wrong this time I’ll personally tell him that we won’t do it again, and I’ll make it up to you, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“I hope you’re right,” Manda said, skeptically. Short of quitting, there was nothing she could do but accept the assignment. She knew it would come back to haunt her though.
“I’ll set up a meeting in the next week or two so we can go over the project with Jerry and Andrea. I’ll copy you on the message. How are things going with the Raines project?”
“ That project is going fine. We have a meeting with them this afternoon to finalize the logo design. They are very professional and easy to work with.” Manda couldn’t help the caustic tone of her remark. Curt’s edict infuriated her. She’d promised David the last time that they wouldn’t have to put up with Andrea again, and now that decision had been countermanded.
“I’ll let you get back to work, then. I’m sure they’re very pleased with what you’ve given them so far,” Curt said in an unsuccessful attempt to placate her.
Manda stormed back into the creative area fuming. She stopped just inside the door, grinding her teeth and trembling in frustration. David left his desk when he noticed her agitation. He stood in the doorway to his office with his arms crossed.
“Uh oh. What happened?” he asked with a resigned frown.
“Fieldings,” she ground out.
“Not the Halloween auction?” he groaned in dismay.
“Exactly,” Manda confirmed in a tight voice. She was still trying to rein in her anger. “Curt didn’t give us any choice. We’re doing it.”
“What about Andrea? She’s not going to be involved this time, is she? It’ll be okay as long as we don’t have to deal with her,” David responded hopefully.
“Yes. Jerry insists we collaborate with her again.” Manda snorted in disgust. “Collaborate! That’s a joke!”
There was a knock at the door as Manda spoke and she scowled and stalked to her office. It was probably Jen. She’d likely just gotten the news from Curt as well and was coming to smooth things over with Manda. Jen knew very well how much time, effort, and trouble Jerry’s girlfriend had cost them in the past, all because she wrongly fancied herself a graphic designer.
David sighed morosely and went to answer the door. “I can’t believe we’re going to have to deal with her again after last year.”
“Sorry, David. I tried. I told Curt flat out we wouldn’t work with her again, but he insists that we handle it.” Manda growled in frustration and vented her anger by knocking a stack of papers onto the floor. “Jerry Fieldings either needs to get a new girlfriend, or stop inflicting the one he has on other people!”
“Did we come at a bad time?” Richard’s question startled Manda. She spun toward him with wide eyes. “We can come back later if you’d prefer.”
Manda flushed scarlet and quickly knelt to pick up the papers that now littered her office floor.
“No, it’s fine. Sorry about that.”
The three men crossed the room to Manda’s office with Josh leading the way. He knelt to help her pick up her papers while Richard and David leaned on the doorframe.
“Sorry, guys. Curt just told Manda that we have to handle a project again this year that’s been a nightmare for us in the past,” David explained.
“To say the least,” Manda muttered.
“Maybe everything will go smoothly this time,” David suggested, but his words lacked conviction.
Manda cast him a look that clearly named him the king of the foolish optimists but then sighed. “Let’s hope so, but regardless, I won’t bail them out again if Andrea botches the whole thing... again .”
Josh handed Manda the stack of papers he’d collected and they both stood. She laid the papers on her desk and deliberately pushed thoughts of Andrea and the Fieldings project from her mind.
“Enough about that. What have you guys been up to this morning?” she asked the brothers, mustering a
“I hope you’re right,” Manda said, skeptically. Short of quitting, there was nothing she could do but accept the assignment. She knew it would come back to haunt her though.
“I’ll set up a meeting in the next week or two so we can go over the project with Jerry and Andrea. I’ll copy you on the message. How are things going with the Raines project?”
“ That project is going fine. We have a meeting with them this afternoon to finalize the logo design. They are very professional and easy to work with.” Manda couldn’t help the caustic tone of her remark. Curt’s edict infuriated her. She’d promised David the last time that they wouldn’t have to put up with Andrea again, and now that decision had been countermanded.
“I’ll let you get back to work, then. I’m sure they’re very pleased with what you’ve given them so far,” Curt said in an unsuccessful attempt to placate her.
Manda stormed back into the creative area fuming. She stopped just inside the door, grinding her teeth and trembling in frustration. David left his desk when he noticed her agitation. He stood in the doorway to his office with his arms crossed.
“Uh oh. What happened?” he asked with a resigned frown.
“Fieldings,” she ground out.
“Not the Halloween auction?” he groaned in dismay.
“Exactly,” Manda confirmed in a tight voice. She was still trying to rein in her anger. “Curt didn’t give us any choice. We’re doing it.”
“What about Andrea? She’s not going to be involved this time, is she? It’ll be okay as long as we don’t have to deal with her,” David responded hopefully.
“Yes. Jerry insists we collaborate with her again.” Manda snorted in disgust. “Collaborate! That’s a joke!”
There was a knock at the door as Manda spoke and she scowled and stalked to her office. It was probably Jen. She’d likely just gotten the news from Curt as well and was coming to smooth things over with Manda. Jen knew very well how much time, effort, and trouble Jerry’s girlfriend had cost them in the past, all because she wrongly fancied herself a graphic designer.
David sighed morosely and went to answer the door. “I can’t believe we’re going to have to deal with her again after last year.”
“Sorry, David. I tried. I told Curt flat out we wouldn’t work with her again, but he insists that we handle it.” Manda growled in frustration and vented her anger by knocking a stack of papers onto the floor. “Jerry Fieldings either needs to get a new girlfriend, or stop inflicting the one he has on other people!”
“Did we come at a bad time?” Richard’s question startled Manda. She spun toward him with wide eyes. “We can come back later if you’d prefer.”
Manda flushed scarlet and quickly knelt to pick up the papers that now littered her office floor.
“No, it’s fine. Sorry about that.”
The three men crossed the room to Manda’s office with Josh leading the way. He knelt to help her pick up her papers while Richard and David leaned on the doorframe.
“Sorry, guys. Curt just told Manda that we have to handle a project again this year that’s been a nightmare for us in the past,” David explained.
“To say the least,” Manda muttered.
“Maybe everything will go smoothly this time,” David suggested, but his words lacked conviction.
Manda cast him a look that clearly named him the king of the foolish optimists but then sighed. “Let’s hope so, but regardless, I won’t bail them out again if Andrea botches the whole thing... again .”
Josh handed Manda the stack of papers he’d collected and they both stood. She laid the papers on her desk and deliberately pushed thoughts of Andrea and the Fieldings project from her mind.
“Enough about that. What have you guys been up to this morning?” she asked the brothers, mustering a
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