Page 105 of Not Safe For Work

“Why isn’t Tristan coming to the showcase?” Mitch continues.

“He’s going to be out of town,” I lie. “But I know how to get him to the next meeting,” I lie again. It’s getting easy with how fired up I am.

For some unknown reason, Mitch starts to laugh. “You’re going to go out with him, aren’t you?”

“What? Of course not! Do you honestly think that’s the only thing I’m good for?”

“I think it’s your best shot to get Tristan to sign a contract.”

I can’t believe this is still what he thinks of me. “That’s not fair, Mitch. You wouldn’t do this with the rest of the team. You would never ask Gavin or Eduardo to?—”

“I wouldn’t have to. If a prospect started hitting on Eddie he’d close the deal in record speed.”

“How can you say that? He’s married.”

“Oh, don’t be so fucking naïve. Look, I gotta go. I’ll give you two more weeks. If I don’t see something tangible happening, Gavin’s taking over, end of story.”

He hangs up.

Ugh. I walk back to my desk and see Eduardo smiling down at his phone. I really hope Mitch is wrong about him.

Two weeks. Is there any way I can pull this off? If not, I might as well start looking for a new job. I don’t think Mitch would actually fire me. I’m still our best sales development rep. But if the promotion’s off the table, what would I even be doing here? Some days, I wonder if sales is actually what I want, or if I just refuse to quit something that I’ve been working so hard for.

Sometimes it feels like I have so much to prove that I don’t evenknowwhat I want anymore.

I make a mental note to reschedule my therapy session I had to cancel last week. My progress with Dr. Plath has been good, great even. She’s the reason I haven’t let my breakup with Ian turn my life sour. She’s probably the reason I let myself fall forGavin. She’s definitely the reason I’ve been so open with him, even if there’s still something I’ve been hiding.

“You ready to go?” Gavin asks. Ready?Only if you’re planning to forgive me, I want to say.

Might as well rip off another Band-Aid. I already feel numb.

CHAPTER THIRTY

GAVIN

I wantto light this phone on fire.

It’s all I can see right now when I close my eyes. Because I never want to see these texts again.

First Mitch’s bullshit, then this fuckface who doesn’t seem to understand the word “no.”

“Whydidn’t you tell me about this?” I don’t ask the question, I beg.

“I’m so sorry. I just knew you’d try and take care of it. He’s really harmless, just texts. I was hoping I could close this deal and then I could block him after that.”

My mouth falls open and I look around the coffeeshop, trying to collect myself. She’s talking about this like it’s normal, like it’s just another day at work. And it’s not just texts. Before she showed me her phone, she filled me in on Tristan’s surprise appearance at her charity event.

“Harmless? He had his hands on you, Liv. He thinks you’re playing some fucking cat and mouse game with him. I think he gets off on it.”

I shove the phone across the table like it might actually burn me to touch it again. My eyes squeeze shut as I lean back in thechair. Fighting the urge to punch something, I squeeze my hands a few times before running them over the top of my head.

“Scottie?” Liv’s voice, small and breaking, pulls me out of my rage. When I open my eyes, I see tears streaming out of hers. “I’m so sorry. And I know you told me to stop saying sorry, but I think you can make an exception here because all I feel is sorry.” She pauses, sniffs. “I know I should have told you sooner. I know I got in over my head. Just please know that my intention has never been to do anything but my job.”

The urge to punch something flies into my head again. How is this fair? Why does she have to put up with so much shit to do the same job as everyone else on our team? Just because she’s a woman? Because she’s hot?

“Please don’t give up on me,” she continues, her tears flowing freely. “I never planned on keeping anything from you. I just didn’t know the right time, or the right way. And I swear if you give me the chance, I’ll?—”

“Do you think I’m ending things with you?” I interrupt.

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