SWNOVELS Sweet Regret: Chapter 1
I should have stayed in bed.
If the smoke alarm chirping at three in the morning (because isn’t that always when the batteries die), the coffee pot breaking, and Jagger throwing up all over my clothes minutes before I headed out the door weren’t a warning sign I should have heeded, then I don’t know what was.
And now as Simone looks at me with raised eyebrows, expectant eyes, and yet another imposing request, I know being nestled in my warm, soft bed would have been so much better than what I’m about to agree to do.
“Don’t give me that look,” she says. “I’d do the same for you, if you asked.”
“The difference is that I don’t ask. Ever.”
Her sigh and the shift of her feet are all the proof I need. She knows I’m right. That this is most definitely a one-way relationship—unless you consider the laughter she pulls from me on the daily. If we compared that, then she’s the reason I stay sane most days.
And the same reason I glare at her but nod my head. “He better be a damn good lay if you’re making me cover for you.”
“Really?” Simone clasps her hands and dances a jig, her spiral curls bouncing and her smile reaching megawatt levels. All for covering her shift tonight so she can be with her current flavor of the month—and they do change monthly—who happens to be in town for the night. But who am I to deny someone in love with the notion of being in love and the addictive giddiness that comes with it?
“Really,” I say drolly, already hating that I can’t say no to her.
“Oh my God. You’re the best. Maybe this will put you front and center with Xavier so he sees what a godsend you are and finally treats you what you’re worth.”
Xavier McMann. Schmoozer to the stars. Hard-ass galore. Our boss. How he led McMann Media Management to be one of the top media and public relations firms in Los Angeles is beyond me. With his grueling schedule, his unyielding demands, and his snap-of-the-fingers-you-better-jump communication skills, he only seems to notice you if you screw up.
And yet we both work here because he’s the best of the best. His stamp of approval is the golden ticket to a successful career in the industry. The connections you make working for him guarantee it. If dealing with him and his demands is what I need to do to learn the ropes and get my foot in the door I feel like I’ve been pushing on for what feels like forever, then so be it.
One day I plan to be him.
My own publicity or talent management firm. My own employees. My own reputation.
I just got a little later start on everything than planned . . .
The roll of my eyes in response says it all.
“Nothing will ever make Xavier see me.” No matter how hard I work, he’ll never notice me. “We’re never in the same place either.” In the rare instances that we are, my most important job is relegated to grabbing coffee. Apparently, my immediate boss wants the more important tasks to try and make a lasting impression with the top one.
“He’s going to be there today.”
“No, he’s not. He’s—”
“Here. In Los Angeles. He came back from Napa early because this thing came up, and he wanted to be here for it. So you know it’s a big deal if he cut his trip short.”
“And this thing is . . .”
“No clue.” Her shrug is as indifferent as her tone is in having this conversation right now. I’m certain her thoughts are already on her date tonight. “It’s all being kept under lock and key.”
“And you’re going to miss it?”
“I know. I’ll probably shoot myself in the foot for it when you’re promoted to vice president or some shit like that after you kick ass today.”
“Yeah. Right.” I swing my arm in the aw-shucks motion and snap. “My gofer game is so strong that Xavier will promote me on the spot.”
Knowing he’s going to be there does at least provide me a positive reason for working the overtime. As much as he’s a pain in the ass, there is always opportunity when he’s in the room.
“Whatever.”
“Now, are you going to tell me what my job duties are tonight?”
“I don’t know.”
And this is why getting a late start to my career is frustrating. I’m often teamed with younger employees who aren’t often aware of the fine points.
Then again, even at Simone’s age, I would have known the intimate details.
“Come again?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugs again, her smile so sugary sweet I feel cavities forming.
“Well, then can you at least tell me who the client is?”
“Nope. Like I said, everything is being kept all hush-hush.”
“Great. You don’t know what and you don’t know who. I’m beginning to not like this idea.” I groan. “Last time we had hush-hush all hell broke loose.”
Simone snorts as we both recall the disaster of taking on a shock jock as a client and trying to redeem him in the public eye. Needless to say, the redemption part was short-lived and futile in the end.
“I don’t think it’s that kind of hush-hush. I think it’s more along the lines of Xavier stealing a big name away from another firm, and we have to keep it under wraps type of thing. He wants a big staff presence to show the talent that we’re there to support him in any way possible.”
“Ah, the song and dance routine.”
“Exactly.”
“So it’s a him, then?”
“Yes. A male. I mean, at least we know it’s not some diva with ridiculous demands.”
I give her the side-eye because we both know men can rival women in the diva factor at times.
“Look, I owe you like a million . . . something.” She waves her hand and laughs. “I can’t say dollars because we both know I sure as shit don’t have that.”
“Same, girl.” I sigh, still resigning myself to the fact that I agreed to do this. “Tell me where I need to go and what time I need to be there.”