Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 61939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
I couldn’t find anything, but I refused to leave it to chance.
With a heart that was still beating in pieces, I ventured to New Jersey to speak to a lawyer.
For the first time since Harrison took over the company, I didn’t use a personal town car.
I walked to the subway station and savored every mile of the trip without his influence on my life.
FORTY-TWO
HARRISON
“Thank you all for joining me at our all-new Employee Appreciation Gala,” I spoke into the mic the following Saturday evening. “This was a great idea by the executives, and it’s been an honor to see the changes you’ve made at this company over the past few months.”
I paused, looking up from my speech and into the crowd seated at white-clothed tables.
They were all smiling and sipping champagne merrily—all oblivious to the meetings I was hosting behind the scenes.
“When I took over Sweet Seasons, I promised you that I would—” I clenched my jaw as I read an unwanted correction from Andrea.
I promised you that I wouldn’t be an asshole or ever lay off a single soul, but hey. I’m a greedy motherfucker, so… Sorry, not sorry.
“I promised that I would do my best to run this place like a business and take us to the next level.” I folded the sheet in half. “I’m looking forward to celebrating all our wins tonight, and I appreciate you for being part of Sweet Seasons. Thank you.”
Applause filled the room, and the orchestra slowly strung the notes to their first song of the evening.
Feigning a smile, I shook hand after hand, inching closer to the exit.
When I was finished taking photos with the lead sales executives, I asked to be excused before stepping into the kitchen.
Then I immediately pulled out my phone and called Andrea.
“Hey there, you’ve reached Andrea Stone!” Her voicemail sounded. “Please leave a detailed message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!”
Beep!
I hung up and walked over to the lead chef.
“Hey there, Mr. Cross.” He smiled. “I hope you’ll love what we’ve prepared for tonight.”
“I’m sure I will,” I said. “Give me your cell phone.”
“Huh?”
“Give me your goddamn phone.”
He pulled it from his apron and handed it to me.
I dialed Andrea’s number, and her line rang.
Once, twice…
“Hello?” she answered.
“So, your phone does work?” I asked.
“Only for the people I actually want to talk to.”
“I don’t appreciate your edits on my speech.”
“That’s unfortunate,” she said. “I could’ve sworn you said you wanted it to be raw and honest.”
“You have five seconds to apologize for not coming into work this week, three to give me a reason why you’re not here tonight, and then two to come to your senses and stop acting like a child.”
“What part of ‘I’m never talking to you again’ was hard for you to understand, Harrison?”
“Given the fact that you’re speaking to me now, all of it.”
“Have Aaron email me about my official employee exit meeting—whenever you schedule it—and I’ll be sure to have a lawyer show up with my signed documents.” Her voice was flat. “You can tell Heather that whatever work I finished is in my top right drawer and in my cloud, but if you need anything else…”
Her voice trailed off, and all I could hear were the sounds of the clanging and sizzling in the kitchen.
“If I need anything else, what, Andrea?”
“You’re shit out of luck,” she said. “I’m one hundred percent done with you, Harrison Cross.”
“Andrea—”
“Don’t ever call me again.” She ended the call, and I called right back, but her voicemail sounded.
Annoyed, I returned the chef’s phone and asked to use someone else’s.
Straight to voicemail.
I walked down the line, trying again and again, but the result was the same.
By the time I realized that she might actually be serious, it was time for me to give a second speech, and this one didn’t have any of her edits.
TWO WEEKS LATER
FORTY-THREE
HARRISON
Ican’t be the only one here feeling like this…
I wasn’t sure if some new virus was going around the office, but I was tempted to tell everyone to work from home until we got the contagion under control.
My chest ached without warning—for several hours at a time, my mind was too foggy for me to think clearly, and I’d lost my appetite somewhere between last week and this morning. Whenever I wasn’t researching my symptoms, I was musing about why Andrea still hadn’t unblocked me.
Why she still hadn’t come back…
I picked up my desk phone and called the intern department.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Cross,” a soft voice answered on the first ring. “How may I help you this afternoon?”
“Afternoon?” I scoffed. “It’s nine o’clock in the morning.”
“Um, no, sir…” She hesitated. “It’s three o’clock in the afternoon.”
What? I glanced at my clock in disbelief.
“Are you there, sir?”
“Yes.” I opened my laptop, wondering why Heather hadn’t sent me any updates. “I wanted an update on my phone from the support department.”