All The Way (The Sarah Kinsely Story - Book #1) by C.J. Berry Page B

peaked above their magazines when I walked in.
    “Who are you?” The woman asked.
    “Sarah Kinsley. I am new here.” I said, still processing the scene.
    “Oh, right the new copywriter. C’mon in. Have a seat.” The woman scrambled to her feet, pulled her black skirt back down and made her way to the other side of her desk.
    The man didn’t say anything. He just stared.
    “Hi.” I said.
    He didn’t say anything back so I just sat down in the only available seat in the room - the one right next to him.
    “Well, I am Peyton Samson, assistant creative director. You and I will be working closely together on projects, and let me tell you we have plenty of work for you to do.” She began rummaging through the things on her desk looking for something.
    I was as confused as she looked lost.
    “I am sorry, I think I might have the wrong office.” I said.
    The man chuckled and asked, “Why is that?”
    “I am supposed to report to Stephanie.” I said. I knew that my face was turning red.
    The man smiled.
    The woman behind the desk stopped searching and the both of them started to laugh aloud.
    “Oh god, you are hilarious.” The woman said through giggles. “My name is Stephanie but I go by Peyton.”
    “It’s because she is a Nazi.” The man said. They both burst out laughing again.
    My confusion reached new levels.
    “Oh don’t worry Sarah. We are just a bunch of jokesters around here. What he means is that my initials spell S.S., you know like a Nazi stormtrooper or something. I prefer to go by Peyton. That way my initials spell out that thing you wish you would have said in your letter but didn’t think to add until the very end. The very special part.”
    “Spoken like a true copywriter.” The man said.
    “And don’t you forget it Brandon.” Peyton said.
    “Well, I better leave you two to it.” The man stood up, shook my hand, jokingly told me that Peyton was the worst boss in the world and left.
    “Tell me about yourself.” Peyton said as soon as Brandon was out the door.
    “Where should I start? I just got out of a bad relationship and when I saw that Abraams & Snider was hiring for a position located on the other end of the country I took it.” I said. It felt good to get that off my chest.
    “Wow. That bad huh?”
    “Only because I can’t really be all that mad.”
    Peyton looked confused.
    “I found him with another man.” I said for the first time out loud.
    Peyton’s mouth dropped open.
    “Yea.” I said.
    “Not to pry, but how does that work exactly?”
    I wasn’t sure what she was referring to and I wasn’t about to give her a biology lesson so I just looked down at my hands.
    “I’m sorry, probably none of my business.” She said.
    For the next half hour Peyton and I made small talk. She told me about her life, I told her a little more about mine. She outlined the rules, expectations and projects I could expect to jump in on. She talked about company culture and told me who the office bitches were. We both laughed at that.
    Before I left she said, “We are really glad that you are here Sarah.”
    I told her I felt the same and walked out of her office. I said goodbye to the burlesque receptionist, got back on my bike, took the streetcar over the river and walked in the doors of my new house.
    That night as I lay on my mattress on the floor of my living room I cried a single tear and promised myself it would be the last I would shed for everything that I left behind in New York.
     
    I only wish someone would have warned me about the weeks that were to follow.

Chapter 2
    The following week was a whirlwind of orientations, meetings and paperwork. I showed up for work at 7am every day and wouldn’t make it home until 8 or 9pm. By Friday I was spent.
    I was anxious for the weekend to rest and relax, but knew that a mountain of unpacking still needed to get done. I considered hiring the College Hunks again to come help me unpack. Curling up on the couch with a glass of wine