in bed with the guy,” Tanya interjected. “I can’t believe you won’t let that go. Are you sleeping with your boss? Is that how you became so successful?”

  “I don’t really have a boss, but have you seen my agent? He’s sixty years old with Botox. He thinks the Botox makes him look younger, but he really just looks like an old man who gets Botox. So, to answer your question, no, I didn’t sleep with my boss. I work hard, show up on time, and I am professional.”

  “So, let me do the same, Sarah.”

  “Fine! I will drop it. I promise.”

  “Thanks! Besides, I don’t think people give him enough credit.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There’s another side to him. I don’t think he’s quite the ladies’ man that everyone thinks he is.”

  “Oh, Tanya. Don’t kid yourself. Look, I’ve lived up here for the last six years, since I turned eighteen. I’ve seen Andrew Greene at parties, and I’ve seen him in magazines. If he isn’t leading some woman into a back room, he’s all over her in a corner up against the wall. His game is quick, and it never leads to a fairytale romance.”

  “They why the hell are you trying to push me to pursue him?”

  “Because he’s fucking hot, Tanya.”

  Both women laughed.

  “Seriously though, Sarah. I don’t want to end up with another guy like Brian. He was such a jerk!”

  Sarah chimed in, “Ugh! He was awful. All throughout college you ignored party invites and turned down amazing guys just to stay faithful to him. I still can’t believe that he butt-dialed you while he was getting a blow job from your so-called best friend.”

  “I don’t feel like I wasted my college years. I am glad that I studied instead of partying every night. It really paid off. I am here with you, aren’t I?”

  Sarah looked at her sister and smiled. “Yes, you are here with me, and I couldn’t be happier. Now, it’s Saturday night and you promised you’d go to the fundraiser with me tonight. I took the liberty of buying you a dress for the occasion. It’s in your closet.”

  Tanya stood up and put her dishes in the sink. Although she was tired from working so hard, she was really looking forward to dressing up and doing something fun. She walked to her bedroom with Sarah following.

  A gasp escaped Tanya’s mouth as she opened her closet doors. “Sarah, you cannot expect me to wear that. It’s wintertime in New York. I’ll freeze. And I thought we were going to a fundraiser. This dress looks like something you’d wear to a club.”

  “Well, technically it’s a fundraiser, but it’s really just a reason for rich, beautiful people to party. And besides, do you have any idea how much I spent on that dress? You will wear it, and you will like it. And I promise you won’t freeze. You’ll be surrounded by plenty of hot bodies to keep you warm when we get to Grayson’s event.”

  Tanya stripped down and slid on the short, sleek black dress that hugged all of her curves. With an open back and spaghetti straps, the dress left little to the imagination. It fit perfectly.

  “Oh my god, Tanya. You have to dress up more often. I’m your sister, and I can hardly keep my eyes off you. You look stunning.”

  Tanya looked in the mirror and had the sudden urge to cover up all of her exposed skin, but instead, she took a deep breath and admired her image.

  “Okay, Sarah. If I am going to dress like this, I am going to do it right. I’m borrowing a pair of your Louboutins, and you’re going to help me with my hair and makeup. I deserve a little fun, right?”

  Sarah squealed in delight as she dragged Tanya to her room to give her a makeover.

  “All right, Tanya, the driver is waiti
ng downstairs. Are you ready?”

  Tanya didn’t feel ready, but a shot of vodka took the edge off and gave her a second wind.

  When they arrived at the swanky hotel on the Upper East Side, Tanya took a deep breath. Paparazzi were waiting just outside of the car trying to get pictures of the guests arriving. As they exited the car, the photographers immediately began snapping pictures of Sarah, who was well-known as a cover girl and a minor celebrity with her new role at Poet Swimwear.

  Sarah smiled and waved, obviously comfortable in front of the cameras, while Tanya did her best not to look awkward walking in stilettos that were four inches taller than she normally wore. Security opened the red velvet ropes, and Tanya was impressed that Sarah didn’t even have to give their names to be checked against the guest list. They moved through the lobby and headed towards the ballroom where the event was taking place.

  When they walked through the doors, Tanya felt like she was in a movie. She had never seen so many beautiful people in one place. The dance floor was packed, and she couldn’t wait to join the other guests.

  A man with spiky black hair and an assertive presence waved at Sarah. He wore a white button-up shirt with rolled-up sleeves, black pants, and shoes that looked like they cost more than Tanya’s annual salary. His eyes veered in Tanya’s direction as he slowly took in her shoes, her dress, and finally looked her in the face.

  “Sarah, darling! So glad you could make it.”

  “Grayson! You outdid yourself. Look at everyone who’s here! I want you to meet my sister, Tanya.”

  Grayson addressed the women in a smooth tone, “How is it possible that your parents created two perfect specimens? I can’t believe this is your sister.”

  Sarah giggled as Tanya rolled her eyes.

  Grayson grabbed Tanya’s hand and kissed the tops of her fingers in a greeting. Then, he looked behind Tanya at another person who he obviously knew. He waved that person over. Tanya saw Sarah’s eyes widen as the guest made his way in their direction.