Page 55 of Rival Desires

As with every other presentation I’d ever done, I’d written and memorized everything, so once I flipped that mental switch, it was like second nature. I didn’t need to think about what Iwas saying, and I relaxed into the rhythm of the words and the natural movements that accompanied them.

And just like that, I was done. “Thank you for your consideration,” I said, trying out the new phrase for size. It was a bit different from my usual fare, but then again, so was this whole competition thing.

Rylee and I sat there, quiet as church mice, while Nadine took her sweet time comparing our printouts. I’m talking at a snail’s pace, folks. It felt like she was just messing with us for fun. The frustration was building up inside me like a pressure cooker, and I could practically see the steam coming out of Rylee’s ears.

If Nadine ended up awarding us the account, I made a mental note to let Fury deal with her from here on out, even if she didn’t like it.

“Well, kudos to you both for all the hard work,” Nadine said, shutting those folders like she was sealing our fates. “I’ve been racking my brain over this, and honestly, both your firms are neck and neck in so many ways.”

I had to swallow a surge of irritation, biting my tongue to keep from telling her to justspit it out.

“And after much deliberation...”

She even paused for dramatic effect.

“I’m going with Gracen & McCrae.”

I waited for the rush of excitement, or relief, or something. But there was just...nothing. I wasn’t thrilled about the opportunity or glad she’d chosen us. It took me a second to remember I needed to respond.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, the words bouncing off the walls of my hollow chest. “I think Gracen & McCrae is the perfect fit for you.”

I meant it. I really did. But a sneaky little voice in my head made me wonder if things would’ve been different if Rylee’s ex-employee hadn’t been a total jerk face. The thought soured my victory, and it felt like my win was tainted. I could only imagine how Rylee was feeling, and I didn’t like the taste of it one bit.

THIRTY

Rylee

I was steaming mad, but not exactly shocked. Cory’s presentation was solid, just as I’d figured it would be coming from a big-shot firm like Gracen & McCrae. But mine? Mine was better. And no, I’m not just tooting my own horn here - I can be objective about my work, and even though it wasn’t my magnum opus, it was still damn impressive. Better than Cory’s by a mile.

Of course, I had a pretty good idea why I hadn’t landed the account. I’d known it the second I got the call from Nadine asking to meet with me. Then I saw Cory there, and it all clicked - she didn’t just want to hand him the account; she wanted me to watch her do it.

What really got to me was that she’d given me a glimmer of hope during the presentations. But in the end, it was all for nothing. She’d still gone with Gracen & McCrae.

If it’d been a fair competition, I would’ve been frustrated, but now I just felt like I’d wasted so much time. The thing was, I knew I couldn’t even really focus my anger on Nadineeither. Yes, she could have cut things off right after everything happened with Sergio, but he was the one responsible for all of this.

I wasn’t exactly Ms. Innocent in all this mess, either. I brought him on board and let him skate on thin ice with his sketchy antics. If I’d nipped that in the bud pronto, perhaps he wouldn’t have dreamed of hitting the hay with someone we were hoping to sign. Things might’ve turned out another way.

All those thoughts swirled in my brain like a whirlpool, and before I knew it, Cory was thanking Nadine. Then he had the audacity to say that Gracen & McCrae was the perfect fit, which just added fuel to my simmering anger.

I had to grit my teeth and clench my fists to keep that anger from bursting out like a volcano. Somehow, I managed to slap on a fake grin and mumble congrats to Cory, but there was no way I would stick around for the rest of the happy dance.

“Sorry, gotta run!” I sputtered, bolting upright and dashing out of Nadine’s office before anyone could object. I made a beeline for the entrance, my strides long and hurried.

Once I reached my car, I didn’t immediately drive off. Instead, I slumped over the steering wheel, my forehead resting on the cool leather. I took a few deep breaths, trying to rein in my emotions. There was no way I could go back to work in this state. One tiny misstep and I’d end up snapping at an unsuspecting coworker.

The sound of a car door slamming shut jolted me out of my thoughts. I raised my head in time to see Cory starting his engine. As he drove away, I caught a fleeting glimpse of what looked like a satisfied smirk.

That was the last straw. Without giving myself a chance to second-guess my actions, I started my car and followed him. I tailed him all the way to downtown Palo Alto and straight into the Gracen & McCrae parking lot.

It took me a hot second to find a parking spot, but who cared? I wasn’t going to lose this guy. I knew exactly where he was headed and embarrassing him in front of his employees was the least of my worries. I was in it now; there was no turning back.

Once inside the building, I caught up to Cory as he was about to enter his office, barging past his co-workers without a second thought. “Hey, Cory!” I hollered, surprising him. He looked happy to see me for a split second before realizing I was on a warpath.

“Rylee,” he said cautiously.

I got up real close, jabbing his rock-hard chest with my finger. “What the hell was that about back there?!”

“What?” He feigned ignorance, eyes wide.

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