Cocky S.O.B.

by Vanessa Winters

  This is going exactly to our plan. Melody’s responses are basically scripted. Jack is too angry to catch the bored lilt to her tone.

  “Did you give it to him? Did he ask for the folder? Did he tell you he was coming into my office for something? It was Friday afternoon. Think, Melody.”

  I don’t have to see her to know Melody is shaking her head. “I didn’t give it to him. I don’t think it was Cameron at all, Jack. He wouldn’t risk getting caught.”

  I want to clap. Melody is playing her role perfectly. She was hesitant to do it. Her exact words were, “I’m not a good actress.” But Emma and I convinced her to give it a shot. I told her to pretend she was talking to me about Jack, and just switch out our names. She’s doing an amazing job so far.

  “What do you mean?” Jack asks, his tone less angry.

  “Imagine if you or I found Cameron leaving your office. We’d know he was up to something, because he never goes into your office.”

  Jack is quiet for a minute or two. “You’re right,” he finally says.

  “So I don’t think it was Cameron. But Emma, on the other hand…”

  “Did you see Emma in my office?”

  “No,” Melody says. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if Cameron sent her to do his dirty work. She could get in and out without it being suspicious. I go to Cameron’s office for you and she comes here for him, so it wouldn’t be weird to find her at your office. That’s the perfect cover for stealing your proposal and planting Cameron’s for you to turn in.”

  “Dammit,” Jack says. “That’s exactly what happened. His stupid assistant stole my proposal for him!”

  I cringe. Emma agreed to be the scapegoat, but I don’t want Jack calling her stupid. She’s the best assistant I’ve ever had.

  “From now on, my office is not to be left unattended. You are only to leave your desk when I’m here. Do you understand?”

  “Of course, Jack. I want you to win. I won’t let them sabotage you again.”

  Melody’s words sound sincere. She’s a better actress than she gave herself credit for.

  They continue to talk, but it’s too quiet to hear. It doesn’t matter. The seed has been planted. Jack is suspicious of Emma and me, which is exactly what we wanted. Jack needs to be on his toes. If he’s cautious, he’ll be more likely to screw up. At the very least, he trusts Melody even more now. He’ll tell her his plan, even if it’s a slightly altered version of the truth. Jack was very careful about making it sound like we stole his proposal when it was the other way around. He thinks that we took the proposal back after he stole it, when he stole the fake one in the first place.

  It’s sad that he didn’t bother reading the proposal before he turned it in. I should be flattered. He was that confident that my proposal would be good enough to win.

  A few minutes later, a group message comes through.

  “I can’t leave my desk when Jack is gone,” Melody writes. “He’ll know if I do. I can’t risk it.”

  Jack has a big meeting coming up with the CEO of our longest partner, Dave Martin. The guy runs these small, mom and pop grocery stores. He started with one and has expanded since then. He was the first to see the value in Snax, and he started stocking the chips and pretzels when Dad was still working out of his garage. Jack schmoozes him once a month to let him know how much we appreciate his support.

  I know how these meetings go. Jack will leave at eleven, which gives us thirty minutes to wait. He won’t be back for a few hours. Dad always joins them, and they talk for hours.

  I let Melody know that we’ll come to her when Jack is clear of the building. She agrees, and we go about our work until he leaves.

  Ad campaigns cover my desk, but I can’t focus on anything. I keep thinking about Melody, her date, Jack yelling at her, everything. She has taken over my every thought.

  This is dangerous. I need to move on. Maybe I should go on a date. Don’t they say the only way to get over someone is to find someone else?

  I sigh. This is ridiculous. I should date my work. We have two product launches coming up and the ads have started to run already. The feedback will be in soon, and I’ll need to tailor winter if fall isn’t working. Plus, there are magazines to reach out to for print campaigns, and interviews to set up, and a million other things to do. A relationship would only distract me.

  I’m not even in a relationship, and a woman is already distracting me.

