Page 17 of Designed for Disaster

“Watch it,” he said, his voice low. “Or I might start to think you want to hit me over the head with a package of bagels.”

“Too bad you don’t keep any stocked,” I muttered.

“And now I never will.” He turned on his heel, taking point at the oblong table. I pulled out an empty chair, feeling awkward as I slid into it. I tried not to make eye contact with my new team, but that left me only one person to look at.

Trent.

Sunlight streamed in through the windows. I couldn’t help but notice the way the light washed over him, licking at his chiseled jaw, at the wash of dark stubble on his face, highlighting his long eyelashes and expressive brows.

Holy hell, I needed to stop looking at this man.

He got up to close the blinds, darkening the room, before starting a PowerPoint presentation. “I want to thank you all for making time in your schedules this morning,” he said. “With Natasha starting today, I thought it was a good opportunity to review my expectations for the new line. I think we’re all aware that my intention is to put out a line of furniture that is created sustainably while maintaining the luxury experience expected of Saunders.”

Everyone at the table nodded.

“Natasha brings with her a wealth of knowledge on the sustainability front.”

I could feel the table side-eyeing me. I didn’t even need to make eye contact with Talia to know she desperately wanted to roll her eyes.

“That’s why she’s running point on this line,” Trent continued. “She’s got some big ideas for how Saunders Furniture could move into the future and remain competitive in a market shifting to follow a sustainability trend.”

I smiled politely. It was odd to hear Trent talk me up when he had only ever frustrated me to hell.

I caught Talia’s raised eyebrows as she looked at Javi. Trent must have seen it too, because when I glanced back at him, he was frowning at them, those expressive brows inching together.

“Most of all,” he said, switching the slides. I cringed, recognizing some of the designs I’d brainstormed and emailed to him. I couldn’t believe he’d included them in this presentation. They were hardly rendered. If I had known they were going to be showcased to the team, I would have put in a lot more work. “She brings along a massive talent.”

The CAD designers perked up, whispering to each other. I couldn’t hear what they said from where I was sitting, but my neck flushed with embarrassment. Was it hot in here? I shrugged out of my blazer.

“And that’s just a glimpse of the promise Dee saw in her designs,” Trent said. “She’s very eager to see what this team is capable of under Natasha’s guidance.”

Bonnie shot me a beaming smile, and Erik and Shay looked over with newfound interest. They were the youngest of the group, probably close to my age, and perhaps the quickest to be swayed by Trent’s words. From the way everyone had perked up as soon as her name was mentioned, it was clear that Dee still commanded affection and respect from the staff, which was both relieving and sweet.

Even Javi and Talia eased off their judgeyness a bit, the tension bleeding from their shoulders. At least they’d stopped shooting each other concerned looks across the table.

“How is Dee doing?” Talia asked Trent. “We all miss seeing her around the office.”

“Hanging in there,” he said diplomatically. How much did everyone know about her diagnosis—and about how she was struggling with it?

The Dee Saunders I’d met last week had been warm and welcoming and gracious, beyond eager to meet Trent’s new “girlfriend.” But she’d also clearly been run-down, the illness weighing on her. I couldn’t shake the image of her dragging that oxygen cylinder down the hallway behind her.

“Is there anything we can do?” Javi asked.

“No,” Trent said. “But thank you. Dee will be grateful just knowing you’re all thinking of her. Let’s continue.” He clicked over to the next slide.

“Oh, I love this one!” Bonnie exclaimed. I looked up. It was a desk I’d envisioned—a more modern take on a pedestal desk. “I can totally see that being the centerpiece of the new line.”

“But what about that one?” Erik said as Trent flipped to the next slide. Erik held his hand out for the remote, which Trent handed over, and the three CAD designers flipped back and forth between the pieces, whispering among themselves.

I caught Trent’s eye, and his eyebrow arched as if to say,Time to show me what you’ve got. Then he cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’re pleased with the initial sketches,” he said to the team, “because I’m liking what I’ve seen so far, and I want to hit theground running. Natasha, you think you can take this as the broad concept and make something of it?”

“I…uh, yes. I’d be happy to.”

“Great. Obviously, things are structured so that you’ll sketch out the initial idea, and the team here figures out the logistics of how to make it a reality. I know you’re used to running projects solo, but that’s not how we do projects here.”

Was he implying that because I made my own furniture, I didn’t know how to be a team player? I crossed my arms. “Yes, I do know how a team works.”

He glowered at me. “That’s not what I was saying.”

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