Fire and Freedom - Book One of the Café Latte Trilogy

Chapter Eight - Ross

Chapter Eight – Ross

Working on a Saturday should absolutely have been illegal. I was exhausted from the previous night; banging both Andy and Jasper in one night had maybe pushed my body more than it would have done a few years ago. I kept zoning out during my morning meeting, but I did have the incredible magical ability to perk up the second my boss said anything to do with my job.

"So, thanks to Ross," Terry said, smiling widely at me. God, I hated him. He was very charming, very subtle, and convinced a lot of people in the company that he was practically a saint. I knew differently. He had been the driving force behind firing Lewis - or 'asking him to resign', even. Terry continued, "We have now acquired the Bolton account for two years - Ross, words can't thank you enough."

I sarcastically smiled. "Perhaps a quarterly bonus would."

Everyone laughed, and someone clapped me on the back. I fixed Terry with a look of foreboding, and he purposefully looked away. The laughter died out, and I could tell that everyone at the table knew exactly what I was pissed about, and were expecting me to blow a fuse.

I steeled myself. "Or perhaps you could avoid firing my photographers six weeks before a shoot?"

"One of your photographers," Terry corrected me carefully. "You've got several photographers!"

"The company has several. I had one," I said, narrowing my eyes. "I realise you have a lot on your plate, and the situation was uncomfortable at best - but that decision will be felt throughout the company. It should have been brought to my attention, rather than the decision being made for me."

Everyone at the table suddenly became extremely interested in either their agendas for the meeting, or the bagels that had been supplied. Terry shifted uncomfortably in his chair, and I could clearly see he had expected this conversation to be private.

"There wasn't a lot we could do, Ross," he said awkwardly. "It was just...tricky. Sexual harassment is something we cannot be tied to."

"I agree," I folded my arms, raising an eyebrow. "When there is sexual harassment, I would be the first to kick a staff member to the curb. I believe I fired two people last year for harassing models during shoots."

"Yes, but you're biased when it comes to a friend-" Terry began.

I held up my hand to stop him. "I don't deny I'm Lewis' friend, and that it would be upsetting if he harassed anyone. I would, however, have done my job and thoroughly investigated the matter. I would have spoken to Calum, interviewed witnesses, and checked the footage. And if I had found any evidence of harassment, I would have immediately fired Lewis. But that decision was taken away from me, without my even knowing it."

Terry paused for a moment, considering my words, and then held up his hands slightly in a gesture of allowance. "I suppose that is true."

"I also believe that none of you think Lewis is remotely guilty, given the pay-out he has received for quietly leaving," I cocked an eyebrow. "I think you may have even found evidence that Calum was lying through his damn teeth, just to try and get a gay man fired."

"Ross!" Terry exclaimed the moment I mentioned sexuality. "It had nothing to do with Lewis' sexuality - we have very firm anti-discrimination policies."

"Right, of course," I nodded, and then asked, "So what about last year, when Robert hit on the model working for us on the winter shoot?"

Robert's ears turned red, and Terry sighed. "Ross, Calum would have gone to the media, and it would have been everywhere. Lewis was removed from the situation, given plenty of money to enjoy, and Calum was kept placated. Isn't this a win-win situation for everyone?"