Page 14 of My Trainer Neighbor
The intercom on my desk buzzed, making me jump.
"Nicole?"It was Janet, my assistant."David wants to see you in his office."
David.My boss.The senior partner who held my professional future in his hands.
I saved my work and walked down the hall to his corner office, smoothing my pencil skirt and checking that my blouse was properly buttoned.David Bradford was old-school corporate, the type who still believed women had to work twice as hard to prove they deserved to be in the room.
"You wanted to see me?"I knocked on his open door.
"Nicole, come in.Close the door behind you."
Never a good sign.
I settled into one of the leather chairs across from his desk, crossing my legs and folding my hands in my lap.Professional.Composed.Ready for whatever criticism he was about to level at me.
"The Carleton account," he said without preamble."They're not happy with the campaign direction."
My stomach dropped.The Carleton account was worth three million dollars and represented six months of work by my entire team.
"What specifically are they concerned about?"I kept my voice level, businesslike.
"They think it's too safe.Too predictable."He leaned back in his chair, studying me."Their exact words were that it felt like it was created by someone who doesn't understand passion."
Passion.The word stung.
"I can revise the creative approach," I said."We still have time before the launch date."
"I'm sure you can.But I'm wondering if maybe the problem is bigger than one campaign."His pale eyes bored into mine."When did you last take a vacation, Nicole?"
Not this again.
"I don't need a vacation.I need to fix the Carleton campaign."
"What you need," he said, "is to remember that marketing isn't just about demographics and focus groups.It's about understanding what makes people feel something.And right now, your work feels like it's coming from someone who's forgotten how to feel anything at all."
The words stung because they were uncomfortably close to what Shawn had been saying.What my doctor had been saying.What I'd been trying not to admit to myself.
"I'll have a revised creative brief on your desk by Monday," I said, standing up.
"Nicole."His voice stopped me at the door."Maybe spend the weekend doing something other than work.Something that reminds you what it's like to be human."
I walked back to my office in a daze, David's words echoing in my head.Someone who's forgotten how to feel anything at all.Was that really how people saw me?As some emotionless robot who'd traded her humanity for career success?
By late afternoon, I'd stared at the same spreadsheet for three hours without seeing it.My mind kept wandering to Monday night, to how Shawn's hands had felt on my back.How he'd made me feel relaxed for the first time in years.
How he'd looked at me like I was worth taking care of.
I was still thinking about it when I got home and heard music coming from his apartment.Not the usual workout playlist, but something softer.Jazz, maybe.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I knocked on his door.
He answered wearing jeans and a t-shirt, his hair loose around his shoulders.Casual.Relaxed.Everything I'd forgotten how to be.
"Nicole."He looked surprised to see me."Everything okay?"
"I had a bad day at work."The admission slipped out before I could stop it.
His expression softened."Want to talk about it?"
