creases as he glares from Jase to me and back to Jase again.
I, too, turn to Jase because I’m at a loss about what to say or do. This is my first time in this building. I’m an add-on to the merger team, only having started with Cypress a month earlier. I’m still learning the ways of the company, and now we’re pushing for this merger to go through.
“I spoke with a, uh, Suzette. Could you please give her a call?” Jase asks the guard.
The guard gives him a stern look before picking up the phone. He maintains eye contact with Jase even as he holds the phone between his shoulder and ear.
A niggling in my gut tells me this guy isn’t just a run-of-the-mill lobby security guard. Something in the intense way he keeps eyeing Jase and me tells me that if we make one wrong move, he’d have no problem doing some severe damage to either one of us.
Glancing around the rest of the lobby, I see a couple of other security guards posted by the doors and one in a booth at the far corner. They all have that same eagle-eye gazes as they keep watch over the comings and goings of the people throughout the lobby.
“Suzette,” I hear the guard say behind me. I continue looking around the lobby until I hear the sound of the phone being hung up.
“There’s supposed to be five of you.”
Jase nods. “Our three attorneys are on their way. They’re coming from downtown, and—”
“You’ll remain down here until they arrive,” he says abruptly.
Jase, seemingly flustered by the man’s abruptness, doesn’t give any pushback. He merely peers at his watch and gestures toward the small coffee shop in the lobby.
“I’m going to grab a cold brew,” he tells the security guard, who nods after looking over at another one of the guards.
“Want anything?” Jase asks.
Though I've had my morning coffee from home, I could always go for more. “I’ll have a pumpkin cream cold brew.” I begin digging in my purse for my wallet.
“Don’t worry about it,” he says as he walks off in the direction of the shop.
Typically, I’d argue the point, not wanting anything from anyone who might expect something of me in the future, but I let that urge die at the back of my throat. I’m already nervous about this meeting. The fish out of water feeling comes on strong, thinking about how important this meeting is.
I’m acutely aware that my holiday bonus hinges on this merger going through. A bonus I need to help take care of my mother and get out from under my father’s thumb.
I have years of experience working in addiction treatment and healthcare back in Washington. Unlike my former employer, McKenna Rehab Facilities, Cypress is smaller and more vulnerable, hence the potential merger. From my understanding, Cypress was run by incompetent management for years, nearly bringing about its demise. It’s only been thanks to the high demand for its services, and a handful of the competent staff that work there, that it has been able to keep its doors open.
Now, here I am, working in the capacity of program director while also being dragged onto the mergers and acquisitions team to do our best to hash out a deal before the end of the year.
A few minutes later, Jase hands me my drink. “Here you go. And here are our attorneys,” he tells the guard, then gives their names to him, “Bryant, Chip, and Mitchell.”
Minutes later, a bubbly, forty-something-year-old woman wearing a low bun and librarian-style glasses greets us off the elevators.
“Suzette, great to see you again,” Jase says.
I’m introduced to Mr. Townsend’s assistant, though it’s made clear she’s not his executive assistant.
“Mark will be joining you all during the meeting,” she says.
“Excellent. He’s been on top of everything thus far,” Jase adds.
I listen to the polite conversation they make as we all ride up the elevator to the top floor, keeping quiet myself. I run my hand down the length of my black pencil skirt, ensuring that any wrinkles get smoothed out. In my head, I go through everything I know about Townsend’s potential deal with Cypress. I even manage to develop a few recommendations on Cypress’ end to make us more appealing to the company. Mentally, I make a note to run them by Jase once we’re back in our office.
“Right this way.” Suzette’s bubbliness is still oozing off of her. Her smile is genuine, and she appears to be someone