Page 29 of Undeniable

She rolled her eyes. “Are your email or text exchanges awkward?”

“No, but—”

She cut me off before I could finish and said, “Just trust me, Olivia,” with an exasperated sigh.

“Fine.” I spun so I was facing my computer once more. “I’ll send him the book, but I’m not agreeing to a phone call.”You know you want to, a little voice whispered in the back of my head, but I told it to shush.

“I knew you’d never do it. Even if we both know you want to.” And I knew she was goading me, but it wasn’t going to work. Not this time anyway.

“Nice try.” I smirked, typing out my reply to Connor’s latest email.

We mostly texted now, but we emailed about books through our Spines for Soldiers accounts so he could still get credit for participating in the program. I was about to hit “Send” when Seth peeked his head inside the opening to my cubicle. Alyssa leaped out of her chair as if her ass were on fire. “See you later, Olivia. Thanks for looking over that packet for me.”

He took a seat in the chair Alyssa had just vacated. “I stopped by to discuss a special project I need your help with.”

“Great.” I perked up, excited by the prospect. This had to be a good sign about the promotion, right? Adrina had left, and her spot was officially available. Everyone knew it was between Nicole and me. “What is it?”

“We’re looking to expand our biography offerings, trying to capture a new market.”

“Okay,” I said, not entirely sure what this had to do with me. Marketing was my domain, but I’d always focused solely on fiction.

“I wondered if you’d, uh—” He tugged at his collar, his eyes darting around my cubicle. “Speak to your father to see if he’d be interested in writing a memoir.”

My father?

Of course. I sighed but tried not to let my disappointment show. I should’ve expected this. In all honesty, I was surprised I’d made it this far into my career without being tapped for a favor regarding one or both of my parents.

When people discovered that my father was Harrison Hayes, they usually forgot everything else. It was as if I ceased to exist as an individual and they saw me only for what I could do for them.

I didn’t realize Seth was still talking until he asked, “So, what do you think?”

I nodded, selecting my words carefully. I didn’t want to piss off my boss, but there was no way I was asking my dad. I refused to use his celebrity status—or my mother’s—to get ahead.

So, I resorted to my standard response in such cases, though I was a bit more generous, considering Seth was my boss. “I’m sure he’d be happy to consider it. Though, his agent, Talia Winters, usually handles these types of inquiries. I can get you her contact information.”

Seth leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I know, but we, um, we thought the idea might be better received if it came from you.”

I tried to maintain a calm façade even as I seethed inside. This man—the audacity of his… It was unbelievable. And coming on the heels of freaking Tad, I’d had enough.

I was tempted to outright deny Seth’s “request.” I tilted my head back, wondering if my refusal would cost me my job. But as angry as I was, when I opened my mouth to do just that, I started sweating.

What is wrong with me?

I couldn’t shut him down, and I didn’t want to outright lie, but I had no intention of asking my dad to write a memoir.

“You know—” He lowered his voice. “One of the senior marketing positions just became available. If you play your cards right, the job could be yours.”

I forced a smile, though it probably looked more like a grimace. One of my deepest fears had just come true. I was being considered for promotion—possibly being given an edge—because of my connections. “Thank you, Seth. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Please do.” He held my gaze a moment then stood. “You’d be competing against Nicole, of course. And while she’s had some great ideas in the past, securing a biography of…” He paused as if debating his words, then settled on, “A notable person would certainly go a long way in showing commitment to Igloo and the type of go-getter attitude we look for.”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

I clenched my hands beneath my desk but merely nodded. Everything about it made me cringe. My job was marketing fiction, not biographies, and certainly not acquisitions.

“Great.” He clapped his hands together and stood. “Thank you, Olivia.”

As soon as he was gone, I folded my arms on my desk and rested my head on them with a heavy sigh. My entire life, people had formed opinions about me based on who my parents were. I’d thought I was immune to that at work. For once, I’d thought that I was appreciated for who I was and what I had to offer. And I’d been so wrong.

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