Undersold

by B. B. Hamel

  It was my dream job. I nervously pulled down the hem of my slim fitted grey pencil skirt, the one that showed off my ass. I was going for attractive but still professional. I felt like I didn’t belong here in this expensive-looking lobby, surrounded by all the happy people, but I was determined to make this happen. My hair was up in a tight bun, and I decided to wear my glasses for once. I was beginning to worry that I came off more as a sexy secretary than as a serious business professional. Not that I really knew what a serious business professional actually looked like. I had never held an office job before, and this was my first experience at a large company.

  They kept me waiting for about a half hour. People streamed in and out, seemingly without appointments, and everyone was dressed in designer labels. Except for me, and I hoped I didn’t stand out too much. I clutched my simple brown leather bag, which was once my mother’s when she worked in an office years ago. It now held everything in it, my notes and my laptop, and I suddenly felt protective. The contents of this bag would determine my future.

  “Miss Woodall?” the receptionist said.

  “Yes?” I replied, standing up.

  “They’re ready for you.”

  The door to the office opened and a tall woman with short blonde hair stood smiling at me. I walked over to her and she extended her hand. We shook, and her fingers felt strong but soft, and her nails were neatly manicured. Her legs were long and she was absolutely stunning. She was what I imagined Darcy would become in a few years, mature but still radiant.

  “My name is Janice Shear. I’m Mr. Green’s assistant.”

  “Nice to meet you, Miss Shear.”

  “Please, call me Janice.”

  I laughed nervously. “You call me Amy, then.”

  “Great! Please, right this way.”

  I instantly liked Janice. She was warm and kind and something about her put me at ease. Maybe it was the way she looked like she was really listening when I spoke, even if we were only exchanging pleasantries.

  Janice led us into the office, and I looked around. I couldn’t help but stare like a kid in a museum for the first time. The space was open, with very high ceilings and rows of long flowing desks down the middle, sectioned off by seven-foot plastic dividers. Someone occupied each section, and everyone’s desk looked like it was out of a movie. They were decorated with personal items, like pictures and toys, and it was all so colorful and lighthearted. Instead of the somber business look most places had, this one was modern and sleek. It was the opposite of the lobby I just came through, which was classic ornate and meant to show off their wealth. I couldn’t spot a single man wearing a suit jacket, and the women weren’t wearing heels, with the exception of Janice. The atmosphere was upbeat, loud but not overwhelming, and people were milling about, chatting in groups, or sitting at their desk with headphones on typing away.

  There were other side rooms everywhere, and I thought I saw the kitchen. We walked down a short hall to our right, which was lined with glass enclosed conference rooms, some empty and some full, and took a left at the end. Up ahead were two large doors, wooden but simple. Janice stopped before we reached them.

  “Okay Amy, this is where the meeting will take place. Mr. Green and Mr. Brown will be with you shortly,” Janice said. She opened the doors and moved aside for me to enter. It was a basic conference room, dominated by a single large table in the middle, and it could have seated twenty.

  “Is there anything I can get you? Anything at all?”

  “No, thank you,” I said. Janice nodded, and turned to go.

  However, before she got out of the conference room, it sunk in that I had no idea who Mr. Brown was. “Oh, I’m sorry!” I said. Janice turned back patiently. “Who is Mr. Brown?”

  Janice smiled. “Mr. Brown is Mr. Green’s lawyer.”

  “Thanks,” I said, and felt a little embarrassed. Of course he was the lawyer, obviously there would be lawyers. I had never done something like this before, and I suddenly felt like I should have someone here with me. Panic rose up for a second, but I took a deep breath to stay calm.

  “Don’t worry. Royal Brown is a nice man, you’ll get along,” Janice said. For a second I thought she could read my mind, but she must have noticed my anxiety leak out onto my face.

  “Thanks, I hope so.”

  “They should be here shortly.” Janice turned and left, closing the doors behind her.

