“Miss Montgomery, Leila is such a great addition to our team,” Missy said effusively. “She has such poise, grace and tenacity.”
“That’s my Leila,” Mom beamed. She took a step back, peering at Missy with her head tilted to the side. “You and Leila are close then?”
Missy lied as easily as breathing. “Of course.”
“Hmm.” Mom stroked her chin. “I thought it was just TV, but you’re a horrible liar in person too.”
Just when you think you know what to suspect, people can surprise you.
I pressed my fingertips against my lips, stifling the laugh that I knew was coming. Missy was genuinely flabbergasted.
Mom looked past Missy, craning her neck like she was looking for someone important. “Could you take me to Mrs. Joy’s office, Leila? I’m dying to meet her.”
I could barely keep the smile off my face now as we sidestepped a stewing Missy. “Right this way.” Once we were out of hearing range I whispered, “I thought you were a fan of hers?”
“Please,” Mom scoffed. “She’s such a witch to her poor staffers. I was going to be cordial though--until I saw the way she looked at you.”
Oh God...she was really going to make me cry. I thought about Missy, Natasha, anything to make me angry and remember why I couldn’t show an ounce of weakness around these people. I saw Claudia’s office, shining like some light at the end of the tunnel and that did the trick.
Claudia was curled up in her armchair, her laptop on a sleek lap apparatus, a cup of coffee in hand.
I tapped on the door and she looked up, smiling brightly when she made eye contact.
“Leila!” Claudia noticed my mother beside me. “And who’s this?”
“This is my mother, Cheryl Montgomery,” I answered. “She was in the neighborhood--”
“And I just had to meet you!” Mom didn’t even wait for an invitation before she pushed into Claudia’s office.
Claudia put aside her mug and laptop and extended her hand. Mom shook it so hard that I was surprised she didn’t snap Claudia’s arm right off.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, taking a step forward. “She just wanted to say hello. She’s a big fan of PR.”
Claudia chuckled good-naturedly, holding my mother’s hand in both of hers. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine!” Mom grinned, still staring at Claudia like she was the second coming of Christ. “I know Lay really looks up to you.”
My cheeks tingled with embarrassment. It was true, but oh my gosh...
“Well your daughter is pretty amazing in her own right. She’s been an indispensable resource on several cases.” Claudia glanced at me, her eyes warm. “I can’t wait until she becomes a member of the PR team.”
I felt the burn of tears in my throat. It meant so much coming from her. Sure, Jacob had said the exact same thing for months now; that I deserved to do more than arrange his calendars and be the woman behind the man. But hearing it from Claudia…it was just different. Of course parents tell their children they’re awesome. Of course significant others support their other halves. But Claudia had nothing to gain by saying that I was great at my job and that she thought I’d excel doing my dream job.
“Well, we’ll let you get back to work.” It was my mother that steered me from the office and back to the elevator. I didn’t even care that Missy was glaring at us, probably planning something especially terrible. Bring it on. Not even she could bring me down right now.
We shuttled up to our final destination and I sniffled, remembering Natasha. But I didn’t have to pretend we could stand each other because she was away from her desk.
“So this is the executive floor.” I said, turning to my mother.
“Everything is so sleek and polished!” she gasped, taking it all in, turning in a circle.
I recalled the day of my interview, drinking in the building with the same awe she had etched all over her face. Working here, day after day, it was easy to forget to enjoy the little things. To remember how lucky I was.
She pointed at the corridor that led to Jacob’s office. “Can I stop in and say hello?”
I pursed my lips.” He’s in meetings all day.” I heard the click of the door, Jacob’s not-so-subtle way of saying he didn’t want to be disturbed. I prayed that Mom missed the sound and my rigid strides in the opposite direction, but I could tell she hadn't from the way she hesitated before following me.
I pushed open the door to my office, making a grand gesture. “And here’s where I spend most of my day.”
She walked in first, marveling over it even though it didn’t hold a candle to the set-up in Mrs. Joy’s office. She went to the desk, picking up the cat figurine before moving to a framed picture of me and Jacob.
I remembered that day so clearly, so vividly, that it felt like yesterday instead of over a month ago. We found a family owned vineyard with rows and rows of grape vines. I’d leapt at the chance so squash the grapes with my feet and make wine and I’d been floored when he rolled up his pants and joined me. The picture was a moment, frozen in time forever. A moment of sheer bliss. It was a snapshot of what we were and now...now it was just evidence that things had fallen apart.
“So what happened between you and Jacob?” Mom asked, putting the picture back. “Cade Wallace?”
It was my first inclination to agree. To pinpoint the exact moment we veered off course to the moment Cade sat at my table and said hello. But that was a cop-out. Cade wasn’t the real problem. Jacob and I took a turn the first time I lied to him. I had to stop lying. To him. To myself.
“Turns out you were right. He wants to marry me.” I ran my thumb along the edge of my desk. “Wanted.” She wasn’t pushing me, which wasn’t characteristic for my mother at all, so I did something uncharacteristic too--I opened up to her.
“I keep thinking that the things I’m doing, keeping things to myself…” I closed my eyes. “I keep lying for what I think are the right reasons, but he keeps pulling further and further away. Maybe I don’t deserve him. Maybe I don’t deserve happiness.”
“Leila Christine Montgomery.” Her tone was strict. “I don’t want you to ever say anything like that again. I don’t care if you’re dating Jacob Whitmore, the president of the United States, or a garbage collector. You deserve happiness. You deserve love.”