Bond Girl (31 page)

“When my other clients ask me to meet them, they don't reference their wives being away.”

“It's all part of normal conversation. You're being way too sensitive. My wife's going to Palm Beach to see her parents next weekend. There you go. For the record, I was not just hitting on you.”

“This is pointless.” I sighed, aware that I shouldn't have shown such brazen disrespect. But I had stopped caring the day Chick had to turn in his ID.
Fuck this clown.

“Yes. It is. You leave next Monday. That's all there is to it. This is a fantastic opportunity for you, and you're bitching about it. I'd rather you just say thank you and save the whining for someone else.”

“I'm not whining. I'm really uncomfortable going to Arizona with him. Considering you're my boss, I don't really understand why you want to put me in such an awkward position.” This was a last-ditch appeal to Darth's almighty, powerful, benevolent boss persona.

“You're going.”

So much for that.

“Now moving on to the second reason I asked you in here.”

Great.

“Something quite curious has been brought to my attention, and I was hoping you could help clear it up for me.”

“Sure.”

“I got a call from Human Resources this morning. For the first time in the history of the Cromwell recruiting program, we extended offers to three kids from UVA. That's your alma mater, is it not?”

“Yes.”

“What's even more unusual is that
all three
of our offers were declined. That has never happened before and clearly it's cause for concern. Obviously, campus recruiting is an important part of our firm's future growth and as such we take it very seriously.”

“I know. I attended the presentation.”

“I'm aware of that. Do you want to know how I know?”

I shrugged. I assumed that Satan's powers were limitless, but I doubted that was the answer he was looking for. I met his steely gaze with my own, refusing to flinch. I had learned a few things in my time here, and as much as I hated Darth, he didn't scare me nearly as much as Chick had back in the day.
Bring it on, you smug bastard.

“I instructed HR to contact the kids and find out why they decided to go to the competition instead of working here. We were all pretty shocked to hear the answers.”

“What were they?” I asked, feigning interest and still trying to figure out a way to miss the Arizona conference. Maybe I could throw myself down a flight of stairs and end up in a body cast.

“You.”

“Me?”

“You.”

Suddenly, I remembered.

Oh shit.

“It seems that they were very impressed with your ‘honest' answers to their questions. Which, of course, made us wonder what exactly they were talking about.”

Oh shit.

“Did you tell the students that Wall Street was not like they saw in the movies?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell them that it can be difficult for women?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell them that the atmosphere and the pressure can be brutal, and that money alone is not a sufficient reason to take the job?”

“Yes.”

“What the hell were you thinking, Alex? You were there as an ambassador for the firm! You were supposed to
sell
Cromwell to those kids. You're in sales, so regardless of whether you're selling the firm's image, or bonds that aren't worth the paper they're printed on, you SELL it. That's what I pay you to do.”

You've got to love this business.

“Keith, they asked me questions and I answered them honestly. If we can't manage to recruit talent with an honest depiction of life on the Street and at this firm, then those kids weren't the right kids for the job.”

“It's not your job to determine which kids have what it takes to make it here. It's not your job to give them your ‘insight' into life at this firm. It most certainly is not your job to argue with me! I don't know what has happened to you, Alex. Honestly, it's like you just don't care anymore.”

“What do you mean, what has happened to me?”

“You used to be smart, I think. Granted, you were an Ed Ciccone hire and there's a reason he doesn't have this job anymore, but that's a story for another day. In the beginning, it was funny watching you ingratiate yourself with the group, and—I have to give you credit—somehow you managed to pull it off. You worked hard. You didn't question your superiors. What happened to that girl? Now I have a girl who all of a sudden
forgot
that sales isn't about telling everyone the truth when they ask for it. I don't know where along the way you decided that you don't have to play the game anymore. If anything, you need to play it even more now. In case you haven't noticed, Wall Street is being turned into a bunch of pariahs by the media. Morale is a fraction of what it used to be and we're hemorrhaging money every single day. It's bad enough for the guys who have been doing this for twenty years and been through just about every shit storm imaginable, but then you decide to make it even
more
difficult by exercising your First Amendment right to free speech with a bunch of fucking kids who would—should—believe this place looked like Candy Land if that's what we told them. Does that make any sense to you?”

I remained motionless, unable to defend myself when theoretically he was right. Except, it didn't
feel
right. I'd given up a lot for this life, some of it willingly. But there were still some things I wouldn't give up for Darth, or Will, or Rick, or the Street in general. I refused to give up
me
. And screw this guy for expecting me to.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” he asked smugly as he smoothed his blue tie over his white shirt.

“Nothing,” I said nonchalantly.

“Nothing?”

“Nope.”

He sighed. “You've tried my patience today, Alex. I'll chalk it up to PMS. But you better pull it together and fast. The way you're acting now, it's like you don't even want to be here.”

