Belle - Working With The Enemy

Contents

Working with the Enemy

Raquel Belle

Copyright 2019 by Raquel Belle. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations or excerpts for review purposes.

This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental.

Belle, Raquel. Working with the Enemy.

Chapter 1

Sarah

Some people wake up and scroll through Instagram in bed on Monday mornings because they dont want to start the week yet. Not me. I check my social media first thing not because I want to put off work but because its my job. And I love it.

I better love it. I worked hard enough, long enough, to get to where I am today: Senior Social Media Account Manager at Peter & Bowers, one of the best-known names in advertising in New York City.

7:15 a.m. As I scroll through the accounts I manage, Im interrupted by a direct message from Amanda, my work bestie:

Hey workaholic, save your social media monitoring for the office. I can see you lurking on Insta! Get your butt out of bed and meet me at work so I can tell you all about last weekends party!

I grin and throw off the covers. Amanda has been my coworker for years and is well acquainted with my morning routine. Well, shes right . Time to get moving.

After seven years of making the commute from Brooklyn to the Peter & Bowers Manhattan offices every morning, I have my routine down to a science. Wake up, shower, make a green smoothie for breakfast, pack my lunch (something healthy Ive meal-prepped the night before), and then grab a to-go coffee before hopping on the L Train into the city.

Most Brooklynites complain about the subway but I like it. Ive always loved the gritty and grimy parts of New York, ever since I moved here from my small home-town in Connecticut to attend New York University as an undergrad at age 18.

Four years later I graduated with my BA in Communications and jumped right into the internship program at Peter & Bowers. And I havent looked back since. Well, maybe once. I got distracted from my path by a guy in college But hes gone now. And Im doing good. Not good: great . No regrets.

Tuesdays and Fridays I get up one hour earlier at 6:00 a.m. to go to a class at the yoga studio around the corner from my Cobble Hill apartment. Amanda got me into Bikram; she said it would loosen me up, counter my Type A tendencies. I have to admit shes right; I can be too rigid. And I do think the yoga is helping. Right?

Amanda is already waiting for me, a giant coffee mug clutched in her hand, when I get into the office. She launches right into it, skipping any greeting: Youre going to die when I tell you about this party. She looks sleepy and her curly hair is up in a messy bun, her blouse slightly wrinkled.

Good morning to you, too, Amanda. You look like you came straight from the party, actually. No offense.

Ugh, I wish. I cant believe the weekend is already over.

Come on, there are worse things than a Monday morning.

Sometimes I really don't know how we came to be besties, she pauses and eyes me with mock distaste. Fine, tell me, whats worse than a Monday morning?

Umm, finding out Starbucks is out of ice when youre trying to get a chilled latte in sticky, sweaty New York in August? And its 90+ degrees out?

She laughs, Okay, fine. Dont remind me about that incident. Wed recently gone on a caffeine run in the middle of a horrendous workday when the office air conditioning had broken only to find out the nearest Starbucks couldnt make any iced drinks.

I thought you were going to murder that poor barista, I giggle at the memory. Now that the sweltering August heat is behind us and September has arrived to New York, we can joke about the fiasco.

Anyway, check out this guy I hooked up with at this party on Saturday, shes followed me to my desk and is brandishing her phone in my face. I take a look.

Wow, cute. He is. Theres no denying it. Hes a standard hot guy. Theres loads of them in the city. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Tall. Nice smile.

Are you kidding me? Hes gorgeous! This guy is like Hollywood hot. Amanda throws her hands up in despair. And the most you can give me is a wow, cute? Im really starting to worry about you, Sarah.

I laugh. Look, I can definitely appreciate the guys good looks. But right now Im more focused on preparing for our Monday meeting than scoping out your latest fling.

Fine, fine, she grins. But he does have a friend whos single Just saying.

Not interested right now. Show me a pic later? It has been awhile since Ive gone on a date. Or even just made out with a guy at a party.

Youre so focused, Sarah, its sort of infuriating. But I guess this is why youre a Senior Account Manager and Im still a Junior even though we started here as interns at the same time. Anyway, next weekend youre coming partying with me.

No, next weekend Ill be preparing for the Gillette pitch its that week and Ill need to practice my opening speech over the weekend.

You really are all work, no play. Then at least come out today for the weekly Peter & Bowers Monday Sucks But At Least Its Over after-work drinks.

LOL, is that the official name or just what you call it?

I think its technically called the Monday Motivation Meeting.

Ugh, I groan, Even I have to admit thats cheesy. I like your version better.

Ill write to Mr. Bowers himself about a rebrand, Amanda says laughingly. Mr. Bowers is the original Mr. Bowers of Peter & Bowers. Hes probably pushing 90 by now. Anyway, youre coming today. Sorry. I may technically be your junior but Im making an executive decision on this point.

Alright, just this once. Now get out of my way so I can get ready for this meeting, I wave her away, smiling. Amanda is great at her job and could easily have made Senior-level status by now, too but shes more interested in guys and parties than climbing the career ladder.

As Im gathering my notes and preparing to head to the conference room for our weekly all-hands meeting, I hear the familiar click of heels coming up behind me. Serena . I turn and take a look at her, slightly awe-struck as usual.

Serena Barnett is my boss but more importantly, shes everything I aspire to be. Powerful, smart, and in-charge, shes been at Peter & Bowers for decades. Now in her mid-forties, she was the first woman at P&B to reach President level.

I take a moment to survey her as we enter the meeting room. As usual, not a single jet-black hair on her head is out of place. Shes wearing a snug pencil skirt and cream-colored silk blouse. The top is cut dangerously low but her expertly knotted Herms shawl is perfectly placed to keep the look professional.

Okay everyone, lets get this show on the road, she taps her manicured nails lightly on the water glass in front of her on the table. It barely makes a sound but the room full of employees all the social media managers at P&B falls silent instantly. Serena can command the attention of any space in seconds.

Amanda rushes in, the last one to arrive as usual. Serena shoots her an annoyed look, one eyebrow raised.

Sorry, Amanda apologizes quickly, before sliding into the seat Ive saved for her. I dont even have to go to the trouble of saving Amanda a seat to be honest; everyone knows that if theres an empty chair next to me, its for her.

Okay then, Serena goes over to the meeting room door and shuts it definitively. This is the signal; once the door is closed, dont even try to join the meeting. Serena will just send you right back out. Some people think Serena is scary or a bitch. I think shes amazing.