Page 23 of Book Club Confidential

“How about bookstores?”

Peyton chortled. “That’s still shopping.”

“Gyms,” Tessa continued, not breaking eye contact with her boss. “Locker rooms at sports clubs and local Ys. I would reach out to medical offices. Spas. Consider booths at farmers’ markets and conferences featuring women, or those with a heavy female presence like real estate agent conventions. How about places with growing numbers of female attendees like Comic Cons and Renaissance faires?”

“I like that,” Xavier said. He cast his gaze to the faces around the table. “Let’s try to meet women wherever they are. Show that we understand the female mind and lifestyle.”

“Exactly,” Peyton agreed. “I can start by speaking with management at local country clubs. I see women there, playing tennis and organizing events—”

Women do love a good cause, Tessa thought. It must be what drives so many of us to continue dating men.

Xavier clapped his palms together. “Very good. We’re off to a great start on the planning. Let’s get a team together for this pitch. Peyton, you take the lead and let me know who’s helping so I can offload their other work as much as possible. We don’t want to miss this opportunity.”

Pain radiated from Tessa’s jaw to the top of her head, and she forced her clenched teeth to part. He put Peyton in charge of the Lilacs and Lace account. Of course he did.

“Everyone else,” Xavier said. “Good job. Keep it up. Let Peyton or I know if you need any help with your clients and projects this week.”

The unspoken dismissal set the room into motion.

Tessa’s phone buzzed, and Nina’s name appeared on-screen. She swiped to read the message, thankful for the distraction.

Nina: Did he just give the pitch for an all-female company and brand to a man?

Tessa: Yep. His right-hand man

Nina:

Nina: incoming

The scent of Peyton’s signature cloying cologne reached Tessa before he did. He paused a foot away and rested a hip against the table.

“Can I help you?” Tessa asked, immediately regretting the words. She didn’t want to help him more than she already had. She’d pointed out how far off base his pitch for the Lilacs and Lace account had been, yet he’d somehow had the whole thing handed to him anyway.

Peyton crossed his arms and formed a patient smile. “Actually, I think I can help you. I know you aren’t happy about my promotion, and I need a strong team for the L and L opportunity. Maybe taking part in a client pitch this big will soothe the sting.”

Her shoulders stiffened. “No, thank you.”

“What do you mean, ‘No, thank you’?”

Tessa stacked her things and stood.

She meant fuck completely off, but instead of saying that, she fixed him with a level stare. “I haven’t been stung, and I’m not interested in working on your team, Peyton,” she said flatly. “I don’t identify with your Fifty Shades of Pink approach, nor do I want to be any part of putting half the population into one bucket with you. Good luck and Godspeed.”

With that, she turned on her pretty red heels and marched away.

The exhilaration of saying exactly what she wanted to say at the precise moment she wanted to say it was euphoric. She immediately wanted to do it again.

Is this what main character energy feels like? she wondered. Or was she just being an asshole?

Her phone vibrated before she could decide, and she flipped the screen to face her. A text from Grant Gaines.

Grant: lunch?

A thrill rocked down her spine. Hell, yes. And thanks to Hallie’s watermelon salad in the office refrigerator, she wouldn’t have to make dinner tonight either.

It really was a good day.

“Hey. Tessa. Wait up.” Peyton’s voice rubbed the smile from her lips and slowed her pace to a crawl.