Loving Lana - Chapter 1
Lana stared out the window, watching the people fourteen floors below scurrying about. Umbrellas started popping up randomly over the crowd as the light drizzle turned to a hard rain. Black umbrellas, for the most part.
Why do people choose black umbrellas when a rainy day is already so dull?
She sighed, forcing her attention back to her colleagues. Everyone was seated around a large oval table in the minimally decorated board room. Sara Martin, the head of Martin Interiors and Lana’s best friend since college, stood at the front of the room, pointing to a sharply falling red line on a large graph.
"As of right now, we need at least two more good contracts to recoup our losses from the botched Wesley and Anderson jobs last quarter. In addition, we’ll need to redo those projects pro bono, in order to salvage our reputation. It’s going to be a very busy month, people."
Lana nodded as Sara peered over her glasses at them all. Just last week, it had been discovered that Tara O’Neil, a secretary in the front office had been deliberately sabotaging several decorating jobs because Sara had turned her down for a promotion. Tara had been fired, but not before doing substantial damage to two of the firm’s largest year-round clients. Brad Wesley and Darrin Anderson were now threatening to take their business elsewhere if Martin Interiors didn’t make good on the latest projects.
“I have a few potential clients to meet with next week, and hopefully we can get contracts signed with them that will help boost our earnings this quarter. Jake and Dawn, you two will be heading those up when everything is finalized.” Sara walked around the table distributing files as she continued. “Sandra, you’ll take over the Anderson account. Darrin is waiting for your call – make sure you contact him before five ‘o clock today, and find out how we can make things right for him. You’re free to get started now, if you’d like.” Sandra nodded, taking the file and walking briskly out of the room.
Lana bit her bottom lip nervously. She was the only one who hadn’t gotten an assignment yet, and there was just one left to give out. Sara came to stand by her, and set the last file folder on the table in front of Lana.
“Sorry Lana, but he asked for you specifically.” Sara’s voice was apologetic, but firm. “We need this contract, and you’re the only one who can make that happen at this point. He’s waiting for your call.”
Lana nodded slowly, staring at the folder in front of her. “I’ll see what I can do,” she said quietly. Vaguely she heard Sara dismiss the meeting, and as everyone got up to leave, she leaned forward, opening the file folder carefully as if something might jump out of it.
“I wouldn’t ask you to do this if there was any other way,” Sara said, pulling up a chair after everyone else had left. “After what Brad did to you—“
“It’s okay,” Lana said. She tried to smile convincingly at her friend. “It’s not like I can avoid him forever, right? We need his money, so I’ll do what I can to hold on to it.”
She closed the file after a cursory glance over the first page, and pushed her chair back. Sara stood too, briefly embracing Lana before they both walked to the door.
“Thank you, Lana – I really appreciate this. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
Lana nodded, and headed down the hall to her office. She needed to read the file in depth to see what had been sabotaged, and then set up a meeting with Brad to discuss solutions. She squared her shoulders, mentally preparing herself to hear his voice again when she called. The low, even tone he always used had a hypnotic effect on her, and even now, she could feel a slight chill in her spine at the memory. She reached her office, closed the door, and sat at her desk, shoving the memories aside as she began to read the file.
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