Page 43 of Best In Class
There’s a large screen on a rolling stand positioned in front of the conference table, connected to a computer running AutoCAD. It enables us to display and interact with live architectural drawings, make real-time adjustments, and guide the team through design updates without any loss in software-to-print translation.
We’re reviewing structural adjustments with the build team when Camy arrives.
She stands out. We’re all in easy work gear, jeans, boots,T-shirts. It’s fucking hot and the AC doesn’t always work properly in the trailer. Camy is dressed in cream trousers, a silk blouse, and heels that won’t survive a construction site.
This is on me—why she keeps showing up.
I haven’t exactly led Camy on, but I haven’t drawn a clear enough line, either. She knows what this is. She’s not looking for love, just a good time, and I’ve let that slide without pushing back.
But let’s not kid ourselves—Camy would never bring someone like me home. Wrong pedigree, wrong skin tone, no matter how many awards I’ve stacked on my shelf. To her, I’m entertainment.
Camy is the kind of woman who likes to display her trophies, but no more than that.
Still, my attempt at making Luna jealous is now a millstone around my neck.
“Dom,” Camy says brightly and then pouts, “you didn’t text me back.”
I look up from the elevations I’m marking and struggle to keep my tone polite. “Been busy, Camy.”
Her eyes narrow as she realizes Luna’s sitting two chairs down from me, sleeves rolled, hair pulled back. Luna ignores Camy and continues to make notes on her tablet. Camy could be part of the HVAC for all Luna seems to care.
Luna never had patience for the society types; hence, she was and continues to be friends with Stella, though the girl we grew up with is not the Stella we see today; she’s tougher, more confident. Part of it is having Noah in her life, and the other is kicking her father completely out of it. For all thestruggles Noah and Stella had when they got together, they’re a unit now, close and tight.
Camy moves closer to me. “We should catch up.”
“Hmm.”
“Dom.” She puts a hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off as politely as I can.
“We’re in a meeting.” I pick up my coffee up and jerk my chin toward Luna and the two engineers, as well as a project manager from Carter Construction.
Camy gives Luna a smile that could cut glass. “I’m sure you can take a break. Luna, honey, you don’t mind if I borrow him for a moment, do you?”
I take a sip of my coffee.
“By all means.” Luna doesn’t even look up from her tablet. “Just bring him back unmodified. I’ve got him running pretty well these days.”
I nearly spit my coffee.
Camy blinks like she just got slapped with a silk glove.
“Camy, we really need to get some things finalized today. How about we meet for a drink later?” I suggest that in an effort to avoid Camy going off half-cocked and getting kicked around the trailer by Luna.
“Uncle Tommy says he’d like to speak with you…alone. Maybe he can join us for drinks.” Camy’s not as subtle as she thinks. She’s threatening me with her uncle,andshe’s dissing Luna.
“Let us know when and where,” I say casually. “Luna will have to check her calendar as well.”
I can feel Luna’s eyes on me. She expects me to playalong, to go it alone—like so many others do. Take the meeting with the big boss, shake the right hands, wear the practiced smile. That’s the game. That’s how you get ahead.
I’ve seen it too many times not to understand the drill, but that’s never been how I operate.
And even if it weren’t Luna being pushed aside, I still wouldn’t play it that way. I don’t believe in success that comes at the cost of someone else’s voice.
Tommy has already indicated that he prefers working with me over Luna, because he finds her difficult. Not surprising at all.
The moment a woman like Luna—brilliant, direct, unwilling to shrink herself—gets too visible, too powerful, suddenly she’s labeleddifficult. Aggressive. Emotional. Replaceable.
The woman may carry twice the load, but she’ll only get half the credit, and even then, people will ask who helped her.
