“One of us, I’ll decide who, will have to research current internships and analyze their learning objectives. If you’ve done your job properly, your goals should fall within the guidelines. Once that stage is complete, we can push it to the provost’s desk. If he finds it useful, I’m sure he’ll turn it over to President Kowalski.” Williams paused. “I’m afraid we must follow proper procedure and protocol.”

Victoria did what she was good at; she held her tongue. The mask that she was accustomed to wearing settled over her face, covering any emotions that could betray her. Later, she could deal with those feelings, but in this moment, she would pretend Kenneth Williams didn’t hurt her by stomping all over her ideas. “Well, that sounds like a deal,” she said with a bright smile. “Thank you all for letting me sit in on this meeting. I’ll follow up with you soon.”

Williams gave her a placid smile. “Or we’ll follow up you.”

She swallowed. “A reminder couldn’t hurt. I’ll follow up.” Victoria stood up and took her leave before he could lob her another insult, before she could lose her temper. Once she closed the door behind her, she leaned against the outside wall.

Williams’s faint voice drifted through the door. “I don’t know why she’s in such a hurry...”

Victoria made it back to the safety of her office before she broke down in quiet tears. Williams humiliated her for sport. He must of have sensed some hesitance in her voice and he jumped on her weakness. She retraced her memory for something, anything that could have tipped him off. She arrived to their meeting with a pleasant smile, she was perfectly groomed, and spoke like a professional...

She had played the game and it hadn’t worked.

Williams had cut her down and succeeded in making her ideas feel small. She’d been knocked off course even before meeting with the Farmingdale Public Library. Victoria now had to wait two weeks for the committee’s approval, which cut into the Four-Week Initiative. As anger replaced her sadness, she began to plot her next approach. She would need to show up with something better than a mock-up proposal. She’d better have the whole darn thing—long-term effects, projected costs, and exact learning goals that paired with the library’s job description. Victoria dried her face and began furiously scribbling on color-coded sticky notes. She would show Kenneth.

When her phone rang, she considered not answering it. What was the point of having her own office if she couldn’t plot her revenge in peace? She wanted to be left alone. After digging into her jacket pocket for her phone, she saw that she wouldn’t have that opportunity. Her weekly phone call with Katherine Reese was about to happen and Victoria was not prepared.

Dang it.