Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

MARLOW

A fter the client meeting, I felt nervous and excited as I sat at my desk. Kyla came in a couple of minutes later with a bottle of fancy juice.

She sat down across from me and grinned. "I got a desk. And I met a couple of other assistants."

"Yeah?" I asked.

"They were all very nice and welcoming," Kyla replied. "I think we're going to do well here."

I smiled, grateful for Kyla's positive attitude.

"I'm glad to hear that," I said. "It's always nice to have good coworkers."

Kyla nodded in agreement before changing the subject. "So, I heard Spencer wants us all to go to lunch together."

"Yes, he mentioned that to me as well," I confirmed.

"What's going on?" she asked. "Was the meeting not good? To be fair, you had thirty minutes to prep. I'm sure you did the best you could do."

I took a deep breath and straightened my posture. "It wasn't terrible. But it wasn't great either," I admitted. "I think they were a bit taken aback by my approach, but Spencer seems to believe in what we can bring to the table. The client loved me, too, but the others were not impressed."

Kyla gave me an encouraging smile. "Well, that's all that matters then. The client is king."

"Maybe," I sighed. "I don't know. I told Spencer I wasn't going to stay if his partners don't want me here. I don't need it. We don't need that kind of negativity."

Kyla raised an eyebrow curiously. "Do you think they'll warm up to you?"

I pondered Kyla's question. A knot of uncertainty formed in my stomach. Despite Spencer's assurances and Kyla's optimism, there was a lingering doubt nagging at me. I wanted the opportunity to work out so badly, to showcase my talents and make a name for myself with a higher tier of clients. But at what cost? I had built a career without them.

"Honestly, I don't know," I answered. "These guys are pretty tightly knit. The last thing I'm going to do is be Yoko."

Kyla chuckled. "I don't think you're going to be breaking up any bands. And you're not sleeping with any of them."

"Right, I know, but I just don't want to cause problems. No one needs that. It isn't like we have to be here. We were doing just fine on our own."

"I think you might have gotten off on the wrong foot," she said. "That doesn't mean you throw it all away. You've been here five minutes. And we just moved all our stuff in."

"I know," I groaned. "I was just surprised by their reaction. It was uncomfortable."

Kyla shrugged. "If they don't like the way you do things, that's their problem. Your methods have always worked before, haven't they?"

"Yes, but that was with people who were open to it."

"Then they'll learn to open up," Kyla said confidently. "You're making them money. How could they be opposed to that?"

I sighed, wishing I could share her confidence. "Let's hope."

She stood up, giving me an encouraging smile. "I think you underestimate yourself, Marlow. You're better than you give yourself credit for."

"I appreciate the support, Kyla," I said, managing a smile in return.

"I'll check with Janet, who is very nice by the way, and find out what time lunch is scheduled for. I assume she's handling the arrangements?"

"Yes," I replied. "I'm going to put together some notes from my meeting so I don't forget anything."

"Perfect," Kyla affirmed with a nod. "In the meantime, I'll grab you a juice. This shit is delicious."

She left me alone in my new office. As the door clicked shut behind her, I was filled with determination that came from somewhere deep within. Spencer trusted me, but I wanted to prove all his buddies wrong and impress them. I lived for surprising people. They looked at me and made assumptions, and I loved showing them why it was a mistake.

I opened my laptop again and started putting my notes into a document that Kyla would turn into a neater, more organized document that would go in the client file. Assuming he was my client after the make-or-break lunch.

I included Joshua's reactions to my ideas and suggestions, areas where I thought I may have faltered, points where he seemed particularly impressed. I was meticulous in my notes, ensuring every detail was accounted for. Just in case I wasn't here tomorrow, I wanted the next person to have all the information. I knew I didn't have to do that, and I owed them nothing, but I wasn't like that. Whatever happened here, no one would be able to criticize my work.

Kyla popped in a short time later. "No juice for you. We need to get going. Don't want to be late for our first group lunch. Janet said we were meeting in the lobby."

I pushed away from my desk, smoothed down my pants, and straightened my blouse.

Apparently, the restaurant was within walking distance. It was a quaint little place with outdoor seating and string lights hanging above the entrance. Rustic decor adorned the walls. The staff wore simple black aprons and greeted customers with friendly smiles. A chalkboard menu hung behind the counter, listing out the day's specials in colorful handwriting. The atmosphere was laidback and relaxed, with soft music playing in the background.

We were quickly shown to a backroom area separating us from the rest of the diners. The guys I was working with were princes in this city, and they were used to getting treated better than everyone else. No wonder they were hesitant to let me in.

To their credit, the men waited for Kyla and me to sit down first. It was the first bit of politeness the partners had shown me. Spencer sat across the table from me with Kyla to the left. I felt a bit out of place surrounded by a bunch of stern, handsome men. I was grateful to have Kyla there, even if she wasn't really present. She was busy on her tablet, rescheduling things with previous clients, adjusting my schedule now that I was working with Spencer. I knew this was a risky move—perhaps one I only made because I was wearing granny panties—but after the meeting with Joshua, I felt like this might be a good thing after all.

Spencer's firm needed new blood. That was for sure.

