Manage Me: A Vagabond Romance Page 2

  "Okay, so are you going to be good to take over in Big Sur soon?" Hartley asked.

  "Why? I thought I was going to be on the Paris project in four months."

  "Yeah, but Jason started seeing someone new and wants to take a vacation with her. So I need you to step up in Big Sur while I finish overseeing Paris."

  "Hartley, seriously? You know Jason; he's always just met the love of his life and wants to run away with her."

  "This time he seems serious about it," Hartley said, shrugging as he grabbed a coffee and sat down at one of the tables in the lobby.

  I eyed him speculatively as I sat down at the table with him. "I don't think Drake is ready to run this place alone yet," I lied. Drake could probably have run the hostel better than I was doing.

  "Okay, so how about two weeks?" He looked at me calmly despite the wrench I'd just consciously tossed into the middle of his plans. That steady demeanor was precisely what made him a great CEO and an even better older brother, but at the moment I found it incredibly annoying.

  "A month would be better."

  "Come on, Ryan. You're wearing, and you look like you haven't showered in at least a week. You're meant to be a manager, but it looks like you're on vacation here when you're supposed to be working and that's not fair to Jason."

  "Hartley, you forget that this isn't one of our resorts; it isn't even a hotel. The people who stay here would get wigged out if I dressed like you; they'd probably think I was here to lead a major investigation into illicit drugs."

  Hartley cocked an eyebrow at me. "Are illicit drugs being done here?"

  "No! I just mean that we're chill here. It's like hanging out with family you're never going to see again. Not that anyone in our family would be caught dead out of a suit," I laughed at the idea of Hartley ever relaxing in flip-flops and shorts on a workday. The only time in recent memory I'd seen him in shorts was when we'd gone to Bermuda on what was supposed to be a vacation, and he'd put a swimsuit on for one day of our trip before working for the rest of the time.

  At the moment, he had on a perfectly tailored blue suit with a crisp white collared shirt. His shoes were shining as if he'd slathered butter on them and his hair had a decent amount of what Amelia called swish. He looked every bit the CEO, and a week ago I'd resembled him pretty closely, but I'd been so burnt out I'd almost gone crazy. This hostel had proved to be the saving grace I needed, and I couldn't help wanting another minute of breathing room.

  "Well, I'll see if he can wait a month, but he's been itching to get out of there."

  "If I can handle Miami's major overhaul for the last eight months, he can manage this. Tell him three weeks tops."

  He gave me a steady stare before nodding in assent. "Fine, three weeks."

  He downed the rest of his coffee before getting up and buttoning his suit jacket. "Gotta go, I'm getting lunch with Jacob. Want to come?"

  I stayed sitting, stubbornly. "No, I do not want to come to lunch with you and Jacob. I'd look your homeless cousin that you're taking pity on for the afternoon. Or the wayward son you don't buy expensive suits for."

  "I don't buy Jacob his suits."

  "So you say." I stood up to hug my brother goodbye. "Tell our brother he's a loser and that you disown him."

  "Sure, right after I tell him that you love him and are going to call him."

  I rolled my eyes, but I really did owe my baby brother a call.

  Hartley slapped my back before turning to leave the building. "At least trim your beard. I don't care if you look like a lumberjack, but at least maintain it a little."

  "Good deal. I'll talk to you about Big Sur."

  He turned around and walked out backwards. "We've got some huge retreats coming up. I'm going to need you on your A game."

  I nodded, grimacing. I was going to have to find my way back to my A game.

  Chapter 3

  Dakota

  I stood there, frozen, as Zack started applauding and the office followed suit, but I could tell from the looks on their faces that, despite their polite applause, they were just as confused as I was.

  I took a quick step back and some deep breaths to combat my dizziness as I stood there and took in the general office attitude. The clapping continued as Scarlet stood up to shake Zack's hand and thank him with a humble nod that didn't entirely hide her proud smirk.

