“Something,” she said with a grin. “Della, by now, I shouldn’t have to tell you about him. You read up on him yourself. A man like James Cross doesn’t ask. Now, don’t get me wrong. He is super sweet, and I know he is not the type to cross lines he shouldn’t, but he doesn’t simply ask.”
My spine stiffened automatically, and I straightened a little higher in my desk. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked nervously. “Is he just not into me or—”
“Not at all!” Madison reassured me quickly. “Quite the contrary!” Her eyes were borderline dreamy for a moment as she pictured his perfect face. “It’s almost... I don’t even know what word to use. It’s just not like James to be so...”
Shy?
I bowed my head toward the desk so she wouldn’t see my grin. He did certainly look shy when he said it, and he acted just as sheepish when he noticed my necklace. Rather than eating in the common part of The Dorchester, he even booked us his family’s private room, a place that was very special and nostalgic for him. There was definitely something different going on, and shyness wasn’t off the table, even if no one had noticed it about him before.
Both Madison and I were quiet for a while, each ignoring the waiting calls blinking on my company phone, each considering the possible implications of this newly discovered facet of James Cross’s personality, the one I’d somehow unearthed just by being with him.
Then, without a word of warning, she looked up with a sudden frown. “Della, please don’t be angry at me for this, but after this bizarre story of yours, I’d be an idiot not to ask.”
“And you and I both know you’re no idiot, right?” I teased.
“Right,” she said, even as her face grew abruptly serious and she leaned across the desk. “It’s really him, right? James?”
I threw my head back with a burst of laughter, laughter that only grew louder as a look of concern splashed across her face. “Yeah, Madi, it’s definitely him.”
“Are you sure?” she pressed. “You were positive about Robert, too, and we all know how that turned out. You just...” She trailed off, her wide eyes locking on something just outside the window.
I followed her gaze to see Robert watching us both from the hall, shamelessly staring with his arms folded across his chest. It was impossible to know how much he’d overhead, because the walls were designed to be soundproof, so as to allow for confidential business dealings. Madison’s voice, however, was never on the quiet side, and I was hyper-aware of exactly how many times she’d cheerfully chanted, “Fuck,” the most unprofessional of all words in the English language on any side of the globe.
“Ladies...” Robert said, pushing the door open and strolling into my office as if it was his own. “Conference room, five minutes.”
Our eyes met for a brief moment as he turned to leave, and I stifled an automatic shiver, remembering the last time we’d run into each other. I also recalled James’s apartment; in that untimely meeting, he was so angry that I didn’t know whether he wanted to fuck me or hit me or both. Now, he had that same look on his face, and my only solace was that I was sure he wouldn’t commit either felony in public.
“Well, someone’s in a terrible mood.” Madison pushed quickly to her feet, smoothing her dress as she hurried out the door as well. “It must have to do with you, you twin-swapping little slut.”
My eyes shot up in a withering glare, then I laughed. “Thanks, Madison. It’s good to know I can always count on your support.”
“Anytime, love,” she said with a wink before she vanished around the corner.
EXACTLY FIVE MINUTES later, the entire sixtieth floor was shoved into the confines of the conference room. There was palpable tension in the air as people shifted restlessly on their feet, casting nervous looks from the corners of their eyes.
No one had any delusions; everyone knew the company was sinking, in grave economic trouble, like so many others worldwide. It was all they talked about in their hushed conversations behind closed doors. If we had all been summoned to the top story on the fly, with just five minute’s warning, I was sure it had more to do with layoffs than who I might lie with.
The room fell dead quiet as Robert took the floor, a rare thing, since he seldom spoke for himself and usually relied on David or some other supervisor, especially when he had bad news to break. The fact that the CEO himself was hosting the meeting was enough to send an already-panicked staff into a virtual tailspin of impending doom. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” he began with a tight smile. “As many of you know, we’ve been going through a bit of a rough patch here at Cross Enterprises.”
Yeah, and whose fault is that?
“The pressure is higher than ever, and the competition is nipping at our heels.” His eyes swept briefly over me before he continued, “Thus, I’ve decided to institute a little friendly work competition, something I hope will get the juices flowing and light a fire under you junior associates.”
The horror in the room momentarily subsided, as no less than thirty pairs of eyes simultaneously sharpened at the word “competition.” No one climbed high up the corporate ladder by running with the crowd; it required more of stepping on others than building bridges, and the room was full of Type A personalities with adrenaline to burn. Already, Madison was sliding to the edge of her seat with a slightly rabid look in her eye, as if she wanted to get a head start on whatever game Robert was about to initiate.
“It is really rather simple,” Robert said. “You will work in pairs, with your assigned partners. At the end of three weeks, the team with the highest numbers wins.”
“Wins what?” someone piped in from the back of the room.
The rest of us turned to glare at him disapprovingly before twisting back around to hear Robert’s reply, secretly thrilled that someone else had dared to ask the question. While respect and bragging rights were both acceptable answers, we tended to thrive on material incentives.
Robert actually chuckled. “Well, in addition to a small cash bonus, you’ll also receive an all-expense-paid vacation, a week-long stay at a resort in the Alps.”
A cash bonus? A week in the Alps? Yes, please. Sign me up. But more importantly...
My eyes flickered around to the various senior partners scattered around the room, all of whom were discreetly watching the junior associates with hawk-like attention. I knew it would be a huge boost for me, a real niche on my dossier, to win such a competition, particularly since I was the rookie on the team. I simply had to win; there was no other option. “Madison,” I said, grabbing her arm in a vice-like grip, “we’re on the same page, right?”
I could practically see the gears turning, and I thought I smelled burning again as she glared unblinkingly toward the front. “We will take no prisoners. We will bury the competition behind the sushi house down the street.”