  I sat down in the center of the room and placed my notes and my laptop in front of me. I turned the machine on and looked around. It was simple, not ornate like the lobby, and not quirky-colorful like the main office was. I felt more comfortable here, even though a stone of anxiety was sitting in my chest. I wasn’t used to fancy places like the lobby, having grown up with Dad in a suburb called Levittown. We didn’t have much, but Dad worked hard to provide for my two older brothers and me. I had never been in a space so clearly modern and light, like the main office was. Columbia had some spaces like that, but I mostly stayed away from them. I preferred the older buildings, big and blocky, with simple layouts and designs. They were more comfortable to me for some reason.

  The self-doubt returned, but I pushed it away. It was going to be fine, I told myself, and tried to think about meeting my handsome stranger later that night. About his body pressed up against mine in a dark alley while he tried desperately to slide his hands up my skirt and to run his lips along my neck. Before I could get too lost in the fantasy, there was a knock at the door, and it opened.

  I stood to greet them. In walked two men. The first was older, probably in his mid-fifties, rounder and tall. His hair was mostly greying but still shaggy like a teenager, which made him look kind. He walked right up to me and extended his hand, a big grin on his face.

  “Royal Brown, lawyer to the stars, good to meet you,” he said, and we shook.

  “Amy Woodall, app developer, and future app seller.” Royal laughed at my joke, which instantly made me like him, then moved to sit at the other side of the table.

  Then I saw him. The second man moved to approach me. And my jaw nearly hit the floor.

  5.

  I didn’t know how or why, but this man was my handsome stranger, the same one I messaged just this morning. I was positive it was him, and I could only stand there staring. He looked as surprised as I did though, and there was an awkward pause as we stood facing each other.

  In his pictures, he was never looking straight into the camera. His head was turned and the lighting was dim, which made it hard to make out the details of his features. Plus, Shane Green, the billionaire owner of Adstringo, was notoriously private, maybe obsessively private if the blogs were true. There weren’t many pictures of him out there. But this was definitely Shane Green, and Shane Green was definitely the same man I had sent very explicit, very dirty texts to.

  He was better looking in person. Maybe late thirties, mature looking and handsome. His eyes were the same flint blue from the picture, but close up they were deep pools, enough to get lost in. His tailored suit clung to his well-worked body, and I couldn’t help but run my eyes up and down him. He looked and felt like he owned the room, and radiated a confidence that I was completely unfamiliar with. I suddenly felt like I didn’t belong there, even more than I already had. I noticed he was doing the same thing to me, running his eyes up and down my body, and I was suddenly conscious of the way my skirt clung to my hips and my shirt accentuated my breasts. I hoped he could still take me seriously, even if he had already seen a picture of me pressing my tits together for him. I had never met someone I felt such an immediate and powerful attraction to, and now I understood why a single picture had made me want to suck his cock with abandon. I felt embarrassed but excited all at once. His nearby body was like a beacon for me, and although we were still complete strangers, I found myself wanting to press as close against him as I could.

  Behind all of this was a simple question: why would he lie to me? Why would he tell me his name was Rex Blue? I felt a little betrayed, al
though I realized I had no real right to. Did he plan on telling me the truth later, or did he hope I wouldn’t recognize him? The contrast between the man I had been texting with, and the man standing in front of me with a surprised look on his face, the one who lied to me about his name and his identity, was like a hurricane inside my head.

  Before the moment got too awkward, Shane put his hand out.

  “Shane Green. Nice to meet you, Miss Woodall,” he said. His confusion shifted into a devilish smile.

  I wasn’t sure how to play this. He obviously recognized me too, or at least I was pretty sure he did, but Royal Brown was watching us closely. I reached out and shook.

  “Hello, Mr. Green,” I said. His hand was large and strong in mine, but it wasn’t soft like I expected. For a brief moment as we shook, my face turned bright red as I remembered describing how I wanted him to tie my hands behind my back while he took me from behind. I couldn’t believe I said that to my potential future employer. We released, and Shane went to sit by Royal.

