Rock Hard Love(5)

~~~

The next morning I showed up for work as usual and delved right into my routine, Sunny 107, coffee and then I checked my emails. I had none since I’d left so late the previous night and I was only Peter’s assistant, but I could dream, right? I began editing some meeting minutes for Peter when I felt someone behind me. I turned and found Victoria filling the doorway of my cubicle. “Come with me, Miss Navarro,” was all she said as she turned and walked towards her office. I swallowed hard and as I left my little cubicle, I looked back as if I was seeing it for the last time. I was sure she wanted to see me about my outburst in the meeting.

Victoria walked around and sat behind her glass and metal desk, her long legs crossed and her dress that probably cost more than my car smoothed over her lithe body. She wore those old-fashioned horn rimmed glasses and had her blonde hair up in a bun giving her a severe look. She was beautiful but in an ice queen meets uptight librarian kind of way. I just knew this was the end. I took a seat and prepared for the worst, retribution for contradicting her in front of a client. I was already writing my resume in my head.

“Well, looks like you made quite an impression yesterday,” she said and I cocked my head not expecting her to begin like that. “Mr. Turner called me last night and insisted that you represent him from this point forward. I tried to tell him you’re merely an assistant and haven’t the skills or the backbone to represent him and his band effectively, but he made it clear that he didn’t care what I had to say. What’s new? Looks like you’re moving up to the big leagues,” she told me with that fake smile she wore to pretend she didn’t want to cut your heart out and eat it.

I gasped and sat utterly speechless before Victoria. She smirked and said, “Feeling in over your head? You should be. Mr. Turner is quite the handful. Nevertheless, hear this, Miss Navarro. You fuck this up and you’ll never work in this business again. That’s not a threat, that’s a promise. Good luck with your new client. Oh, and by the way, I’ve told Peter that he is forbidden to assist you in anyway. You’re on your own. Have a nice day, Miss Navarro, and get out of my office.”

I stood and walked back to my cubicle in shock. I nearly collapsed before I made it to my chair as reality hit me. I felt sick. I was terrified. Why couldn’t she have just fired me? James was in my head again, this time standing over me as his eyes bored into my soul. Whether he wanted to have sex with me or he was displeased with my representation of his band, I couldn’t tell even though it was my own daydream. Why would he do this? Why would he put me in a situation where I was sure to fail miserably? Life wasn’t perfect but it wasn’t bad either. What the hell had happened to my little world? What did I do to deserve this?





~3~



As I sat in my cubicle, feeling sorry for myself and wondering how even to begin representing Battery, some cheery pop song, Katie Perry I think, came on the radio. I shut it off, not really feeling Sunny 107 in the Morning suddenly. As I considered what to do first, including the possibility of quitting my job, the phone rang. I picked it up out of habit, “Roland Talent. This is Simone.”

“Good morning, little girl,” came the deep, resonate voice of James Turner. “Congratulations. I hear you’ve been promoted,” he said. I felt my blood boil. I was usually shy and quiet, which made my outburst during yesterday’s meeting all the more confusing, but I had a temper. It took a lot to unleash my inner bitch and James just did it.

“Why are you doing this to me? I’m not an agent. I’m barely a functioning assistant. I can’t represent you and your band. On top of that, Peter isn’t even allowed to help me. Is this because I wouldn’t go to dinner? Are you trying to ruin me?” I asked in a hushed but stern voice. A moment of silence followed and then laughter. What the heck was so funny about my career going down in flames before it even started?

“Oh no, you’re just what I need. Listen to you. I definitely want you by my side,” James said suggestively and then added belatedly, “in negotiations.” His intent was clear, however. The vague sexual suggestion had me flustered again like after the meeting the day before. My anger melted and gave way to something else. I was still hot but this feeling was much more pleasurable and decidedly frightening.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked trying to ignore the moistness between my thighs.

“I like your style. I’ve never seen anyone stand up to the Fraulein like that. Even Peter defers to her more often than not,” James said. That was true. Peter was a good agent, but he wasn’t as assertive as he could be. He represented his clients well, but it was more about finding middle ground for him than dominating the opposition. He was a sweet guy, a family man and the kind of guy I hoped to marry someday. At least that was the plan before I met James Turner. Now I wasn’t sure what I wanted or why I was suddenly reconsidering my entire life.