Page 24 of Lucy Loves Him Not
“No, I’m not relieved. I hired you because I want your help. I want your insight. I want all the feedback, pithy comments and all. I don’t think anything about how you do things iswrong.” I hated the fact that part of me had needed to hear him say that. Hated that he seemed to know I needed to hear it, too.
“Adam, the changes you’re making are things I would never have thought to do. You knew that from the jump, right? They’re great. Like, what do you need from me?”
“Ah, I get it.” Adam tapped his fist against his desk. “You’re scared.”
I pulled the sweatshirt sleeves over my hands. “You think you scare me?”
“I think you like to be the best at things. That’s probably why you like to be in charge. Having the power in a situation is the safest option. Instead, today you were in a meeting where I’m the expert on things. Which is why we’re doing this fifty-fifty.” He leaned against his desk. “Today it was my turn to be the expert. You saw that I know some stuff you don’t. That’s a good thing, even if it’s scary.”
I went to argue, but it hit me that I was used to spending my time with a bunch of kindergarteners, year after year, where I am the boss and I know exactly the best way to run the room. For most of my life I got to sit comfy in the position of control.
Maybe it made me feel safe.
Whatdidn’tfeel safe was the way Adam was studying me.
“Lucy, all these phone calls I’ve sat on with you lately, I was the odd man out and you were the expert. I had to swallow my pride and embrace all the invaluable knowledge you bring to the work we’re doing.”
“Some of what you’re saying is true. This meeting felt new to me. It was shocking to think—oh, was I supposed to be doing things like this all along?” I mindlessly toyed with the freshdaisies in the glass vase on his desk in front of me. “I like these,” I said quietly.
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“I honestly felt really out of my element during this meeting.” I let out a release of breath.
“Hey, I’m sure our first conversations haven’t given you a very comforting start. You’re probably questioning me?—”
“I might’ve been wondering if you were scheming to rub in my face how much better you are at running the festival than me,” I admitted.
“No, no. I’m not some movie villain.” Adam shook his head. “I brought you on because the team needs you. And while we’re doing a lot of things in a new way, it doesn't mean I’m judging all the ways you used to do things.”
He really was in his element. He even had a water bottle in his hand that he was waving around for emphasis.
“Okay, well, thanks for the pep talk.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “First meeting is now adjourned.”
“Well, wait, actually…” He took a few more steps until we were only standing a couple of feet apart, nothing between us. “I was going to go do some research during lunch, if you want to join?”
Outside the doors of this office was an escape from the weird feelings and tension Adam bubbled to my surface. Sweet freedom just steps away. Yet, I couldn’t resist asking, “What kind of research?”
“Vendor research,” he said.
“As in?”
“As in a taco truck is offering us free tacos to sample for the festival. If we like it, we can sign them.”
I bit my lip.
“You are 50 percent of the taco judging panel.”
I tried to come up with a reason to turn down free tacos, but there were none.
Ten
“Icannot believe I haven’t been to this taco truck before,” I exclaimed between bites of my carne asada taco, fresh cilantro and lime juice filling my mouth. “What a hidden gem.”
“So, it’s a definite yes for the festival,” Adam said. We were sitting on a bench across from the vendor. The sky was clear blue over us.
“A definite yes for the rest of my life.” I took another bite. “I will be back here all the time. And will bring my sisters and Mom stat.”
“How many sisters do you have? All I know is Olivia.” Adam drizzled some salsa on his taco.