  My hands felt numb as I raised them to start applauding, a little too late, with the rest of the crowd. I did some quick mental shuffling through some of the numbers I was running on my computer currently, for no other reason then that when my brain was working, I was less likely to have an anxiety attack. None of what Zack had said pertained to Scarlet; half the time she needed help just getting logged into the systems, and the other half she spent getting the men in the office to finish the tasks she couldn't do right.

  I couldn't understand how this was happening. There were several other advisors at my level who would've done great in this position, and I would've understood Zack giving the promotion to any of them, but Scarlet? Young, green, dumb Scarlet? To my mind, there were only two explanations, but if I thought about either one, I would definitely go insane.

  The noise around me was muffled, as though my ears were stuffed with cotton, as I walked out of the conference room and headed back toward my desk.

  "Aren't you going to say something?" Anne asked, grabbing my arm before I could sit.

  "No. What would I say?"

  "Um, maybe that they've fucked up because they're being hypnotized by the fake blonde hair? Or that she's too green? Or that you've been fucked over? I don't know, but she didn't deserve that promotion, and they shouldn't get away with it."

  "Anne, if I say anything right now, I'll just look bitter. Come on, I have work to do anyway," I tried to walk away again, but Anne still had my arm in her iron-grip. For such a delicate-looking girl, she had strong hands.

  "Dakota, you have to stand up for yourself. This is ridiculous."

  I stared her down. "I'm going to go back to my desk and think things through. I'd suggest you do the same."

  I pulled my hand out of hers and walked back to my seat. Of course I wanted to say something to Zack. I wanted to yell at him and every other high-level manager in that room that every one of them was thinking with the wrong heads, but that wasn't me. I'd never been good at confrontation. In fact, one of the reasons I'd gotten so far in this industry as a woman was precisely because of my lack of emotion. I'd come too far and done too much just for a temper tantrum to get in my way.

  "See, why can't you do that to Zack?" Anne had followed me into my cubicle and was standing behind me, waiting for me to engage with her. "You might be a sweetheart, but you're not going to be treated the way you deserve to be unless you show your power."

  "What are you talking about? I'm treated fine."

  "No, you're not. Dakota, I love you, but you need to stop letting people walk all over you. You let Zack do it, you let Cody do it-"

  "Cody's just more forceful than I am."

  "Yep, as forceful as a foot on a doormat. Did he even wish you luck today?"

  I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Anne was right, of course. She usually was.

  "I can't think about this now. I have a bunch of portfolios to prep before the quarterly meeting."

  I swiveled in my chair to face my computer but realized just how little good a swivel chair did when my friend insisted on sitting on my desk to make her point.

  "I'll make you a deal. I'll leave you alone to deflect your disappointment IF you promise that you'll talk to Zack before the end of the day. Otherwise, I'll just bring my tablet over here and do my work sitting here while annoying the crap out of you. It's up to you."

  I looked up at Anne, who stared right back at me. There was nothing on her face that told me she might be kidding.

  "Fine, I'll talk to him before I go home. Now, will you please go away?"

  "Yep." She got down from off my desk and walked around the cubi
cle wall to her desk.

  I glared at her through our gap. "Doesn't it strike you as ironic that to get me to be more forceful, you just completely bulldozed me?"

  Anne didn't even look up from her computer screen before replying, "It's for the greater good. Trust me."

  I didn't respond that I thought Cody probably thought all of his decisions were for the greater good too.

  I knew Anne was right, but I'd never felt comfortable showing my emotional side. I'd been told all through business school that if I got emotional at work, I'd never get ahead in this job. I couldn't afford to mess up my chances in this industry, so I'd always taken that advice to heart, and it had always served me well, but I guessed that time was coming to an end.

  I pulled out my phone. I usually didn't check it in the office, but I'd made Lauren a promise.

  Dakota: Didn't get the promotion. They gave it to Scarlet instead.

  Lauren's response came right away.

