“What’s this?” Grace asked, her voice going up in a mocking or curious tone. I couldn’t tell which. “A class project?”
Definitely mocking.
Anger rushed me. It was hot and prickly and somewhat foreign. I was usually pretty even-tempered, but like I said, Grace was like this with me all the time. It got tiresome. Which is probably what possessed me to say something that wasn’t entirely true. Or more accurately, a complete lie.
Straightening, I brought my gaze up to Grace’s shoulder in a glare because I couldn’t quite look her in the eye as I lied. “Actually, it was a pitch meeting. Ox is considering a new marketinginitiative, and I was supposed to pitch it today, but if Clem’s in there it must be important. I’ll try him later.”
I moved to head toward the all important meeting I was supposed to be attending when I heard genuine curiosity shape her tone. “Hold on.”
I halted and Grace pounced on me, moving to my side and circling me like prey. “A new initiative you say?”
“Mhmm.” I fought to keep my voice steady even as I squeaked.
“Fully funded?” she asked.
“That’s what he said,” I barely coughed out. I was going to hell for sure.
Grace’s eyebrow rose as she looked over my materials. “And you have an official pitch?”
“I do.”
“Hmm.” She ceased her circling and came to a stop in front of me yet again, scoffing. “Well then. Be in the conference room in ten minutes. Myself and the marketing team will judge your presentation on Ox’s behalf.”
“Grace, no! There’s really no need for that!” I rushed out, immediately regretting my lie and wanting to please, please, Godpleasetake it back. But she had already turned around and sashayed back the way she came before I could even argue.
And this is how I found myself not only becoming a liar for the first time in my life but also pitching my imaginary marketing plan to Grace and the marketing executives before breakfast.
The whole thing was both anticlimactic and disastrous. Almost as soon as I got to the conference room, I was rushed to begin my presentation (a presentation I had made specifically to peak my brother’s interest, not random business suits I didn’t prepare for.) This made me nervous and twitchy and lord help me—I developed a mild stammer. Grace wasted no time chastising me about it and whispering comments to the colleagues around her, which made me even more nervous.
It was over before it even began.
“Well, thank you Ms. Fernandez for…that, but I don’t think we will be needing this particular initiative at this time,” Grace said, rising from her seat not five whole minutes after taking it. “Get rid of those charts and get back to your desk. Don’t bother worrying Mr. Fernandez with this showing. It’s unnecessary and not the right time anyway.”
Yep. Todaysucked, and this poor plant I had my hands around was going to pay for it.
“Ma’am.”
I jumped at the smooth, deep voice behind me. The shock of being snuck up on quickly iced over, and the familiarity of that voice just made me squeeze the plant harder.
Strangling potted grass wasn’t a gateway to, like, serial killing, was it?
Whatever. I was already committed to this.
Clearly, ignoring the owner of that voice didn’t seem to dissuade him one iota. Instead, he sidled right up to me, coming way too close to my back as big corded arms caged me in on either side. I blinked down momentarily as warm coffee-colored hands rested themselves on the tall outdoor planter in front of me.
I could’ve become entranced with the way his veins were strikingly visible as he held onto the concrete, or how I could feel the heat radiating off of him as he hovered just close enough to my back to be familiar but not disrespectful.
Icould’ve. But I didn’t. Instead, I just squeezed harder. Hating how my heartbeat ratcheted up the second I registered his voice in my ears.
Observant, on top of being annoying, he noticed my heightened irritation and tsked as if he was scolding a disobedient child. I felt him move closer, that heat getting warmer, and his breathing more audible in my space. I jumped again as his voice tickled me rightbehind my ear. “Alta, I’m going to have to ask you to step away from the plant.”
“I’m tending it,” I said.
“With your hands wrapped around it?” he asked.
“Precisely,” I said, but rolled my eyes at myself. I probably looked like a maniac right now, and of course he of all people would happen to see.
He chuckled, the mirth in his tone grating on my nerves as it always did. He never seemed to laugh at anyone half as much as he did me. It was infuriating. “Let it go, Alta.”
