Page 61 of Not That Into You

“Compared to them, you’re practically the male incarnation of Mother Teresa.”

With a snort, he shakes his head. “Pretty sure that’s blasphemy.”

Probably, but the comment has the desired effect. His shoulders loosen, and he rolls his neck as if to release some tension.

I take a deep breath. “That was intense. Your brother and sister are...” I scrunch my nose, trying to think of the right word to describe their dickishness.

“Warm and cuddly?”

I purse my lips. “Not the words I would’ve chosen.” I frown. “They pretty much suck.”

He smirks. “They do.”

I nibble on my bottom lip. “Have you ever had a good relationship with them?”

He huffs out a laugh before dropping his head and rubbing the back of his neck. “Not really.” He straightens and then rolls his shoulders. “But they’re a lot older than me. They had their perfect little lives, and then I came along. I was the oops baby, the afterthought.” He shrugs. “I barely remember them. Archie went off to boarding school before I was in kindergarten, and Grace followed soon thereafter.”

“Then why was Archie so...”

“Condescending?”

“Sure.”

“That’s who he is. He’s a Stanhope through and through.”

I furrow my brows. “You’re nothing like them.”

He smirks before slipping his hands back into his pockets. “And therein lies the problem.”

“Seems like a good thing to me.”

He shrugs. “Depends on your perspective.”

I go back to nibbling my bottom lip. “What did you mean when you said you’d be managing the company’s communications soon? Aren’t you the director of communications or something like that?”

He looks at me and lifts a brow. I get the sense I’ve crossed a line, but turnaround is fair play. He asked about my clients earlier, and I discussed the details of my business.

I hold his gaze until he sighs and crosses his arms. “I’m the director of corporate communications, yes. I manage my own team in the marketing department, but I’m not the head of the marketing department. I still have to report to the chief marketing officer. And our chief marketing officer is retiring soon. The company has started a search for his replacement.”

“And you applied?”

“I’m being considered.”

“Why wouldn’t you get the job?”

He clenches his jaw. “Because I’m not a shoo-in. I have to prove myself, just like everybody else. They won’t give me the job just because my last name is Stanhope.”

“I didn’t mean...”

“Sure you did.” He shakes his head before blowing out a breath. “The truth is, I’ll have to work harder than anybody else to get this job. I’ll have to prove I’m serious, that I’m focused on the job and not just my social life.”

His derisive tone makes it clear Archie’s earlier comment that Cameron needs to grow up and stop playing was not the first time he’s heard that. I press my lips together. I’ve even made similar comments, accusing Cameron of being fun-loving to a fault.

A sense of unease washes over me as I study the hard lines of his face. Have I been wrong about him? “Is your goal to be the CEO some day?”

He snorts. “God, no. I’ve never had any interest in leading the company. I’ll leave that to Archie and Grace.” He smirks. “And I have no interest in getting in the middle of their battle for supremacy.”

I grimace at the thought of those two competing for anything. I’d stay out of their way, too.

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