"I'm not sure what you mean," I say. "Is that a new client?"
She stops and turns to me, seeming annoyed. "The Trystal dinner? Roger Trystal. Celine's father. Any of this ringing a bell?"
"Oh, yes, of course. Sorry. It's just that you usually say the name of the company, not the owner."
"Yes, well, you need to know both. I'm surprised you don't, given your personal connection to them."
"Personal connection?"
"You and Celine. Aren't you two friends?"
"No, not really. We're more like acquaintances."
"Huh. That's not the impression she gave me."
"When? What did she say about me?"
"We went out for drinks and she kept bringing you up, saying she wanted to get to know you better. I just assumed that meant she was hoping you two would become better friends."
"I don't know why she'd want that. We have nothing in common."
Bianca's brows rise. "You both like Aiden."
"Aiden is just a friend," I say with a nervous laugh as I walk over to the file cabinet. "Did you print out the file or should I search the digital files?"
Bianca appears in front of me. "What's going on with you and Aiden?"
"Nothing!" I say as though I'm offended by her question. "Why would you even ask me that? You know I'm dating Tanner."
"And yet you only talk about Aiden." She puts her hand on her hip. "If something's going on with you and him, I need to know. This could screw up everything. If Celine finds out, we'll lose her father as a client and that cannot happen. Roger Trystal is very well connected. He could bring us new clients worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even Beverly is getting involved in this. She met Roger for lunch on Friday and told him she'd be personally overseeing his event. Do you understand what that means?"
As owner of the company, Beverly rarely gets involved in events, relying on Bianca and the other staff to do all the work. Beverly spends her time going to parties and meeting potential clients. I've only met her one time, the day I started here. She shook my hand, welcomed me to the company, then told me if I mess up I'm fired. She doesn't tolerate mistakes, which is why Bianca is always so nervous and frantic.
"You have nothing to worry about," I say. "There's nothing going on with Aiden and me."
"And you'd tell me if that changed?"
"Yes." I pause, wondering if I should tell her about Aiden's plan to break up with Celine. I decide not to, remembering Aiden made me promise to keep it a secret.
Maybe today will be the day he tells her. He said he might do it on Sunday. If he does, will he call me? I'm guessing he'll wait for the dust to settle before he does.
"Did you find the file yet?" Bianca asks, racing back to her desk. "Oh! Here it is." She holds it up. "Go down the street and get me a latte, then we'll meet to go over the list for the event."
I start to leave, then turn back. "Bianca, I need to talk to you about something."
"Make it quick. We have a lot to do."
I walk over to her desk. "I know I keep asking you about the promotion but I really need to know when it'll happen. I can't keep waiting. I'm barely able to cover my bills and if I don't get a raise soon, I won't be able to pay rent."
"Sophie, we've gone over this. You have to prove yourself before Beverly will even consider giving you a promotion."
"So let me prove myself. Give me my own event."
"You want the Trystal dinner?" she says with a challenging grin. "It's small, but high profile. If you do well, Beverly is sure to give you the raise." Bianca leans back in her chair, picking up a pen and twirling it around her finger. "But make even the tiniest mistake and, well, you know what will happen."
"I lose my job." I pause. "Is that my only option? The Trystal dinner?"
"All our other events are too big for you to handle. Beverly would never allow an assistant to take over. The only small event we have is the Trystal client dinner. It's only twelve people and it's mostly planned so you really wouldn't have to do much. I'd need to get Beverly's okay first but if she says yes, do you want it?"
Doing this means dealing with Celine, taking her orders and putting up with her nonstop demands. But the dinner is only two weeks away. I could put up with Celine for two weeks. But I'll have to cut off any and all contact with Aiden during those two weeks. I can't risk Celine finding out about us, assuming there is an us.
As much as I don't want to do this, I have to. I need that promotion. It's the only way I can stay in New York.
"I'll do it," I say to Bianca.
"Great!" She stands up and hands me the file. "Good luck! Now go get me that latte. I'm dying for some caffeine."
I think Bianca wants me to fail. She doesn't want me getting that promotion. She likes having me as her assistant, running her errands, getting her coffee, doing all the stuff she doesn't want to do. She's had plenty of smaller events she could've given me the past few months but she wouldn't even offer them to me. And now she's giving me one that could easily get me fired. Celine expects everything to be perfect, and if it's not, she'll go straight to Beverly to complain.
At five I leave the office and go to a coffee shop to meet up with Tanner. I think he knows I'm breaking up with him. He sounded disappointed when I changed our dinner plans to a coffee date. Maybe he won't even show up.
When I walk in the coffee shop I see him sitting by the window, looking at his phone.
"Hey," I say, sitting