For the first time, Darth and I agreed on something.

I smiled broadly as I exited his office and headed for the elevators, wondering how long it would take him to realize that I had left my ID on his desk.

Twenty

Capiche?

W
hen I got to the bar on Warren Street later that afternoon, Patty, Annie, and Liv were already waiting for me at a small table upstairs near the bar. After leaving Darth's office, I'd gone straight to HR and given notice. Then I'd walked out the Cromwell Pierce building. I didn't look back. I couldn't; I was shaking so badly my legs would only move forward. I walked home and kicked off my heels. Then I made a few phone calls. Then I cried like a five-year-old. Then I smoked a pack of cigarettes. Then I decided I needed a drink. Or ten. So, I came here to meet my friends. I collapsed onto an empty stool as Annie filled a glass with wine. Patty handed me a box filled with personal items from my desk: flip-flops, extra shoes, eyeglasses, a string of Mardi Gras beads Marchetti bought me not long after I started, a bottle of Advil, a stuffed pig that squealed when you squeezed it that had been left on my desk by an anonymous admirer, and the souvenir magnet Chick had brought me from Bermuda. I may just have walked away from all my restricted stock, but I did get a few consolation prizes. Little inside joke gifts from my friends. They were worth way more than the stock was as far as I was concerned. Especially these days.

“You just quit? You woke up this morning and went off to work just like every day, and in an instant, you decided to quit?” Liv asked, dumbstruck.

“It wasn't quite that simple but pretty much, yeah.”

“I can't believe you just walked out!” Patty was waving her arms all over the place as she spoke, and if it wasn't for the fact that she wore a business suit, I was pretty sure people would have thought she was a complete lunatic. “I'm so pissed at you I don't even know what to say!”

“You're pissed? Patty, I'm sitting here holding a cardboard box and I don't have a job. You really should try to be a bit more sympathetic. Plus, I just lost my medical insurance, and I forfeited upward of $50,000 in stock when I walked out those doors. Do you really think that being mad at me is appropriate?”

“What about
me
? How am I going to deal with Darth Vader by myself? If anything, this is the worst day of
my
life. I'm going to have to get lunch by myself now, or even worse, go with Baby Gap. Have you even thought about that?”

“Good point. It does sort of suck to be you.”

“Yes. You selfish bitch.”

“Sorry, Patty. What did Darth say when he came back to the desk?”

“Nothing! I wouldn't have known anything had happened if you hadn't called me and told me to get your stuff.”

“Typical. Once you're gone it's like you were never there.”

“That's not true. Poor Drew is freaking out that they're going to sit someone painful next to him, and Reese ordered swine burgers for lunch in your honor. You need to call them. They're pretty bummed you didn't say good-bye.”

“Anyone else?” I wasn't sure why I cared. But I wanted to know.

“He didn't say anything, but I think he's upset. I glanced at him as I was on my way out and he looked like someone sucker-punched him. I think he's afraid he's never going to see you again.”

“He's not.”

Asshole.

“What are you going to do now?” Patty asked.

“No idea. I don't really have any idea what I'm going to do next. And that's a first for me. Although I'm pretty sure I'm going to freak out in a few minutes.” The reality was starting to hit me: I QUIT MY FREAKIN' JOB.

“I'm so proud of you,” Liv said, tilting her head to the side as if she was talking to a three-year-old. “You gave up a lot for that job, and the only thing you got back was money and a few good friends. It wasn't worth it.”

“I know. But we're in a recession. It's not going to be easy trying to get another job right now.”

Annie reached over and grabbed my hand. “I think this is the greatest thing you've ever done for yourself. You did the right thing. The glass is half full. Not half empty.”

“Speaking of half empty, can someone top off my pinot, please?” I pushed my glass toward the bottle of wine and drummed my fingers on the table.

“Got it!” Liv answered.

Annie continued her pep talk. “I'm serious. I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did there. Now you can try some new things. The recession is forcing a lot of people to look at their lives and make changes. It's a great opportunity actually.”

I flipped my cell phone open to see if I had any text messages. Drew and Reese. I had just left Cromwell, and I already missed them terribly. My friends on the desk were the one thing I was sad to leave behind. Well, them and the stock.

“Well, I need to get going. I'm looking forward to waking up tomorrow without a hangover,” I said as I stood.

“Can't we get another bottle?” Liv asked as Patty sullenly stared at the box on the floor.

“Nope! I have to go.”

“Where? You have plans?”

“Sort of. You know that bartender I ran into at Tortilla Flats?”

“Yes?” Liv asked hopefully.

“He started working at an Italian place down on Carmine. I called him earlier, and he asked me if I wanted to swing by tonight and check it out. I told him I would.”

