“The other three partners. According to them, I’m not handling myself as a professional. Shelby wants to send someone to take over the project because obviously I have no idea how to run this branch. And your little entrance is going to cause yet another long discussion about how inept I am.”

I don’t tell him about Edith’s Plan B. That could be many things. There were a lot of rumors around New York before they opened Denver and I got my promotion, including selling the company. I swallow hard; hopefully, that’s not the case. My heart races and I try to take a few calming breaths.

Miller shakes his head. “Quit, come to work with me,” he suggests.

“There you go again, trying to snatch me from the competition.”

He takes me into his arms and whispers, “I hate that they’re not treating your right. We can talk about that contract later. I feel like we can work it differently. Let me talk to Devon about it.”

“It’s almost four, Darth Vader is watching porn,” I joke.

“He doesn’t do that anymore, at least not when he’s in the office,” he tells me, gives me a peck on the lips, and walks away. “Good luck, Clarice.”

A second later, he comes back and says, “By the way, my parents are expecting us for dinner tonight.”

“What? No!”

“Sorry, they called me yesterday while we were at your parents and…it’s their turn, baby.”

Can this Monday get any worse?

Forty-Seven

Claire

Monday goes by slowly, thankfully, Miller is able to switch dinner with his parents for Tuesday. Not that things are going any better today.

“Is Shelby going through menopause?” Danielle asks, as she enters my office.

“So it’s not just me, right?”

“What are we talking about?” She leans against the doorframe and crosses her arms. “That you’ve been acting weird since yesterday or her being a little extra?”

“About her. It’s like she switched personalities and suddenly everyone is her enemy.”

Danielle nods. “Anything you’d like to share with the class?”

I shake my head. “If I knew, I would.”

“Uh-huh, you didn’t tell me about the promotion until things were getting real. I don’t like surprises.”

“Give me some time, okay. I don’t even know what’s happening,” I assure her.

She smiles and says, “Shelby’s on the line, by the way.”

“Oh my God, why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I love being a passive-aggressive bitch.” She shrugs and leaves.

I close the door and answer the phone.

“Shelby?”

“You took your sweet time answering the phone, Claire.”

“Sorry, I was on the line with a client. How can I help you?” I ask, leaning backward on my chair and closing my eyes.