Page 113 of Rich and Bossy

“As a matter of fact, I told her to take a paid vacation. Bought the tickets myself to wherever she wanted to take her family.”

“What a swell humanitarian you are.” He walks around, looking my place up and down.

I eye him warily when he takes a seat in the armchair across from me. He spreads out as usual, slinging his coat over the other chair before settling in.

“Why you here?”

“You know why I’m here, bro.”

“I know I fucked up, the whole week, and you’ve been dealing with everything. I appreciate that and I’m sorry.”

“Not sorry enough to get off your ass and do anything about it, though. Right?”

I can’t help but growl at him, no matter how immature it makes me. “Is that all you came here for? So you don’t have to keep dealing with the bullshit?”

“No, I’m telling you what you need to hear, because I’d be a shitty fucking friend if I didn’t. And I gave you time, let you keep on like this. It’s been a week. That’s long enough. Now stop being a bitch.”

This ought to be good. I sit back, folding my arms. “So you’re an expert on what I need to hear now?”

“Ohh, he’s got an attitude now. Yeah, I’m your best friend. I know what you need to hear. I’ve earned the right to say it.”

“Don’t, fucking…” I wave a finger up and down. “Just, you get away with a lot, because you’re my best friend, but don’t fuckingpush me right now.” I know I’m wrong and need to appreciate what he’s doing, I’m just so fucking angry and disgusted with myself.

“What are you going to do? Breathe on me? Because your breath is pretty fucking lethal right now. When was the last time you brushed your teeth?”

I point at the door. “Just go, if this is all you’re here for. I know the speech. I know you.”

“Don’t do that shit like a little bitch. Don’t be the pussy that makes me pry shit out of you. It’s ridiculous.”

“Nothing you say will work. Nothing you can say is worse than anything I’ve said to myself in the mirror the past week.”

“Has it gotten you anywhere?”

“No comment.” I look away, suddenly ashamed of myself for an entirely different reason.

For a while, the only sound in the room comes from the TV. It’s not as if I’ve been paying attention to the Vikings or to any of the games I’ve flipped back and forth through this afternoon. It’s all a matter of filling time, killing time, fumbling around to distract myself.

“You know, they’re trying to hold the union vote as soon as possible. After we axed everyone. They’re all filing for appeals. I’m surprised she held everything together still, after that.”

“I know.” My voice stays flat.

“Which way do you think it’s going to go?”

“I honestly don’t know. It doesn’t fucking matter what I think anyway.”

As horrific as it would be, I hope they win the vote. Even if it would mean a hell of a lot of grief for us, as executives. I know it would mean me losing my company. I want to say it’s to screw the board, but I know it’s because it’s what’s right. Not even because Hazel got it started either. Sure, I want her to win. ButI want every last board of director and major shareholder to eat fucking shit now, for what they’ve put me through.

Even if I can’t be the one to rub it in their faces.

“Can I ask you something?” John leans in, arms resting on his thighs.

Even now, that gets a snicker out of me. “Since when do you ask permission to run your fucking yap?”

He ignores the question in favor of hitting me with a hard stare from beneath lowered brows. “What makes you happy?”

“What?” I blurt out a laugh.

“I’m serious, man. What fucking makes you happy anymore? Because I know it’s sure as hell not the business.”

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