by Peyton Banks
“Lucas will be over the account teams led by Dominic and Simone. I trust you two won’t have an issue with this.” Armstrong studies us for agreement.
“No, sir. Lucas is a great guy, and I’m sure I will learn under his tutelage,” Dominic Bright boasts.
What a kiss-ass, I think to myself. I continue to glare at Lucas who can’t seem to make eye contact with me.
“Ms. Greene, do you have a problem?”
The heat from the others pours over me, and I cringe when I think he is my new lead. Kyle had been out of the office a lot recently, but he kind of put me in charge. The natural flow of things between Armstrong and myself seemed like I was a shoo-in to take his place. But once again, this asshole shows up and takes what should’ve been mine.
“No, sir,” I simply state. No long, drawn-out, kissing ass from me. In fact, Lucas won’t be getting any more of this ass.
“Alrighty then. If you all don’t have any other things to comment or bring to the table, we are dismissed.”
Everyone stands to leave, and Tanya hangs around waiting for me to gather my things and put my shoe back on. I make a mental note to burn these stockings and everything he touched when I get home.
“Uh, Tanya, Simone will see you in a moment. I need to speak with her and Lucas. Please close the door on your way out,” Armstrong says.
“Yes, sir. Simone, will we still be meeting?” she asks.
“I don’t think so. Let’s table it for tomorrow.”
“Okay. See you in a few.” She leaves to head back to our area.
I turn my attention to see why I am being held against my wishes.
“Simone, I want and need to know you will be okay working under Lucas. I know how much you wanted this position, but after I spoke with a few people and thought long and hard about the responsibilities and the client base he will oversee from both teams, he was the better choice. This has nothing, and I do mean nothing, to do with your performance at all. Most of the clients Dominic handles are male-based companies. Unfortunately, they are established companies, if you will, and not very open-minded.”
Armstrong does his best to soften the blow, but the more he speaks and the more I think about it, I was flat-out played by Lucas. He knew he was going to get this position so he thought if he plied me with alcohol, ate me like a buffet, and fucked me three ways to New Years, I wouldn’t be upset. I should’ve known.
“I will continue, business as usual.” My glare never changes, and I can tell Lucas is rather uncomfortable, which is a little satisfaction.
“Good. Want to make sure there are no hard feelings. I need to talk with Lucas about the changes, so you can leave now.”
I excuse myself and head to my desk. I can feel eyes leering at me while I walk by. I know the office gossip will be full of me flipping out in the meeting or getting passed over because I blew it with Clemet. Anything to start the office buzzing. I enter my office and place my head on the mahogany desk.
“You okay, boss?” Tanya asks, entering.
I raise my head, and she sees the streaks of tears on my face.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.” She rushes to my side to comfort me.
“I’m okay. I really wanted that position.” I don’t offer any more details.
A knock on the door halts our conversation, and I clean my face while she goes to answer it.
“I need to speak to Ms. Greene,” Lucas demands as the door opens.
I sit up at attention when Tanya steps aside.
“Alone, Tanya,” he says, not taking his eyes off me.
Tanya leaves, closing the door behind her.
“Yes, boss. How can I help you, boss?” I snidely say.
“Stop. You don’t have to act this way, Simone.”
“Well, how would you feel if you let your guard down for one minute, because maybe the asshole isn’t one after all, then he stabs you in the back?” My voice increases, and I know people can hear me now. At this point, I don’t care.
“You heard Armstrong say this wasn’t an easy choice. I had no clue I was even being considered.”
“Bullshit, Lucas. You knew since last week when we fought about the Clemet account you were going to get this position. Fucking me was just a prize. Or maybe you thought it would make the blow softer.”
“Simone—”
“Get out. And unless it is work related, don’t ever speak to me again.”
“Our parents are getting married, remember. So I will be talking to you for the rest of our lives.” He storms off, my door hitting the stop hard when he exits.
