Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25739 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25739 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
“Let me ask you,” She looks at my nameplate before continuing. “Ms. Pernetti.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know who Mr. King is seeing?” She smiles at me like she’s trying to be my best friend, but I know a snake when I see it.
“Seeing?” I get her meaning, but I still play obtuse because I’m not interested in answering her questions.
“Yes, dating? She has to have called the office at least a couple of times.”
“Ma’am, that’s not a question that I will dignify with an answer. Now, please excuse me while I finish this email.” She huffs, angrily annoyed with my response and goes back to her chair and to typing away on her phone. I’m the one who should be angry. Her questions are invasive and I start to wonder if this is a test of my loyalty to Mr. King and the company.
With every passing second I’m growing more and more pissed off. Did he set me up? Is she here to see if I’ll break and give up some gossip that I clearly don’t have?
I take a drink of my coffee and then go back to typing a little harder on the keys. “You sound annoyed over there. Could it be that you’re upset that he has a girlfriend you didn’t know about?”
“Ma’am, your questions are what’s bothering me. I’m here to do my job, not gossip about my boss.”
“What a shame. I wonder if you two have a thing going on. Or maybe it’s just you have a crush on him.”
“Are you serious? What is with you? This is a place of business not a high school.”
“If you’re going to be rude, I’m just going to leave.” She stands and walks right out of the office. Shit. Mr. King’s will fire me for sure.
I get back to work and then as Mr. King arrives he walks in with a slightly older woman and says, “Ms. Pernetti, please bring in coffee for Ms. Phelps and myself. We’ll be in the conference room.”
“Ms. Phelps?” I pale, staring at the woman who is clearly not the same lady that just left.
“Yes. I have her scheduled for a meeting, as I’m sure you’re aware. I was a few minutes late, but she was waiting in the lobby for me.”
“Sir. When you have a moment, I need to speak with you in private.” I attempt to keep my tone neutral and give nothing away in front of the woman, but I’m afraid my emotions are written all over my face.
“After the meeting.”
“Yes, Mr. King.” I nod and then head into the kitchen to prepare the coffee cart. After I bring in the drinks, I return to my desk and nervously fidget with my hands. Sam calls my desk phone. “Valentine, have you mentioned the other Ms. Phelps that arrived for the meeting with Mr. King yet?”
“No, he said to wait until his meeting was over.”
“Well, we have gotten played. Check the link I’m sending you right now.” He sends it to my company email and I’m shocked. It’s an online column about Mr. King and myself. A candid shot of Mr. King exiting a jewelry store and a picture of me at my desk while I was working. Neither of them are suggestive until you read the article.
The woman was a reporter. I’m screwed.
Then the next thought comes into my head. Who was he really buying jewelry for?
“Damn, Sam. What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know, but he’s going to be pissed off.”
“Tell me about it. I can’t believe she said these things about me. Oh my goodness. I think I’m going to be sick.” I end the call and run to the bathroom. Throwing up from the anxiety of the lies she told. She said I was in love with my boss and that I was expecting a proposal any day now.
That evil bitch deserved a punch in the face.
By the time I returned to my desk, I’d calmed down enough to stop being sick, but I wasn’t feeling good. Although Agnes was just coming through the glass doors. “Valentine, just the person I wanted to see.”
I pale. “None of it’s true.”
“I didn’t think so.” I’m almost insulted by that, but then she adds quickly. “The man isn’t known for dating anyone. He probably went to get a watch fixed or something.”
“I swear I didn’t tell her anything personal about anyone. No matter how hard she tried. That made sense why she was so damn insistent.” I try to hold back the tears.
“Come downstairs to my office for now. I can’t let Mr. King’s client see you in tears. Okay. I’ll send him a message to call my office.” I nod and follow her down with my purse.
We work on the cameras and Agnes writes up a report to file and as we talk Mr. King storms through her office. “What the hell happened? Are you okay, Valentine, Ms. Pernetti?” he corrects himself.