How could he do this to me? We’re supposed to be on the same freaking team. And if I can’t trust him to give me correct meeting times, how can I trust him with…anything?
Anger bubbles up from the pit of my stomach, red hot and molten, bringing with it the intense desire to scream.
Proper ladies don’t have public meltdowns.
No, they just throw out passive-aggressive platitudes and razor-sharp smiles.
But this isn’t the receptionist’s fault, so I force a smile and thank her for her time.
I’m still standing in the lobby, debating my next move when Emerson appears.
“I thought that was you!” she says, grinning. “What brings you over to admin?”
I lead her away from the receptionist’s desk and quietly explain the situation.
By the time I’m done, Emerson is so heated, there are flames shooting out of her eyes. “What an asshole. You know he did that on purpose, right?”
“I know.” I shake my head in disgust. “The man’s slicker than a slop jar, I’ll give him that. In one swift move, he’s managed to make me look either disorganized or completely disrespectful. Heck, probably both.” I sigh. “It’s not the impression I’d hoped to make, and it certainly won’t help me land a permanent position with the Gliders.”
“Ava, you can’t let him get away with this.”
“There’s not much I can—”
The quiet hum of male voices interrupts our discussion, and Banks steps into the lobby with a man I recognize as Jonathan Towers.
Maybe it’s not too late to salvage the situation.
“Give me a second. I’ll be right back.”
Smoothing my blouse, I stride across the lobby, head held high.
I’m mentally running through a polite interruption, but Banks saves me the trouble.
“Ms. Washington, nice of you to join us, but we’re just wrapping up.”
How dare he…
So not the time for justified outrage.
Ignoring the dig, I offer Jonathan Towers my most winning smile and extend my hand. “Mr. Towers, I’m Ava Washington. It’s so nice to meet you.” We shake, and his grip is firm, but not overly so.That’s a good sign. “I apologize for missing today’s meeting. I was looking forward to speaking with you, but unfortunately my invitation had the wrong start time.”
The urge to glare at Banks is strong, but I resist. He’s friends with Towers, and I can’t afford to make a worse impression than I’ve already made.
“Please call me Jonathan and don’t worry about the meeting.” He smiles, revealing a set of teeth so perfect they have to be the product of post-hockey dental work. “Stuart brought me up to speed.”
I’ll bet he did.
“I’m glad to hear it.” It’s a struggle to keep my smile fixed in place, but I manage. “If you have any follow-up questions, I’d be happy to answer them.”
“I appreciate the offer.” He laughs and turns to Banks. “You’d better watch out, Stuart. This one will steal your job if you don’t keep coming up with out of the box ideas like that Fear in a Helmet exercise you were telling me about.”
Banks took credit for my work? Why? He’s a PhD. He hardly needs to prove himself.
Because he could. Because he’s a miserable troll of a man with an ego the size of the East Coast.
The knowledge is of little comfort, but at least now I know why he didn’t want me here today.
“I need to get back to work,” Towers says, still grinning. “But I’m pleased with the progress y’all have made this season. I was worried after the first few games, but we’ve got a winning record for the first time, and things seem to be moving in the right direction. Keep up the good work.”