Page 95 of Playing Dirty
"Margot." Celeste’s voice cuts through. "Hey. Stop that."
"Stop what?" I ask, blinking as I return to the present.
"You’re practically gnawing on your cuticles while you stare into the vineyards," she says, her expression full of concern. "It’s a bit unsettling. Stop letting the internet trolls win."
"Ugh." I pull my hand away from my mouth and grimace at the damage. "Nervous tic. And I just got these done last week, too." I frown at the chipped manicure. "Okay. Sorry. Focusing."
“We can take a break if you want.” She smiles gently. "Do something else, get your mind off it."
“No, no, I’m fine.” I wave her off, desperate to remain productive and keep the spiraling thoughts at bay. "And these expansion plans for next spring are massive—we really need to stay on schedule."
"Margot!"
I turn to see Carol marching across the terrace, her silver bob catching the light, and I give a quick, apologetic look back to Celeste.
"Give me one moment," I murmur, "I'll be right back."
I straighten my shoulders, feeling a fresh spike of nerves. Carol hadn’t known about me and Cillian either, though she’d reached out via text this morning to go over some basics regarding the media fallout. I stand and walk over to meet herin the dappled shade of the old branches spilling over the stone wall, and lean against it.
"Hey, sorry, I have the meeting with Celeste or I would have stopped by your office first," I say.
She waves a hand. "I just got in myself, so no harm done. But I wanted to touch base with you. Are you doing alright?"
"Oh, you know. It’s a bit overwhelming," I admit, fiddling with my cuff. "Are you... upset about it? The whole dating-the-ambassador thing?"
She shakes her head. "No, not at all. I actually think the two of you together are rather sweet, there was always a little spark there in those meetings. The boarddidhave a conversation this morning, I'll be honest. The angle of you dating the brand ambassador, and whether that crossed a professional line."
I nod, biting my lip and bracing for the worst.
"But," she continues, "once it was pointed out how much engagement the leak is actually generating, they pivoted. In the end, it's getting so much attention they decided it’s actually a benefit rather than an unprofessional lapse, so they’ve opted not to intervene or reprimand you."
"Oh, thank god." I exhale a massive, shaky breath. "Thank you, Carol. I know you likely had a major hand in that decision."
She smiles, looking every bit the formidable mentor. "You’re my right-hand woman, Margot. I’ll be damned if some stuffy board members ruin your career over a romance."
"So what's the plan? Marketing isn't going to want to, I don't know, lean into it, are they?" I wince at the thought.
"No, we're sticking with the plan we laid out. A few small pivots, nothing major. I'm not turning your love life into a billboard, Margot." She gives me a dry look. "And for what it's worth, I've asked the staff not to gossip or pry. You come to me directly if anyone gives you trouble."
I smile. "I will. Thank you."
She nods decisively. "Good. Now, I have about ten thousandthings to do, and you should go back to your meeting with Celeste."
"Thanks, Carol," I say, starting to turn away.
"Margot," she calls out, and I look back. "I’m happy for you. You deserve someone who is crazy about you."
I feel the blush return, warmer than before. "Thanks, Carol. He’s really wonderful to me."
She heads off, and I make my way back to our table, letting the relief settle over me. That's one fire out, at least, even if there's a whole internet still burning.
Celeste looks up. "All good?"
I nod, dropping back into my chair. "Yeah. Job's safe, at least."
"See? It'll all work out. It just needs to blow over." She pulls up the plans again on the iPad.
I try to take solace in the idea that it'll pass and that I'm not being fired for sleeping with an ambassador. But my eyes keep drifting back to my phone, to the news articles and the toxic comments, to the whispers of cheating and the inevitable heartbreak.
