Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

SPENCER

I should've stayed. I should've sat it out. But seeing Marlow defend herself against the people who I thought were my friends was too much. She deserved better. They were treating her like a rookie, not someone who had managed to develop a new and exciting way to approach clients. I always knew they were hard-headed, but this was a whole new level.

I couldn't believe they were so blind to the staleness of our company. They were acting like a bunch of old farts. I never imagined we would be the old guys in the business. It felt like yesterday we were the fresh blood, breaking barriers. Now, we were the guys we replaced fifteen years ago.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and looked both ways before stepping into the crosswalk. The chill of a fall breeze blew over me. The group of pedestrians all rushed across the busy Manhattan street. Our building was a block away.

As I reached the office, I took a moment to look up at the towering structure we worked in, home to our once thriving, now stagnant company. The imposing glass and steel embodiment of business success felt hollow. I didn't get the same thrill when I stepped into the lobby. Yeah, yeah, we were rich and successful, but for how long?

The lobby was hustling and bustling with the usual business types. The coffee stand had a line of people all waiting to get their midday pick-me-up. The taco stand was going through its usual lunch rush as well.

I nodded to the security guard, Tim, who gave me a friendly wave and flicked his hand toward the elevators. I hit the button for our floor and watched as the numbers climbed.

I walked into the office, relatively empty with most people out at lunch. I strolled through on my way to my office.

Janet was at her desk eating a sandwich and watching YouTube videos on her laptop. She jumped when she saw me. "Spencer!"

"Relax, Janet."

"I thought you were at lunch," she said. "You said you were taking a long lunch."

"I'm back," I said.

"Was something wrong?" she asked.

"No."

She gave me a funny look. "Did you eat?"

"No."

"Should I order you something?"

"No thank you. I'll grab a sandwich from the break room."

I sank into my chair and ran my hands through my hair, rifling through the disarrayed thoughts in my mind like a man lost. Marlow's fiery disposition, her brilliant ideas, and her defense of her approach to some serious scrutiny was impressive. She was a force to be reckoned with and I admired her for it. But the others—my partners, my brothers in arms—they didn't see it. Not yet.

I looked around my imposing office, a testament to the years of hard work and dedication. Awards and accolades lined the shelves and walls, each more prestigious than the last. But it all felt meaningless because we had lost our spark somewhere along the way.

Janet brought in a sandwich, a cappuccino, and a bottle of water. "You need to eat," she said. "You're grumpier when you don't eat."

I scowled. "Grumpier? That would imply I'm grumpy."

She stared blankly at me. That just made me frown more.

"Janet, I'm not grumpy."

"You're right." She nodded, straightening my desk. She apparently couldn't help herself. "You're being downright unbearable." She shot back a playful smirk.

"I'm fucking unbearable because I seem to be the only one that can see the obvious."

"Spencer…" She trailed off, unsure how to proceed.

"Never mind," I quickly said, eager to change the topic. "Is there anything else? What's on my schedule for the day?"

She fumbled with her notes, clearing her throat before glancing back at me. "The Henderson project is scheduled to start next week but there's been a delay in getting the specs for their campaign."

"Call their team again," I ordered.

"Right away," Janet said as she retreated from my office, carefully shutting the door behind her. I could hear her heels clicking as she rushed away.

I nervously peeled open my sandwich, not because I was hungry but because it gave me something to do. I took a half-hearted bite, chewing through the dry bread and bland turkey. It tasted like cardboard, but it wasn't like I was really paying attention to what I was consuming.

Was I really grumpy?

Is that what people thought about me?

I took another bite, mulling over what happened at the restaurant. I realized walking out only left Marlow to fend for herself. That might not have been the best idea. But I knew she could handle herself. If they pushed her, she would eat them for lunch. She'd probably quit. And that would only make me angrier.

Janet returned a few minutes later.

"The Henderson team is out for the day," she announced, her voice marginally meeker than usual. "They said they'll send over the specs first thing in the morning."

"Did you tell them we need it today?" I asked, my frustration clearly audible.

"Yes, Spencer, I told them that," Janet replied, her professionalism impeccable. "But they said there's a technical issue and they can't send it until tomorrow."

"Typical Henderson," I muttered under my breath.

She turned to walk out the door, preparing to close it behind her.

"Wait," I said. "Leave it open a little. I need fresh air."

"Can I get you anything else?" she asked softly.

"No thanks."

I left my door open because I wanted to see them come back. Not them. Her.

I tried to finish my sandwich, but I wasn't hungry. I focused on work. At least, I tried. It wasn't long before I heard the familiar voices of my partners. They all sounded upbeat. I leaned my head to the side to look out my open door. They were all laughing and chatting.

"I'll get you that chair," Derrick said.