  “Well, you look a little flustered,” Royal said.

  “Does she?” Shane answered. I thought he sounded disinterested, which confused me.

  “Almost like you saw a ghost.” Royal laughed.

  “I’m just a little nervous,” I managed to say.

  “Well young lady, that’s totally natural,” Royal said. Shane’s gaze was piercing into me, and he wasn’t looking away. His face was impassive. I nervously sat and shuffled through my notes, trying not to think about how badly I wanted his lips pressed against mine.

  There was a brief lull, and Royal looked between Shane and me.

  “Well then,” Shane said finally, clearing his throat. “Shall we get started, Miss Woodall?”

  6.

  I didn’t need to be nervous. Royal took control of most of the meeting, and he was easy to get along with. He passed me contracts detailing the offer, exactly how much they were willing to pay, which was more than enough, and the terms of my employment. My stomach did backflips when he said ‘employment,’ and Royal must have noticed my joy because he couldn’t help but smile back. Meanwhile, Shane stayed quiet, and only spoke when it was clear he had to break in. There was something strange about him, almost brooding, and I felt like I was only seeing a drop in the bucket.

  I didn’t understand this man. He was pretending like we didn’t know each other, or worse, like he was disappointed in me. Maybe the texts and pictures gave him a different idea, and once he met me in person, I wasn’t living up to his idealized version. I really had no clue what his passive silence meant, and it was all I could do not to reach across the table and grab him by the shoulders, maybe shake him slightly, and yell all the questions I had buzzing through my mind. Instead, I sat as patiently as I could and listened to Royal explain the deal, while Shane remained the epitome of passive professionalism. Royal was leading the meeting, but it was clear that Shane was in control. Even though he hardly spoke, Royal always looked to him before anything got signed.

  How didn’t he recognize my profile picture? Didn’t he research me before buying my app? And why was he lying about his name on a crappy dating site? The answers were obviously not happening at this meeting. At least Royal seemed blissfully unaware of the issues between us as he droned on about insurance packages and salaries. Normally, that would have been the happiest moment of my life, but there was too much turmoil inside of me to enjoy it.

  Toward the end of the meeting, we signed the final contracts. Royal passed me the papers first, and with a sharp bite of self-doubt and fear, I signed my name on the dotted line. Then, when I pushed the papers over to Shane, our fingers briefly touched. A slow shock tingled up my tips and through my hand, and our eyes met briefly. He looked away, pulled the contracts toward him, and signed as well.

  The meeting ended soon after that. We all shook hands again, but I could still feel that brief touch between us. It was the first time we made casual contact, and although we shook hands, it didn’t have the same spontaneous shock that his fingers grazing mine did.

  I was elated and confused. On the one hand, I just landed a job at the largest company in the city, a job I had wanted for years, while also selling an app that I had labored over since I was in school. My student debts would all be repaid and I would have some extra income to help pay my Dad’s medical bills. On the other, the first man I felt anything for in a long time, and maybe the most gorgeous one I had ever seen, lied to me about who he was, and seemed distant and distracted.

  The two men left, and Janice came in to see me out.

  “How’d it go?” she asked.

  “It went perfect.”

  “Oh yeah? Are you rich now?”

  I laughed. What a weird question to ask someone. It felt unprofessional, but coming from her, completely comfortable and funny.

  “Nope, not yet. But my student loans will get paid, and I’ll have a job,” I said.

  “Well congratulations, Amy.”

  We walked out, Janice in the lead. As we moved down the hall, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. Normally I wouldn’t check it, but I was so elated and confused that I pulled it out without thinking. Meet me at McCullough’s around the corner in ten.

  It was a message from him. Rex Blue or Shane Green, whoever he was, still wanted me to meet him. And he wanted me to do it now.

