Page 6 of Out of the Shadows
COSMO
It’s been a few days since THE MEETING. It’s how I think of it. THE MEETING. In big, bold capitals.
I’ve not resigned. My pride tells me I should jump before I’m pushed, but… I came to Cleaver Jackson because I was bored where I was before, and I wanted the challenge of making this small, niche firm the name it once was. Naïve and unrealistic, probably. And undeniably stupid as it entailed a pay cut. But it’s not the only reason I haven’t resigned — or thrown my toys out the pram as Daniel put it.
With just six months in the job under my belt, the first question I’ll be asked iswhy would you want to leave your current position when Daniel Russo is now a key player?I don’t really think admitting I was very publicly sacked by said key player, who’s a bigger prick than ever, will open the doors to manynew challenges. The truth is, at the moment I need this job.
Painful though it is to admit, acquisition by the Kingsbury Group — and Daniel’s appointment as troubleshooter extraordinaire and all round rescuer of dead donkey firms — is the best thing that could have happened to Cleaver Jackson. Daniel’s only been here for a couple of weeks, but already there’s a palpable sense of excitement around the place. There’s a real and tangible feeling things are changing and changing fast, and everybody’s a part of it. And it’s down tohim. I don’t want to admit it, just like I don’t want to acknowledge he’s right about him being the best in the business — it’s a statement of bald fact, rather than the inflated view of an arrogant prick.
Jesus, but I cringe when I think of what I said to him. I all but accused him of having the hots for that conniving cow Gina. Blond and leggy, she’d have been his type, according to Hot Fox, which has become a kind of guilty pleasure. He should have booted me out the office for what I said. No two ways, and this time it would really have all been my fault, but he’s given me a second chance. God alone knows why.
For now I’m going to sit tight, keep my head down and see how things pan out, because there’s no doubt having it on my CV I’ve worked under the direct management of Daniel Russo (for the second time although I won’t be owning up to that) isn’t anything other than a big golden, shining star. I’m still not sure why he didn’t throw me out on my arse, though. Yes, I’ve got good experience and a proven track record. I’ve done well in my career so far, but I’m hardly unique and I’m sure with his contacts in the industry he could get somebody in place of me with a click of his fingers. Maybe he’s got a special kind of torture waiting for me?
“Here you go. You were miles away. Penny for them?”
Fiona puts a mug of coffee on my desk, and perches on the edge; she takes a sip of her own and sighs.
“Daniel’s just had me again in his office.”
“Excuse me?” I splutter, spraying coffee all over my keyboard. Fiona sniggers as I pull a tissue from my pocket and dab away the mess.
“We were brainstorming. He’s very imaginative.” Her lips curl up and her eyes narrow.
“Since when has Mr. Russo become Daniel?”
Fiona smiles again but this time there’s something secretive. It piques my interest when I’m not sure why it should.
“Why do you look like the cat that’s got the cream?”
She glances around the office. Two of our colleagues are poring over something on one of their computers, talking and making notes. Others are on the phone and Tariq, as usual, has put on his noise cancelling headphones as he taps hard at his keyboard and frowns at his screen. Nobody’s taking notice of us, but she lowers her voice anyway and leans in towards me.
“I did a bit of research. He’s single.”
Please don’t say you read Hot Fox….
“And?”
“What do you meanand?He’s single, but he won’t be for long. A girl can aim high, you know.”
“You really think he’s going to shit where he eats?”
“Thank you for your colourful and descriptive language,” she huffs. “Research shows most people meet their partners in the workplace. Daniel likes me, I can just tell. He smiles and leans in when I’m talking to him, and he holds eye contact. Plus, he’s very tactile. Nothing inappropriate, you understand,” she says hastily. “It’s his eyes. They give him away. Such a deep blue, and intense. Every time I speak to him it’s like they laser into me.” She shifts slightly on the desk and buries her very red face into her coffee mug.
My throat tightens. I remember those intense eyes looking into mine. The casual touches making me feel, when he turned his attention on me, as though I were the only one in the world who mattered.
It all comes back and hits me square in the stomach with such force I slump in my chair.
Yes, he’s got the knack, I’ll give him that, and he doesn’t seem to have lost it, not if Fiona’s reaction is anything to go by. Maybe he is interested, maybe he’s lookingto shake his Hot Fox big, bushy tailin Fiona’s coop. He obviously wasn’t interested in me and all my fantasies about turning the straight guy were only ever that, but I suppose he could have an eye for Fiona. She’s certainly his type if the now binned off Ms. Laferty is anything to go by. Tall, blonde, lean and attractive, my workmate clearly fits what he likes in a woman. Yet somehow I can’t help feeling a bit pissed off by what she’s said.
“Fi, if he’s single the only thing he’ll be interested in is playing the field.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Her face drops and it’s as though she’s wilted a little. I can’t help feeling like a complete bastard for being the cause of it. She goes to move away but I catch her lightly by the wrist.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it, at least not the way I did. But workplace relationships are known to be a minefield, and besides it’s against staff regulation 4.7.3 paragraph 18 section 7.”
She snorts but it almost immediately turns into a laugh, and her sunny smile’s back on her face.
“I know, but the staff handbook is being rewritten and I’ve been asked to give input. I think I can make some changes to the rule you just quoted me.” She gives me a cheeky wink and returns to her own desk.
