Dumped!

Dumped (6)

“Oh! Thank you! I was number two. That just makes me feel so special!” I replied sarcastically.

“So, what do you want Tara to say? She’s number three!” he said, as I pulled on my jacket.

“Whatever! Don’t you have a party to get to?”

Just then, Jeremy Harrington burst in.

“Jeez! Knock much?”, I said, frowning.

“I didn’t think I’d be interrupting anything”, he stated plainly.

I handed him the manila envelope and said, “Your list. In alphabetical order. And numbered.”

“Wasn’t Stacey supposed to do this?” he asked, looking through the list.

Uh-oh! Stacey had missed about three days of work this week, and he’d probably noticed.

“She did”, Brad said, “We were just cross-checking.”

I gave him a grateful smile and mouthed a ‘thank you’. He nodded and said, “You ready, Jer?”

“Yeah”, he replied, looking up from the list.

“I’d expect you to be there at 7.30 sharp, Miss Carter. I won’t excuse any lateness; even if you were ‘cross-checking’”, Jeremy said making air quotes.

I was about to retort, when I saw Brad give me a warning look, from behind him. I grit my teeth and said, “I’ll be there”, and walked out in a huff.

I was going to have to start looking for a new job soon. One day, I was just going to go off on him and then, I’d definitely need a new job.

*

“Maybe you should wear the black heels”, Rosie said. I was getting dressed in my room, and she’d come in to choose an outfit for me. I was wearing a green choker knee-length dress with an open back and criss-crosses beneath the choker area. I wasn’t sure what people wore to merger parties, but Brad had said a dress definitely. I just didn’t know what kind. I’d gone for the green one since it was a mixture of formal and casual.

“You sure?” I asked scanning the platform suede heels, for the hundredth time.

“So, I really can’t come?” Rosie asked.

I groaned. “Rosie, you’re not on the list. I can’t sneak you in. You should have said something earlier on.”

Actually, if she had, I probably would have come up with some other excuse. I wasn’t sure how I felt about my  sister coming to an important business party with me. She’d probably say something out of sorts to Jeremy Harrington, and I could not deal with him any more than I needed to.

“Oh well”, she replied, sounding dejected.

I curled my hair slightly and then I was ready to go. I’d called a  cab; I didn’t think I’d be able to maneuver through traffic the way a cabbie would. I hurried down the stairs. It was already a seven twenty.

“I’ll give you two hundred bucks if you can get me to the Sheraton in ten minutes”, I said to the driver. He was a dreadlocked guy with gold incisors.

He gave me a wide – slightly creepy – smile and said, “Hold on tight ma’am”, and sped off.

He got me to the hotel in exactly nine minutes. If I’d driven myself, I’d probably still be trying to get out of my parking spot in front of my apartment.

I handed him the money and hurried into the lobby. I would not give Jeremy Harrington a chance to make me feel small tonight. No way. I hurried up to the Pavilion Gala and gave my name to the guy at the door.

I stepped into the room. It was already packed. Jeremy, Brad, Mr. Barnes – Mr. Darren was a silent partner, so he never wasn’t involved with management, though sometimes, he came to events –  were standing at the entrance to the hall shaking guests hands.

“Deana”, Brad said, his eyes raking over my body, “You look hot!”

I smiled and Jeremy said – straight-faced, “Miss Carter, you’re late. As usual.”

I said hi to Mr. Barnes and Brad and walked in, without a word to him. Silence was probably the best solution. The hall was designed as a stand-up event, but there were a few tables and chairs on the side. I guess it was so that it would be more interactive.

I found Stacey sitting at a table on the side. I plopped myself into the seat next to her and said, “So, you can come to the party, but not the actual planning of it?”

“I’m so sorry Deana! It was a serious emergency and – ”, she said, a fake apologetic look on her face.

“Come on Stace! Drop the act. I talked to Oliver”, I said.

“Oh.” She bit her lip guiltily.

“Yeah, oh. You can’t do that anymore, Stace. Or you might get fired. And not necessarily by  me”, I warned.

“Really? Jeremy Harrington? Oh my God! You didn’t tell him I was – ”

“No. But, next time, it won’t be that easy.”

“I’ll work harder. I promise”, she replied sincerely. She was probably going to, but only until she got bored of her kitchen cabinets or something.

The event began then. Jeremy made a long speech about unity and stuff like that, while I just stood next to Stacey, yawning continuously. The speech wasn’t boring, I was just tired. He caught my eye at one yawn and glared at me. Nothing went past this guy.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out. It was probably Matt, asking for his t-shirt again. I still didn’t get what it was about the shirt, but then again, he had always been slightly stingy – he just never liked having other people have any of his stuff. My sight was colored with how good looking he was, so I never noticed.

It was a text from Rosie. Uh-oh! I really hoped my apartment was still in one piece.

OMG, D! GUESS WHAT?

WHAT HAPPENED ROSIE? IS IT THE APARTMENT?

I crossed my fingers tightly. I really couldn’t live with Fran or Stacey or even, Sheila. And of course, my parents were entirely out of the question.

I’M HERE!!!!

Oh no.

HERE? WHERE EXACTLY’S HERE?

TURN AROUND.

 I spun around to see Rosie in a tight strapless mini dress and black wedges, standing next to Bradley Cole – who couldn’t take his eyes off her rack.

Aw, crap!