Finally, she said, “Against my better judgment, Victoria’s willing to talk to you.”
* * *
I tapped my fingers impatiently against the wooden armrest of my chair. This was so not me, being forced to wait to be seen. Usually it was the other way around. April had led me to a waiting room on the top floor of the building. It had a pretty nice view, but nothing like what I enjoyed at my office.
The problem was that, while nice and all, Christine's building wasn't high enough to see over all the other surrounding buildings, so all you saw were other buildings blocking out the view.
I turned my eyes away from the outside, my thoughts going inward. I wondered what had been going on with Victoria all this time. Had she thought about me? Would she forgive me? I didn't know the answers to these questions, but that’s what I intended to find out.
I was going to do my best to win her back. I already knew how I was going to prove to her that what she saw with Candice wasn’t what it looked like.
All I needed was the chance . . . and I could set things right.
After what seemed like an eternity, the door cracked open and I quickly sprang to my feet like a jack-in-the-box. My heart began to pound in my chest in an annoying fashion as I waited for the door to open fully. I waited, holding my breath, preparing myself for what I had to say.
Don't screw this up, Ty.
The door open and in walked . . . What the fuck?
Christine Finnerman.
She was dressed like the frigid ice queen that she was, in a form-fitting white dress with a matching white belt at her waist, frosted pumps, her silver hair done up into an elegant style. A sparkling necklace adorned her neck, which was tight and firm for a woman of her age.
Though I’d never met Victoria's boss, I knew how she looked because of the billboards that had her evil mug plastered on them all over city.
All in all, I'd say she was one of the state’s most powerful women. Her name commanded respect.
"What's going on here?" I asked in confusion as Christine slowly closed the door behind her. I looked over her shoulder, somehow hoping Victoria had followed in behind her. "Where's Victoria?"
Christine's gaze centered on me like a hawk, her eyes blazing with hatred.
I’m usually a guy that can't be ruffled, but this woman made me hot under the collar . . . and not in a good way. I swore if she kept looking at me like that, I'd catch on fire.
"She's not coming," she said crisply, her voice as cold and frigid as she looked. "You'd do well to forget all about her."
I stood my ground. "What do you mean she's not coming? She’s a grown woman and can make her own decisions. You’re not her mother. Is this another one of your attempts to make her life a living hell?”
"I’m just her employer, something you forgot when you filled her little head with that startup nonsense.” She grinned tightly. "Fortunately for her, I saw right through what was happening and chose to give her mercy by keeping her employed here."
"Please," I scoffed. "Being tortured working under you is what you call mercy? Give me a break!"
I expected a hot retort. Instead, Christine began to circle me. “In a way, I'm the only mother she's got."
I laughed in disbelief. "You're unbelievable. And I thought I was full of myself.”
Christine looked at me as if waiting for me to say something else. When I didn’t, she spoke up.
“You know, when I saw Victoria standing in front of me that first day, interviewing for a position as one of my assistants, I saw a girl who was vulnerable, lost. I saw a girl who needed guidance. I thought, she reminds me of me when I was younger. I took her under my wing, Mr. Locklin, because I had a gut feeling that Victoria had a future ahead of her, a career that will never be allowed to flourish with you underfoot."
"Nice story," I said sarcastically, "but what a load of bullshit! Victoria has told everyone who will listen about how horrible and awful you treat her. And now you want to act like you’re her fairy godmother?!"
"Ah, yes," Christine said, "big, bad, evil Christine, treating her girls like they're red-headed stepchildren." She clasped a hand to her cheek. "Whatever shall they do?" She circled me again, stopping directly in front of me. This time, her gaze softened as she looked me in the eyes. "We live in a cruel world, Mr. Locklin, as I'm sure you know, working in the corporate world and all, and there is nothing crueler than to work in the cut-throat world of fashion. What these girls think is mean, is actually me preparing them for the viciousness that awaits them. I do it and I make no apologies about it either, because if Victoria doesn’t crack under the pressure, she’ll appreciate it later. If she does, then this business just wasn’t for her.”