This Wasn't The Plan, page 11
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“Hey, it’s me. Do you want to meet at O’Hara’s for lunch? I’m actually here now,” Sam asked Holly as she ordered a glass of iced tea.
“Hi. Sure. Good timing; I was going to call you. I can be there in about ten minutes.”
O’Hara’s was only a five-minute walk from the Rossi office, and Holly and Sam had been there together a bunch of times over the past two years. Its casual atmosphere and good food were a draw with the lunch crowd. Sam spotted Holly walking in through the door and waved her over to her table.
“Hi. How was it today? I’ve been dying to talk to you,” Holly said as she ordered a water from the waitress.
“There was a meeting, and I basically avoided Lance the whole time. And at the end, some stupid things were said, and I got up and walked out. So here I am.” Sam started to laugh, knowing she must sound like a crazy person.
“What?” Holly cried out, choking on her water.
“Yep. I just left. So I probably don’t have a job anymore. But I can’t work for him, Holly. I just can’t.”
“Sam, I don’t blame you. What happened Friday was horrible, really. And I know you’ve done a great job so far with clients. I heard the agents talking about the deal you made for Tyler. I mean, it’s basically one of the best deals the agency had had in years.”
“It’s not just what happened Friday, Holly. Lance, I mean, Lance and I have kind of been together. Sort of.” Sam felt a giant wave of relief as the words spilled out of her mouth.
Holly’s jaw dropped.
“I know. It was stupid. I mean, we hit it off with our sense of humor, and there was some light flirting, but I wasn’t sure that it was flirting. And then we went to meet with Tyler and wound up at Lance’s place after and… ugh. I was an idiot, and in the back of my mind, I thought he had feelings for me, but Friday proved otherwise. Now I even second-guess if I am good enough to be an agent, or if he just let me run with it to lead me on. The whole situation has just left me feeling bad about myself. Humiliated, stupid, used… I just feel like I need to stand up for myself. For once.”
“Sam, you will be a great agent. Lance isn’t stupid enough to risk clients over personal feelings. There’s no way. I knew it. I saw that chemistry between you guys, remember?”
Sam laughed and then sighed heavily. “Well it’s done now, whatever it was. What a mess. I should have stayed at the reception desk.”
Her phone rang just as she finished speaking, and glancing over at the screen, she didn’t recognize the number. She answered it anyway, as long as it wasn’t Lance calling her, she was fine. “Hello?”
“Can I speak to Samantha Reynolds please,” a woman’s voice on the other end asked.
“This is she,” Sam replied, wondering who this was and what she wanted.
“Hi, Samantha. This is Anne Crosby from Marksun. I received your resume, and I was hoping to speak to you about it. Do you have a few minutes to talk right now?”
Sam’s eyes widened, and she stood up, motioning for Holly to stay where she was while Sam left the restaurant and stood outside the front door, facing toward the wall so she could hear better. “Hi, Anne. Sure, I can talk now.”
She spent almost twenty minutes outside on the phone, pacing back and forth as she did so. After the call ended, she hurried back to Holly, who was almost done with her lunch.
“What the hell was that all about?” Holly asked Sam as she wiped some mustard from her lip.
“That was one of the recruiters from Marksun. They want me to come in for an interview. Tomorrow!” Sam was almost screaming with delight.
“Oh my God. Are you going to go? What will you tell Lance?”
“Heck yes I am going. And heck no. And I will just call in sick, I guess.”
Sam knew there would be an issue when she didn’t go to work tomorrow, but she didn’t care. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for her, and she wasn’t going to lose it just so she could sit at a desk all day and take calls for Lance!
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Sam shut off her phone after she boarded the plane and settled into her roomy business-class window seat. Marksun had really moved fast on this interview, but she knew it was common in this industry and didn’t let it go to her head. She opened up the folder containing her resume and read it over and over, preparing herself for the barrage of questions she assumed she would be asked during the interview.
“Sam?” a familiar male voice asked.
Looking up, Sam saw Tyler Scranten’s smiling face beaming down at her.
“Tyler! Hi! What are you doing here?”
Tyler sat down next to her, juggling his carry-on bag. “I’m going home to see my family for a bit and meet with the guys from the team. Why are you here?”
Sam didn’t know how to respond. Make up a lie? Tell the truth? “Well, I’m actually interviewing at Marksun,” She blurted out. Where was the flight attendant? She needed a drink.
Tyler’s eyes widened. “You’re leaving Rossi?”
They were interrupted by the person who was supposed to sit next to Sam, who apparently was a big fan of Tyler’s. Tyler’s seat was directly behind Sam’s, and for an autograph, the man happily changed seats so Tyler could sit next to Sam during the flight.
