Gina Calanni - How To Bake The Perfect Wedding Cake

I pick up the coffee pot and pour some into my mug. My cup is a recent present from my mom. She is always giving me various coffee mugs and other paraphernalia. This one says: “I’m about to say I Do” and has a picture of a bride who is trying to check out at a grocery store or something. I’m not sure what the point of this mug is other than my mom wants me to focus on planning my wedding and by using this cup at work perhaps I will be more inclined to do so?

I exit the break room and barely miss spilling my coffee over my blouse.

“Whoa, Lauren, are you okay?” Trent grabs my elbows and if it weren’t for my hot coffee, I would totally jerk my entire body away. But as it stands I can’t.

“Yes, I’m fine. Excuse me.” I cast my eyes on his hands to let him know to release me from his grip.

“Lauren, could we get lunch today? I’d like to talk about something. Maybe we could team up and be successful together.” His dark eyes warm over. They are filled with arrogance and a bit of sincerity. Yet, he is not to be trusted.

“I can’t. Excuse me.” I jut out my chin and motion for him to release me.

Trent takes a step back but his eyes don’t change. I move past him and down the hall. I internally kick myself for not nipping this situation in the bud long ago. But now things have gone on to a point where I feel as if I am partially to blame for not reporting it sooner. I don’t want to sound like I’m a part of the idea of victim-blaming and being okay with it. But maybe if I had reported something with the initial red flag? I shake my head. No. There wasn’t enough to report and now it’s still such a gray area. It makes me uncomfortable but…would anything actually be done if I were to report anything? And now, given my team’s ranking, would they even care knowing that Trent’s team is super successful? This isn’t my first rodeo. I know where most corporations fall in regards to which concerns to consider and which ones to swipe under the carpet, and right now I’m a crumb at Calstone Corp. I’ve got to pull up my team’s rankings in order to be of higher importance for several reasons.

I make it back to my office and take a sip of my coffee. Mmm… My IM pops up and it’s a message from Marcus.

Is it okay to drop by now?

Yes, please. I respond.

I sift through the résumés, find his, and download his most recent numbers to prepare myself for our meeting. He will arrive at any minute. I take another sip of the coffee—I really do need the caffeine. But I don’t want coffee breath during my interview with Marcus. I dive into my purse on the hunt for a spare mint. My fingers run over the metal of my vibrating phone. It’s Jack.

I can’t talk to him now. I don’t want to be in the middle of a conversation with him when Marcus arrives. I send his call to voicemail. A text pops up.

Really?

I can’t help but laugh. I text back. About to have a meeting, I’ll call back soon. Xs

I’ll take those Xs in person…thanks.

My cheeks warm. A piece of something white wrapped in plastic catches my eye. The mint is a bit crusty but it will have to do. I pop the mint in my mouth as a knock sounds on my door. I hop up and open it to find Trent. I can’t roll my eyes any farther back into my head. Why is he here?

“Hey, I wanted to see if you needed any help finding new candidates? I ran the numbers of several different employees prior to making my own team and—”

“Thanks, Trent, I think I’ve found my two.”

Marcus approaches us from the corridor and I can’t help but grin widely at the perfect timing. I like him already.

“Hi, Lauren, are you still available?” He eyes me and then Trent. The two men are about equal stature—Trent resembling Henry Cavill (unfortunately) and Marcus a version of Tom Hardy… I sigh. Not that I’m interested at all…but I can appreciate the idea of attractiveness in people. I swallow.

“Yes, thanks for coming so quickly, Marcus. If you’ll excuse us, Trent.” I barely let my eyes meet his before retreating to my desk. I assume that Marcus will follow without hesitation. What I don’t assume is that Trent will enter my office as well.

“Do you want me to sit in on the interview? I haven’t had a chance to meet with Marcus yet.”

I let out a laugh. “Trent, you already have a team.” I raise an eyebrow.

Marcus’s eyebrows furrow.

“Right, I just thought it might make sense if we both interviewed him simultaneously.”

“Hmm…I’m not sure why that would make sense.”

“Well, just in case if…you know.” Trent nods at me as if I’m supposed to know what he is referencing.

“I don’t know, Trent. And if you would—”

“Exactly, you don’t know…which is why it would probably be best if I sat in for this.”

I blink to make sure I’m not having some sort of weird daymare. No, this is real. Trent is trying to hijack my meeting and interview with Marcus and for what purpose? I don’t know.

“Trent, if you would like to interview Marcus on your own time, that’s up to you. But I’d prefer if you would excuse yourself.”

“Really? I don’t think that’s what you really want.” Trent runs his finger and thumb along his jaw and sits down at the chair in front of my desk. I can’t believe he is physically situating himself in my office and refusing to leave. This is downright ridiculous.

Marcus jerks his jaw for a slight second. If I hadn’t been watching I would have missed it. He then sits down next to Trent. Great. It feels like two against one. Fine.

“Okay, well, let’s see, Marcus, I have your résumé pulled up here. Can you tell me what you would say is your best asset to Calstone Corp?”

“Oooh, Lauren, really? That’s your first question?” Trent shakes his head at me.

My eyes immediately dart to his and I wish I had the power to bolt him out of my office with one look like Bonnie in The Vampire Diaries . But alas, there is no witchcraft here. Just plain madness in the form of Trent and whatever the hell is going on in that whacked-out brain of his.

Marcus speaks up. “I’m good at grabbing new clients from the lines. People who are calling in with issues, I turn into big clients. That’s my number one selling point.” He puckers his lips to the side and nods.

This is a great skill to have. I find myself nodding in unison. I open my mouth to speak and before a sound can formulate, I hear Trent’s remarks—and they are not ones that I fancy.

“Grabbing, so you steal other team members’ clients? Are you a poacher?” Trent laces his hands together and pops his knuckles.

Marcus looks indignant. “No, I take problems and turn them into sales. These are people who show up in my queue.” He jerks his head back and shakes it as if he is also trying to shake off the idea of being in a weird B movie or something. He’s not the only one… I wish I could tell him.

But I definitely have to say something in defiance of Trent. Not only has he completely hijacked my meeting but he’s belittling me in front of a colleague too. This has got to stop. “Well I think that’s a great quality, Marcus. I can certainly use that kind of ingenuity on my team.” I smile at him and he nods his head, smiling back in agreement.

“Right, well…what do you think, Lauren? Any more questions?” Trent pops his neck from side to side. I wish I could pop him out of my office. This display of machismo is ridiculous beyond belief, but then again, so is almost everything about him.

“I’ve heard everything I need to hear. Thanks for stopping by, Marcus. I’ll be sending you a team meeting invite for this afternoon. Please be on the lookout for it.” I stand and offer my hand.