Million Dollar Man [H.S. AU]

Chapter Twenty-Four

A representative from each major division of the company has shown up for the budget meeting, the importance of the occasion instantly becoming clear. However, I'm not nervous at all. These types of meetings are my strong suit and there is no greater opportunity for me to help get a better handle on my life than with this meeting.

I make my way to the conference room on my office floor, passing several employees on my way. The one negative aspect of today is the fact that I have to face Frank, since he's the director of marketing, and Andy since she's my future business partner. As far as I'm concerned, Frank will never know about what I did with Amber. Sure, I never want to repeat a mistake like that, but telling him wouldn't change anything but our friendship.  Andy is a different story. Since shes already aware of the whole situation, it leaves me in an awkward predicament on how I should go about it. I can always go with honesty, but that's bull shit and would probably just mess things up even more. The best thing to do is to ignore it. If I really want a chance at redeeming my attitude in the work place, I should lay low and focus on work. Andy would only become a distraction.

I push aside the thoughts that I know are only going to disrupt my focus as I walk into my conference room ten minutes early. Although I did have the misfortune of getting extremely drunk last night, I'm not hungover at all, making it a lot easier to handle the stress that this meeting is bound to produce.

The room is already mostly full with department chairs and I scan the room for an empty seat. Most of the time I have the pleasure of leading the meetings, however budget meetings are one of the few meetings that are the VP's responsibility. On top of everything else I have to deal with seeing Jack. Let's just add him to the list of people I would love to avoid during this meeting. I spot an empty seat just to the right of the head of the table and quickly make my way over to it. A few individuals give me a polite hello and my eyes soon lay on Frank. He smiles at me and gives me a nod which I quickly return, thankful that he most likely has no clue what I did with Amber. That, or he simply doesn't care. Either way it's one less thing for me to worry about.

I take a seat in the chair that I called dibs on which happens to be beside the chair who is already occupied by Jack. He flips through a few papers sitting before him on the table, his eyes lined with large bags. He probably hasn't gotten any sleep since the baby's been born.

"How's Chasity?" I ask, as I look at the time on my phone. 9:54 and still no Andy. She'll probably end up being late.

Jack doesn't look up.

"Good. I think she's just exhausted but she'll get to go home tomorrow." He replies, flipping a page and high lighting something.

"You should've stayed at the hospital with her for the day. I could've handled the meeting." I offer, attempting to be sincere but somehow it doesn't sound that way.

He shakes his head.

"No it's fine, really. Chasity is catching up on her sleep right now and I'm going straight back to her once I'm done here." He says, still focusing on the work in front of him. I nod, even though he doesn't see me.

He's probably still pissed at me, but I don't care. He'll get over it eventually.

I sit in silence next to him as I wait for the time to pass before we can finally get the show on the road. At 9:59, the door swings open and Andy is revealed. Her hair is styled away from her face in a clean ponytail and she has on a tight fitting leather skirt with a revealing long sleeve top but still somehow manages to look sophisticated and business casual. Because there are only men in the room, everyone's eyes follow the tall blonde as she enters the room. My blood begins to boil at their inability to control themselves. Not to mention if anyone has the slightest chance of ever getting her, it's me. She takes the empty seat next to me, and I shoot everyone a look of victory.