level look before turning to her laptop.
I’m speechless as I process what she just said. It matches what Emmett told me about Marion before. It dawns on me—painfully—that Marion might’ve hired me not because he was actually impressed with me, but because he wants to have something that used to belong to Emmett. I never considered the possibility because I know I’m one of the best.
The awful realization that almost everyone at the Blaire Group views me as an unworthy hire stabs into me. I wince, my pride in tatters. If I come here, I’m never going to get a chance to shine. People will exclude me, ensure I’m not involved in projects and initiatives that will help me grow. Sure, I could still come anyway and prove myself so everyone is sorry they were mean to me. That’d make a great movie script, but this is real life. I nearly killed myself trying to show Emmett when I started at GrantEm. I don’t want to have to do the same here, especially not with a baby on the way.
Maybe if your coworkers don’t expect anything of you, you might not have to put in the hours, which means more time for your baby.
Yeah, but that also equates no chances to advance, no pay increases or bonuses. And if there’s a layoff, I’ll be first on the chopping block. Then what will happen to me and my baby?
Marion comes back, putting away his phone, and takes me to lunch. The whole time he goes on about how happy he is and what a great career decision I’ve made.
But all I can think is: Have I?
My doubts linger the entire time I’m in Virginia and on my flight back home to L.A.
This time, the airline doesn’t upgrade me.
Chapter Fifty-One
Amy
“How did the office visit go?” Sasha asks early next morning. She didn’t come home until I went to sleep, so we didn’t get to catch up yesterday after I landed.
“A complete disaster.” I prop my chin in my hand, my elbow resting on the kitchen counter. I heave a long, hard sigh.
She checks her phone to make sure the battery’s full, pulls it off the charger and tucks it into her purse. “How come? Is your new boss a werewolf with chunks of meat stuck between his teeth?”
I laugh. “I wish.”
“That bad?” She makes a face, then checks her watch. “I have five minutes if you need to vent.”
I shove my fingers into my hair. “It’s just… I feel like such a fool! He doesn’t really want me.”
“Sure he does. He made the offer for you. He even reached out to you a few times. He has to want you.” She makes a finger gun and points it at me.
“I mean he doesn’t care who he hires. He didn’t hire me because I’m brilliant.”
“Did his mom drop him on his head when he was born?”
“No. He apparently hires anyone who’s ever worked at GrantEm. Specifically, anybody who’s ever worked for Emmett.”
Sasha purses her lips. “That isn’t a terrible hiring criterion. GrantEm has great people.”
“Yeah, because GrantEm retains all the good ones. But what about the others, the ones that can’t cut it? Sasha, Marion hired Webber.”
“Okay, well… Yeah, that’s indiscriminate.”
“Right? So everyone at the Blaire Group figures I’m like Webber. Maybe worse.” My pride is still trying to recover.
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah.” The basic problem is that I’m in L.A. and the Blaire Group is in Virginia. What good reputation I have among my peers at GrantEm hasn’t percolated across the entire country. I’m not a big fish like Emmett or the other partners.
“I’m so sorry. What are your options, then? Can you get another job?”
“I don’t know. I have, like, seven days until my last official day at GrantEm.” Emmett might’ve unofficially fired me, but I’m still getting paid and my medical is still valid. “I put out some feelers, but I don’t want to go without medical if I can help it.”
“That makes sense.” She looks at my belly briefly. “You know what? Let me also ping some people and see what’s out there.”