“Look at you; you're like a whole new woman, trading in preppy Will for a tattooed bartender.”

“Oh stop. The only thing I traded in is my Cromwell ID for an unemployment card. Swell.”

“I can't believe I'm not going to see you tomorrow!” Patty said as she hugged me good-bye. I found myself fighting back tears. I was really turning into a sap.

“You'll do great, Patty. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Tell everyone I miss them already.”

“The feeling's mutual,” she said as she sadly waved good-bye.

I
had the cabdriver take me through the windy streets of the West Village. The air was crisp for August and I decided to get out a few blocks away and walk, soaking up my newfound freedom.

My phone rang and my caller ID displayed the number that used to make me quake with fear. Tonight, it made me smile.

“Well, hello there, boss.”

“Is it true?”

“How'd you find out already?” I asked.

“Alex, I may not be your boss anymore, but I still know everything that goes on at that firm.”

“Of course you do.” I laughed, enjoying the luxury of talking to Chick without being restricted by employer-employee boundaries.

“So did you really tell Darth Vader to go fuck himself?”

“No! Is that what everyone thinks? I just left. It wasn't very dramatic, all things considered.”

“That took balls, Alex. I'm proud of you.”

“For quitting?”

“No, not for quitting. I talked to Will. He told me everything that's been going on with Rick and what he's been trying to do. I'm pissed as hell that you never said anything to me about that.”

“You really had no idea he was bothering me?”

I heard him sigh. “I knew he was messing with you a little, but that's just his way. He does it to everyone, and I thought I was keeping an eye on it. I guess with everything going on in the markets, I stopped paying attention. I'm sorry about that. I had no idea it had gotten so out of hand. You should have told me when he crossed the line.”

“I wanted to, but I was worried you were the one who gave him my number in the first place.”

“You should know better than that, Alex. I thought I took good care of you.”

“You did. You were a good boss, for what it's worth.”

“Good to hear. That brings me to the second reason I'm calling. I got an offer to run another group. I can't tell you where because my contract isn't completely negotiated yet, but how would you feel about coming to work for me again? I'll even make sure I have a desk ready for you this time.”

“You're offering me a job? I don't even have to interview?”

“I've known all I need to know about you for a long time, Girlie.”

“I'm flattered, Chick, really. I'd love to work with you again, but I'm actually thinking about doing something else with my life.”

“What else is there? Are you skilled in anything else? Do you have any secret talents I don't know about? Yodeling?”

“No.”

“Baton twirling?”

“No.”

“Fire breathing?”

“No!”

“Then what are you thinking about doing? Are you going to go back to school? That's not a bad idea. You could go get an MBA. I'll write your recommendation for Harvard.”

“Actually, no. I wasn't thinking about going back to school. I have a few ideas. I'll fill you in when I figure it all out.”

“Fuck that. You'll tell me now.”

I stayed silent.

“Please don't tell me you're going to turn into one of those bitter bitches who leaves the Street and then write a book or something. I hate those women.”

I laughed. “I'm not writing a book, Chick.”

“Good. I don't deserve to be slammed. I treated you well. I gave you extra cash at Christmas and my U2 tickets, if I remember correctly.”

“You also made me spend a thousand dollars on a wheel of cheese.”

“That's called tough love, Alex. It made you a more punctual salesperson.”

“I know, and I don't think I ever thanked you for that. If I did write a book, I'd probably talk about how you put your feet up on your desk and made me look at your socks though. Which never matched, by the way.”

“I can live with that. I'm a busy man, Alex. I don't have time to style myself. Besides, you're the only person who ever noticed the difference between navy blue and black.”

“It's more likely that I'm the only one who ever told you.”

“Fine. Whatever. Alex, listen. The last thing I want to be is a fucking dating game host, but for what it's worth, Will feels like a schmuck about everything.”

“He should.”

“No doubt. But when I talked to him, he asked if he should call you. I think he felt bad that you didn't say good-bye when you left. I told him I'd talk to you first and feel it out. What should I tell him?”

“Tell him to fuck off.”

That felt good.

“Okay, then.”

“Yup. Well, I'm about to meet a friend for a quick dinner. Thanks for the call though. It means a lot.”

“Don't go getting all sappy on me. Listen, if you need anything, you know where to find me. When you decide what you want to do with your life, let me know. If I can help you in any way, I will. Capiche?”

“Capiche.”

“Go get 'em, Girlie. I'm rooting for you.”

Click.

He hung up.

I walked the last half block to the small Italian restaurant on Carmine Street to meet Matt and sample his culinary talents. I was a free woman. And for the first time in a long time, I could breathe easily.

The small sign hanging next to the door said
BUONA FORTUNA
. Italian for “good luck.”

It was fitting. I was going to need it.