I can’t believe all this shit is going on. Since Friday my life has been one roller coaster after another. One thing is for certain, I can’t let my mom marry his dad.
8
My plans to thwart my mother’s pending nuptials failed as soon as I hit my door on Tuesday evening. Mr. Weathers was over, and he bought my mom a diamond bracelet. Then they began to cuddle and coo on my couch. I greeted them with ‘hello’ and went straight to my room. It’s obvious his son shares his relentless behavior when it comes to affection. Difference is, they’re in a relationship, and we’re not. I’ve been dodging his calls and messages, both text and video, since Monday. I use Tanya as my mouthpiece at work, and thankfully no one is any the wiser as to what is really going on.
“Simone, can we have a meeting about the acquisitions from last month? I need a full reconciliation of activity,” Lucas says as he casually enters my office.
“Sure thing,” I reply without even looking up at him.
He leans over my computer monitor, forcing his way into my visual. I give him the ‘fuck off’ glare, but he insists.
“Why are you ignoring me?”
“I’ll have those reports to you in about five minutes since I’m already working on them. I also have my lead sheet for this month if you want to go over that as well.” I don’t break for his tactics, although those gray eyes try to start a mini fire down below, but I quickly extinguish that shit.
“Very well. I trust I’ll see you at Thursday’s pre-wedding dinner,” he says on his way out the door.
I take a few moments to breathe in deeply and release a few times. In doing so, I catch the faint smell of his cologne. I never paid attention to the warm and inviting scent that is the perfect blend of spice and floral for man. It was all on me by Sunday morning and forgotten by Monday afternoon. I shake my head and continue with my work. A meeting maker pops up on my screen, and I accept it as a good employee should. I go to the cafeteria to grab a water since I left my tumbler at home this morning.
“Hey, Greene. Thanks for the assist yesterday with the Clemet account. I see why you’re the best at what you do. I would’ve never picked up on that stock change like you demonstrated.” Paul Edwards, the guy we both lost the account to last Friday, corners me into a conversation.
As we converse, I laugh and smile for the first time in a few days. I couldn’t even binge-watch my favorite comedy last night to get me out of my mood. Lucas walks in, talking on the phone, and I can’t help but wonder who has his attention. His smile is bright, and his eyes sparkle. He strolls past us, and I can hear the faint sound of a woman’s voice on the opposite end.
“So, Paul, are you single? I don’t recall seeing you with anyone at any of the parties. Oh, I hope I’m not prying. I thought we were having a nice conversation.”
“Oh, no problem. I’m not seeing anyone currently. My ex and I recently ended our relationship about a month ago. After three years.”
“I had no idea.” I extend my hand to cover his, only in a show of support, letting my grasp linger a little longer than I should. I know this is petty, but I had to. Hearing him on the phone with whoever that was, upset me in a way.
“So, this is why you are not upstairs in my office, Ms. Greene?” Lucas snaps when he sees the physical contact between Edwards and me.
Holding back my urge to smile, I wasn’t sure if my attempt would warrant any kind of reaction, but
by his tone, I see it has. “Mr. Weathers, our meeting isn’t for another fifteen minutes. I have my phone set to remind me.”
“No, that’s a team huddle. Had you opened the notification, you would’ve seen we were to talk immediately. But I’ll take that matter up with you afterwards.”
He storms out, and I’m left embarrassed and pissed. I chase after and catch him at the elevator as the doors are closing. I don’t pay attention to the fact we’re alone, but at this point I don’t care.
“How the fuck is you going to talk to me like you did in front of my colleague? What were you trying to prove? You steal the job away from me and then flaunt your balls in front of the world.”
“You walk around with this fucking chip on your shoulder covered in frost and don’t open emails which contain important information because you think I stole your job. Well, take a look in the mirror, Simone. You cost yourself the job because of your hatred for me. I’ve done nothing but try to be nice to you, but if the princess doesn’t get what she wants, the whole world be damned. Be in the conference room in five minutes.”
