34. Raining On My Parade

Sage was at work when she got a notification of a private message on one of her social media accounts.

It didn't happen often and most times was spam, but she recognized the name of an old coworker and her stomach filled with dread.

She opened the message on her phone and read the snide comment about still riding on Kate's coattails. She was positive it had to do with the posts that Kate had been making.

Blossoms was thriving. Her bosses were over the moon at how much their following had increased on all social media platforms.

She knew all of that because she was managing it as part of her job.

Between what Harmony had done during the Holly Bloom Foundation and then what Kate had posted at the same time frame with Mateo, their hits had exploded.

She'd put a few posts out a week giving hints of future products and events. It wasn't hard for people to put it together if they knew Kate and her. They'd know where she worked and what she was doing.

She supposed it was too much to hope that those people would just leave her alone, but she knew some of it was probably jealousy.

"What's wrong?"

She looked up to see Ivy standing in her doorway. "Nothing," she said.

"You're frowning at your phone," Ivy said, moving in and sitting down. "Do you have a few minutes to go over some things?"

"I do," she said and put her phone down. It went off again and she didn't want to look but did. It was another message from Selena. She'd ignore it for now.

"You're upset," Ivy said. "I can see it. Anything I can help you with?"

Sage let out a big sigh. "Just someone from my old job raining on my parade."

"Screw them," Ivy said. "They are just jealous they lost you."

"I doubt that," she said.

"Can I ask what it's about?"

"Nothing more than comments that I'm riding on Kate's back. I had that said to me a lot at my last job."

"I know what that is like," Ivy said. "When I wanted to move here, I had no job. I just needed to be on my own, but then not really. I had to move out of my grandparents' home to just grow up and asked Jasmine if I could come here."

"You came here with no job?" she asked. She couldn't imagine doing that.

"I did," Ivy said. "I had money put away. I'd worked in retail for years. I figured I'd have no problem finding another job in it. I'd met Lily and Poppy and Rose on my visit prior. They were great. I guess I impressed them without realizing it by making comments about the store and what I did in my job. When it was decided Lily needed help before Ryder was born, they asked Jasmine if I'd be interested."

"Jasmine didn't go to them for you?" she asked.

"Nope," Ivy said. "I wasn't upset either. I understood that I wasn't always the most responsible person out there in life, but when it came to work, I was. Jasmine didn't know that about me though in terms of that. I promised I wouldn't let her down. I wouldn't let anyone down. I got the job and I made sure everyone knew I could do it on my own."

"I think you've proven it to them," she said, smiling.

"I have," Ivy said. "But it took me a long time. And when they said they were creating your position, I was hurt. I thought for sure I'd done something wrong or that they were taking things away from me."

"Which didn't happen," Sage said. "I worried I'd be stepping on toes. I had such a horrible time with coworkers at my last place that I didn't want to come in here with drama either. Guess we both went through the same thing."

"Some would say drama follows me but not in work," Ivy said. "I think we work well together."

"We do," she agreed.

Sage needed that to be said right now. She was positive Ivy needed to hear it too.

She couldn't believe how insecure she was about her job and hated that feeling.

"I think everything you're doing right now is awesome. I couldn't have done it. I don't have your contacts or resources or education and experience."

"Come on, Ivy. You're the one that came up with Harmony as an influencer."

"I did," Ivy said, grinning. "Didn't I? But that is nothing like what is going on with Mateo. It's all so exciting. I know Poppy has sent over a few things to be looked at already."

She didn't know that. She knew that Poppy had ideas and was working on them but not that they were made and shipped.

Ivy would be privy to those things over Sage though, being an assistant to the three sisters.

"I hope he likes them. Though the chances of the first things working are slim and none," she said. "It's almost unheard of to fall together that fast. There will always be tweaks to it."

"I wouldn't have realized that," Ivy said. "Why?"

"Because a designer has a vision. And most times they are the only ones who see that vision. Even when they see it, it doesn't mean they can produce it the way they want. So to get someone else to see it or have it come together the first time around is near impossible."

"I guess that is what Poppy meant when she said she hoped they could get the revisions done in the next month or so."

"Poppy would understand that," she said. "What was it you wanted to meet about?"

"I want to do a spring fling sale. I know it's months out, but I was thinking March. Lily said it's a great idea. The only thing is I thought it'd be better to get rid of winter things to make room for spring stuff. So does spring fling sound right? Like fling it out to make room for stuff?"

Sage laughed at the look on Ivy's face. "I like where you're going. It's almost like a spring cleaning sale."

