Page 54 of Simply Irresistible
“Oh yeah,” he said, his gaze returning to the papers on his desk. His actions told me just how capable he thought I was of coming up with a solution to his problem. “And what’s that?”
“You’re the Manis full of pieces on sports, fitness, women, and fashion…but we don’t have anything on food except the occasional summer barbecue article. I’m not suggesting we start adding recipes, but I think a regular food column that appeals to men would be a great addition to the magazine. For example,” I continued when he hadn’t yet interrupted me, “people don’t think they can produce good quality grilled food from a city apartment, or any apartment really. I’ve come up with some ideas to prove them wrong.”
Roger looked up then, made eye contact. Then he laughed. “That’s your solution? You have some ideas about grilling in apartments? George Foreman came up with that solution years ago. Stop wasting my time.”
I clenched my jaw and bit my tongue.
Asshole.
Without saying another word, I turned and walked out of his office. I stopped at my desk to shut down my monitor and grab my messenger bag.
Fuck this shit.
***
If you were wondering…I didn’t quit my job. I should have, but I didn’t. I went home that day and stayed there for an entire week. I had accrued enough sick and vacation time to support me for a little while. I left a message with Human Resources. Told them I had the flu. They’d call in a temp to support Roger while I was out. No big deal. He wouldn’t even notice my absence.
My phone buzzed on my nightstand. I glanced at the screen.Melanie.
There was one other thing, too.
I hadn’t talked to Melanie since that day.
At first, it was because I was too pissed off to function. I was afraid I’d do or say something I couldn’t take back out of anger at Roger and she didn’t deserve me projecting that onto her. So I responded to her phone call the day I walked out of Roger’s office with a text that said I wasn’t feeling well.
The next day I was still pissed at Roger.
The two days after that, I was pissed at her. Why did she get to have the awesome, supportive boss who was like a damn fairy godmother? She told her boss her dreams and BOOM! Wish granted. Like some crazyI Dream of Jeanieshit. I worked just as hard as she did, and I got the shit end of the stick.
I never said I was thinking rationally.
The shame came next.
First, I decided I was such a failure that I couldn’t even successfully pitch an idea to a sinking ship of a magazine. Any size life raft would have done just fine, and I couldn’t even make that happen. My proposal sank as though it were Preston’s gigantic stainless-steel grill falling into his pool.
So, naturally, I determined that Melanie was way too good for me. She deserved so much better than an executive assistant. Never mind that she, too, was an executive assistant.
Again, I didn’t have the most logical thought processes going on.
I was still spinning in the shame spiral, but now it was mostly because I was embarrassed for my behavior (or lack thereof) towards Melanie. I hadn’t answered her calls or texts in days. She came to my apartment and knocked at least twice. I didn’t answer. I’d given her a key a while back, but she didn’t use it, and I was glad. I wasn’t sure what I would have done if she walked in.
She deserved so much better than what I was—or wasn’t—giving her.
30
Melanie
“These are fantastic,” Heather, my potential mentor told me as she looked at a few of the shirts I’d brought with me. “What do you pair this one with?” she asked, holding up a sleeveless pink shirt.
“This denim skirt,” I said, pulling said item out of my tote bag.
Heather looked impressed with my choice. “You’ve got a great eye and your designs are so fresh and fun.” She set the skirt and top down on the table between us and looked at me. “Brianna speaks highly of you. She doesn’t do that with a lot of people.”
“I appreciate her support very much.”
“She’s an amazing woman. When she called and said she had someone she wanted me to mentor, I knew I had to meet you because Brianna wouldn’t do that for just anyone. In fact, I wasn’t sure she would do it foranyoneuntil she did it for you.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to meet me. I honestly never expected things to get this far. When I talked to Brianna about everything, I never imagined she would open all these doors for me.”