“Okay, so are you leaving Rossi, Sam? I mean, you’re my agent, and I’m sticking with you, I don’t care what agency it is.”
Sam hadn’t thought about this much—everything with Marksun was happening so quickly. “I’m just going for an interview, Tyler. Nothing’s set in stone. But if it does end up that I go to Marksun, then of course you can stay with me as a client. As long as you still haven’t signed your renewal yet, you’re free to do whatever you want.”
“Okay, good. Does Lance know you’re interviewing?”
“Not exactly.” She had left a message early that morning with Human Resources that she was sick and wouldn’t be in today. She knew that Lance wouldn’t buy it, but he probably had no idea that she was flying out for an interview with Marksun already. He probably just thought that she was trying to avoid him because of what had happened the day before. If he knew the truth, he would be furious.
Sam and Tyler chatted the entire quick flight to New York, Sam admiring how down to earth he was. He was really just a nice kid who wanted to play baseball, and the drama that went along with playing professionally was something he truly hated. The final blow had been when his wife was cheating with a teammate. He was thrilled to be heading back to New York. Sam knew that he would play much better next season, when he was officially playing for New York. His trade was pretty much a done deal. It was just a matter of signatures needed. She had done everything behind the scenes to make it happen.
As the plane landed and they taxied to the gate, he wished her good luck and told her to keep him informed of what she was doing. He also said he wouldn’t say anything to Lance if he heard from him or anyone else at Rossi, which was a huge relief to Sam.
As she walked up the ramp into the airport, Sam saw a driver holding a sign with her name on it. She walked over to him, and he led her outside to a shiny black stretch limousine, opening the door for her. She sat down and leaned back, taking a deep breath. Her nerves were kicking in, and she started to fan her face with her hand. This was a huge opportunity for her. She couldn’t blow it.
After a short drive, the limo pulled up in front of a giant skyscraper, and the driver got out and opened the door for her again. As she stepped out of the car, Sam turned her head upward toward the sky, taking in the view of the tall building. She could just barely make out the giant M at the very top of it. She thanked the driver and made her way up the massive gray granite stairs to one of the revolving glass doors and stepped into the massive lobby. She caught a sign for the ladies’ room out of the corner of her eye and made a beeline to it, wanting to freshen up a bit before she started her interview.
Looking at herself in the full-length mirror in the ladies’ room, she squinted and turned sideways, frowning at her reflection. She smoothed out the front of her outfit, wishing that along with it she would magically brush off fifteen pounds. It didn’t work, but she was confident with the outfit she had picked out to wear—a suit in her usual go-to color, black, an off-white blouse and a turquoise scarf to add in a pop of color. Her hair was pulled back off her face into a low bun, and she smoothed out a few stray hairs near her ears, pausing to look at the diamond stud earrings she was wearing. They had been a college graduation gift to her from her mother, and she wore them when she needed good luck. Feeling like she looked a bit pale, she swiped some bronzer across her forehead and cheeks, reapplied some pale-pink lipstick and headed back to the reception desk to announce herself.
She had barely sat down when an older woman emerged and approached her, holding out her hand and smiling. “Samantha? Hi. I’m Anne Silva, Mr. Sundenhall’s assistant. Follow me, please.”
Sam shook Anne’s hand and followed her, trying to keep up with her quick pace. She was an older woman. Sam assumed maybe in her sixties. She had short hair that was a beautiful gray color, the same color that many women were now paying a ton of money for.
They walked to one of the elevators, and Anne punched a code into the pad. The elevator whisked them upward, making a beeping noise as they passed each floor and finally stopped at the top one.
The doors opened and sunlight filled the large open space. There was a desk off toward the right, which Sam assumed was Anne’s. To the left was an enormous conference room with glass walls, and Sam followed Anne toward it, grabbing one of the oversized steel-gray leather chairs to sit in when Anne motioned toward it.
“Mr. Sundenhall will be with you soon. Can I get you anything in the meantime? Water, coffee, tea?”
“Water would be perfect, thank you,” Sam said, immediately wishing that she had asked for coffee but not wanting to ask for it now, feeling like she would come off as indecisive.
Anne came back shortly with a large glass of water, setting it down on a marble coaster in front of Sam. She left the room, and Sam sat alone in the silence, her nerves kicking into high gear. What was she doing? Could she really handle being an actual agent? Sure, she had done a great job with Tyler and Alex, but that was only two people! Maybe she wasn’t ready. Lance hadn’t made her an agent yet, and while she was mad at him, he was one of the best talent agents in the world, and he knew when someone was qualified. This was all happening too fast. Just as she was starting to break out in a sweat, Mark Sundenhall entered the room.
