The Do-Over(34)
Author: Suzanne Park

 

I lifted my head from my pillow and sat up, smiling weakly.

 

She handed me the plate of baked goods. “There’s a theme of positivity here. I made these just for you.”

 

The shortbread cookies were shaped like sheep and intricately decorated in icing. Beth had written “I believe in ewe” on all of them.

 

“Thank you. Or ewe. E-W-E.” I smiled and bit off a sheep’s woolly ass. It was delicious.

 

 

* * *

 

I CHANNELED ALL my energy the rest of the weekend into studying for midterms. Burying myself in the required reading for my senior seminar and reviewing Python assignments were effective distractions, providing me with mental and emotional distance from the last encounter with Jake. By Monday morning, I felt confident about the upcoming exams after so many hours of studying. I had a quick breakfast and hopped into the shower before class.

 

My phone rang the second I turned off the water.

 

It was my editor. “Lily! Are you sitting down? I have some great news!”

 

I was not sitting down. I was standing naked in a small puddle of water from my dripping hair and body that had pooled by my feet.

 

“You’ve been invited to speak to the London Business School’s U.S. alumni group in NYC in two weeks. It’s part of a debut book tour launch and they asked if you would be the in-conversation partner.”

 

This really was good news, and there were no signs of a bait-and-switch “it’s time to give back your advance for your fraudulent credentials, actually” call. I sighed in relief. I hadn’t done too many in-person events and this seemed like a good promotional opportunity. Towel-drying my hair, I noticed she didn’t outright mention the author.

 

“Who is the event with?” I finally asked.

 

She coughed. “Two authors actually. The O’Haras.”

 

No. “Are you serious? Why me?” I cried out in frustration, which my editor heard and took literally.

 

My editor replied, “Of course they’d want you! They specifically asked for your participation, actually; it was originally supposed to just be the two of them. The topic was chosen by the alumni group and will be ‘Diversity, Inclusion, and Shattering Glass Ceilings Once and for All.’”

 

Now it all made sense.

 

Before I could say HELL NO, my editor added, “The O’Haras have arranged a signing opportunity after the Q and A with a local indie bookstore, and they’re running ads in The Wall Street Journal to promote the event.”

 

Okay, this was tempting. The Wall Street Journal audience wasn’t exactly a perfect fit for me, but it was a way to broaden my reach.

 

“And it will be catered. Wine and fine finger foods.”

 

Well, shit. She got me by dangling free food. “I’m in.” My student-budget brain made me cave. Dining out was something I’d missed ever since I had returned to Carlthorpe.

 

“That’s wonderful! If you’re available, we would love for you to pop into our office this week so we can discuss your questions for this event, plus meet the O’Hara marketing team for some other promotional ideas they have for their book launch. They have a big marketing and publicity budget and we’re thinking this is a good opportunity for you to ask for what you want. I suspect they’re even putting in some of their own money and reaching out to their personal network, so we’re hoping to maximize your exposure.”

 

I looked around for a clean towel but settled for a terry-cloth bathrobe. “When’s the meeting?”

 

She laughed nervously. “Could you come tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday late morning? I’m sorry if that’s too short notice, but since you live close to our offices, we’re hoping it’s not a problem.”

 

I cringed as she continued. “We’re trying to move fast, especially if they’re doing ads in newspapers.” Knowing me all too well, she added, “I’ll order in lunch and text you the menu. There will be desserts.”

 

I laughed. “Sure, I can be there tomorrow.”

 

With Mia offering her chauffeur services, we rolled into the city the next day after my 9 A.M. class ended.

 

As we headed into Midtown, I asked, “Do I look okay to meet with the O’Haras?”

 

“Yes. You can’t even tell you’ve been slumming it with your dress code the last few weeks. You cleaned up nicely.” Mia grinned as she pulled into a loading zone. “Meet me at my apartment when you’re done. We can grab dinner and drinks before we head back.”

 

“I was planning to take the train. I’ve already bugged you enough times for rides.”

 

“Honestly, I don’t mind the drive. And I love commuting to and from the city to Carlthorpe. It’s like having a Hamptons or Fire Island timeshare, but rent-free and a full fridge.”

 

A honk blasted from behind. “Drop off and pick up only, sistah!”

 

“Looks like you need to unload yourself ASAP,” Mia said, looking into her rearview mirror. “Good luck today!”

 

“Thanks!” I hopped out of her car and waved goodbye.

 

Pushing the revolving door, I couldn’t help but notice how my business clothes felt against my skin. In the glass reflection, everything looked familiar and put together, but I’d gotten so used to wearing jeans and sneakers around campus that my skirt, silk blouse, and heels were insanely uncomfortable, like I had borrowed someone else’s costume for Halloween and it was unseasonably hot that day. When security asked for my ID and asked me to confirm my identity, I hesitated. Of course I was Lily Lee, the same Lily who had been in these offices several times before, but admittedly, something inside me felt a little different. On the ride up to the twenty-second floor, I tried to remember if this was how I’d felt when I started my first corporate job, wearing business clothes for the first time. Maybe the shift inside me I was feeling was just temporary, like someone forgetting to wear a retainer for a few days, letting their teeth move and then shift back to the right positions after reuse.

 

My editor, Katherine, greeted me at the elevator bank. “Thank you so much for coming on such short notice. When the O’Hara family contacted us out of the blue, it took us by surprise. Amanda can’t make it, she was pulled away by HR for some kind of alumni outreach event planning.” She smiled and swiped her badge to gain access to the floor. “They’re here early, and now that you’re here, we can just jump in and get started. Did you have any questions before we head into the meeting?”

 

Yes. A few.