  Lauren: WTF????? Please tell me you're going to say something. DO NOT just roll over and die on this.

  I rolled my eyes, wondering how I'd wound up with such forceful friends. Opposites attract?

  Dakota: I already promised Anne I'd say something later. I'll keep you posted.

  Lauren: "You'd better. Love you!"

  I didn't text Cody to tell him what had happened. I didn't want to disrupt what was already a stressful day for him with my bad news.

  "Hey, do you have that report on the Edwards financials?" Zack asked, suddenly standing right behind me.

  "Jeez, Zack. Make a noise, will you?"

  He eyed me speculatively. "You okay? You're acting kind of....fidgety."

  "Yeah, I'm fine. I just emailed you the Edwards report."

  "Good work."

  "Thanks," I replied shortly, barely looking at him as I turned back to my work.

  I sensed him continuing to linger behind me, and I turned back around to see him continuing to look at me. "Was there something else?"

  "Yeah; Anne said you needed to talk to me about something?" Zack continued to stare at me, not unkindly but also not precisely inviting confidences.

  I knew he wasn't trying to be menacing, but Zack just had a way about him that always made him seem angry. The two deep lines in his forehead made him look furious, no matter how big his smile. One time I saw him laughing, and I'd actually wondered if he was faking it.

  "No, it's okay. We can talk later," I said, feeling my nerve slipping away. "Or maybe tomorrow-"

  "Now would be fine."

  I looked around and saw everyone trying very hard not to look like they were listening, but they weren't exactly masters of subtlety. Not that I blamed them; if anyone else had been airing out their dirty laundry at work, I would've been watching too. Weirdly, Anne was nowhere to be seen, even though she'd started all of this. I did catch Scarlet's eye, though. She couldn't even be bothered to pretend she wasn't enjoying the spectacle.

  "Sure. Can we go to your office?" I asked, standing up to follow him, but he didn't move right away. He had to know he was making the whole situation more awkward for me. Was he testing me?

  "I guess," he finally replied and walked to his office.

  As I followed, I could feel the eyes of everyone in the office on me. They had to know what we were about to discuss. I know I wasn't the only person shocked or disappointed by this morning's announcement.

  Zack closed his door behind us and went to sit behind his desk. He had a sitting area with a couch and two chairs that we usually used when we had one-on-one meetings in his office, but he clearly meant to make a point. I clenched my hands into fists to keep them from shaking, but I knew there was nothing I'd be able to do about my voice. I wished I were anywhere else.

  "Dakota, I know for a fact we're both too busy to just be here without you saying anything. I'd appreciate it if you didn't waste my time."

  That snapped me into action. He was going to talk about wasting time? I'd been at this company for five years, working concurrently while getting an MBA in one of the most competitive programs in the country.

  "Well, I'd say I'd heard rumors I was going to get the promotion but is it really a rumor if you hear it from the person who's supposed to give it to you?" I said, surprised by the level of snark coming out of my mouth.

  He looked at me, half-pissed, half-entertained. "I'm sorry. I know I probably got your hopes up, but we decided to go a different route."

  "Okay, can you tell me why?"

  "No."

  We stared each other down. "Zack, how long have I worked for you?"

  "Where are you going with this?"

  "You've always been a good boss-"

  "Thank you."

  "Don't interrupt me."

  Part of me was shocked at the tone I was taking, and part of me wished someone was filming the interaction so I could play it back for Anne later.

  "You might not be a pal, but I've always had respect for you. Part of the reason why is that you've always respected me enough to explain your decisions to me. The fact that you didn't even give me a warning about this tells me you knew I was going to have issues with Scarlet getting this promotion."

  "I don't need to explain my staffing decisions to you. You didn't get it; she did. End of discussion."

  "What about Joe? Or Andrew? They both have great portfolios, and we all started here at the same time."

  "You're telling me that if either of them had gotten the job, you wouldn't be having this hissy fit?"