  Emma knocks lightly on my now-closed door. I know Jack likes to leave his open, but I get caught up in the surrounding sounds. I need complete silence to work. I can’t even listen to music or have the TV on in the background when I’m working at home. I end up focusing on everything but my work.

  “Hey,” Emma says. “Jack just left. You ready to go talk to Melody?”

  I put down the ad I’ve been staring at and stand up. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

  Emma gives me a strange look. “Are you okay, Cameron?”

  “I’m fine,” I say. It’s mostly the truth. “Tired and a bit stressed, but I’m fine.”

  “I think you should beg off early today. Go home, watch some TV. Reset. You’re of no use to anyone when you’re too stressed to get anything done.”

  My assistant can be harsh, but I know she’s just looking out for me. She would probably be fired for saying something like that at another job. I respect and expect her honesty.

  “I think I’ll do that.”

  We both know I’ll go home and continue to work, but the change in scenery might be exactly what I need. Especially because Melody is not inside my home.

  “Let’s go see if Melody has any intel.”

  Emma laughs and we head over to Jack’s side of the executive office. Melody’s desk is covered in printouts of spreadsheets. She’s staring at them like the numbers might leap off the page and into her computer.

  “Hey,” Emma says.

  Melody jumps. When she sees its just us, she covers her face with her hands.

  “I don’t know if I can keep doing this,” Melody says, her voice shaking. “He truly thinks I’m stupid. How long can he keep up the charade, claiming that you’re stealing his proposals?”

  I put my hand on Melody’s back. “My brother is manipulative. Don’t let him get to you.”

  “I’m trying, but he’s so mean. Did you hear what he said about Emma?”

  We both nod. We heard that part loud and clear.

  “Jack is a jerk,” Emma says. “I learned that a long time ago.”

  “You tried to warn me. I should’ve listened to you and quit.”

  My heart races. If Melody had quit, we never would’ve had our one night together. It might not have worked out, but I wouldn’t trade that one night for anything. I can still feel her lips pressed against mine, our bodies a tangled mess on her bed.

  I should’ve canceled my meeting and stayed in bed that morning. If I had, maybe we could’ve talked over Melody’s apprehensions before she decided to write me off completely.

  Melody wipes at her eyes. “Sorry, it’s just been a long day. Jack doesn’t want me leaving his office unmanned, so he sent me to get all of this work so I’d be busy until he gets back. I’m drowning in numbers and spreadsheets. I normally love math and organization. This is just too much. I don’t know how the accounting department can be so bad at keeping things in order.”

  I know how. Jack has never regulated them, so they have no reason to organize themselves. Jack has always had his assistant take care of it. If I win the CEO competition, the first thing I do internally is going to be to hold Jack’s departments more accountable. Mine would never get away with throwing work at my assistant instead of doing it themselves.

  “I’m sorry, Melody,” I say.

  “Thanks. I’m sorry, too. I don’t have any info for you guys. He hasn’t told me his plan. I’m not sure he has one. He’ll probably just steal the proposal again.”

  “Then we’ll switch it back. Or I’ll make two copies and turn in the same propos
al. I have documentation to prove mine is the real one. Dad will probably just make us start over.”

  “He wouldn’t call it off? Give you the position?” Melody asks.

  I laugh. “Dad has never called off a competition in his life, and he’s not about to start. It’ll be fine, though. We’ll figure it out.”

  “Yeah, I hope so,” Melody says. “I’ll keep my ears peeled and if he tells me anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

  Melody looks like she could use friends right now, but we can’t risk Jack finding us there. I know Melody and Emma worked together every once in a while. Maybe Emma can bring her computer over to Melody’s desk this time.

  I just hate that Melody is so upset. I feel like it’s my fault. I didn’t mean to drag anyone else into our drama.

  Emma and I go back to our side of the office, but Emma gathers her things and goes over to Melody’s desk.

  “I’ll be back before Jack gets here,” Emma says. “You know where to find me if you need me.”