"How long have you been in the marketing business?" Graham asked.

I looked over at him, understanding the interview had just begun. "Almost a decade now," I replied, the pride in my voice catching even me off guard.

He raised his eyebrows appreciatively. "That's impressive, Marlow. I can see why Spencer speaks highly of you."

My gaze flickered over to Spencer, who gave me an encouraging nod. "She's one of the best," he affirmed.

There was an awkward silence for a moment as everyone picked up their menus to study them. I did the same, but my mind was rehearsing answers to the questions I knew were coming.

"And where did you start out?" Max, one of the other partners at the firm, asked. He was Jax's brother.

"Well." I paused, setting my menu down. "I started at a small start-up. It was quite an experience, working with a passionate team and being part of something new."

"That's quite a move from there to here," Jax observed.

"Yes, but it was time for a change," I answered, knowing that my reasons for relocating were far more personal than professional.

The waitress arrived then, taking our orders before leaving us to our conversation. Once she had gone, the room lapsed back into silence, every pair of eyes around the table were trained on me.

"You've been freelancing for a while," Derrick stated.

"I don't know if you would call it freelancing," I replied calmly. "I prefer to think of it as diversifying my portfolio, gaining more experience across various industries, and working with different kinds of clients." I paused for a moment, collecting my thoughts. "It has given me the opportunity to expand my knowledge in areas where I might have been lacking if I had stayed at one company. I've been able to write books, give lectures, and do the things I enjoy, all while making a name for myself in the industry."

Graham nodded approvingly, leaning back in his chair. His gaze was thoughtful, calculating even. It was obvious he was trying to figure out how I would fit into their dynamic.

"Where do you see yourself going from here?" Max asked, his gaze steady as he looked me over.

"I want to continue doing what I do." I shrugged. "I have a knack for figuring out what it takes to make a client happy and successful. I don't follow the old ways. I'm all about new and innovative. Fresh. None of the silly taglines or trying to come up with a witty phrase. That's yesterday. I'm sure those strategies work for some cases but, overall, it's a new era. We need to make the client's message clear and relatable, not catchy but devoid of depth."

I took a breath, looking from one face to another around the table. "I think Spencer understands that, which is why he wanted me here. All of you are already experts in what you do, but sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to adapt to changing markets."

Max nodded thoughtfully. "That's an interesting perspective. And not entirely untrue."

Silence settled over the room once more. I could see their brains working, picking apart my words and weighing my potential contribution to their company. I knew I insulted them a bit when I hinted their ways were a little outdated. Tough shit. They had insulted me in that meeting earlier.

"Tell me, what's the secret to your success in your opinion?" Sebastian asked.

A ripple of anticipation fluttered through me. This was a loaded question. "I listen," I said carefully. I could almost see the surprise on their faces. "I observe and learn. It's important to understand your client and who they are, especially with the smaller businesses. Those businesses tend to be passion projects. The larger corporate clients, they are about the bottom line. They want the money. They are typically more inclined to stick with the traditional methods."

Our meals were delivered, bringing the question to a momentary end. I glanced over at Kyla. She offered me a reassuring smile. I knew what she was trying to convey.

Breathe.

I picked up my fork and began to eat, focusing on my salad. This pause in conversation allowed my racing thoughts to settle. The next series of questions would be critical, and I needed to remain composed.

"You seem to have a unique approach," Derrick said, breaking the silence. "But why should we trust you? How can we be sure your methods work?"

I put down my cutlery and looked at him directly. "I'd suggest you look at my past work for that. I've worked with a variety of clients, and they've all seen growth thanks to the strategies I implemented."

I got the sense they didn't think I was bringing much value. They were well established and wildly successful, after all. Clearly, they were good at what they did. But they didn't think like I did, and they couldn't offer the same experience to their clients that I could. That was my bread and butter.

People.

I tried to think of the right words to say. I understood they were heavyweights in this game, but I wasn't exactly a lightweight. I opened my mouth to explain when Spencer beat me to it.

"You don't have to defend yourself," Spencer said firmly. "I brought her on board. If things don't work out, it's on me."

"If things don't work out, it's because I didn't do my job properly," I replied. "But yes, Spencer recruited me. I didn't come knocking on your door with my hand out."

Kyla looked back and forth between us as the tension grew. Everyone else at the table stayed quiet. No one took a bite—nothing. Spencer pushed away from the table. I got the feeling he wasn't used to not being in control. That fire was back in his eyes, the same one I saw at the gala, but it was different today. Sharper. Less controlled and measured.

Grouchy.

The guys shared knowing looks.

"Chill out," Sebastian told him.

Spencer stood up and tossed money down on the table. "I'll meet you back at the office when you're done interrogating Marlow." Then he walked out.

I got up to go after him.

"You don't want to do that," Graham said.

"Why not?" I asked, sitting back down.

"He's just like that," Max said.

"Hair trigger," Jax mumbled and took a bite of his burger.

"I don't remember Spencer ever being so quick to get grumpy," I said.

The guys shrugged. "This is normal these days."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Because he's not happy. Hasn't been for a long time," Seb replied.

"Better get used to it," Graham added. "We all are."