"Thank you," I heard Kyla reply as they walked by my office.

The chit-chat grated on my nerves. Everything had been going so well until lunch. Now, I felt irritated that I had been put in a position to have to defend Marlow, and when I did, she dismissed it. It rubbed me the wrong way, as did the entire interaction between her and my friends and colleagues.

I was sticking up for her and suddenly I was the bad guy. And now they were all best buddies. It pissed me off that my best friends and the men I started this business with didn't trust my word.

Shouldn't they just trust me to know what was best? I brought her on for a reason.

I rested my elbow on the desk and massaged my temples, frustration steadily building in my mind and muscles. I needed a break—a break from this whole mess. It was unlike me to let emotions get in the way of business. Maybe Janet was right. Maybe I was turning unbearable.

The office hummed with activity, but I felt disconnected, like I was in a bubble of my own thoughts. My gaze ventured out of the slightly cracked door, catching fleeting glances of people rushing around with papers and laptops, each occupied with their own tasks and problems. I turned my attention back to my own work.

I was trying to focus when Graham walked in, closing the door behind him. "Hey, Spencer. Got a minute?"

I glanced up, still in a shitty mood. "Not really."

He frowned, clearly concerned. "Look, I just wanted to talk. Everyone's noticed you've been a bit off lately. What's going on?"

He sat down, crossing one leg over the other and making himself comfortable. Even that pissed me off. I couldn't even explain why, but it did.

I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. "Off? How am I off? I've been the driving force of this company for the past year while the rest of you have been off falling in love and having brats. I mean, kids. While everyone was going about their lives, growing their families and securing your personal futures, I was here onboarding and pitching new clients. I've been focusing on company growth and planning future building steps for us to continue to evolve and remain current, so we don't get phased out by up-and-comers—like Marlow."

"Is that why you brought her on?" Graham asked, his tone measured. "So, she wouldn't thrive outside of us and beat out our bids on potential clients?"

I felt a surge of anger. "Fuck off, Graham. I have work to do."

He left, visibly annoyed, jerking open my office door and leaving it wide open. Just as he stormed out, Marlow happened to be walking by. She frowned, looking from Graham to me. "Is everything okay?" she asked Graham.

"No," Graham replied as he walked away.

She knocked on my doorframe even though we had already made eye contact. "Can I come in?"

"Sure."

She walked in but didn't sit down. "Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice cautious.

"Why wouldn't it be?" I snapped.

Marlow hesitated, her posture guarded. "Did I do something wrong?"

I looked up at her, wondering why everyone needed reassurance from me. "Do you think you did something wrong?"

She was thrown off. Her bubbly personality seemed to shrink inward before my eyes. I had a flashback to Janet telling me I was unbearable.

"I won't bother you," she said softly and left.

I stared after her, feeling a pang of regret. Why did I always lash out? What was wrong with me?

The truth was, I had brought Marlow on thinking it would make everything at work better, but now that she was here with my colleagues and I saw what the day-to-day would be like, I realized nothing had changed. The move didn't fix the big hole inside me. I did feel like I was empty. Or missing out on something big.

Later that evening, I stayed late in the office, going over reports and trying to distract myself from the gnawing emptiness. The quiet was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. I looked up to see Marlow standing there.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

I nodded, gesturing for her to come in. She closed the door behind her and sat down across from me.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped earlier," she began. "I didn't mean to cause any tension."

"It's not your fault," I said, surprising myself with how genuine I sounded. "It's just, I'm dealing with a lot right now."

She nodded, sympathy in her eyes. "I understand. I've upset the boat a bit."

"It's not you," I repeated. "I brought you on because I believed you could help us, and I still do. It's just I thought having you here would fix things, but it hasn't."

"What things?" she asked gently.

I hesitated, unsure how to put it into words. "Nothing. I just wanted my partners to recognize we need new life in this place."

Marlow looked at me with understanding. "I didn't mind them asking me questions. I expected it. I can stand on my own two feet. I appreciate you trying to defend me, but I don't expect special favors. I can do this job. I can prove to them I'm good at what I do. If things don't work out, it's not a big deal. I was fine before this place, and I'll be fine after. I'm happy to prove myself. I actually look forward to it. I like surprising people. I like impressing them even more."

It was a spark of life in the midst of my gloom. "You really are something," I said, offering a half-smile. "You're exactly what this company needs."

Marlow shrugged. "I just do what I can," she said. "I came here to build something, not tear it down. I'm not here to change anything. I don't want to step on any toes."

"You're not, and if you do, who cares?" I shrugged. "It's needed."

She nodded again. "I'm heading home for the night. Are you going to be working a while?"

"Nah, I'll be heading out soon."

"Goodnight," she said and walked out.