Hating the CEO

Chapter 5 - Chicago

"Margarita!" Zoey exclaimed as they walked back into the hotel on Friday afternoon. They had visited three potential office locations. Originally they were supposed to be checking out only two, but the over eager real estate agent had managed to find them one more.
Julia could not understand why visiting each potential office was so important for Zoey and Jack. It was just a couple of glass walls and desks, for heaven's sake! she thought annoyed.
"I think I'll have two," she added, following Zoey to the bar.
"I think I will pass." They heard Jack's voice.
Zoey turned to her brother surprised. "You don't look too good, Jackie boy," she instantly concluded, trying to put her hand on his forehead.
"I'm fine, Zoey," Jack said, stepping back. "I'm just tired."
"OK..." Zoey sighed. "Let me know if you need anything."
"You two have a good night," he added and walked towards the elevators.

It for sure will be a good night, now that you're gone, Julia thought to herself.
"Oh my god, Jules, it's written all over your face!" Zoey laughed as they sat at the bar.
"What is?"
"How happy you are that Jack isn't here."
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Julia shrugged. "Now, tell me, why does it take the CEO and the Marketing Senior VP to find an office space?" She changed the subject.
"Let me ask you a question," Zoey answered resolutely. "If your child was moving to a different city, far away from you, wouldn't you like to, as a loving parent, make sure that the child was going to have a comfortable house to live in?" Zoey asked, waving at the bartender.
"Fine..." Julia sighed. "I get your point."
"Of course you do." Zoey grinned, turning to the handsome guy that just approached them. "Two margaritas, please."

"Shouldn't we eat first?" Julia asked as big drinks were placed before them a moment later.
"Nope."
"You're the boss..."
"Ha, ha, very funny," Zoey stuck her tongue out at Julia and then dived into her margarita.
"So, do you already know who's going to lead the Chicago office?"
"Jules, jeez! Can't you talk about anything but work?!" Zoey exclaimed. "No, wait, don't answer that. I know you can't." She took another big sip of her margarita and sighed. "I don't know who's going to lead it. I guess Jack has a candidate or two in mind..."
"And that would be?" Julia sensed she knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from Zoey.
"Probably Peter Wyatt or Josh Marks..." Zoey was clearly avoiding Julia's gaze.
"You gotta be kidding me, Zoey! They are assholes."
"Agreed, but they are very effective and resourceful assholes."
"They are men!" Julia exclaimed, a bit too loud. The bartender and a couple of other guests looked her way. She sent them an apologetic smile. "Zoey, come on!" she continued in a softer tone. "Why are there only men in the top positions in Brand Today?"
This was something Julia had noticed in the first few weeks of her work with Brand Today. Even the head of HR was a guy.
"I'm the head of the Marketing department and last time I checked I was a woman. A lesbian, but definitely a woman..."
"You are the only woman in such a high position, and, forgive me for saying that, but you are in that position because you are the co-founder of the company and Jack's sister..."
"I forgive you, Jules, but please drop it." Zoey interrupted her friend. She was still smiling, but Julia felt the conversation was not to Zoey's liking.
"OK, I'm dropping the subject... for now, but please at least think about it. You have the power to introduce some gender equality in this company..."
"Another margarita, please!" Zoey called out to the waiter, not listening to Julia anymore.

"I knew we should have eaten first..." Julia whispered as she helped Zoey to the couch in her suite. "You are wasted, Zoey!"
"Oh, shush, Debbie Downer! Anyway, I might be wasted, but I'm also happy." She sent Julia a warm drunken smile. "But hey! How come you are not equally wasted? You haven't eaten either!"
"I, my dear, have only had one margarita, not four..."
Even though Julia had felt like having a few more drinks with her friend, she didn't like to get drunk. After the Seattle events, she felt she always had to be on her guard and in control of the situation. She could not do it while being drunk. Zoey must have understood that, as she did not comment.
"Come then, my sober friend, let's watch a movie together," she proposed instead.
Julia agreed and switched on the TV. She started browsing through the movie list.
"So, what do you want to watch?" she asked, turning to Zoey, but did not get an answer, as Zoey was already fast asleep. "OK... I guess this means I get to choose the movie," she whispered to herself and picked her favourite rom com The Ugly Truth.
Just when the character portrayed by Katherine Heigel was about to meet Gerard Butler's character, Zoey's phone, which was laying on the table, started vibrating. Julia could not help but read the message that popped up. It was from Jack.