NextMoves by Sabrina Garie

“Jocelyn’s always
been an excellent leader of this organization. Today, however, she’s taking us
in the wrong direction. I believe her views have been unduly influenced and the
economy is no longer her first priority.”
    She straightened up into full alert. Where was he going with
this?
    “As anyone at last night’s meeting can attest, our Ms. Wade
is Jared Wyatt’s lover. I believe that biases her assessment of our current
plight, moving her to support schools rather than appropriate business
investments.”
    “Don, my private life is not up for discussion.” The flush
of anger crept up her neck and across her cheeks. Her fists balled, ready to
hit something.
    “Absolutely correct,” said Glenda with a pound on the table.
    “All information that sheds light on this debate is critical
for our decision making,” Don spat back.
    Her stomach churned as she watched the nodding heads and
furrowed brows around the room.
    “My stance on education has never wavered since I became
Chamber leader. This is about the Chamber keeping faith with the community. We
gave our word.”
    “While that’s true, things have changed since we made that
claim,” Ben Clancy said. With Ben’s declaration the others fell quickly in
line. Don called for the vote. Only Glenda and Derrick voted with her. Damage
done. Chamber policy would be changed. It was now left to her to clean up the
mess, but her heart was no longer in it.
    After the meeting, Jocelyn escaped to her office balcony, a
mug of black coffee in hand. The cool wind pelted the knot out of her hair. The
steady flow of the river did nothing to calm the rage tearing through her
bloodstream. The Chamber broke a public promise, her judgment was questioned,
her leadership challenged, and her private life paraded out for all to see. Her
insides shredded from the betrayal, she wrote and rewrote her resignation
letter in her head. The idea of quitting—of walking out the door right
now—seduced her. It stroked her skin like a lover and let the discomfort with
the compromises her job made on her out of its cage into the air. After this,
she didn’t think she could ever stuff it back down.
    How could she keep going? Because it wasn’t just the
Chamber’s reputation, it was hers. She nurtured the relationships, she remade
the Chamber into an organization of status and honor and she couldn’t leave it
in the shambles Don had just created. Never one to act in anger or wallow in
self-pity, she succeeded because she didn’t just react, she planned.
    Even as it startled to drizzle, she remained on the balcony.
The cold drops soothed her skin, which stretched too tight and hot on her
bones. Letting the rain calm her aching soul, she sat with the pain, got used
to the new options she faced.
    She would fix this and then leave her job.

Chapter Eleven
     
    Saturday night, Kylie at a sleepover, Jocelyn paced around
her living room, a glass of scotch in her hand, stopping only to gulp the
liquid and enjoy the burning sensation all the way down her throat. “Let’s stay
in tonight. I just can’t handle Madison.”
    “Whatever you want, babe.” Jared hesitated for a heartbeat.
“Does this affect us in any way?”
    “It shouldn’t.” She didn’t meet his eyes.
    He lifted her chin and held it so she couldn’t escape his
gaze. “I didn’t ask if it should. I asked if it did.”
    “I’m one pissed-off female who just saw everything I’ve
built over the past ten years snuffed out by a vote.” Another swig of scotch
helped keep the pity away. Part of her did blame Jared, irrational though it
was. If she hadn’t been crooning around him like a lovesick puppy, she might
have seen it coming, not let it get away from her.
    “You’re feeling helpless, out of control.” He caught her in
a bear hug.
    She struggled against his weight before collapsing against
him. Arms around his waist, face buried in his shoulder to fight back the tears
she refused to shed. “Yes and I hate