Chapter 5 : Not Impressed
1025 Words
Tamara had expected many things from Guy Harrison.
Arrogance.
Entitlement.
A superiority complex the size of his office building.
What she hadn’t expected was disappointment.
Because somehow, despite being one of the most powerful men in the city, Guy Harrison looked completely unimpressed by everything around him.
Including her.
The presentation began.
Tamara stood at the front of the conference room with her proposal neatly arranged in front of her.
She preferred preparation.
Preparation meant control.
And lately, control felt like a luxury.
“Our concept for the gala focuses on quality rather than quantity,” she explained.
A slideshow appeared on the screen.
“The desserts will be handcrafted, locally sourced, and designed specifically for the event.”
The board members nodded.
Some took notes.
One smiled.
Guy remained expressionless.
Naturally.
Of course he did.
She should have expected that.
Tamara continued anyway.
If there was one thing life had taught her, it was how to keep going when people underestimated her.
By the time she finished, the room fell silent.
Guy glanced down at the proposal.
Then back at her.
“Your numbers are wrong.”
Just like that.
No greeting.
No compliment.
No easing into it.
Straight to the execution.
Tamara blinked.
“I’m sorry?”
“The transportation costs.”
His voice remained calm.
“You underestimated them.”
A few board members exchanged looks.
Tamara frowned.
Impossible.
She had checked everything twice.
Three times.
Guy slid a document across the table.
“Page seven.”
Tamara looked.
Then looked again.
And immediately wanted the floor to open and swallow her whole.
Damn it.
He was right.
Not by much.
But enough.
Enough to matter.
Enough to cost her money.
Enough to embarrass her.
Most people would have argued.
Most people would’ve made excuses.
Tamara sighed.
“Well.”
The room waited.
She looked up.
“That’s annoying.”
A surprised laugh escaped one of the board members.
Guy’s eyebrow lifted slightly.
Tamara closed the file.
“I’ll fix it.”
No excuses.
No defensiveness.
Just honesty.
Interesting.
Guy wasn’t sure why that word appeared in his mind.
But it did.
Interesting.
⸻
Across the table, Chloe watched the exchange carefully.
Most people spent meetings trying to impress Guy.
Tamara wasn’t trying at all.
In fact, she looked mildly irritated by him.
Which somehow made him pay more attention.
Chloe didn’t like that.
Not one bit.
“Perhaps Miss Joseph is overwhelmed.”
The comment arrived wrapped in silk.
Polite.
Elegant.
Sharp.
Tamara immediately recognized the tone.
The kind women used when they wanted to insult you without looking rude.
She’d encountered it before.
Mostly from people who had never worked a twelve-hour shift in their lives.
Tamara smiled sweetly.
“Perhaps.”
Chloe smiled back.
Neither woman blinked.
The room temperature seemed to drop three degrees.
Then Tamara added,
“Though I imagine making a small mistake is still better than never having to make one at all.”
Silence.
Beautiful.
Wonderful silence.
One board member suddenly became very interested in his coffee.
Another stared at the ceiling.
Guy lowered his gaze to hide the briefest hint of amusement.
Chloe’s smile tightened.
Just slightly.
Victory.
Tamara awarded herself a point.
⸻
The meeting ended an hour later.
Tamara gathered her files.
The sooner she left, the better.
She had work to do.
Orders to complete.
A bakery to run.
A life to rebuild.
As she reached the door, a voice stopped her.
“Miss Joseph.”
She turned.
Guy stood behind her.
The conference room was now empty.
Everyone else had left.
Including Chloe.
Unfortunately.
“Yes?”
Guy held out her folder.
She’d forgotten it.
“Thanks.”
Their fingers brushed briefly as she took it.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing romantic.
Yet something about the moment felt oddly awkward.
Tamara immediately blamed sleep deprivation.
Guy blamed nothing.
Because Guy Harrison didn’t waste time analyzing insignificant moments.
At least that was what he told himself.
“You should revise the proposal.”
Tamara stared at him.
Then stared some more.
“You called me back to tell me that?”
A pause.
Guy looked genuinely confused.
“Yes.”
Tamara laughed.
Actually laughed.
“Oh, wow.”
“What?”
“You really don’t know how to talk to people.”
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Silence.
A dangerous silence.
Most people would’ve panicked.
Tamara didn’t.
Because after surviving Daniel Carter, very little frightened her anymore.
Guy blinked.
Once.
Slowly.
“No one has ever said that to me.”
“I believe that.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Because they probably enjoy being employed.”
For one impossible second—
Guy Harrison smiled.
Not a polite smile.
Not a corporate smile.
A real one.
Brief.
Unexpected.
Gone almost immediately.
But real.
Tamara stared.
Because apparently Guy Harrison could smile.
Who knew?
Then she did the worst possible thing.
She smiled back.
And for reasons neither of them understood…
The room suddenly felt much smaller.
⸻
That evening, Sweet Haven Bakery was closing.
Emily was washing trays.
Mia was eating pastries she hadn’t paid for.
Again.
Tamara was pretending not to notice.
Again.
The bell above the door rang.
All three women looked up.
And immediately sighed.
Daniel.
Mia stood.
“No.”
Daniel froze.
“I just—”
“No.”
“Mia—”
“No.”
Emily pointed toward the door.
“She said no.”
Daniel looked exhausted.
“Can I please talk to Tamara?”
Mia crossed her arms.
“Can I please win the lottery?”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“It feels the same.”
Tamara rubbed her forehead.
This was her life now.
Excellent.
Absolutely excellent.
Daniel finally looked at her.
Not Mia.
Not Emily.
Her.
And something in his expression made her stomach tighten.
Not hope.
Not love.
Just a feeling she couldn’t quite name.
Regret, perhaps.
Or maybe grief.
Because for the first time, Daniel Carter was beginning to understand something important.
Tamara Joseph was no longer waiting for him.
And that terrified him more than losing his company ever could.
- Writer
