Not Sorry

I stand and follow him, but we don’t go far. Just to the bar. Sean takes a seat in the booth, and I take a seat opposite him, more confused than ever.

“Relax, Olive. You are going to have to learn to trust me if you are going to work for me.”

“I work for Jamie. She was the one who hired me. You’re just a temp.”

Sean sighs as he runs his hand through his hair. He glances over at the bar. I assume he’s found a hot woman to take home for tonight.

“Lesson number one: Confidence. That is the number one thing you need to be a leader. Get that guy over there to buy you a drink.”

“What?”

“If you can get that guy to buy you a drink, then you can convince someone to buy a house or an employee to change how they work.”

“I have a boyfriend though.”

Sean laughs. “I’m not asking you to date the guy. Just get him to buy you a drink. If you can do that in a place like this, then I must have really underestimated you.”

I narrow my eyes. He doesn’t think I can do this.

“Fine.” I get up and look at the man Sean is looking at.

He’s dressed in a suit, sitting at the bar by himself. He’s about my age, but far more successful, it seems. He’s good-looking. Not as good-looking as Sean, but he’s still way out of my league.

He doesn’t know that though. All the man knows is that I ate at this restaurant, same as him. And, as long as he doesn’t know much about fashion, then he won’t know that my whole outfit cost less than thirty dollars and that I got it from a thrift store.

I start walking toward him, trying to be as confident as I can, when I hear Sean say, “I would unbutton that top button or two if I were you. That’s what got me.”

I feel my body fuming. But then I remember everything else Sean has done today. Every time was to get a reaction out of me. Every time was to build that fire up inside me. Well, it worked. I’m fired up, but I’m just not sure I can handle any more of Sean’s training.

I have to find a way to prove to him that I can be a strong, confident woman who is perfect for the job. I’m not sure how to convince him, but I’ll start with getting this guy to buy me a drink without unbuttoning my shirt.

I slide onto one of the high-top chairs next to him. Even though there are dozens open, I’ve chosen the one right next to him.

The man looks over at me.

“I’m Olive,” I say with a large smile on my face.

“I’m Dave. And, as much as I would love to sit next to you while we both enjoy a drink, my wife is going to be here any second and would love to sit next to me. So, if you don’t mind scooting down a couple of seats, that would be great.”

I nod and bite my lip as I make my way back over to where Sean is sitting.

He laughs. “Failed already?”

“He’s married and meeting his wife here. I don’t think that was really a fair fight.”

He shrugs. “It wouldn’t stop most married men.”

I frown while he laughs at me again.

“Okay, fine, fine. You can try again.” Sean glances around the bar and then spots the next target. He nods toward the guy who must have just sat down at the bar. “Get him to buy you a drink.”

I smile. “Done,” I say, getting back up and walking over to the man seated at the bar.

Of all of the men Sean could have picked, he picked the one I know I will be able to get to buy me a drink. I’m almost to him when a blonde woman takes a seat next to him.

I frown. She isn’t going to get him because the man she is flirting with is already taken. By me.

The woman grabs hold of his neck and begins kissing him. He doesn’t fight her off. He kisses her back.