Intimate Negotiations
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Nicki Night
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15,1K
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26
One
“Well...better luck next time.” Seth Sanders’s tone was cool, almost frigid, and devoid of any concern.
Zoe Baldwin saw Seth’s lips form into a smirk. He was gloating. She held her expression, hoping her true feelings didn’t best her and spread across her entire face. “Yep.” She offered a tight smile. “Next time,” she said and then turned her attention to her computer. Chest up, back erect and eyes straight forward, she dismissed him.
She was done talking, even though she really wanted to lash out with stronger words. But she didn’t want to come across as the bitter employee who didn’t get the promotion. Yet, she was bitter. This was the second time she’d been overlooked, the second time an employee she trained was now getting the title she deserved, and Seth was instrumental in both incidences. Zoe couldn’t prove it, but deep inside, she knew it.
Seth lingered for a moment before walking away. At his exit, Zoe felt the threat of tears sting her eyes. She grabbed her cell phone and headed to the ladies’ room. Going into the farthest stall, she bowed her head and let the tears fall. She hated that anger caused her to cry. Crying made her feel weak.
Zoe took a few deep breaths and then stood straight. She swallowed hard, pushing down other rising emotions. She closed her eyes, inhaled slowly and exhaled as much frustration as she could.
Seth’s actions were nothing short of retaliation. She’d been one of the few women at Bowman Advisors who’d rejected his advances. She didn’t care if he was the son of a board member. Seth was slick. He never made another pass at her but tried every single day to be just annoying enough to make her miserable at work. Most times she successfully ignored his childish behavior. But now he was standing in the way of her moving up the ladder. She didn’t have enough evidence to actually prove it—yet.
Zoe took another deep breath and released it with conviction. Either Seth had to go, or she would. Her mentor had once told her that sometimes bosses fired employees but other times, employees fired their bosses. It was time to fire Seth.
She exited the stall, tucked her cell phone under her arm and washed her hands. She grabbed tissues from the box on the sink and dabbed her eyes. Studying her image in the mirror, she stared directly into her own doe-like eyes that matched her mother’s, drawing strength from inside.
Zoe put a smile on her face. If she could handle the challenges of the life she lived, she could certainly handle the Seths of the world. With new conviction, she left the bathroom and dialed Willena Williams. Tough, brilliant and well respected, Willena was an icon in the finance industry. She was also one of Zoe’s professors from grad school and had become her most trusted mentor.
“Good morning, Zoe.” Willena’s singsong voice was full and strong. It was one quality that allowed her to move a room full of people to silence or action. Zoe pictured her at her desk, the large office, the wall of windows behind her. She could see Willena in one of her tailored suits and her salt-and-pepper tresses cut low in the back and swinging over her left eye in the front. “Have a good weekend, my dear?”
“I did, but today...not so good. Can you do lunch?”
“Oh...lunch won’t work but I can meet you for dinner. I haven’t been to Smith’s in a while. I could use a good steak.”
“That would be perfect, Willena. Six o’clock?”
“Let’s do five thirty.”
“Great. See you then.”
“Ta-ta for now” was Willena’s signature sign-off. She even closed text messages with it, using TTFN.
Zoe headed back into the office feeling a tad better. She watched Seth eyeing her in his normal squinted fashion as she made her way to her cubicle. Zoe hoped the day went by quickly so she could get to her dinner with Willena.
Despite Seth’s nagging presence, it did. The second the clock on her computer struck five, she shut it down, grabbed her purse and headed out the door. Again, Seth eyed her entire departure.
Maneuvering through the throngs of New York City’s after-work crowd, Zoe walked at a brisk pace, the pace and rhythm that matched the soul of the city. It came automatically when she hit those streets. After a quick subway ride, she reached the restaurant with minutes to spare. Willena walked up seconds after her and in no time, they were being seated.
“Blue. Neat please, my dear?” Willena said to the waiter, asking for her usual Johnnie Walker Blue straight with no ice even before the server had a chance to place the menus in front of them. “And she’ll have...” She paused for Zoe.
“I’ll have Riesling, please,” Zoe added.
“Uh!” Willena held up a finger just as the waiter was about to turn away. “Your best Riesling, thank you.”
