Making The Cut

Archer Moore has a secret.

Since he was fifteen-years-old, he’s kept the fact that he was in love with his best friends little sister to himself, never wanting to ruin things if the secret came out.

Now, she needs a fake fiancé to help her secure a new job and Archer is ready to step up.

Viviana Capello is in a bind.

For years she’s worked to build her reputation as one of the best marketing agents in Denver. When her callous boss fires her without cause, she goes to their biggest competitor.

However, this new boss is unconventional and Viviana knows that having a partner will give her a leg up.

But when her ex crush and brothers best friend volunteers to help her out, feelings start to rise to the surface again.

CHAPTER ONE

“There was something to be said when you choose Kroger ice cream over Blue Bell. It said, ‘something is really wrong with you’.” – April

VIVIANA

“We’re going to have to let you go.”

I blink. Then blink again when the image in front of my face doesn’t disappear.

This is a dream, right? I’m going to wake up and go to work, then make a double espresso and put on my fabulous red pumps and—

“Did you hear me, Viviana?”

I shake my head slightly and let out a small, light chuckle. “I’m sorry… what?”

Charlotte Armani—I’m pretty sure she made that name up—stares me down from the high horse she rode in on and waits for me to catch up to the conversation she’s been trying to initiate.

“Are you serious?” I ask when she doesn’t clarify any further.

“I’m sorry to do this to you.” No, she’s not. “But we no longer need you on the team here at Armani Marketing.”

I feel like I’m going to puke, cry, or scream. Since none of those options are technically available at the moment, I settle for a deep breath and straighten my spine in front of this dick of a boss who’s never treated me well.

“But I just got that huge campaign for the Pepsi Center.” I’d worked my tail off to get the campaign. It was huge for our company—or I guess, my former company.

“I know you did.” Her voice drops to a low and condescending one, and I wonder how hard it would be to reach across and punch her in the boob. “It’s just not working out. We need someone willing to go the extra mile.”

“Go… the extra mile,” I repeat slowly, visions and memories of missed nights out with friends, eating food in my car so as to not miss a second of work, working until midnight or later most nights just to get everything done.

“Yes, we’re a prestigious firm, Viviana, and I’m just afraid you don’t quite have the chops to make it here.”

Do you ever have an out-of-body experience where you don’t even really feel like you’re in the room anymore?

Yeah, I hadn’t either.

Until right. This. Second.

I stand from my chair and lean over the desk. “Let’s talk about chops, shall we?” I lean in closer, and Charlotte, having good preservation, leans back in her seat, her eyes wide. “Chops is staying late at work every single day of the week and coming in on weekends. Chops is giving up your social life just so you can make ends meet and become successful in your career, even though your friends are moving on in their lives without you while you’re stuck at work, doing the job your boss refuses to do.” I take a deep breath, watching her eyes grow wider. “Chops is not dragging your secretary into the office to screw his brains out during work hours!” My voice rises at the last bit, even though, for a while, I’d found that part of her life amusing. It was funny until I realized she was just using me to get ahead, only to toss me aside.

“I’m going to call security on you!” she screeches, reaching for her phone.

I stand, taking a deep breath and adjusting my blazer. “No need.” I bend and pick up my bag. I hadn’t even made it to my cubicle before she’d called me in today.

I march to her door and fling it open. I debate leaving without saying anything more, but then… I just can’t freaking resist.

“You just made a big mistake. Huge.”

***

“Uh-oh.”

“What?”

“She’s got Organizing TikTok open and a carton of Kroger ice cream.”

“No! She went Kroger? That’s bad.”

“Yeah. We’re in trouble.”

I let my head fall to glare at April and Jane. “Will you two be quiet? I’m enjoying my binge-eating-slash-watching session!” A tear slips out of my eyes and I use the sleeve of my hoodie to wipe it away.

“Honey, what happened? Was it that new boyfriend? Did you two break up?” Jane’s calm, sweet voice is normally soothing, however, nothing is soothing right now, and I’d rather just be angry at everything.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.”

April plops down on the couch, right on my feet. “What about Mark?”

“Who’s—Oh, yeah. No, we broke up a couple months ago.”

April’s referring to a bartender I met a few months back on one of my very rare nights out. We had some fun, but in the end, I worked too much and our schedules never worked enough for us to see one another.

“What? You never said anything!”

I shrug at April’s outrage and smile when Jane hands me a glass of water. “So you got laid off, huh?”

“Yes,” I mumble.

“Did she give you a reason?”

I shrug and click the side of my phone. Organizing TikTok really is addictive, but it gives me the best ideas! “Not really. Just said I didn’t have what it takes.”

Jane’s face scrunches up. “Are they crazy? You’ve done like a million campaigns in the last year. Not to mention the one for the Trevors that made their festival an amazing success.”

“I know,” I mumble, then stab my spoon into my ice cream. “It has nothing to do with me. Charlotte’s always had it out for me. I don’t know why, but she hates my guts.”

“Unsuccessful people always hate successful ones,” April muses, stealing my phone and presumably opening TikTok for her own pleasure.

I knew I wasn’t the only one who liked those organizing videos.

“But she was successful. She owns the whole damn company. That’s what I don’t get.”

Jane makes a sympathetic noise and rubs my arm. “Well, this sucks. You didn’t deserve to be let go, but hey, I could look for something at Leads for you!”

I shake my head and smile. “Thanks, but you and I both know your marketing department is already amazing. And you’ve got that new employee, Maryanne, killing it. I couldn’t come in and take over.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Jane kind of pouts.

What she’s done with Leads Energy is amazing. Maryanne is one of the many homeless mothers that Jane has made friends with through Place of Hope, a shelter downtown that only focuses on women and children. She went in and started an entire program to help those women find jobs with day cares included.

Not only that, Leads Energy put a day care in their building to be more accessible to their employees who have children.

Jane is a boss lady extraordinaire.

“Don’t worry about me.” I smile at her and April, who gives me a small one in return. “I’ll find something.”

Though, despite my positive reassurances, I’m not sure I feel so optimistic about my future.