Page 75 of Push & Pull
More than once she considered calling Hailey about it, and not only because the phone waiting for her in her mailbox reminded her that Hailey was the link between Simone and Petra. Yet what would Simone say?“Did you know that your childhood friend is a fucking thief who seduces middle-aged men out of their credit cards?”Simone had seen the skimmer in Petra’s bag. She knew what they looked like, thanks to many of Zeta Nu’s Safety First demonstrations that walked the well-to-do daughters of American nobility through physical self-defense and how to look out for those who would steal their valuable identities. Those talks were why Simone always double-checked the gas pumps before sliding her card.
She experienced a modicum of relief when she saw the gates to Evans Manor. For a second, she was taken back to her childhood, when she and her mother would go into town for day-long excursions before coming back in time for dinner. Oftentimes, young Simone fell asleep in the car on the way home. Her cue to wake up was when Elizabeth stopped the car outside the gates and waited for them to creak open.
The code had yet to change after all this time.0381.The month and year Simone’s parents married.
Yet her mother wasn’t waiting for her at home. Nor were any of the live-in staff people Simone recognized from her adolescence. All of those people were gone now. Dead, or moving on to other families. Other destinies.
Nobody looked twice at an Aston Martin with a head of bottle-blond behind the wheel. Simone lowered her sunglasses and took a couple minutes to compose herself before heading inside, where Astrid’s head housekeeper, Meredith, would consummately greet the stepdaughter and show her to the “lady’s” office.
It was Bernard’s office, to be fair. Something Simone never failed to think whenever she walked in and saw all the ways Astrid had changed it since his death.
“Good afternoon.” The woman with coifed dark hair and a black dress that put Holly Golightly to shame stood up from behind Bernard’s antique desk and greeted Simone with a practiced smile.The kid gloves are on.Simone wished that these people would treat her as human for five freakin’ minutes. “I take it you got into town safely?”
Simone had almost forgotten that her stepmother knew she had been busy those past few days. “Yes. I’m now officially back for the foreseeable future. Looking forward to getting back into a decent routine.”
Meredith entered to ask Astrid if any refreshments were required. After Astrid asked for coffee, Simone mentioned she wouldn’t mind some as well. A head bow preceded the woman stepping out and closing the door.
“How was New York?” Astrid sat on the couch across from Simone, who was already flipping through the financial reports for the previous month. Graphs, charts, and plain figures danced before her eyes, but none of them meant anything as her mind was full ofcrap.“Can’t be any colder than here at this time of year.”
“New York was… fine.” Simone pretended to stare at a piece of information that honestly didn’t mean a damn thing to her. “I’d rather skip the pleasantries if it’s all the same to you. You had said something about discussing my returning to work. I’d like to focus on that.”
Astrid’s slight tilt of the head awakened more anger within Simone, but she did her best to keep it at bay.How am I supposed to get my job back if I’m a damn mess in front of this woman?In the end, the president of her family’s company made the final decision, but Astrid held a lot of sway when it came to her stepdaughter’s fate. If Simone could prove that she was coherent and motivated, then she was basically guaranteed a spot in the company again. Preferably as a project manager.
“Of course. I know how eager you are to get back to work.”
“It certainly has been long enough.” Simone closed the folder and placed it on the seat beside her. Meredith returned with their coffee. As Astrid stirred cream into hers, Simone drank hers hot and black. Bitter, of course, but it suited her mood. “Things in my life are on track in ways they have not been before. I’d love to jump back in as soon as there’s something for me to do.”
It brought bile to her throat to do it, but Simone made sure to catch Astrid’s gaze when it flew in her direction.Look her in the eye when you’re assertive.If Simone had taken anything from group therapy in rehab, it was the importance of showing one’s intentions – and attention.
“Yes, well…” Astrid’s hands slipped off her knees as she motioned for Simone to hand her the folder. “As you can see from the graphs, things have been trucking along in your absence. Of course, it will be fantastic to have another project manager back taking the load off the others. Just because things have been moving along at a clip, doesn’t mean it was easy for those who had to pick up your projects in your absence.”
Say that me going back to rehab was rude on my part.Simone could handle it. She had been told worse.
“It warms my heart to know that the employees are so dedicated to our family business that my sabbatical has not brought the whole place down. Then again, it says much about your own abilities to be such a sticky glue, Astrid.” Simone crossed her legs and wrapped her hands around her knee. It couldn’t stop her fingers from fidgeting together, though. “You’re an effective vice president.”For my next trick, I’ll ask her to turn around and bend over so I can plant my lips on her ass.Simone better pucker up.
“Thank you. I like to think so.” Astrid sat back with her coffee. “You’re good at what you do, too. Your teams have expressed multiple times that they miss you.”
I doubt that.Simone’s teams barely knew who she was.Last time I saw them in person, I’m pretty sure I was high.If not the strong stuff, then pot, at least. There were times when Simone thought a hit of her favorite strain was the same as having a smoke break before a meeting. Too bad it often affected her performance in meetings.
“Let’s cut to the chase, then. When do you think I can come back? Because I’m ready as early as next week.”
Astrid almost choked on her coffee, the cup coming back down to the table and her fingers wiping away what had sputtered against her lips. “That will depend on a couple of things,” she said with a cracking voice. “Right now, your usual teams are finishing up some projects, and I agree that it might be best to change leadership with the start of the next one. That could be at least…” She averted her gaze. “Two months.”
In a company where projects could last several months, Simone wasn’t surprised to hear that everyone would prefer to wait for the changing of the guard. Yet two months? What was Simone supposed to do until then? “I appreciate your position,” she said. “It makes sense. Except that’s an awfully long time for me to continue sitting on my thumbs. I want to work. I want to get my hands calloused. I think it would be good for me to start as soon as possible.”
“As soon as possible might mean two or three months, Simone. If you’re adamant about returning before that, I could talk with the president about you assisting me with my work.”
“You mean I’d be yourassistant.”
“That might be what’s available for the rest of the quarter, yes. Don’t get me wrong. There’s no lack of work around here for you to help with.”
I’d rather die than be your assistant, even for one month.Simone would rather be the secretary for the president if that ingratiated herself. The thought of following Astrid’s orders, doing grunt work like Excel spreadsheets and composing emails in her voice… what next? Getting her coffee? Saying“Yes, ma’am,”and“Right away, ma’am,”as if she were the housekeeper? It wasn’t only a matter of Simone’s pride. If anyone she knew saw her acting like that, she’dfucking die.
“That’s not ideal for me.” Simone’s knuckles turned white against her leg.
“I figured as much, but that’s what we can offer as soon as next week. You’d be back on the roster, getting a proper paycheck…”
“Instead of living off my inheritance and investments?”