  "No, I wouldn't. I would've hated it and probably written it off as institutionalized sexism, but at least I would've felt they each deserved the job. And I believe that you would've warned me before the announcement. So all that makes me think that either her family bought her the job, or she slept her way into the position or both."

  He said nothing, merely giving me the most vicious glare I'd ever seen from his angry face.

  "So which is it?"

  "You're on very, very thin ice right now, Dakota. You're a good advisor, but there are plenty of good advisors out there. I'd stop talking if I were you."

  "You know, you could've made up literally any excuse, and I would've swallowed it. I would've let all of this go."

  "So why aren't you letting it go now?"

  "Because I never actually thought you would sink this low, and I've worked too hard for too long to have this crap shoved in my face. You effectively promised me a promotion, and now I know how much your good word is actually worth."

  He jumped out of his chair. "Sit down."

  "I'd rather not."

  "This isn't how things work. We made a decision for the promotion, and you did not get it. That is the end of this discussion. You are welcome to leave my office or leave the company if you're still having issues with it."

  "Okay."

  I turned around to leave his office.

  "I expect the rest of your reports by the end of the week."

  "Not gonna happen. I quit."

  "What do you mean, you quit?"

  "You said to leave your office or leave the company. I'm leaving the company. Scarlet can finish my reports since you clearly think she's capable enough to take on the responsibilities of this leadership position."

  I couldn't help my laughter as I saw the look on his face. "Your panic says it all. For someone who normally makes meticulous calculations, you've made a really dumb chess move."

  I turned on my heel and strode back out to the supply closet to grab a bankers' box before going back to my desk.

  Anne looked up at me as I came up to my cubicle. "So? What hap-" She stopped as I swept all of my personal stuff into the box. "Whoa! What's happening?"

  "I quit. I'm going home."

  "No, Dakota, really. What's going on?"

  I pointed at the box, then at my stuff. "Box, personal possessions, obligatory theft of office supplies."

  Anne stood up, a little bit panicked. "Dakota, you can't just quit because they gave the promotion to someone els
e."

  "I told you I didn't want to talk to him today, but you forced the situation. I'm going to go home and start looking for something at a company that would rather promote someone who actually does their job." I wasn't exactly yelling, but I definitely wasn't bothering to keep quiet either. Everyone around me had stopped working and were looking up from their desks.

  I heard a snort from behind me and turned to see Scarlet standing there, arms crossed to accentuate her breasts. "Seriously? You're quitting because I got a promotion and you didn't? I never would've thought you would be so pissy about a fellow woman getting ahead."

  I laughed. "Don't pull your bullshit fake feminism on me. There are at least seven people sitting in this room who deserved this job more than you and five of them have dicks. You see, Scarlet, I actually care about this company and the clients who put their trust in us. They deserve better than an idiot who doesn't even know what a bear economy looks like."

  Her mouth dropped open, and she sputtered as I grabbed my purse and box and walked out. As I passed by Joe and Andrew's desks, I paused. "You deserve better than this, guys. Keep in touch." They nodded at me, smiling. This place had always been cutthroat, but good people worked here. I was sorry to leave.

  Before I reached the elevator, I turned back to see everyone in the office watching me, open-mouthed. "I wish you all well and good luck. You're going to need it with that one." I gestured at Scarlet, who had turned as red as her name. Zack watched from his office as I stepped into the elevator. I stepped in and waited for the doors to close. I turned in surprise as Anne rushed in and pushed the doors-closed button.

  We stood there, looking at each other. "What are you going to do?"

  "Well, I guess I have the rest of the week off," I said, giggling. The laughter was beginning to turn a little bit hysterical.

  Anne put her hands on her shoulders. "You've got this. You're going to get something better, and they're going to know how lucky they are in you."

  I smiled, my lip quivering. "You're just saying that because you feel guilty."

  Anne smiled back. "A little, but that doesn't mean I don't believe it. That was one of the craziest things I've ever seen, and I'm really, really proud of you."