Page 4 of #Resort Love
“Did you hear?”
Looking over to my teammate, Jason, I saw his wide brown eyes bright with excitement, his lips curled into a mischievous grin. My heart leapt at the buzz for some office drama and gossip. “No, what happened this time?” I asked hastily, dropping into my seat, rolling closer to him.
Looking around us, Jason leaned closer to me, his smile growing wider. “Shawn is putting in his two weeks’ notice today,” he whispered, amusement coloring his voice.
“You’re joking!” I gasped. “Last I heard, he was only looking?” Popping my head up, I looked over to Jason’s computer, disappointed to find it empty.
“He got the call last night.” Jason glanced at Evan's office, making sure the door was closed. Leaning even closer, he whispered, “Apparently a competitor got in contact with him a few days ago offering him a lot more money and a senior level position. He accepted it immediately.”
Excitement bubbled in my chest. Shawn had been stuck in a similar situation to mine, getting senior level assignments with the promise of promotion for months, but this could help my case when I talked to Evan later today. Shawn’s leaving would create a giant hole in our group.
“Good, he deserves it!” Honestly, all of us did. “Wow, I can’t wait to hear about Evan’s reaction! He is going to flip.” This would be the third person who had given their notice just that month. The other teams were also going through something similar and the petty part of me was living for it.
“Oh, Evan is going to lose his shit, I’m sure,” Jason said, chuckling while turning back to his computer. “I really can’t wait for my turn. I should hear back in the next couple ofweeks.” Jason sighed heavily. I could hear the weariness in his voice. We had all been working hard, but Jason worked the hardest out of our entire team, spending hours of overtime just to finish his assignments on time while checking over the group’s work, making sure they were done properly. “Have you started looking yet?”
His question pulled me out of my thoughts. I told the team months ago that I was looking for another job, but finding the strength to even start had been difficult lately with all my energy being spent on my latest projects. “I’ve been looking, but I haven’t applied anywhere yet,” I said, leaning back in my chair and facing my computer. “I updated my resume last week, but I don’t know if I want to be in sales anymore. It’s too demanding and I just don’t have the patience for it now.” I paused, nervous about what Jason would say to my next words. “I’m still considering a few options, but I’m talking to Evan today about being promoted to the Senior role,” I muttered, hesitating on the last few words.
Even though I had been set on asking Evan for the promotion, I couldn’t picture myself working in that position long-term. However, figuring out what type of job I wanted to do instead of sales had been difficult. I did know what I wanted the job to include: financial security, freedom to set my own work schedule, and not feeling so stressed that I felt like a chicken running around without a head while the world caved in around me at every moment of the day. I wanted a job where I wouldn’t feel so exhausted by the end of the week that I couldn’t do anything except sleep the weekend away just to have enough energy to wake up and do it all over again. But what job listing had that in its description? It also didn’t answer what type of job I wanted.
Turning back around, Jason nodded, giving me a thoughtfullook. “You’ll find what you’re searching for. I think the most important thing is to just find a way out. The senior role may look good on paper, but they will take everything you can give and will still ask for more. Once you’re out though, you’ll be able to think more clearly and find what makes you happy.”
Nodding, I considered his words, not knowing what else to say. I’d been so frustrated with myself lately. Finding a job that I’m interested in had been rough, and the thought of going through another interview process made me want to lie down and never get back up again. Who in their right mind would want to start a months-long process over again?
My phone started to vibrate, and the sound interrupting my thoughts. Looking down, I blinked at my brother’s name lighting up across my screen, my face pinching with apprehension. My brother Caleb and I were not close. Being eighteen years older than me, he had already left the house when I was born. He loved telling me how much of a surprise I was and how much stress I had caused the family. He would stop himself from going into too much detail, but I knew the words he wanted to say. I knew how much he blamed me for our father disappearing on us when I was younger, his eyes glowing with animosity each time we spoke, especially during our mother’s funeral. Stopping myself from drowning in that thought, I tapped the screen, sending Caleb to voicemail. Whatever he had to say, he could say it there.
