Page 49 of Perfect Scandal
He gestures to the folder. “Take a look. I think you’ll know better than I do what we’re looking at.”
“All right…” I open the folder, and my stomach drops to my toes. “H-he sent you these?”
Jeff nods. “Yes. Now, don’t get me wrong, you’re allowed to have a social life, Tessa, but with the accusations you’ve made… well, you can see why I might have questions.”
I flip through the photocopied pictures of me and various men going back as far as our college days. Me sitting on T.J.’s lap at a party before he started seeing Bella. Me dirty dancing at a club with a guy I recognize but can’t name. Even me kissing Dean on the veranda at T.J. and Bella’s wedding reception.
“Okay. What are your questions?” I ask tightly, my fear of being fired quickly turning to anger. If Jeff can’t see this charade for exactly what it is, then I want nothing to do with working alongside him.
“Spencer is concerned that your behavior has occasionally been questionable, and that you—for the lack of a better term—may have instigated the propositions you’ve accused him of.”
My blood pressures rises so abruptly that my ears ring and my face flames. “That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.”
Jeff lifts a hand, and it takes everything in me not to scream at him for being such a misogynist.
“First of all, most of these pictures are from college. Most of the men are or were my friends. And the pictures are taken completely out of context. This image”—I hold up the picture of me with Dean—“This is my boyfriend. Spencer took this picture at Bella’s wedding.”
Jeff lifts his chin, but I’m not done.
“Why aren’t you asking Spencer why he has all these pictures of me?”
“Tessa—”
“That you would questionmeinstead is not only sexist and harassment in and of itself, it’s completely unprofessional.”
“I didn’t say I was questioning you. I said Spencer had concerns—”
“Actually, you did say that. And you also told me you’d go to HR with my complaint, but for some reason, you chose not to.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“I call bullshit. You already said you didn’t go because you didn’t want to hold up the hiring process for your new assistant, who, I assume, was always going to be Spencer. Correct?”
His face turns red, and he flicks a glance toward the windows between his office and Margo’s, probably wishing he’d closed the blinds along with the door.
“You only fed me those compliments because you wanted me to keep my mouth shut and cooperate.” My bitter laugh feels like sandpaper in my chest. “Didn’t you?”
“You know how busy we’ve been around here, Tessa. We’re all under a lot of stress.”
“Is that your excuse for being a sexist pig?” I get to my feet, the file he so thoughtfully created clutched in my hand. “I’m sure HR will be far more sympathetic than I am right now.” I start toward the door.
His chair squeaks as he hurries to his feet. “Tessa, come on,” he calls out, his desperation almost as laughable as the belief I held that I would enjoy working beside him. And that I might learn a few things, too.
Well, I learned all right.
And HR is about to, as well.
* * *
DEAN
You know that bad day I had last week?Tessa texts as I head to my truck after the last of the evening chores.
Yes, I reply, holding my breath. If she tells me Spencer came on to her again, I’ll forgo the shower and the dinner I’d planned and head straight to Colorado instead.
Today was worse.
Why?I grit my teeth as I turn over the engine and wait for her reply.
