excerpts from Roommate with my Boss
by Erin Graham
“Well, Ms. Rivery’s information is incorrect,” I say loud and clear. “I’m also engaged. My fiancé, Cathy, is currently planning our wedding. Next summer, I think.”
I have no idea where this imaginary “Cathy” came from, but the words came out before I could stop them. My sister turns sharply towards me, hardly hiding her shock. As for my brother, no need to talk about it. I know he’s close to bursting out laughing. As for me, a deep hatred is running through my veins. I thought I was done with that toxic Shelby viper. I thought that I would never again feel the slightest emotion at the mention of her.
I was wrong. Hate has nothing to do with love, but rather, simply with deep and brutal murderous desires. I admit it, no loving feelings in that. It’s been a long time since I loved anyone except my family.
No, I have a deep disgust for her.
“Wonderful! Why didn’t you tell us about this?” says Mrs. Hanley.
“Because I didn’t realize my private life was a factor in our business dealings,” I answer, almost convinced myself of the existence of this completely fictitious Cathy.
“That changes a lot of things,” says Hanley’s son. “Since I want to follow this file alongside my mother, we’ll start over. Of course, your job remains, it’s fine with me. I would just like to consult other funding applicants and submit projects to committee members. The investment is too significant to minimize any attractive offers. Well, I’m for equal opportunity. You may have the most glowing reviews, seniority as one of our oldest business partners, but that doesn’t eliminate the possibility that some of your competitors may outdo you.”
“Naturally…”
I hate this guy. I have been spending my nights on all kinds of presentations for six months. This time, they deserve that we kick them out of our offices and that we try to be self-sufficient. However, after the crisis we just experienced, it would be a serious mistake on our side. Our parents would not forgive us for the risks involved either. I liked Mrs. Hanley. We used to deal with her alone and that was perfect. She’s even a friend of our parents. Also, I know Shelby would be too happy if we got out of this grant process. I don’t want to give her the satisfaction.
“We’ll bring together work teams during parties and seminars, in order to get to know our potential future collaborators better. You will, of course, be invited there with your fiancée, Mr. Maréchal. I’m really looking forward to meeting her.”
“Naturally…” I say.
He smirked at me. He didn’t believe for a second that Cathy existed. It’s the exact truth, though. Well, almost. There must be a Cathy out there I can make fall madly in love with me, right?
Well, I at least know a few people who might want to play the game for a contract and some cash.
He wants a Cathy, he’s going to have one.
[...]
I never—I mean never—saw these three in the same room. They each have their own office, own job, and as I understand they rarely meet, and never around an employee like me. Most of the time, only the big clients bring the full family together. This small, improvised meeting is not normal. Especially for him: The Big One. This man is making me nervous. He’s different from the other two. He doesn’t smile, he doesn’t speak and doesn’t seem to even see his employees. He gives his orders to his secretary, who told me that he speaks very little to her and prefers to interact by email. Emails she receives at all hours of the day and night.
There was a rumor in the offices about him. Étienne Maréchal was only half human. It remains to be proven, but if I consider the way his eyes screen me at the moment, I really have the impression of being in front of the Terminator. Do I have to tell him that my name is not Sarah Connor?[1]
Ophelia closes the door behind her and sits facing Josh’s desk.
“It’s a bad idea!” says Étienne sighing.
“Not at all!” replies Antoine, crossing his arms resolutely. “In fact, I believe it’s the best idea that we have had in a very long time.”
“I agree with Tootsie!” adds Ophelia.
Okay, their conversation is starting to worry me, even to annoying me. What are we talking about exactly? I think I’m going to be fired. That’s the only reason I can see… Because after this video clip, I don’t want to be in my shoes. I even feel like thanking some competent authority for banning physical torture in the workplace, given the furious glances that I have been getting I feel like that is what would be happening to me.
“Excuse me, did I miss something?” I dared to ask, feeling uncomfortable by the increasingly insistent gaze of the big boss on me.