The doors opened while he was letting me have it, so when he exits, the entire staff is looking our direction. I take the walk of shame to my office and hit print on the reports and get ready for the scheduled gathering.
“Simone, what was that about?” Tanya asks, sticking her head through the entrance.
“Did Armstrong hear it?”
“No, thankfully. He left for a meeting uptown. But everyone else heard how Lucas lit into you for not being in his office. Where did you go?”
“I misread the notification and was in the cafeteria.”
“I see how you can lose track of time. But he was really livid.”
“I heard him on the phone with some woman. He may have been projecting onto me. Who knows.” I fabricate a cover-up, not wanting to put our personal business out in the office. “I’ll see you after the meeting,” I say to Tanya. Taking the reports, I saunter to the conference room where Dominic and Lucas are chatting.
“Hey, Simone. Here, take my seat,” Dominic offers.
“Thanks, Dom, but I think I’ll hang out right here. You go ahead.”
Lucas looks at me and rolls his eyes as I sit in my chair. A few others join, and Lucas begins. On the surface, I may look like I’m paying attention while he goes over closing out some of the things left open before Kyle moved on, I’m fuming.
He gives out assignments to each of us to help with the process. Even though I’m present, my mind is drifting back to the reaming I got near the elevator. That last part really hit me. The whole ‘princess’ thing.
“If no one has anything to add, you may all go back to your office. Have those accounts transferred and or closed by month’s or their cycle end. Whichever is first.”
We’re dismissed and we all head to our respective places. Lucas whizzes past me with not so much as an ‘excuse me’ or ‘move, bitch’. Glancing at the contents in my hand, I see the reports he requested. I make a U-turn and march into his office where his head is lowered while he reviews documents.
“Excuse me, Mr. Weathers,” I shyly state.
He looks up to see it’s me before returning to his work at hand. “What do you want, Greene?”
I’m thrown by his sudden change. This has only happened once, and that was Saturday at lunch with our folks. What kind of chameleon am I dealing with? “Mr. Weathers, here are those reports you asked about.”
“Yeah, an hour ago, but better late than never, right?”
I go to speak, but a message from my mom interrupts, prompting me to request tomorrow off to help with last-minute things. “I also will not be in tomorrow. Leah will run point with the Bristol group and call me if needed, but all that information is in the email I cc’d you on earlier.”
He doesn’t speak, only continues to jot down information and mark through my report.
I find myself getting a little angry with his nonchalant attitude. “Did you hear me?” I ask.
“Yes, I heard you. But it seems you didn’t hear me. Because in your world nothing matters if it’s not what you want.”
My heart gets this weird pain when those words are hurled at me. Not the nine-one-one type of pain, but a sharp truth about me. My eyes want to let loose the emotion hiding behind them, but I instead turn and step lively to my office. There are five people I find myself in need of at this moment. My mom, Aunt Beverly, Aunt Gwen, and Ben and Jerry.
“Tanya. I am done for the week, but I will have my work laptop if I’m needed. My aunts are here, and I think I’ll go join them for spa day.”
“My, sounds great. I’ll make sure Leah has the documents on PowerPoint for the meeting. Do I need to let Weathers know?”
I glance toward Lucas’ office and see him standing at Mandy Gere’s desk tee-hee-ing about something. She reaches out and touches his arm, her hand lingering, while laughing and flipping her blonde tresses. He catches me looking and steps away from Mandy towards our direction.
“No, I told Weathers, and I’m sure he’ll tell Armstrong. I have a big thing with my mom Friday, so Armstrong expected me to be off, but I was going to try to get in my monthly with the client. Anyway, I’m out. See you Monday.”
I walk to the elevator and press the button. Lucas slides beside me, but we say nothing at first. The doors open, and we both step in. I press the button for the garage, he presses for the main lobby.
“Did you get the food list for the reception?” he asks.
“Yes. I printed it and placed it in my princess folder,” I snap back.
“Well, my dad is pretty particular about those cupcakes.”