One day, Zoe would drink scotch like Willena, no ice, no chaser. Willena’s drink choice was an indicator of the type of woman she was: aged, refined, hard and smooth at the same time, and of course no-nonsense. For now, Zoe was a white wine kind of woman.
“How’s it all going, my dear?” Willena buttered a warm piece of bread from the basket on the table and took a bite.
“Okay.” Zoe toyed with her bread, turning it over in her hand.
“Just okay? How’s the family?”
“All are well. Stable. And yours?”
Willena had no husband or children to speak of. She’d been married to her work for more than twenty-five years, managing to maintain a few boyfriends along the way. She’d turned down her share of proposals. Instead, she was the proud, wealthy aunt who spoiled her tribe of nieces and nephews. “My nephew chose Harvard. Following in his auntie’s footsteps. I’m so proud.”
“That’s great news! I know that makes you super happy.”
“It certainly does.”
Willena leaned aside for the waiter to place their beverages on the table. They took a moment to order appetizers and entrées.
“Now,” Willena said, bringing the focus back to their reason for meeting once the waiter left with their selections. “What’s going on at work?”
“I was passed over for a promotion—again.”
“Hmm.”
“This time stung worse than the last. I mean, at least the last time, I chucked it up to fair game. But this time, it feels...personal. Like sabotage. It’s like they don’t want me to move up in this company.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Willena nodded. Her lack of dialogue always propelled Zoe to talk more.
“Seth seemed happy that I didn’t get the promotion.” Zoe told her about their exchange this morning. “He’s so inappropriate at times. I’m going to file a complaint, but I want to make sure the timing is right. I don’t want to look like a sore loser.” She took a deep breath, feeling the need to calm herself. “He takes joy in bugging me. I’m qualified. I deserve this.”
Willena chimed in with a hummed response here and a nod there as Zoe continued to vent until their food arrived.
“You know that company is home base for the ‘old boys’ club,’” Willena said at last. “I think it’s noble that you figured all you had to do was work hard and then you’d be rewarded.” She shook her head. “Not there. If you don’t have an in with the right executive or you’re not family to one of the board, your chances of making it up the ladder are slim. But you knew that.” She huffed. “You got what you needed from them. When other companies see them on your résumé, they’ll take notice. It’s time.”
Willena bowed her head silently over her meal for a quick grace. Her gesture reminded Zoe that she should do the same. Her mother would have reprimanded her had she picked up a fork without giving thanks first.
“You need to move on,” Willena said when she looked up. “What’s your plan?”
A plan. Good question. Zoe hadn’t quite thought of one. She just knew it was time to move on. Hopefully she’d get a better salary. “I need a plan,” she admitted.
“Yes. Spontaneity is best preserved for romance. Planning is imperative in business. We don’t want to make rash or careless decisions about our career choices. Think about where you see yourself in the next few years and make sure your next steps are ones that get you closer to that goal.”
Zoe was glad she’d called Willena. She rarely volunteered her wisdom, but since Zoe had shared her situation, Willena had managed to give her the most thought-provoking advice in just a few words.
“In the meantime, I have a few friends in a few places.” Willena always referred to her vast network of professionals with nonchalance. “You know Blackwell Wealth Management, right?”
“Of course.”
“They’re expanding. I’ll ask Bill what the deal is over there. There may be an opportunity coming up with them. I’ll keep you posted.”
“I’d really appreciate that.”
“In the meantime, work on your plan and send it to me. We’ll see what the possibilities are for you.”
Zoe nodded. Suddenly she felt lighter. Seth wasn’t going to stand in her way of becoming all she was destined to be. Just because he didn’t want to promote her didn’t mean she wouldn’t achieve her own career advancement.
“Now, about that love life!” Willena watched Zoe curiously with a raised brow.
Zoe threw her head back and laughed. “Willena! I’m fine.”
“You have to have a little fun, honey.”
“Mmm, this salmon is delicious!” Zoe tried to hold her smile back as she wrapped her mouth around a forkful and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, Willena was still giving her the same raised-brow expression.
Zoe laughed again. She had no answer for Willena. She wasn’t sure when she would ever be able to answer that question.
