Trevor hit the call back button and waited.
“Trevor! I’m glad you called.”
“Of course, I’m hoping you’re finally ready to put your advertising dollars in the right place,” Trevor said.
“We’re definitely ready to make something happen. I was hoping we could set up a meeting this week.”
Hopefully Trevor still had a job, or he’d make a giant ass of himself. Even more so than the ass he made of himself yesterday. “That’d be great, I can meet with you tomorrow if that works.”
“That’s perfect,” Neil said.
“Excellent. We can go over just what you’re looking for and I can put a proposal together for you.”
“We don’t need the proposal.”
Trevor glanced around his penthouse. Did he hear him right? “Listen, I’m going to level with you. I didn’t have the best night last night so I think I might be a bit confused. If you aren’t looking for a proposal, what is the meeting for?”
Neil laughed. “We’re not taking proposals, you’re in. I take it lady trouble?” he said as if he had a crystal ball dialed right to Trevor’s fuck ups.
“Yeah, next level lady trouble.”
“I’ve had a few nights like that of my own. I hope she was worth it.”
“She’s always been worth it, but now…uh, it’s complicated. Listen, about the proposal thing, are you sure?”
“Positive. I guess you need to figure out a way to uncomplicate it. I’ve been there. Sabrina made me work in ways I’d never had to before, but once I caught her? Never looked back.”
“I think this one might be beyond catching. I blew it.”
“You’re going to have to grovel, man, and it’s going to be ugly.”
Trevor laughed. “Yeah, thanks for that.”
“Welcome to the club.”
“Do I get a pin or something?”
“Not enough money in the budget for pins,” Neil joked.
For the first time since his plan turned to shit, Trevor glimpsed a trickle of light at the end of the tunnel. “Hey, in all seriousness, why me? For the job?”
“I watched you at that party, the way you put people at ease. You were bombarded with know-it-alls that night making suggestions to you about ad accounts you had secured. Carter hit you with four different marketing proposals for Dash Foods and you dissected every single one on the fly. Your mind is fast, you’re worth the money, and we both know it wasn’t so long ago that my company had serious issues. I’m counting on you to propel us away from our rocky history and into further success.”
He could only launch them to the next level if he could hold on to his job. “Listen, any chance you can actually get together today and we can get the ball rolling?” Trevor asked.
“Sure, what time works for you?”
“Anytime this afternoon is perfect.”
“Meet me here at two then,” Neil said.
They hung up and Trevor had a plan of action. He’d meet Neil and get a contract signed for William and Stensky’s services, and first thing Tuesday morning he’d present it to Davidson and hope it was enough to save his ass.
Hell, at this point, he couldn’t even focus on the partnership, he just needed to worry about keeping a paycheck.
If he could keep his job, he could throw himself into his work, and if he was lucky, he’d find a way to forget about Piper. Some damage just couldn’t be undone.
12
the final shot
TREVOR AVOIDED THE LIQUOR THIS time around. He needed to be clear-headed and on his toes for his first day back. He’d decided he would head to Davidson’s office instead of waiting to see if he’d be called in.
And he’d go in with an advantage.
He went through his normal routine, hyperaware of every step of his morning, and how this might be the last morning he followed this schedule.
He found Davidson’s secretary, Grace, at her desk typing away on her computer. “Hi, Grace. Is Davidson in?”
“He sure is. Let me see if he’s available.” She called his line and after a few quiet words, hung up. “You can go on in,” she said with the same warm smile she had always greeted him with. Apparently, she hadn’t heard.
A nice send off for his funeral.
He opened the door and clicked it closed behind him. He didn’t pause before turning to face his boss. Well, not much anyway.
“Mr. Williams,” Trevor said by way of greeting.
Davidson’s grave expression left Trevor little hope. He stood and leaned over his desk, his palms flat on the wood surface. “You want to tell me what in hell got into you with that stunt you pulled this weekend?”
“Well, I—”
“Haven’t I been good to you?”
“Yes, bu—”
“Don’t I pay you well and give you a lot of leeway to do your job as you see fit?”
“Yes, it’s just that—”
“Haven’t I always been a fair boss?”
“No,” Trevor said the air whooshing from his lungs.
“No?” Davidson said, standing upright, resting his hands on his hips.
“I spent my weekend lying to you. I’m not doing it anymore. I’m never lying to anyone again. So, the answer is, no, you haven’t always been fair.”
Davidson stared at Trevor, his chin jutting out. “Well, out with it then, how have I not been fair?”
“I’ve given this company my all for four years. I’ve brought in the most accounts, and by far the most money. I’ve gone so far as to turn myself into someone unrecognizable to do it. You paid back that loyalty by making it clear that if I wasn’t coupled, I’d be exempt from the chance at partner.”
Trevor held his ground, kept his back straight and his shoulders back. No way in hell would he grovel. He wouldn’t resort to a war of words to talk Davidson into giving him a shot. He’d do this like a man. He’d do this the way old Trevor would have done it.
After a good fifteen seconds of silence where Trevor began to think all was lost, Davidson sagged before him and eased himself back into his chair. “You’re not telling me anything Marla didn’t already give me an earful on.”
Huh?
“Wait, she helped you plan this whole thing. Why did she give you an earful?”
“She helped me plan it, but she didn’t know it was a condition of promotion. She thought I had offered up a weekend getaway for my best employees. She thought it’d be fun for everyone to get to know each other instead of taking off in different directions.”
“Are you saying that you lied?”
Davidson slapped a hand against his leather armrest in frustration. “Yes, damn it. I lied. And I got caught.”
“But why?”
Davidson scratched his chin, leaned forward, and folded his hands. “Because you’ve always been my favorite and I needed to level the playing field a bit to make sure my judgment wasn’t clouded.”
Trevor stepped up, pulled out a chair, and gestured to it. “Do you mind if I sit?”
Davidson waved a hand. “No, no. Go ahead.”