The Rockstar Who Loves Me

Song 29 ♫ A Rat Stealing Cheese

Even if my week-long vacations ended up being exhausting for all the wrong reasons, I still walked into work with an extra pep on my step, wheeling in a suitcase full of goodies.

I'd packaged each sample in pretty bottles with expensive perfume vibes, and made minimalist labels hitting all the right marketing points: truthful information, concise and signaling all the attributes of the products.

Plus, with great results among my guinea pigs and a business case showing a solid return on investment in a year, this in-house product line proposal was set to turn Ultra Beauty and Spa into an up and coming player in the beauty industry.

My dream would come true.

"All ready?" Dawn asked me as I approached her desk outside our boss's office.

"Aside from the fact I want to puke my heart out, yup," I said, leaning against her desk. "Is he free already?"

"Not yet," she said, lowering her voice and leaning forward. "He's meeting with his mother."

A grimace came to my face. I would've preferred not running into Mrs. Montgomery if I could help it. That was a sure way to sour my mood and it wasn't what I needed when I had to put my best salesperson hat.

"You know what?" I said, steeling my spine and standing straighter. "I can't let her sneers bring me down. Today is a big day."

Dawn clapped once. "That's right, baby girl. Things are finally looking up for you. You finally have a boyfriend who adores you and isn't a total douchebag, and once this thing takes off you should get a promotion. It's your time."

"I hope so," I said, my heart fluttering thanks to so much happiness. "Actually, I don't care so much about a promotion as for Bryce to finally recognize I deserve a green card sponsorship."

"I do you one better," she said, smirking. "Why don't you marry your boyfriend for the green card and get the promotion from your boss instead?"

I snorted. "Funny. But no, I'm going to get both of those things through my own merits, thank you very much."

"I don't know if that makes you dumb or righteous," Dawn said, standing up and extending her arms out to me. I walked into their circle and squeezed her tight. In my ear, she said, "Either way, I'm so proud of you."

"I think, for the first time, I'm proud about myself too," I said.

That was when the door to Bryce's office opened and Mrs. Montgomery walked out. I didn't need to read the label of her clothes, purse and shoes to know each piece cost several times my paycheck. It was as though with everything she wore, she had to make the statement to the world that she was in a different league.

It was also the same feeling behind the gaze she directed at me, like I was dirt beneath her stiletto.

Her lips pinched upon finding her son's secretary hugging me. "This is a place of work, save your displays of affection for after-hours."

Dawn and I exchanged a look. It was just what we needed for each of us to refrain from telling this woman where she could shove it.

"Then again," Mrs. Montgomery continued, scanning me up and down. "I guess you have a total inability to not cry for attention wherever you go."

My muscles tensed but instead of smacking her face with her own purse, I put my best smile on. "Some of us don't need to wear fancy brands to get it."

Mierda. I shouldn't have said that. The last thing I needed was to get in trouble with the main investor of the company.

Before things could escalate further, I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and passed her by. "I hope you have a good day, ma'am."

I didn't wait for her reaction and all but ran into Bryce's office, closing the door behind me. My heart trotted in my chest, as if it wanted to get the hell away from this place.