Page 117 of Desserts for Stressed People

“I’m fine. Is everything okay?” I ask, sitting up. His cheerful mood can only mean one thing: he has bad news. I can’t take any bad news today.

“Everything’s great, and I am about to make yousohappy. You’re getting back to your team today!”

“What?” I ask, panic spreading through me and tensing up my muscles. “What do you mean?”

“We have a new project that needs to be started as soon as possible. You’ll love it. Video game company that wants one of those super sleek campaigns across all main media. They’re spending a lot of money.”

“Today? Billy, I can’t. The Devòn event’s today. This will have to wait until Monday.”

“I’ve already talked to Mr. Hassholm. It’s all figured out.”

I swallow. What that means is plenty clear. Shane asked him to call me back. “Still...I’m not okay with this. I’ll see through the event I’ve been working on for close to two months. I’m sure you understand.”

Billy sighs. “Heav,essentially, you have no choice. Listen, I don’t know what happened. Mr. Hassholm wrote the most flattering letter about you, recommending you get the senior project manager position and...quite frankly, a ridiculous salary raise. But he wants you gone. Right now.”

My shoulders slump as my lips tremble. I can’t believe he’s going through with this—barely giving it a second thought too! But he made sure I got my promotion and my raise, so he still cares. Some part of him still does. Maybe it’s the same part that I can appeal to.

Even so, I break into sobs, pouring countless tears while on the phone with Billy. That’s where my life’s at.

“Oh. Oh, come on, Heav. I thought you’d be thrilled to come back. Did you enjoy events that much?”

I shake my head, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I—I...Billy, if Mr. Hassholm agrees to let me finish my last day, can I start on Monday?”

“Yes, of course. But I’d leave it as it is, Heav.Essentially, he was very final.”

I can only imagine.

“That’s okay. I’ll try to see what’s up. I’ll...talk to you soon.”

After hanging up, I stand and look at my empty, cold bed. I cry as I shower, then as I brush my teeth. I weep while I prepare coffee and break down into hysterical sobs as I hold the key to the apartment I gave Shane. When I came back home last night, it was waiting for me on the table. He must have sent Marina to return it.

Once I’m all out of tears, I’m so angry I can barely put some makeup on. I know I fucked up. I fucked up big time. But this—Shane’s behavior is unprofessional, unfair. He has no right to kick me out of the project a few hours before it sees completion. Heknewit would piss me off. More than that, he can’t break my heart over a stupid mistake and refuse to listen to me. He promised he wouldn’t shut me out without hearing my side first.

Finally, I settle for mascara and some foundation—I look like a mess anyway—then I storm out of my apartment and into a cab, like a hurricane ready to ravage the world.

* * *

“You benched me?”I blast, entering Shane’s office in a rush.

A blonde and a brunette woman sitting on the other side of his desk both turn to me, flustered and wide-eyed.

Shane’s jaw clenches. “You can see I’m in a meeting, Heaven, right? This isn’t the moment to—”

“You benched me?!” I ask in the same voice, slamming both hands on his desk. My heart is in my throat, but I refuse to back down. He can glare at me all he wants—this is my job, and I’m not leaving.

“Let’s...Let’s talk about this later today,” he politely says to the two women.

They quickly nod and get up, closing the super slow door behind them.

Once we’re alone, Shane sighs and crosses his fingers in front of his stomach, setting his gaze on me as if I’m the worst thing that’s ever happened to his office. “Your work is done. You’ve helped us immensely, and now it’s just a matter of taking care of the last details. Which Marina isperfectlyqualified for. Billy needed you back, so I don’t see what the problem is.”

“The problem is that you’re benching me! This ismyevent. I—”

“Yourevent?” He chuckles, straightening his tie. “You’ve worked on it for less than two months. I’ve been working on it for a year.”

There’s a coating of disinterest over his eyes that makes me want to throw something at him. Stepping closer, I snarl, “And what a great job you did until I joined the team. They had tobeg meto come save Mr. Asshole’s ass.”

His chest rises as he takes a deep, frustrated breath. “You’ll go back to your team one day early. Get your promotion and your raise today. And you’ll be back on your floor ofartists. Works well for everyone.”

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