Chapter 19
Mia
I propel my Camry far faster than normal as I fly down Highway 54. I took the detour to try to help calm down so I didn’t actually act on any of the violent thoughts I have going through my head. Garrett has some serious explaining to do.
How dare he interfere and tell Lucas to be nice to me? Oh, and by the way, I’m sure it was just a little detail he forgot to mention- he and Lucas are brothers, I fume and keep the pedal down. I take a curve way too fast and feel my stomach flip as the little car slides around underneath me. I ease up on the gas and keep it on the road. Killing myself isn’t going to help anything.
Finally, when I feel like I can coherently chew him up one side and down the other, I turn the car toward town. As I drive, I mentally replay this morning’s events in disbelief.
Since I am a week away from the conclusion of my internship, Lucas told me that I was going to pitch the ad campaign for a small local window company this morning. He said it would be my ‘final test’. I had slaved over the presentation for the last 2 weeks.
I was feeling on top of the world this morning as I walked into the office, fresh from Garrett’s bed. We spent more nights together than we did apart recently, and I was starting to think that there was something more developing. I was humming happily thinking about what a wonderful state my life was in while arranging the boardroom for the meeting. Lucas had walked in and pulled the rug right out from under me.
“The window people are here. Thanks for getting everything ready. I’ve got it from here,” he said and turned to the door to greet the clients that were on his heels.
I was completely stunned; I didn’t know what to say. I smiled, shook hands, and helped everyone get settled. I recovered by the time everyone had found their seats. I gave Lucas a challenging look as I walked to the front of the room.
Lucas Ashby didn’t get to the top of his game by being nice or backing down. He accepted my challenge and smoothly outmaneuvered me. As I started to pull up the presentation, he launched into the opening. It looked to everyone else like we had choreographed it. By the time I had the electronic side running, he had established himself as the speaker. I couldn’t interrupt without it appearing awkward so I took a seat and watched him give my presentation. He took credit for everything, of course, while I fumed. My neck was a mass of red blotches and there might have been actual steam coming from my ears.
In the end, the clients loved the presentation and the pitch. They signed on the dotted line and Ashby-Morgan gained another client. I got a headache, and my jaw hurt from clenching my teeth so tight.
Lucas tried to hide from me after I escorted our new clients to the elevator, but I cornered him in his office, rudely barreling past his assistant.
“What the fuck was that,” I demanded, standing in front of his desk with my hands on my hips, glaring at him.
He had looked at me with deadpan eyes and shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t think you were ready.”
“That’s bullshit. The presentation was perfect, and I would have nailed it,” I spat back at him. Then added, “And you know it. You just couldn’t stand to let someone else have the stage even for a small fish like Neighbor’s Windows.”
Lucas had rocked back in his plush leather office chair and steepled his fingers like he was the fucking Godfather or something. He regarded me blandly and then said, “Don’t get your panties in a twist, Mia. I promised Garrett that I would be nice to you. You can do the next pitch on your own.”
There were two bombshells in that statement and I didn’t know which one to process first. “Garret? Next pitch,” I sputtered and finally got my mind to tackle the most pressing bit of information. “Are you saying you’re offering me a position at Ashby-Morgan?”
He looked smug and said, “Of course, I told my big brother that I would hire you unless you were a complete fuck up. Fortunately for us, you’re actually pretty good. I would have hated having to keep you around just to keep Garrett happy. Your employment agreement is on your desk waiting for signatures.”
I had just stood there, completely at a loss. Garrett was his brother and he had told Lucas to hire me. My temper had boiled over. “You can keep your employee agreement. I don’t take handouts.” I whirled on my heel and practically ran all the way out of the building.
I had been driving ever since, but now it was time to settle a few things. Yes, sir, Garrett had a lot of explaining to do.