Read Online Riding the Corporate Ladder (Indigo) by Keith Thomas Walker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Keith Thomas Walker
Ads: Link
hoping it would die out on its own. A few of the younger folk got very quiet so they wouldn’t miss anything.
Deena changed the subject but didn’t lose any venom. “Did you get your Kia out of the shop yet?”
Sheila shot daggers across the table with her eyes, but didn’t escalate things with another comeback. Deena leaned back in her seat and took a victory swallow from her iced tea. She won this round, but this was a never-ending war with no clear battle lines.
Uncle Pete finally noticed the uncomfortable silence and was eager to fill it with something. “Whew, it’s gonna be a hot summer,” he predicted.
“Especially if you don’t have AC in your car,” Deena muttered, but she got a short kick in the ankle for that one.
“Ouch!” She turned to her aunt, who was sitting next to her, and Cheryl was not at all apologetic for the violence.
“That’s enough,” she said.
Deena pouted, but she didn’t say anything else to her sister that day. It didn’t make sense to argue with someone who made less than $30,000 a year, anyway. All you had to do was compare their bank accounts to see who was living their life the right way.
CHAPTER 5
REAL TALK
Deena woke up fresh and confident the following Monday morning. Ever since she joined the firm, Monday was officially her favorite day of the week; replacing those pungent old Fridays that meant nothing when you had to read case files all weekend. Even worse, Deena usually had more than forty grueling hours of work logged in by the time she left the office on Thursday. Coming back for another shift on Friday was never something to look forward to.
But Mondays were nice.
Deena showered and ate a simple breakfast of grapefruit and toast while she watched the national news channel. For work, she put on a navy blue pants suit with a white blouse. Wearing a tie was not a requirement for women at the firm, so Deena left her shirt collar open and wore a black pearl necklace instead. She could have left her hair down, but nothing said professional woman like a bun. She took a few minutes to brush her hair straight and secure it on the back of her head with a few bobby pins.
She scooped up her briefcase at 7:15 and paused in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom, knowing she looked good. The only other thing that could have enhanced her appearance was a pair of dark-rimmed glasses, but Deena took pride in her perfect 20/20 vision. Plus her eyes were one of her biggest flirtation tools.
She filled both of Boogie’s dishes and gave him a much-appreciated scratch between the ears before she left.
* * *
When she got to the office, a few coworkers were still eager to congratulate Deena on her Fizz Cola victory, but there’s always at least one hater in every crowd. Deena ran into Bruce Hayworth when she stepped off the elevator. Bruce was the poor sap she beat out for the Blood Money account, and Deena knew he was going to give her the business at his earliest convenience. She was, however, surprised by the sheer boldness of his comment.
“I hear you got Blood Money.” He was headed for his office, and he didn’t slow much to chat.
“Yeah,” Deena said. “It was close, but Mr. Murray made his decision on Friday.”
“I wish I had a pair of knee pads,” he said—as clear as day—and then he was gone, lost among a sea of lawyers all dressed similarly.
Deena stood there fuming for a second. She didn’t know exactly how she should respond to that, but not responding went against her very being. She gripped the handle of her briefcase so hard her knuckles turned white and stomped down the hall in the direction Bruce had gone. She caught up with him just as he disappeared into his office, and Deena didn’t bother to stop and announce herself to his secretary.
“Um, excuse me…Miss Newman. Miss Newman?”
Bruce hadn’t made it to his seat yet when Deena walked up behind him. He turned and gave her a cold look and then stepped casually to his
Deena changed the subject but didn’t lose any venom. “Did you get your Kia out of the shop yet?”
Sheila shot daggers across the table with her eyes, but didn’t escalate things with another comeback. Deena leaned back in her seat and took a victory swallow from her iced tea. She won this round, but this was a never-ending war with no clear battle lines.
Uncle Pete finally noticed the uncomfortable silence and was eager to fill it with something. “Whew, it’s gonna be a hot summer,” he predicted.
“Especially if you don’t have AC in your car,” Deena muttered, but she got a short kick in the ankle for that one.
“Ouch!” She turned to her aunt, who was sitting next to her, and Cheryl was not at all apologetic for the violence.
“That’s enough,” she said.
Deena pouted, but she didn’t say anything else to her sister that day. It didn’t make sense to argue with someone who made less than $30,000 a year, anyway. All you had to do was compare their bank accounts to see who was living their life the right way.
CHAPTER 5
REAL TALK
Deena woke up fresh and confident the following Monday morning. Ever since she joined the firm, Monday was officially her favorite day of the week; replacing those pungent old Fridays that meant nothing when you had to read case files all weekend. Even worse, Deena usually had more than forty grueling hours of work logged in by the time she left the office on Thursday. Coming back for another shift on Friday was never something to look forward to.
But Mondays were nice.
Deena showered and ate a simple breakfast of grapefruit and toast while she watched the national news channel. For work, she put on a navy blue pants suit with a white blouse. Wearing a tie was not a requirement for women at the firm, so Deena left her shirt collar open and wore a black pearl necklace instead. She could have left her hair down, but nothing said professional woman like a bun. She took a few minutes to brush her hair straight and secure it on the back of her head with a few bobby pins.
She scooped up her briefcase at 7:15 and paused in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom, knowing she looked good. The only other thing that could have enhanced her appearance was a pair of dark-rimmed glasses, but Deena took pride in her perfect 20/20 vision. Plus her eyes were one of her biggest flirtation tools.
She filled both of Boogie’s dishes and gave him a much-appreciated scratch between the ears before she left.
* * *
When she got to the office, a few coworkers were still eager to congratulate Deena on her Fizz Cola victory, but there’s always at least one hater in every crowd. Deena ran into Bruce Hayworth when she stepped off the elevator. Bruce was the poor sap she beat out for the Blood Money account, and Deena knew he was going to give her the business at his earliest convenience. She was, however, surprised by the sheer boldness of his comment.
“I hear you got Blood Money.” He was headed for his office, and he didn’t slow much to chat.
“Yeah,” Deena said. “It was close, but Mr. Murray made his decision on Friday.”
“I wish I had a pair of knee pads,” he said—as clear as day—and then he was gone, lost among a sea of lawyers all dressed similarly.
Deena stood there fuming for a second. She didn’t know exactly how she should respond to that, but not responding went against her very being. She gripped the handle of her briefcase so hard her knuckles turned white and stomped down the hall in the direction Bruce had gone. She caught up with him just as he disappeared into his office, and Deena didn’t bother to stop and announce herself to his secretary.
“Um, excuse me…Miss Newman. Miss Newman?”
Bruce hadn’t made it to his seat yet when Deena walked up behind him. He turned and gave her a cold look and then stepped casually to his
Similar Books