  I wasn’t sure what I wanted. As I followed Janice, I looked around the office and tried to catch a glimpse of Shane slash Rex, but he was nowhere in sight. I had no clue if I should go, but maybe he had a good reason for the way he was acting, and for why he lied to me. At the very least, it might be good to air all of this out before I started working for him. I decided it would be a good idea to make nice with the new boss.

  Janice took me to the front of the office, and held open the door to the lobby.

  “Thanks Janice,” I said. She smiled warmly in return.

  “I look forward to working with you.”

  “Same to you,” I said.

  We shook hands again, and I exited into the lobby. I was an emotional mess, I realized as I got onto the elevator. I was also going to meet with Shane Green, reclusive billionaire, my future boss, my sext partner, alone in a bar in the next few minutes, and I had no clue what was going to happen.

  7.

  I was late. After I left the lobby, I went into the building’s public bathroom and fixed myself up. I took off my glasses and unbuttoned the top two buttons on my blouse. Might as well let him see what he’s missing, I figured. I guessed this wasn’t just a business meeting since he invited me to a bar. I washed my hands, and gave myself a mental pep talk. I can do this. I can do this. The knot of doubt was there, but I ignored it, and went out to try and find McCullough’s.

  The bar was in a basement under a hair salon around the corner form Adstringo’s office. There was a tiny sign at the top of the staircase, and it took me fifteen minutes to even find it. By the time I did, I was 20 minutes late. I hurried down the steps, hoping he’d still be there.

  I pushed open the old, dirty door and walked into the dimly lit room. There was wood paneling on every wall half way to the top, with the top half mostly dominated by old fashioned advertising signs. The place smelled like cigarette smoke, although nobody was smoking. It was pretty empty, and the long bar took up most of the room, with just a few booths off to one side, and an old jukebox in the corner. It was the definition of a dive, the more I looked at it, and I couldn’t believe a guy like Shane Green would go into a place like this. I felt instantly at home.

  It took a second for my eyes to adjust, but once they did I spotted him sitting alone at the bar, nursing a drink. As I got closer to him, he looked up at me, and gave me that same crooked grin from the picture he had sent me. I felt my stomach do flips, and suddenly the knot of self doubt loosened up just a bit.

  “Hey there, Amy,” he said.

  “Hey yourself, Mr. Green. Or should I say Rex?” I took the seat next to him and dropped my bag on the floor. I
didn’t know where this confidence was coming from, but it felt good being near him.

  His grin vanished, replaced with a look of deep intensity. He bowed his head slightly. “I have some explaining to do.”

  “Yeah, you do. But first, buy me a drink. White wine.”

  He looked up a little surprised, but the intensity didn’t go away. If anything, it deepened, and I felt something stir inside of me. He motioned for the bartender, and ordered my drink. It felt good to act demanding, even though we both knew who held the power in this situation. We waited in silence while the bartender poured it, and placed it in front of me. I could feel Shane brooding beside me, and I stole glances at him out of the corner of my eye. He was staring into the mirror behind the bar with a far away look on his face, obviously thinking deeply about something. He was drinking a half-empty whiskey, or scotch, or whatever is brown.

  “Alright then, go ahead, Mr. Blue,” I said, taking a sip from my drink.

  He leaned back in his chair. His body and his piercing gaze took control of the room instantly. “Where do I start?”

  “Maybe the name, for one.” I was pretending to be brave, but I already felt completely at his mercy.

  “Alright, but first let me say this. I promise I didn’t know who you were when we started messaging. Not even when you sent me that picture.” He wasn’t smiling anymore, and his eyes were smooth and serious.

  I wasn’t convinced. “How? I mean, you were buying my app.”

  “I have a team that does purchasing. I actually didn’t have much to do with the basic research. I didn’t know your name until this morning, and even that didn’t ring any bells. Not my finest hour, I realize. I was a little distracted at the time.”

  “Fine, even if that’s true and you didn’t know who I was, why did you lie about your name in the first place?”