TROUBLE 1 by Kristina Weaver Read Free Book Online Page B

doing. I’ve mentioned I’m a control freak, right?
    Taz has a lot more to get through than I do, so I forgive a few slips here and there and generally don’t give her shit when she forgets that I’ve made an appointment to be here.
    “Meeting with Yates. He wants the Lucas presentation.”
    “Oh, right! Sorry, I’ll just give him a buzz.”
    I sit on the sofa nearby and fiddle with the folder, reminding myself that everything is fine. I’m fine. It shouldn’t be too hard to give him the folder and make it back to my office in one piece.
    It’s Friday, after all. Everyone’s in a good mood on Fridays.
    “You can go on in, Han. Do you want anything to drink?”
    Oh, no. If she’s offering me beverages it means I’ll be staying a while.
    “Thanks. Maybe a water?” I croak, rising to my feet shakily.
    “Don’t sweat it, kid. Just take a deep breath and pretend he’s human. That’s how I’ve gotten through ten years with the guy.”
    Her calm reassurance settles me, and by the time I am inside and facing the founder and CEO I am calm enough not to be a blabbering wreck.
    “Good morning, Miss Newman. Please, have a seat,” he says softly, and I sit as gracefully as I can with the monstrous folder balanced precariously on my lap.
    “Mr Lucas told me you have a presentation?”
    I nod and place the folder on his desk, sitting quietly as he flips through it, taking his time to read it all. I study him, seeing the slight graying at his temples and the lines at his eyes.
    I fancy that means Mr Yates laughs a lot and cross my fingers that he’ll show the same sense of humor with me if the presentation’s not what he wants.
    After a few minutes of nervous waiting, he closes the folder and rests his hands there, eyeing me curiously.
    “This is not Jordan’s work. I should know, he’s been here almost as long as I have. How long have you been putting pitches together to save your boss’s ass?”
    Um?
    “I can see you’re worried, Miss Newman, but rest assured, you are not here for a reprimand or firing. I was curious to see what you’d come up with for this account, and needless to say I was furious when that little snot Farns pitched his usual dross to my newest…client instead.”
    I agree fully, having seen the presentation this morning. Jordan should be selling suntan lotion, not working on campaigns for multibillion dollar corporations.
    “This will be presented this afternoon. If you’d like to present your own work…?”
    “Oh, oh no!” I babble. “That is to say, no, thank you, Mr Yates, but I think an account as important as this one requires more experience than I have.”
    I am no wallflower, but I know for a fact Gregory will be in that boardroom, and it will not be a pretty sight if I have to be anything close to intelligible. Better to cut my losses and move ahead.
    “Thank you, Miss Newman, that will be all for today,” he says, dismissing me with a smile.
    I make it out of the office and lean back onto the door with a huff.
    “That bad, huh?” Taz asks, and I shake my head with a groan.
    “No, he was really nice, I’m just glad I got out of there without making a fool of myself.”
    “Here’s your water. I was going to bring it in, but I didn’t want to interrupt,” she says, handing me a glass of ice cold water.
    I drink deeply and straighten, throwing her a smile as I leave.
    “Lucky bitch.”
    “Don’t I know it. Have a good day, Han!”
    I make my way downstairs, feeling better about this situation than I have a right to. The phone is ringing off the hook by the time I sit down, and I answer, hoping Jordan hasn’t decided to go against his usual practice and is calling to make sure everything’s okay.
    It isn’t Jordan.
    “You have to come get her, Hannah! She’s been running off my staff, and she stripped down to her underwear yesterday and refused to get dressed! The customers were horrified!”
    Yeah, all three of them, I bet.
    I glare at the dress I’ve