Page 16 of The Difference Between

What is happening?

Finally, she pulls them away long enough to say, “The committee voted to move forward with the deal.”

The swift delivery of the news nearly sends me shooting from my seat like a rocket. I swallow my squeal and discreetly pummel the tops of my own thighs with clenched fists. “I knew it.”

“And we’ve selected Matt to be acting interim sponsor of the deal.”

“I’ll get started on next steps.” My thoughts move in a dozen directions. “We’ll need to get the ball ro⁠—”

Wait.

That can’t be right.

She can’t have possibly said what I think she said.

But when I say, “Matt?” the look on her face lets me know she absolutely did.

That sucker-sucking son of a bitch.

Four

My head spins faster with every passing second, yet Trish keeps right on talking.

“The Rutledge family holds the businesses we acquire to undeniably high standards,” she says. “And we’ve known you work more than everyone, but we’ve also seen the benefit. Your dedication made us greedy—you win, and we like you winning—but today proves we need to focus more on applying our principles internally. I thought I didn’t know what you did outside of work because you were private, but now I see it’s because we haven’t done enough to help foster that part of your life. I don’t know what you do outside of work because you don’t have time to do it.”

The blood drains from my face and possibly my body as I drop back to the chair. “What?”

“You don’t have work-life balance, Reese. Your only nameable hobby is owning a rental property and walking to work in pumps⁠—”

“That was a joke!”

“And—” She pauses to let me know she’s not done. “Your mom is having brain surgery and you didn’t think you could move a meeting for it?” She scoffs. “We’ve failed you, Reese. We are a family first, here. You should be home. You should be thinking about what you want out of life. Matt can put the wheels on this deal to get it moving. You need time. People in your life.”

There is no air to breathe. “And what makes Matt more suited than me?”

“He doesn’t look like he’s one shot of espresso away from going off the rails, for one.”

I suck in a sharp breath—I do not look that bad.

“And he goes home at night. He’s in a bowling league. Has three kids and a wife.”

My blood roars in my ears. “So because he’s married you’re giving him my account?” How nice it must be for men to be able to make the baby but carry none of the responsibility nor take a ding on their careers because somebody else will. And now, Trish, a woman whom I’d expect to know better, is telling me that even though I’m good at my job, I’m not good enough because I don’t have a spouse or children because I’ve spent all my time working.

For them.

“Because you work too damn hard, he’s temporarily sponsoring the account.”

Anger begins a slow crawl from my chest to my neck. I look at the clutter and tea and papers on her desk and have the fury-driven urge to knock every item off it in a sweep of rage. I won’t—I would never—but I want to. God, do I want to.

“He sucks lollipops,” I say through gritted teeth.

I’m on my feet now, pacing, raking my hands through my hair.

Fuck The Family.

And her.

And most definitely Matt.