  I’m glad I didn’t even have to tell Emma to go over there, she just knew. That’s why it’s going to suck when she finishes her stint as my assistant. I hope the next person I get in her position is as intuitive, smart, and helpful as Emma.

  I settle into my desk and actually manage to get some work done. Knowing that Emma is keeping Melody company helps prevent distraction. I wish I was the one over there, but that’s not feasible. Emma is the next best thing.

  Even so, I’d love to take Melody out tonight. The problem is, when we were over at her desk, I saw another new entry on her calendar. Another date with Xander, this one on Friday night.

  I lost my chance with Melody. That hurts more than it should.

  17

  Melody

  I check myself in the mirror and I look fine. Great, even. But once again, I can’t muster up the energy to care about this date with Xander.

  Today was a weird day. Jack and Cameron were supposed to turn in their third proposals, but their dad ended up moving the deadline to Monday. That’s good, because I still have no idea what Jack’s plan was. Maybe he actually made his own proposal this time.

  I bark out a laugh. As if that will ever happen. I hate that I’m working for such a terrible man. If he somehow manages to win the CEO competition, I’ll have to quit. There’s no way I can stay under Jack.

  Then again, if Cameron wins, I’m pretty sure I’ll lose my job, anyway. He already has Emma. He has no use for me.

  I told Xander I’d meet him at the bowling alley. It’s a juvenile date idea, but I love bowling. I thought it would be fun. Plus, it gives us something to do when the conversation stops flowing.

  Xander is already inside when I arrive.

  “Hey!” he greets me. “It’s good to see you.”

  We hug and he kisses me on the cheek. Xander pays for our games and shoes and we find our lane. It goes well, and we chat the entire time. Well, as much as we can when one of us is always bowling. I guess this isn’t the best date idea, unless you’re in a group. We end up only bowling one game because we’re trying to get to know each other.

  After we finish, we head out to our cars.

  “I had fun,” Xander says.

  “Yeah. Me too.”

  The silence between us is awkward.

  “I get the feeling we’d be better as friends, though,” he continues.

  I let out a relieved breath. “I have the same feeling. I like you, but…”

  “We’re not clicking.”

  “We’re not. I don’t know why. You’re great.”

  “So are you,” Xander says with a shrug. “Sometimes it just doesn’t work. We should still hang out, though. Maybe we can have game night with Daniela and George or something.”

  “Yes, for sure. Thanks for the date. It was a good time. I’ll have Daniela plan a game night.”

  One of the things we have in common is a love for board games. Daniela loves them, too, so it would be perfect to hang out as a group. With no added expectations of a date.

  I get in my car and call Daniela. It’s only eight.

  “Hey,” she says. “I thought you had a date.”

  “I did. It’s over. We’re friends.”

  “I saw that coming. Drinks?”

  “Yes, please.”

  I drive to my house and park my car before walking over to the Pub. Daniela is already there when I arrive. She took a taxi so the two of us could enjoy our night without worrying about driving. There have been nights when Daniela has crashed in my spare bedroom after too much beer and karaoke. I guess she’s not looking for a sleepover tonight.

  “Hey,” she says when she sees me. “So, just friends?”

  There are already two beers on the table where Daniela sits, so I take a big gulp of one. “He’s not a bad guy,” I say. “We just didn’t have that spark.”

  “That sucks. I thought you’d hit it off.”

  “I hoped we would,” I say. “But I thought you were against this pairing.”

  Daniela rolls her eyes. “Only because I know you have feelings for someone else and I didn’t want Xander to get hurt. I was rooting for you guys despite all that. Xander’s great.”

  “He is great, don’t get me wrong. I wanted to like him. I do like him, but as a friend. We were talking about having a game night.”

  “Oh, that’d be fun. Maybe you could invite Cameron.”

  “Daniela,” I warn. “That’s not happening.”

  Things between Cameron and me have been stilted since I told him we couldn’t be together. I’m helping with the competition, but we don’t have the same easy conversation that we had before. It’s like we’re both holding back.

  I wish we could go back to the friendship we developed before we went on a date. I never should’ve agreed to go out with him. I ruined everything despite knowing it was never going to work.