"That's it," she said. "Much better. I like that. Because it's not going to be spring items on sale. It'd be cool to have a catchy floral saying or phrase."

"I'm not sure spring cleaning sale is catchy in the way we want, but we can work on it. You're good at coming up with things. We don't want to advertise for it too soon or then people won't pay full price now. It's still winter and many are using Christmas money to buy items."

"I know," Ivy said. "I thought maybe give a sneak peek a day or so before but nothing more. I just wasn't sure what items yet. We won't know until we get closer anyway to see what is left."

"That's right," she said. "And you know the best way to market it in the shop."

Normally Ivy pulled items in the shop and marked them down, but that didn't mean they were marked down online. The shop carried items not always online too.

"You're great, Sage," Ivy said. "I'm glad you were hired. I really am. I'm learning from you and love what you are doing here. It benefits us all." Ivy stood up. "Don't let what other people say bring you down. I was a champion of that for years. No more."

"No more," she said, smiling.

Though she wasn't so sure she believed it.

She got up and shut her door, then called Kate to see if she'd pick up.

Kate answered on the third ring. "I heard Mateo can't wait to get his package. It's due today."

Guess Kate knew from Mateo. "That is wonderful," she said. "Ivy just told me a few things were sent this week."

"You didn't know?" Kate asked.

"No. I'd have no reason to. Ivy most likely took care of getting it sent and packaging it up just right. She's good that way."

"I thought for sure that is why you'd be calling," Kate said. "What is going on?"

She sighed. "I got a few messages from Selena. Has anyone said anything to you there about your posts with me in them?"

Kate started to laugh. "Yep. And I gave them all shit. Told them they don't know what they lost when they pushed you out."

She grinned, but it was forced. "You don't need to fight my battles." It might be the first time Kate said something that she was aware of and Sage didn't want her friend going out on a limb at this point. Or for no reason.

"I'm not fighting yours. I'm fighting them for everyone that gets shit on. Not just you. Other people have gone through it too. Enough is enough. They lost a good thing with you. We won't even get into the real reason you left."

"Because they pushed me out," she argued.

"You were embarrassed over what Henry did and that everyone found out. You felt like a fool and I would have too. You ran because of him and the crap being said about it. Be honest."

It hurt to hear exactly what she felt even if she did admit she ran.

"You know those things," she said.

"But you ran because of what was found out with Henry," Kate argued. "I'm positive you would have continued working and pushed through all the petty shit because you'd done it for years and let it go. You knew what you were getting into working in this industry. A lot of people go through the same things even if it's wrong. But the fact your personal life was so out there for everyone is why you did what you had."

"I'm the idiot who dated a coworker. I like to keep my life private, and by doing that, I opened it up to those I tried to keep it from."

"You weren't the one telling everyone about your relationship," Kate said. "Neither was Henry."

"We know why now," she said drily. "Henry had bigger secrets than dating a coworker."

"Did you ever find out who it was that let everyone know you two were dating?" Kate asked.

"No. Does it matter? Someone found out and then it spread like wildfire once a match was dropped."

"I think it does matter," Kate said. "At least I'm nosy like that. It was Selena."

She shouldn't be shocked. Selena was who got her job when she left. "How did you find out?"

"I asked around," Kate said. "She was after your job and I think she was watching your every move."

"She had to be following me because I never had anything on my computer to Henry that was personal in nature. We never came in and left together or at the same time. Never went to lunch together. Nothing at all until it was out in the open."

"I wouldn't put anything past Selena following you," Kate said. "My point is, ignore her. She's jealous now. She's bombing and getting shit on like they shit on you. She can't handle it. It's driving her insane people are talking about you here."

"Great," she said, her shoulders dropping. It's like it never ended. "What are they saying?"

"Only good things," Kate said happily. "You know the higher ups are thrilled with my part with Mateo. They want to expand on those services. I've been singing your praises and what idiots they were to let you go."

She laughed. "You're the one getting the wheels going there then."

"It's the least I can do. I don't like that you left on a bad note. Now they are going to know how much you're thriving and that is what is eating at Selena. Trust me. I'd reply back something smart ass about her getting what she asked for, but that is me."

"Not me," she said. "I'm ignoring her. I'm not even going to block her either."

"You're a better person than me," Kate said. "But I always knew that anyway. Enjoy your wins there. You deserve them just as much as you deserve that sexy man of yours."

"Thanks, Kate. I'm getting a lot of praise today and it's what I need. I wish I didn't."

"We all need it at times," Kate said. "Enjoy your day."

"You too," she said and hung up.

It just amazed her the different life she had now than from a year ago and she wouldn't change one thing about it or what she learned.