Over Lunch
1065 Words
Ingrid
My thoughts were that I had pushed too much, and it was probably best to give Cooper the space he wanted. Delay was not denial. I could always get him to eat next time. Besides, lunch wasn't entirely ruined. Today belonged to James.
Walking into the elevator with the food packages in my hands, I didn't mind the inconvenience of taking them all the way to the top floor only to bring them back down again. If there was one thing I had learned, it was that winning people over often required patience. Cooper's good friend was someone I wanted on my side too, and the more allies I had, the better.
"Hi, James."
I called out as soon as I reached his desk, only to discover he wasn't there. The chair sat empty, and after placing the food packages on his desk, I turned around at the sound of a female voice.
"And you are?"
The tone wasn't welcoming.
My eyes moved to the woman standing behind me. She was dressed in a tucked-in office shirt with a skirt that was far shorter than what most corporations would consider appropriate. Several buttons of her shirt had been left undone, exposing more cleavage than necessary for a professional environment. She was undeniably beautiful, but the look in her eyes immediately overshadowed everything else.
I hadn't seen her before.
Or perhaps she simply hadn't been important enough to come to my attention.
"Can I help you?" I asked politely.
Her gaze swept over me from head to toe.
"I should be asking you that."
Interesting.
My smile remained in place.
"I'm Ingrid, Mr. Cooper's PA. I'm here to see James."
The moment the title left my lips, something flickered across her face.
There it was.
Not curiosity.
Resentment.
"I see," she said slowly. "And are you sure you're qualified for that position?"
I blinked.
"Pardon?"
"What I mean is that some people have worked in this company for years." She folded her arms. "Unlike someone who appeared from nowhere. I'm Katy, a senior staff member, and naturally people expected someone experienced to fill that role."
Ah.
So this wasn't about me.
This was about the position.
For a brief second, I almost sympathized with her.
Almost.
"I understand why that would be disappointing," I replied calmly. "However, the decision wasn't mine to make."
Her expression tightened.
Clearly, she had expected me to become defensive.
Instead, I took a step forward and held her gaze.
"Your name doesn't ring a bell, Katy, but I think it's important that we maintain a healthy working environment. We work in the same company, after all."
The corner of her mouth twitched.
She clicked her tongue.
"This is unacceptable."
Now we were getting somewhere.
"And what exactly is?"
She tilted her head.
"Don't think you're special because you're close to the boss."
There it was.
The real issue.
Not the position.
Not seniority.
Cooper.
A small laugh nearly escaped me.
My sister would probably love this woman.
Both seemed to suffer from the same problem.
"Kat or Katie..."
"Katy," she corrected sharply.
"Okay, Katy. First, I'm here to work, and I won't tolerate your rude approach. Second, my intention was to build a healthy working relationship, not create conflict. And third, please keep my name out of any office scandal because I won't tolerate being dragged into one. Are we clear?"
For a moment, she simply stared.
Then she shrugged.
"Whatever."
"There you are, Ingrid."
James' voice interrupted before the situation could go any further.
"I had to come back from the cafeteria when you didn't show up. We agreed to have lunch, remember?"
Perfect timing.
Katy shot me one last glare before walking away, confirming that we probably wouldn't become friends anytime soon.
"I see you've met Katy," James said once she was gone. "She recently resumed work after being on sick leave. She's dedicated to her job, but sometimes she lets things get to her."
That was certainly one way to describe what had just happened.
"Come on. Let's head out before the break is over."
I pointed toward the packages.
"I thought we could just eat the delivery. The food is good. Consider it my treat."
James grabbed the packages before I could.
"Not a chance."
"What?"
"You promised me lunch. I never agreed to where."
I couldn't help laughing.
Moments later, we were heading toward the cafeteria while James proudly claimed that I had already won him over with food.
By the time we settled down to eat, the awkwardness from earlier had mostly faded away.
"You know, the cafeteria food is actually good," James said while stuffing his mouth.
"Really? I might have to try it someday."
"You definitely should. Next time, lunch is on me."
The sincerity in his voice made me smile.
For someone who constantly joked around, James was surprisingly thoughtful.
A few moments later, he set down his fork.
"About Katy."
I looked up.
"She was probably caught off guard by recent changes in the company. I'm not excusing her behavior, but Mercer Corporation means everything to her."
I considered his words carefully.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe he wasn't.
"She implied that the PA position should have been hers."
James winced.
"Yeah. That sounds like Katy."
"So she really does have a problem with me."
"At the moment? Probably."
At least he was honest.
"But she'll come around."
I wasn't entirely convinced.
"She never mentioned being sick."
James shook his head.
"That doesn't excuse how she approached you. Honestly, I apologize on her behalf. Creating a healthy work environment matters around here, and nobody gets a pass. Not even Katy."
His expression carried genuine concern.
For a brief moment, my heart did that annoying little flip.
Was he trying to play the hero?
The old me would have appreciated it more.
The old Joyce would have waited for justice, acceptance, and sympathy from others.
That girl no longer existed.
Life had taught me that if I wanted something done right, I needed to handle it myself.
James studied me for a few seconds, his curiosity becoming increasingly obvious.
Then he finally asked the question he had probably been holding back since we sat down.
"So... are you happily married?"
I nearly choked on my drink.
And judging by the look in his eyes, he was very interested in the answer.
- Writer
