Slowly, I turned back to my half full cocktail. “Don’t count on it.”
On my way back to the office, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Mimi.
Elle:Thanks for covering; I should be back before one.
A short moment went by before my phone dinged.
Mimi:Anytime.How was lunch?
Elle:My cucumber was delicious.
15
ELLE
“Events don’t just happen,”Bobby lectured at the team meeting on Thursday afternoon. “They take a considerable amount of time to create and develop.”
Funny, I was just thinking what a considerable amount of time this pointless meeting was taking. Since Scott had run out on me the day before, I’d been focused on projects and booking myself solid through the end of the year. Most of those bookings came from my pitches earlier in the week. Nearly all replied with plans to book an event and some even put through a deposit to hold the dates until they had more details.
At least three of those contacts had jumped for joy to find out that I was working in the city again after Brightman.
I wouldn’t be able to handle them all in the month of December. I should have been at my desk starting my game plan on these rather than sitting here, listening to some overconfident and fruitless employee try to act like he’d invented the damn industry.
“I put together a list of some helpful techniques. I think you could all benefit from keeping this handy when working on a project,” Bobby continued, handing out printed copies to the eight-plus people in the room, who I swore looked just as annoyed as I was.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I spat out before I could stop myself.
Bobby jerked back, dramatically. “Is there a problem?”
“I’m sorry, I thought this was a meeting to brainstorm off each other on upcoming projects and discuss goals.”
“Yes, well, Starr was unable to make today’s meeting. She said to carry on without her and she’ll try to join later. So why don’t we go around the room and you can all discuss what you’re working on where you think your weaknesses are.
I addressed the others in the room. “Isthiswhat these meetings are usually about?” If so, then I certainly didn’t belong here. I could be holding seminars on how to do this shit.
Bobby blew out a slow breath as if to remind himself that he was dealing with a child. “These meetings centralize on learning from each other, becoming more efficient and,” he eyed me, “trying not to be so defensive when critiqued.” He turned to head back to the front of the room and glanced back over his shoulder. “Welcome,”he added, with a smirk.
I looked at Mimi, who just rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Bobby looked around the room. “The focus this week is creating the perfectly planned pitch for the perfectly planned party. I know many of you are still trying to book yourselves for the holiday season.”
Well, I’d heard enough. Jumping out of my seat, I stormed out of the room muttering “This is bullshit,” and marched towards Dean’s office. Char’s warning about losing my job be damned. I’d worked way too hard my entire adult life to listen to this.
With me, I had the folder of emails confirming the events I had lined up in less than twenty-four hours to book me through January.
Angrily, I pushed the door open, and practically ripped the sheets of paper out of my folder before slamming them in front of him. Dean pulled back, blinking.“Is this what you’re trying to get out of us?”
Dean barely glanced down. “Elle, what on earth—”
“You think I need some sort of lesson on how to be a planner?”
“What? Where would you get that idea?”
“From the guy who thinks he’s due to become a partner here,” I barked breathlessly. Half shocked at my own actions. I’d never even gone this far with Ron.
He sighed. “Is it the planned perfection meeting that Starr holds?”
“Take a look at these, Dean.” I pointed to the file I threw at him. “I pitched them all less than a day ago. Seven out of ten already responded. Looks like I’m going to have my hands full. Unless I email them all back right now and tell them that my boss doesn’t think I’m capable of handling their event. He thinks I could usetraining.”
