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“I know that the media can be deceiving, so how about you tell me about your day with San Diego Hornets, Gunnar Reynolds?” he asks.
I recap the day, leaving out the moments where we kissed and the fact that I spent the whole weekend with him. Not once did my boss move or reflect any emotion.
“What do you have to say for the numerous photos of you and him canoodling?”
“Canoodling, sir?”
“You were engaging in inappropriate behavior, kissing.” his tone is quiet yet sharp.
“I believe, sir, that part is between Mr. Reynolds and myself,” I say holding my head up.
“Unfortunately, it’s not. As you can see in the spread about the two of you, the public is getting a front seat show to whatever this was. I did not provide you with this opportunity to set you up with a date, Ms. Rotham. I’m not a matchmaker and this agency is not in that business. I provided this to you, so you can write up your experience and act on behalf of the agency.”
“Sir. With all due respect, I did do my piece about my experience as the ultimate fan for a day. It’s already been submitted and is currently with the editors right now. What happened after the fact, on a personal matter was not weighed into the piece and not intended to do harm. Nor is my personal life, subjected to my position here.”
“Did you not see the throes of photographers outside the doors this morning?”
“I did, sir.” I nod.
“And how do you figure they came to my doorstep?”
“By way of reading about my piece from my time as the Ultimate Fan.”
“The phone has been ringing non-stop with the press asking questions about you. This is not the type of thing you were hired on for when you took the position of a marketing account manager.”
“I’m sorry, sir. It’s not my intent to portray any negative coverage. But I would like to point out that what I do on my own time is still my personal business regardless of the level of fame my companions are.”
“Not when it affects my business,” he sneers.
“I’m sorry, sir, I’m not sure what you want me to do. I don’t want to sound ungrateful for my job or disrespectful to you, but my employment and my personal life are two separate things. What I do when I am not working should be decided by me and me alone.”
“This is your first week here, don’t fuck it up.” He points at me. “You’re dismissed. Your email will have your directions for the day, along with training materials.”
I stand silently, nod my head and leave his office quickly. Thankful that I didn’t get fired on the spot.
I keep my head down all morning, avoid my cell phone and make sure to stay focused on work. I just got this job; I cannot afford to fuck it up now. It was not until I left work by way of going out the back door that I pull out my cell phone to hundreds of texts from almost everyone I knew but nothing from Gunnar.
I was not sure how to feel about the radio silence from him when I have to deal with the public.
I pull up his contact information, and my finger hovers over his number as my phone vibrates in my hand and Gunnar’s name shows up on the screen.
“Hello?” I answer thankful that he called me first.
“Hey. How was your day?” he asks, his voice quiet.
“Well, my first official day on the job, and I already got called into my boss’s office.”
“That sucks. What happened?” he asks.
“You don’t know?” I scoff.
He laughs. “I don’t have a hidden camera on you, so how would I know?” he asks innocently.
“Our time together, was in the newspaper, two whole pages worth of photos.”
“No shit?” he sounds surprised.
“No shit,” I deadpan.
