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The phone was face up with the awful text on the screen.
EB: We should talk
I shook my head. “My ex. I wish he would stop texting.” I picked up the phone, cleared the screen, and put it on silent.
Cindy shrugged. “Surely he’ll give up after a while.”
It was another several minutes before Dennis emerged from his office. A forced smile crossed his face as he saw me. At least it wasn’t a frown.
“You ready?”
I nodded. “As ready as I’m going to be.”
He closed his office door and stepped toward the room with our guests.
I put my arm out. “Stop.” The word escaped before I could come up with a nicer one. I stepped in front of him and reached up to straighten his tie.
His eyes met mine, and the smile was no longer forced. “Thank you.”
“I want you looking your best.” My brain-word filter was malfunctioning this afternoon. I’d meant to saywe, notI.
He turned for the door. “Your job is not to grill them, but let me know if they say anything that’s off.”
I followed him and closed the door behind us.Don’t grill them? That should be no problem. I’d just been thrown in the deep end without a life preserver.
The group of four stood and one by one started introducing themselves and shaking hands with Dennis.
I came next.
Mr. Coffee was the first to reach me. He extended his hands, a business card in one and the other open to shake. “James Talbot the third.”
I accepted his card and shook with him. “Jennifer Hanley. Sorry, I don’t have a card yet. I’m new.”
His hand fell away quickly. “Are you by any chance related to Senator Hanley?”
“Sadly, no.”
“You look like her. You must get that a lot.” It was the first time I’d ever been compared to the senator. The comparison made me smile. The old man was a top-notch bullshitter.
“Not often enough.” I smiled.
The name-handshake-business card exchange, minus my card, repeated three more times with the others. Sweaty Palms was their CFO, Baldy their marketing VP, and Beak Nose their general counsel.
I collected their cards while still clutching my legal pad, phone, and pen in one hand.
Dennis had his hands free. He’d pre-placed his notepad and pen on the table before they arrived, claiming his seat: one chair down from the head of the table and on the side facing the window.
I obviously had things to learn about the power dynamics of these meetings.
I took my seat to the right of Dennis after he sat.
The Talbot group had helped themselves to refreshments from the drink cart Cindy must’ve supplied—all except Talbot himself, who waited for the coffee he’d ordered from me.
The others had chosen Pellegrinos.
I retrieved a fresh Diet Coke bottle and unscrewed the lid. Before I sat, I noticed my faux pas. They’d all poured their drinks into glass tumblers.
I retrieved a glass from the cart and took my seat, feeling like a child at the adults’ table.