“I already placed the order Tuesday when I was ignoring you. I want to make sure my stepdad is happy with his…”
“No need to fake this conversation. I got a text from my dad to make sure the cupcakes were submitted for order. Guess I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
The doors open, and he steps out with his hands in his pocket and heads towards the exit doors of the building.
I continue to my car and go join my favorite ladies at the spa.
After our relaxing and very much-needed day at the spa, I take my family out for dinner at Wollensky’s Grill. Not only is the food amazing, but the views of the river at night are spectacular. I need a pick-me-up after the fire-starter week I’ve had. I made the reservations as we were getting dressed after our massages. The host seats us immediately, and I order a bottle of wine for the table.
“Thank you for such a wonderful day, Monie,” Gwen says before taking a sip of her drink.
“Yes. Thank you. I enjoyed the spa. I’ll have to get Marv to bring me when we go on vacation,” Bev chimes in.
I do love when the whole tribe is together. We have lots of fun. Aunts, uncles, cousins, Mom, and what used to be Dad. But since their divorce, he’s moved on to a new life. I wonder if that’s why my mom is marrying so soon.
“Now, Nina, why are you marrying this man after only a month of courtship? One of those weeks were on a cruise.” Aunt Beverly took my thoughts and formed the perfect question.
All eyes turn to my mother who looks a bit upset but seemingly feels she needs to answer in a diplomatic way.
“To be honest, like we told the kids, we aren’t getting younger. There is no need for a long dating period when you are our age. We really enjoyed each other’s company on the boat, and when we got back on land, we spent two weeks in Miami before returning home.”
“He has a child?” Aunt Gwen asks.
“Oh, yes. He and Monie work together. It was a real shocker. I mean, who would’ve guessed this world was so small.”
“Aww, she’s getting the brother you and Albert never had,” Aunt Bev pokes fun.
They all cackle, and internally I want to hurl. My facial expression clearly indicates I’m not amused.
“Oh, I see she didn’t like the joke. Well, it doesn’t matter. As long as you’re happy, Nina. The one thing that counts. To my
baby sister, Nina Richelle Hodge-Greene, soon-to-be Weathers. I hope you two find happiness to last eternal,” Beverly toasts my mother, and we join in. Afterall, her happiness is the sole thing that matters. Looking at her smile while those three carry on is worth being related to him.
“So will my uncles George and Marv be joining the festivities?” I ask, interrupting their little girls’ gathering which completely nullifies my existence.
“Yes, love. Why you ask?” Gwen answers with a question.
“They’re not here now, so I was wondering if I’d see them.”
“Oh no, dear. We wanted to come in early to spend some time with you two and check out this fella who’s marrying our sister. You know we have to give him the once-over.”
“So, have you met him yet?”
“Well, we saw him on your mother’s phone. He video called her when we got to your house. He is a devilishly handsome man. We didn’t know he had kids.”
“Kid,” I interject. “I mean. he only has one child, Lucas.”
They all look at me with raised eyebrows.
“Monie, do you not like Lucas?” my mother asks, taking my hand into hers.
Suddenly the conversation, or rather, the chewing out from earlier, replays in my mind, and I feel some type of way. If I tell her yes, we don’t get along and we were faking it on Saturday, not only will it be a lie, but it would put a kink in her happiness.
“No, Mom. We get along fine. Work is where we have conflict sometimes.”
“Good. Because even though I love Charles, I have to make sure my little princess is okay with the entire package.”
She caresses my face the way only a mother does, and although I like it, the pit of my stomach knots up when I hear that word again: princess.
“Well, isn’t this table full of beautiful women. I especially like this one here.” Charles leans in and gives my mother a kiss on the lips, in front of me.
I roll my eyes and down my drink when I see his son is also in tow. I look different than when he last saw me. I have my hair up in a bun, and I’m wearing white shorts and heeled sandals, and a navy blue, off-the-shoulder shirt with no bra.