  “I just meant as friends,” Daniela says innocently.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m sure that’s what you meant.”

  “You could give it a shot, though. Why not? I know you really like him.”

  I bite my lip. “I do like him a lot,” I admit. She grins like she won something. “But I can’t do it. Not when we work together.”

  Daniela sighs. “It doesn’t have to be like it was with Kyle. You know that, right? Kyle was the exception, not the rule.”

  In my heart I know she’s right. Kyle was cheating on his live-in girlfriend with me. The fact that we worked together made it easier, but it’s not always going to be like that.

  Yet I can’t bring myself to change my mind. I’m too afraid of being manipulated like that again.

  “Cameron is nothing like Kyle,” Daniela continues. “He doesn’t have a secret girlfriend. Or a fiancée. Or anything. He’s just a good guy you like and want to date.”

  “Drop it, Daniela,” I say, my tone a bit too harsh.

  She puts a hand on mine. “Okay, okay. I’ll drop it.”

  I take another sip of my beer. I hate being so weird. I wish I could get over my fears and apprehensions, but I can’t. Not if I want to achieve my dream.

  Ever since I was little, I’ve loved soda. I love the feeling of the bubbles, the flavors, the sweetness. Everything about it. But most sodas on the market are really bad for you. They’re made with unnatural ingredients. They have way too much sugar and not enough health benefits.

  When I was thirteen, there was this entrepreneurial competition at school. We had to come up with a business idea, how we’d make the product, how we’d advertise, where we’d get the money, and all the stuff that goes into starting a business. I decided to take my love for soda and my disdain for how unhealthy it is and turn it into a business idea. I figured out where I’d source healthier ingredients, sweeteners that are natural but better for you than sugar, and flavors that would taste good but were different from the current market.

  The idea was solid. The judging board certainly thought so. I won the competition, which got me some mo
ney put into a scholarship fund as long as I decided to major in business.

  I thought that was it. I figured, I have this awesome plan that won a competition. I must be ready to start my business.

  Thirteen-year-old me had no idea how hard it was to actually start a business. I couldn’t put the idea into practice without experience. I had the idea, but I didn’t have the execution. So, I went to school and I planned on learning as much as I could. I got the job at Kyle’s company, figuring it would be temporary. Then I ended up working so much on expanding the business that I didn’t get a chance to learn about starting a business.

  That’s why I’m at Snax now. Well, aside from the fact that Kyle was dating me for four years when he had a girlfriend already.

  I’m not just converting the messy accounting sheets into something comprehensive; I’m studying them. I’m talking to Jack about the logistics of running a business. Cameron and Emma give me insights into advertising. It’s the perfect atmosphere. My future company will be similar to this one, except with soft drinks instead of food. I want my company to be green and natural. I don’t want to waste a lot. I want to donate as much to charities as I can.

  If I date Cameron, I’ll have to quit my job before I’ve learned enough to really start my company. I can’t risk my future for some guy who might last a few months. I don’t care how good the sex was. It’s not worth setting myself back.

  “You know I get it, right,” Daniela says after a long silence. “I know about your dream and I know that you need this experience. I just wonder if you have other options, you know? Like, couldn’t you get the funding at this point? You’ve been working for almost five years and you have a business degree. You could start your business now and you’d succeed.”

  “I don’t know that,” I say. “I don’t know enough yet. I need to make sure my company lasts. I don’t want to throw everything I have into this company only to have it fail in the first year. You know how many companies fail in the first year? Most of them.”

  “Yours won’t.”

  I laugh. “I appreciate the optimism, but we don’t know that. Maybe you are right and I’ll succeed but there’s no guarantee. At least if I stay at Snax a while longer, I’ll learn enough to feel confident. I need to know how to get vendors to stock my product. I need to know how to build lasting relationships with printers. Somehow, I need to find a factory to make the product. I can’t build my own, not yet. There’s no way I’ll get that kind of funding right off the bat.”