Looking back to my computer, I waited for it to load. Guilt coiled around me and I wondered if I acted too hastily by sending Caleb to voicemail. The last time we had a civil conversation was at our mother’s house during the holidays the year before she died. He had spent the entire time telling me stories about his son getting his first girlfriend, his latest trip, and his two promotions within the last year alone. Then he waited,eager for me to fill him in on all the gritty details of my life. Just the memory of it made me grimace.
It was easier, and better, that we didn’t talk. Not that there hadn’t been any progress in my life. It had just been slow. Liam and I had been together for ten years and I had just managed to convince him that we should be engaged a year ago. Liam was kind, and considerate too, but he didn’t like change, which was fine. Marriage had gotten too expensive anyway.
Sighing,I kept my eyes on the clock, watching the time slowly pass by. I spent the entire day feeling agitated and restless, especially after Caleb continued to call throughout the morning. Unable to focus on my work, my mind wandered to the man I ran into on the street. I thought of the way he studied my face, paling before quickly leaving. He didn’t say much, but I had the sinking feeling that he knew me, though from where, I wasn’t sure.
After Shawn put in his notice, the whole team quietly celebrated his new job, but apprehension began to gnaw its way through me as my meeting with Evan loomed closer. My body felt jittery with nervous anticipation and my mind kept reeling on all the possible outcomes. I spent days convincing myself that the best outcome would be to get the promotion and a nice pay bump. The worst would just be Evan saying no, unless he fired me, but I doubt that would happen with everyone leaving.
Steeling myself, I straightened in my chair. I’m wasn’t going to allow him to say no. I had made my case thousands of times in my head, each time sounding better than the last. I went over my argument with Liam every day last week, just to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Iwasready for this meeting.
Chapter 3
Sybil
The morning slowly rolled into the afternoon, and my heart rate increased with every hour until two p.m. finally came. Opening his door, Evan called me into his office, and my heart jumped. Standing, I looked over to Jason, giving him a forced smile while I took a deep breath.
“Good luck!” Jason whispered, giving me a thumbs up.
Releasing my breath, I returned the gesture and walked to Evan’s office. As I crossed the hallway, my body felt heavy with those few steps, the nerves making me feel slightly sick. I started to question if I should back out of my plan and pretend that I wasn’t bothered by the extra work I was receiving.
When I walked into the room, I couldn’t help but notice how tidy and unfeeling Evan’s office was. Everything had its place, yet there was nothing personal about any of the items that sat along his desk or along the glaring white walls. I made my way to the chair in front of his desk and sat down, smoothing out the wrinkles on my shirt. Evan held up his finger, signaling thathe needed a moment to start our meeting, and I internally rolled my eyes at the disrespect.
Two minutes passed and I tapped the edge of the desk with my fingers, my frustration building with every second. Clearing his throat, Evan finally looked up from his computer. His short blonde hair almost looked blue from the screen’s reflection. His dark brown eyes were bored and indifferent as they met mine. “Alright, let’s go ahead and get started. Do you have anything you would like to discuss first?” he said, glancing back to his computer.
My heart thundered as I reached for the words to bring up the promotion, but my mind panicked and had other plans. “How was your weekend?” I said awkwardly, my clammy hands rubbing back and forth against the tops of my pants.
Evan’s confusion was written all over his face when he looked back at me, his eyebrows pinching together. “What?”
“Your weekend? How was it?” I asked slowly, my inner self crying at the uncomfortable embarrassment of it all.
“It was fine. Now, do you have anything that you want to cover for today?”
Clearing my throat, I steadied myself, focusing on the clear glass paperweight that sat on Evan’s desk. “I do, actually. I want to discuss the senior role I’ve been working toward.” There, I said it. It was out and now I could breathe and hope for the best.
