Page 27 of Unbossly Manners

“But you always seem uncomfortable.”

I shrugged. “I liked it at first. When I finally owned my fashion sense, it made me feel confident. Now it makes me feel like a constantly have a wedgie.”

“You don’t have to wear what’s in fashion.”

I was about to answer but then I realized what he’d done. He got me talking about me so he wouldn’t have to talk about him.

“I see what you did there. That was clever. A little switch and bait.”

He smiled a wide, genuine grin. “Guilty.”

He knocked on Evie’s door and told her they were leaving.

“Why did you want to have a written agreement?” I asked before Evie came out and we could no longer talk about it.

“The agreement makes the guidelines clear that this is a physical arrangement, therefore protecting us from the most dangerous aspect of any relationship,” Jackson shoved his hands in his pockets.

“What’s that?” I asked, furrowing my brow at his lawyer speak.

“Falling in love.”

eleven

“The hosts from Breaking Glass will be here later today. You can pitch them that interview with the socially conscious bandage company.”

My stomach clenched. I hadn’t pitched the idea at the last weekly meeting, too scared of being rejected.

Analise sat at her workstation and tapped on her computer as she spoke, distracted by an email she was composing. For Analise, it was just another pitch. But for me, it was terrifying.

I raised my chin, remembering one of my goals was to say yes to stuff that scared me.

“Okay,” I said.

It was Monday, two days since I’d sat in Kat’s loft and agreed to let Jackson instill some sexual prowess in my carnal game.

I’d spent most of the weekend with Selena reminding her why it was a bad idea to get back together with Fariha and answering her questions about the agreement, which she had a lot of.

Selena had a similar reaction as Kat—gleeful excitement—like my life was a real-life reality show. I should call my mother and tell her to pitch the idea to her old producers. She’d been retired for ten years, but still had a lot of connections at the show. They had been her family for twenty years.

“Will you be ready this time?” Analise glanced up expectantly.

“Yes.” I hugged my iPad against my chest. “Thanks for this.”

“Thank yourself. It was your idea. Own it, girl.”

“Owning it.”

I spent the next thirty minutes going over my pitch and making sure I had all the information for the meeting. Then I scrolled through the various podcast social accounts, answering comments, DMs, and taking note of anything significant for the hosts, but I found it hard to concentrate. I knew I was making a big deal out of something small, but this pitch was big for me.

I scurried to the bathroom and faced the mirror. I set my phone timer for five minutes, and stood in my Wonder Woman pose.

Two minutes into it, the door banged open.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize—”

I dropped my arms, my ears growing hot.

Jackson rubbed his chin. “What were you doing?”

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