When the big day finally came, I wore my lucky skirt, the same one I had on for my interview, and gave myself a pep talk in the mirror.
“See?” I said, fighting tears because so much was riding on this going well. “Who needs a college degree?”
Four months ago, I had fled from one side of the country to another, giving up my dreams, or so I thought. Two months ago, I was worried about where my next meal was coming from, a week away from being homeless, wracked with the fear that what I left might not have been so bad compared to what I faced.
Of course, it was much, much worse. I made the right decision.
This proved it. I didn’t just have a job, but a real shot at getting things back on track. The way they should have been if…
Nope. No trips down memory lane. Not today.
In the office, I made sure everything was perfect, from the bagel and fresh fruit trays to the screen being connected properly so my presentation wouldn’t have any hiccups. I hadonly met the silent partner a few times when he hurried in and out, and he’d only ever been kind to me, but that was in passing when I was nothing more than his partner’s assistant.
Now he’d be judging me and my ability, and if I screwed up, I might never get another chance. I might actually be out of a job altogether if this was a flop.
“It’s not,” I said forcefully.
“I beg your pardon?”
Mr. Bocharov entered the room, freezing my blood in my veins. He was as big and intimidating as my boss, who was now giving me an encouraging glance as they took their seats.
“Where’s Leonard?” Mr. Bocharov asked, looking around for the head of product research.
“Clem is going to be doing this one,” Rurik said, nodding for me to get started before his so-called bull-headed partner could object.
My fear dissipated as soon as the first slide loaded on the screen. Those numbers didn’t lie. As I went through the presentation, Mr. Bocharov went from bored to leaning forward, asking me to go back and repeat certain things.
“The president of the company is excited to meet with me when they’re in LA in a few weeks,” Rurik told him, stretching the truth a tiny bit.
“Great,” Mr. Bocharov said, standing up. “Let’s aim for an exclusive contract.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Mr. Bocharov told me, “Nice work,” on his way out, and I sank onto the nearest chair, buzzing with happiness.
The strength that had stiffened my knees and kept me standing throughout both their scrutiny was long gone.
“Nice work?” Rurik said. “Amazing work.” He scooped me out of the chair and swung me into a hug that lasted a moment too long and that I enjoyed way too much. I was weaker in the knees than before when he let me go. “Now let’s bring this home. For the next few weeks, you need to learn everything there is to know about Koboyashi Corp. Inside and out, down to what they like to eat for breakfast. We’re going to win that contract.”
And just like that, he was back to being a tyrant, heading out of the presentation room without a backward glance. Was that relief or disappointment as I watched him go?
Didn’t matter. I had work to do.
Chapter 5 - Rurik
Clem was fantastic in the meeting, just like I knew she would be. I helped her hone her presentation and gave her a few tips for how to deal with Gavril, but it was really all her, shining like a star. The only one in the sky as far as I was concerned, but my appreciation of her accomplishments had nothing to do with my personal obsession with her.
She had the research done before I ever asked her, and something like a gaming company would never have been on my radar. There wasn’t a single doubt in my mind that she would find all the necessary information to get Koboyashi to sign with us. Thanks to my Clementine, it was as good as done, and it was a great feeling to finally bring something substantial to Gavrik Imports.
And something else that felt great was the hug I couldn’t stop myself from sweeping her up into after Gavril left. I couldn’t forget the warmth of her skin, the hint of subtle perfume, the squeak of surprised laughter as I twirled her around in victory. When she left for the day, I couldn’t hold back any longer. Not after finally feeling her body so close to mine.
All those evenings spent working so closely together to prepare for the presentation had led to this. It was long past time. I knew her address, of course, but I had been refraining from driving by, hanging on by a thread as I let our story unfold naturally. I had offered her a ride home a few times when our work kept us at the office past dark, and when she refused, insisting it wasn’t far, I always equally insisted she at least charge a taxi to the company.
The location of the Gavrik building wasn’t in a particularly bad part of town, mostly other businesses and a fewretail shops, with the area being fairly dead after office hours, but I knew better than most how riddled with crime LA was. Clem admitted to having a car but said she liked to walk for exercise, an excuse I knew was a lie when I saw an old beater parked outside the door of the shoddy apartment she entered that night.
The place was even more rundown and unsafe than the car. Parking on the street, I got out and did a quick perimeter check. No one stopped me to ask what I was doing, which meant the residents were used to big, scary men skulking around, something I didn’t like at all. A bent chain link fence with several huge holes cut in it separated it from the dodgy building next door, and a few sorry weeds grew in cracks in the pavement. Not an inch of grass to be seen, not even in the courtyard, which had a fountain that couldn’t have been turned on in decades. Two neglected potted palm trees hung on for dear life by an arrangement of chairs and a table littered with soda cans and cigarette butts.
Wasn’t I paying her enough? I was aghast at how expensive this place was when I searched the rent prices on a property listing website. I had been breathing the rarified air of generational wealth too long, it seemed.