“Oh! Sorry,” the sister smiles at me. “We are forgetting ourselves! So—”
“Bad idea!” Étienne cut her off, still in the same position, continuing its meticulous inspection of my person.
His gaze is unpleasant and disturbing, making my skin crawl. Anyway, I can’t wait for them to fire me, that be a relief.
“Relax, Lizzy,” says Antoine trying to comfort me. “You are not in trouble, we are here to offer you a mission.”
“No, we are offering anything at all! I don’t agree!” growls Étienne, more and more stubborn in his refusals, becoming almost frightening.
We are on the fourth floor. If I jump out of the window, I don’t think it’s high enough to kill me, but it might be enough to land me in the hospital and away from the scene playing out before me. I’m tempted.
“Yes, we will!” insists the woman on the team. “Let me remind you that this was your idea!”
“My idea was Jennyfer,” he spits out.
Well! I clearly start to lose patience. It annoys me that they’re talking to each other, as if I don’t exist, I can safely say that I’m involved in their conversation. Although I have no idea what the conversation is.
“How can I help you?”
“Well,” begins Ophelia, crossing her hands on her knees. “We are here to offer you a new position. Of course, you’ll be paid in addition to your current salary. Like a little extra. Think of it as a promotion of sorts.”
Really? I’m a little surprised, because, judging in his brother’s murderous gaze, I don’t really feel that they came to me to offer me a promotion.
“Stop it now,” cut the boss with a sigh. “This idea is by far the stupidest you have ever had. I’ll call—”
“You’re not calling anyone. Especially not your usual escort!” cuts Antoine.
Escort? What are we talking about exactly?
I don’t mind being the perfect archetype of the model employee. It is also possible that I was wrong about some tasks I have done recently since I’m replacing Josh in his position of senior accountant of the company. However, if there is one thing that annoys me, it’s that people act as if I’m transparent.
“I’m sorry but what are we talking about?” I say trying again to intervene, as they begin to argue about Jennyfer. “If you could get to the point, that would be very kind of you.”
“Yes, excuse me,” resumes Antoine with a friendly tone. “Let’s not beat around the bush. We need you to take the place of our brother’s fiancée in order to conclude a negotiation. This is purely professional. It’s kind of a role-playing.”
He’s kidding, right?
I glance around the room in disbelief.
I must have misunderstood.
“Sir?” I ask to Antoine.
“Yes, Miss?”
“When you say ‘escort,’ you mean?”
“An evening companion?” he defines vaguely.
Idiot. This is probably what I must inspire in them. They seem very serious. The silence thickens between us. Those looks terrify me.
“It’s a joke, right?” That’s the only explanation. “I don’t think my boyfriend will like this offer very much, and I’m not sure I’m comfortable with it either.”
“See! Bad idea! I knew it!” says the boss, relieved by my reaction.
“Stop, Étienne! No,” the sister says sweetly. “We’ve come to ask you to go with Étienne to a few business meetings. A few hours of acting, at most, nothing more. My brother is responsible for the Hanley contract and these clients ask us to show exemplary family spirit. Your name would be Cathy. Isn’t Cathy cute?”
This woman cannot be serious. She wants me close to her brother the mechanical man…even without Alan, I wouldn’t even consider it.
I scrutinize them one by one, realizing the seriousness of the proposition the longer I stare. Well, the looks of the two youngest. Their gazes practically begging me to cooperate. Étienne watches me with as much consideration as a bug on his windshield. And I’m supposed to act with him! Not even tempted!
This has to be a dream. Or rather a totally mind-blowing nightmare. I’m going to wake up, I can feel it.
“Is that the only way you can get me to quit?” I ask, lost. “If I don’t do the job correctly, just—”
“Oh, no, you are exactly right for the job!” Antoine cuts me off. “So much so that we think you are perfect for doing us this little favor. Of course, this would be discreet, under a clearly defined contract, and without any possible ambiguity.”
