friends with Lexi Alexander?" Isabel's mouth hung open.
" Isabel. I'll ask the questions, thank you," Sharon said. "You don't think this would have been valuable information to tell me when I mentioned the Black and White event the other day?" Sharon was looking at me again.
" I had no idea who she was until that night," I countered. "Before that, she was just a friend. I had no idea about her past or who her or her brother was. I didn't even know she was an Alexander. I know now that I should've told you, but I — I guess I was scared. I didn't want you to think I asked for the job."
Sharon looked irritated and I wondered if Christine was finally going to get her wish: me getting fired.
" You and you"—she pointed to me and Christine—"in the conference room, now."
Wishing I could crawl under a rock, I followed Sharon. Christine came up behind me, still not saying a word. Shockingly, she didn't have a huge smile on her face. She actually looked about as terrified as me.
Sharon sat down at the head of the table while Christine and I sat across from one another. We both avoided eye contact with each other, and with Sharon.
" This is a huge shit storm." Sharon rested her forehead against her hands and shook her head. "I'm not sure what we are to do here. I don't know how to do the Black and White event with you so closely tied to it, Emily. Lexi and Reed are not just a huge part of this event, they are the event. Their mother is why it exists. Mrs. Alexander started this event years ago…" Her voice faded and she closed her eyes, clearly saddened and frustrated by the whole situation.
I felt like melting into the chair or the carpet, anywhere but sitting here next to Sharon.
After a few miserable seconds, she sat up in her seat and composed herself. "When Mr. Alexander came to me and offered me this event, I never expected it was going to stir up old news and that my employee was going to be the star of the show, but we will just have to hope for the best and see how it plays out. Hopefully, all the press will die down in a couple days and it won't be much of an issue."
My stomach twisted. In the back of my mind, I was remembering how upset Lexi was last night. I wondered if there would even be an event anymore. Then I wondered if I should even be a part of it. It seemed like this event was going to cause a lot of press, and I wanted to avoid that at all costs. I was convinced, now more than ever, I wasn't the best person for this job.
" Christine, is there something you'd like to tell Emily? Maybe what you told me a few minutes before she came into work." Sharon asked. My eyes moved across the table. Christine was staring at her hands on the table, refusing to meet my eyes.
Finally, after a long moment of silence, she began. "The reporters being here… it's my fault. My friend, Ben, the bartender, recognized you the other night with Lexi and Reed and then saw you again last night with Reed at The Palm. He called me to tell me you were there. I was angry. I thought you were trying to steal the event away from me. After the press released information about the event, the reporters started calling here asking questions. They asked me about the event and I told them you should have all the answers. I told them where you were and your name." She paused and met my eyes. "I'm sorry, Emily, I didn't think it was going to get this crazy. I just wanted… I don't know what I wanted. I was just so angry with you."
Bitch. I didn't say it out loud, but I was thinking it as I glared across the table at her.
" I really am sorry, Emily."
I narrowed my eyes on her. Even though she really did look regretful, I still wasn't buying it.
Isabel poked her head in the conference room, breaking up the tension in the air.
" I'm sorry to interrupt, Sharon, but you have a phone call."
Annoyed, Sharon turned toward her. "Take a message, Isabel. We're in the middle of something."
" Um." Isabel hesitated as she stood in the doorway.
" Isabel. I'll ask the questions, thank you," Sharon said. "You don't think this would have been valuable information to tell me when I mentioned the Black and White event the other day?" Sharon was looking at me again.
" I had no idea who she was until that night," I countered. "Before that, she was just a friend. I had no idea about her past or who her or her brother was. I didn't even know she was an Alexander. I know now that I should've told you, but I — I guess I was scared. I didn't want you to think I asked for the job."
Sharon looked irritated and I wondered if Christine was finally going to get her wish: me getting fired.
" You and you"—she pointed to me and Christine—"in the conference room, now."
Wishing I could crawl under a rock, I followed Sharon. Christine came up behind me, still not saying a word. Shockingly, she didn't have a huge smile on her face. She actually looked about as terrified as me.
Sharon sat down at the head of the table while Christine and I sat across from one another. We both avoided eye contact with each other, and with Sharon.
" This is a huge shit storm." Sharon rested her forehead against her hands and shook her head. "I'm not sure what we are to do here. I don't know how to do the Black and White event with you so closely tied to it, Emily. Lexi and Reed are not just a huge part of this event, they are the event. Their mother is why it exists. Mrs. Alexander started this event years ago…" Her voice faded and she closed her eyes, clearly saddened and frustrated by the whole situation.
I felt like melting into the chair or the carpet, anywhere but sitting here next to Sharon.
After a few miserable seconds, she sat up in her seat and composed herself. "When Mr. Alexander came to me and offered me this event, I never expected it was going to stir up old news and that my employee was going to be the star of the show, but we will just have to hope for the best and see how it plays out. Hopefully, all the press will die down in a couple days and it won't be much of an issue."
My stomach twisted. In the back of my mind, I was remembering how upset Lexi was last night. I wondered if there would even be an event anymore. Then I wondered if I should even be a part of it. It seemed like this event was going to cause a lot of press, and I wanted to avoid that at all costs. I was convinced, now more than ever, I wasn't the best person for this job.
" Christine, is there something you'd like to tell Emily? Maybe what you told me a few minutes before she came into work." Sharon asked. My eyes moved across the table. Christine was staring at her hands on the table, refusing to meet my eyes.
Finally, after a long moment of silence, she began. "The reporters being here… it's my fault. My friend, Ben, the bartender, recognized you the other night with Lexi and Reed and then saw you again last night with Reed at The Palm. He called me to tell me you were there. I was angry. I thought you were trying to steal the event away from me. After the press released information about the event, the reporters started calling here asking questions. They asked me about the event and I told them you should have all the answers. I told them where you were and your name." She paused and met my eyes. "I'm sorry, Emily, I didn't think it was going to get this crazy. I just wanted… I don't know what I wanted. I was just so angry with you."
Bitch. I didn't say it out loud, but I was thinking it as I glared across the table at her.
" I really am sorry, Emily."
I narrowed my eyes on her. Even though she really did look regretful, I still wasn't buying it.
Isabel poked her head in the conference room, breaking up the tension in the air.
" I'm sorry to interrupt, Sharon, but you have a phone call."
Annoyed, Sharon turned toward her. "Take a message, Isabel. We're in the middle of something."
" Um." Isabel hesitated as she stood in the doorway.
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