How to Marry Your Frenemy - London Casey Page 0,14
I said, snapping my fingers.
I walked to the opposite side of my office. There was a built-in bar area with some top-shelf single malt scotch. I poured two small glasses and handed one to Callie.
Before I could even offer her a quick cheers, she downed the glass and handed it back to me.
Her eyes filled with tears as the scotch worked its way down her throat into her belly.
I just smiled.
I sipped my scotch. “Congrats on today, Callie. You almost got through an entire meeting without needing me.”
“You were only in that meeting because Vince said so.”
“Because he knows how boring you are,” I said. “That’s okay. I guess we did it. Right? Together. You and me.”
“Sure,” Callie said.
I tapped the two glasses together and took another sip of my drink.
“It’s cute watching you drink like that, Jackson,” Callie said. “Like some innocent woman who has no idea how to throw back a drink the right way.”
“You know, this job is going to look good on your resume,” I said.
Callie laughed. “Enjoy the rest of your drink and your day, Jackson. If you don’t mind, I have stuff to pack up.”
“Oh, are you quitting?” I asked.
“Hardly,” she said. “I’m moving. Time to upgrade. Treat myself a little, you know? I’ve earned it. And for the record, Jackson, I’m coming for this promotion. For you, your job, everything. It’s always fun when we get to catch up like this. We do make a hell of a team together. You’re an okay friend.”
I gritted my teeth as Callie winked and exited my office.
She walked right across to hers and I stood and watched her.
I downed the rest of my drink and went to get another.
Callie was vicious, that was for sure.
Pretty, and vicious.
But I was ruthless.
I knew when to cut the cord between reality and feelings.
When to make the hard choices and follow through.
It wasn’t always easy to leave a beautiful woman naked in her bed as the sunrise crept through the window and caressed her sweet skin.
But I knew staying would only lead to awkwardness.
I shut my eyes and shook my head.
That was the wrong comparison to make.
Last thing I needed was to think about fucking or coming on Callie.
Chapter Eight
Callie
The apartment was mine. Officially.
And the good thing about hating where I had been living, it was mutual between Sheila and I. All it took was a quick text letting her know I was done. Our original arrangement had been for me to pay rent there for three months.
Those three months turned into another three, then another… and you can paint your own picture from there.
Everything in my life was work.
The job consumed me in a way that did not shock me at all.
I could still remember the day Vince hired me. He was a smooth talking, gambling kind of guy.
He considered me a risk.
A risk to his business because I was a woman.
Asshole.
A risk to his business because of the clothes I was going to wear.
Bigger asshole.
A risk to his heart because - with all due respect - a woman’s ass was a thing of beauty and a work of art that should be appreciated… and enjoyed…
Ultimate asshole.
But that was Vince.
I could have walked out of the office that day and told him to go fuck himself. I had a better idea. Ignore him and end up running his company. That was the best revenge in my books. Living well. Doing well. And bringing these asshole guys to their knees.
Vince loved money more than women, so as long as I flaunted that in front of him, he kept himself cool around me.
It worked.
I was indispensable to the company and one promotion away from being as high as I could go without taking Vince’s spot.
It was time to keep things moving forward.
I stared at the pictures of the apartment on my phone.
A text message popped up from Sheila.
A thumbs up emoji.
I hit the screen and put a middle finger emoji but didn’t send it.
“Knock, knock,” Misha said as she walked into my office.
She looked at me with a big smile.
So big it pushed her glasses up on her face.
I nodded and smiled back.
She shut the door and did a little dance.
I laughed. “You’re adorable, Misha.”
“I’m so happy for you, Callie,” she said. “A new place to live. Closing that deal. Even if you had to work alongside Jackson.”
“Hey, if I’m being fair, he and I make a good team,” I said.