“A favor?” I ask.
My bosses may be charismatic, and outnumber me, but that doesn’t give them all the rights. I think I’m right in finding this far-fetched idea more than politically incorrect.
“A paid favor!” adds the sister.
“Not much!” specifies the main person concerned. “Already, you’ll eat for free and we’ll provide you with what to dress appropriately. It’s probably interesting for you, right?”
Oh, this just gets better and better.
“Dress appropriately? What do you mean?” I ask, annoyed by his condescending tone.
“I mean not… like that,” he answers casually but firmly.
That’s it, this time he upset me.
“Do you have a problem with the way I dress?”
“It’s very… colorful…”
For a guy like him who seems to have only gray, black and brown in his wardrobe, you bet that the red and the flowers on my top must hurt his eyes.
“I don’t need your charity to eat either,” I say, beside myself.
“Good, we’ll save money on that!”
This man is unreal. Unbelievable. Hateful. And to think that I was defending him to Letty, his own secretary!
“Well, you’ll do even more as far as I’m concerned because there is no way I’ll lend myself to your unhealthy little game. It’s no!”
I’ve been told that I’m rather jovial and playful. Josh points this out to me quite often. But even I have my limits. Impossible to act for half a second by his side. I don’t know how to act, anyway.
“What do you mean, no?” he asks me to repeat, surprised and furious.
“No, like no!”
I straighten my shoulders, looking confidently into his eyes. Once again, I want to be elected employee of the month, but in the accounting category, not as a luxury whore.
“It’s an order, Miss the Accountant,” he replies disdainfully, clearly stung by my refusal. “Besides, we are not asking your opinion. End of the problem. Get ready, I’ll send you the schedule of engagements as soon as I receive it. Ophelia, explain the details to her. Antoine, I’ll send you the contract for Ms. Elisabeth’s services. There will be no negotiation on the compensation.”
Did this man even know what he wanted? Just few minutes ago, he refused to hear about this solution, and now he’s forcing it on me? This man must have taken in the humidity, his integrated circuits are tripping cleanly.
He turns on his heel, ready to leave the room, no doubt thinking he’ll have the last word. Big mistake.
“I said, no.”
“This isn’t up for negotiation,” He retorts immediately walking towards me with his gray eyes shooting daggers at me. “As I just explained to you, it isn’t a choice but an order. You can’t refuse if you want to keep your current position. And if you find something to complain about, the other two people in here will answer. As far as I’m concerned this matter has been decided.”
“You are right! It’s well and truly closed! I’d rather quit than do this! The fact that I receive a salary from you doesn’t give you the right to impose this on me. I’m an accountant! I have a degree and several years of study behind me, as well as an employment contract it.”
Étienne straightens up, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Are you sure what you just said? A resignation, is that it?”
“Absolutely!”
I know that I’m down the drain. I need this job more than anything, but I can’t think of any other solution. I clearly can’t bring myself to become an escort, for anyone, and certainly not him. To get within 6 feet of this monster of unpleasant coldness seems impossible to me. I’ve worked hard enough all my life that I don’t have to stoop to this blackmail in order to survive. I’m better than that! Others have tried to persuade me, but no one has succeeded in making me bow. It’s not going to start today.
“So, very well… You may go, Miss the ex-accountant,” Étienne continues, in a more relaxed tone. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re no longer on my staff.”
He turns on his heel, walks towards the door, pauses, then turns to his brother and sister with a satisfied look.
“I’ll call Jennyfer,” Étienne says. “I’m handling this situation.”
I realize what has just happened, under the sorry looks of the other two Maréchals, I just resigned. I really did. It’s impossible. I’m going to wake up. It’s obvious.
I just lost my job!
[1] Terminator, science fiction action film released by Orion Pictures, co-written and directed by James Cameron.
———
paperback available on
ebook available on
Google Play | Kobo | Nook (Barnes & Nobles)