Page 56 of Negotiation Tactics
Once I’ve soaked enough, I try to sleep, but find it impossible. When morning comes, attending a boring meeting with the ad campaign stakeholders is the last thing I want to do, but I suck it up and get on with it. Christine keeps things to the point, and we agree to visit all the sets tomorrow, so shooting can start the day after.
Everything goes smoothly and surprisingly, being the model for Christine’s ads isn’t so bad. The days go quickly, the photoshoots, too. I make a lot of new connections and all of them are thrilled to receive invitations for our hotel opening in Singapore.
“See, I told you this will be beneficial to you,” Christine says smugly, crossing her arms as we send off the camera team.
Today’s photoshoot was at the Grand Basilica Hotel’s biggest balcony, where the heated pool is. We closed it to the public for a few hours, and now that we are done, it’s open again.
“I’ll admit—you were right. I mostly don’t regret agreeing to do the ad campaign,” I joke, shivering a little as a gust of chilly breeze whooshes past us.
I should be happy that things are going so well, but somehow there’s something missing. I can’t quitepinpoint it, but ever since I took over, there’s this tension in my chest, like a tiny hole that’s growing bigger and bigger the more I try to ignore it.
Christine laughs. She has a nice laugh. Elegant, restrained to a degree, like she’s some princess that needs to behave at all times. It’s nothing like the freeing and unapologetic laugh that Josh had, which always made me crack a smile of my own. Even now, while just remembering it.
I wonder what he is doing? Working? Trying to find a way to hit back? Gritting my teeth, I sigh and internally chastise myself.Why am I even thinking about him?
It’s annoying, I hate it. I want to forget that man, but it’s like my body has a mind of its own. I hit a bar a few nights ago, had a willing hookup within minutes, but I just couldn’t do it. Didn’t feel like it no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that fucking would help me flush Josh out of my system.
“Are you feeling okay?” Christine’s question rips me out of my internal angst.
“Yeah, sorry. Just… It’s a bit chilly.”
She wraps the silk scarf around her neck tighter. “Maybe grab something before we head out? The golf course is in a hilly area, so it might get windy.”
Oh great, I’d forgotten about that. Ugh, I hate golf. “I think I will. Let’s meet up at the reception in say, ten minutes.”
I take the elevator to my penthouse and snatch my leather jacket with the red stripe from the wardrobe where I hung it. The weather has been uncharacteristically hot since my arrival, so I didn’t need to resort to it, but I guess nature has decided to go back to normal today. Great—as if my tanking mood needed just that.
After I lock up, I tuck the key and phone in the right pocket of my jacket. Something soft and papery gets in the way, so I fish it out and hold it up for inspection. A shudder shakes my whole body, unleashing a thousand crawls under my skin.
A memory I’d rather forget plays out in front of my eyes, elevating my breathing. Fuck, I recognize the doodles on this napkin. I’ve no idea how it ended up in my pocket or why, but there is no mistaking it—this cutesy fountain is Josh’s creation. He absentmindedly drew it on our second date and I just loved watching him, how the seemingly random at first lines came together at the end.
I grind my teeth, trying my best not to punch the wall as another memory swims to the surface. The scene he made in front of everyone in my office was so fucking embarrassing. I can’t believe the things he said, and it still irks me whenever I think about it. He was like a beast about to go on a rampage, a storm ready to level me with the ground.
Crumpling the napkin and shoving it back inside my pocket, I try to calm myself down as I bang my fist against the door. We both played this game, we both had ulterior motives. But I still can’t believe how foolish I was to think that maybe there could be something real between us.
I pity you and your sad life where the only thing that matters to you is not disappointing your daddy.
I still can’t get over this part, of how much it stung to be called out like this. But at least I’m making progress, striving toward achieving my dreams and goals while he lost. He abandoned his passion, he gave it up, and he still lost.
My phone rings, startling me out of my spiraling thoughts. “What?”
A tongue clicks. “How long does it take you to grab a jacket, Alistair? The car has arrived and is waiting to pick us up.”
I rub my left temples, sighing. “Sorry, I… couldn’t find the right one.” Christine’s chuckle chases away some of my indignation. “It’s a nice jacket, okay? I’ll be down in two minutes.”
“Two or twenty?”
I roll my eyes and jog the few feet to the elevator. Oh, I’d forgotten her dry humor. It’s not for everybody, but it’s screams Christine. “Two. Don’t leave without me.”
Just as I hang up, another call comes through. This time it’s Brady. Seeing his name on the screen is like a ray of sunshine on a shitty day.
“Hi, sweetheart. How did dinner with the partner go yesterday?” I purr, knowing how much he wasn’t looking forward to it.
“Asshole. But I nailed it, of course. They’ll be here on Monday to sign the contract. Congratulations and yes, you are very welcome, I know I am awesome.”
A laugh bubbles out of me, releasing some of the tension from my shoulders. “You are. A real fucking superstar.”
He gives me a rundown, then goes quiet. I can tell he’s got something on his mind, but I don’t push him, letting him have as much time as he needs to decide if he wants to bring it up. “So, it’s monthly quiz night tomorrow…”