Sam had only seen him in magazines and on television, and he appeared much older in person. He had to be at least seventy! He had a head of thick white hair, which was combed back, and was dressed in a perfectly fitted beige Armani suit. He was handsome despite his age, his blue gray eyes surrounded by extremely long, thick black eyelashes. His skin was tan, making him look like he had just returned from a week at the beach.
“Samantha, nice to meet you. I’m Mark Sundenhall,” he said, stretching his arm out to shake her hand.
“Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Sundenhall.” Sam stood up and shook his hand firmly.
They both sat down, and Anne appeared with a cup of coffee for Mark.
“Please, call me Mark. And no need to thank me for meeting with you. I was quite impressed with your resume. Namely, the work you did recently with Tyler Scranten. Genius moves, in my opinion. Did you do that alone, or did Lance help you out?”
Sam smiled. She had anticipated this question. “I did it on my own. Mr. Rossi was always kept informed of what I was doing, of course.”
Sam didn’t want him to think that she wasn’t a team player and that she would just make deals without consulting management first. Mark Sundenhall had a reputation for being a bit of a micromanager. Sam hadn’t been surprised when she was told she would be interviewing with him versus someone else in the company. He personally hired every agent who worked for his company.
“Good. Now, tell me why there is no title on your resume for Rossi & Associates. You are an agent, correct?”
Sam had known this question would be asked. She was prepared with an answer and just hoped it was good enough for Mark. “I was recently promoted from within and haven’t been given the title officially. I can assure you that I did indeed negotiate all of Tyler’s contract, as well as Alexandria’s. I didn’t feel it was right to place the title of agent on my resume because, technically, I am not.”
Mark shifted in his seat, staring at Sam. “What’s the holdup?” he asked her, referring to not having the title.
“Only Mr. Rossi can answer that question, I’m afraid. Bluntly, it’s what led me to send my resume to your firm. I feel very strongly that I deserve to be an agent.”
Sam had done a lot of research on Mark and knew he was a straight shooter and that he liked that in return. He was a workaholic and had no family, children, or wife. He had a girlfriend who was thirty years his junior and was out on the town a lot without him. His company was his baby, and that was most likely why he micromanaged everything and everyone.
“I see. Well, if I wanted to speak to Tyler to confirm the work you have done for him, would he be willing to do that? I am of course assuming I cannot call Lance to ask him.”
“I’m sure Tyler would be willing to speak to you. And you are correct—Mr. Rossi does not know that I am here.”
Mark smiled and pushed a piece of paper toward Sam. “Oh, he knows you are here. You must be pretty important to him for him to contact me.”
Sam looked down at the paper and saw that Lance had emailed Mark early that morning. He had basically informed Mark that he would have legal issues if he hired Sam. She was horrified and could feel her face starting to turn red. That jerk!
“Mr. Rossi should know better. Since you aren’t an agent, I’m assuming that you have no signed agreement with his firm? If you were to work here, there is no legal action he could take. If you are an agent, then that’s a different story.”
Sam was furious. Who did Lance think he was, and why was he trying to ruin her interview? He didn’t want her to be an agent for him, and now he didn’t want her to be an agent for anyone else, either? “I can assure you, I have no signed contract with Rossi. Perhaps Mr. Rossi would like to make me an agent, but I have not been given an offer by his firm. I’m sorry he’s dragging you into it,” Sam said, positive that she would now be escorted out of the interview. Thanks to Lance.
“No need to be sorry. If one of my employees was interviewing with him, I would probably do the same thing,” Mark said, chuckling. “But the fact that he didn’t sign you on officially is a big mistake on his part. Not like Lance to miss an opportunity. Regardless, I would still like to speak to Tyler. Could you arrange that with Anne?”
“Absolutely. I have some other references, as well,” Sam said, wondering what was going on since Mark was standing up now.
“That won’t be necessary. Anne will be in in a few minutes. It was a pleasure meeting you, Samantha.”
Sam stood up and shook his hand again. She sat back down, dumbfounded, as he left the room. They had talked for less than fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes! Lance had scared him off. She knew it. There was no way she was getting this position. And now that Lance knew she was interviewing here, he would probably fire her. She wanted to cry.
“Mr. Sundenhall said that you would be providing me with some contact information?” Anne’s cheerful voice floated through the air as Sam held back tears.
“Yes, let me get it for you,” Sam replied, going through her contact list on her phone, and relayed the information to Anne. “Could you possibly give me about half an hour before you contact him, just so I can let him know about the call?”
“Of course. Can I get you anything else?”
“Umm… no. I can take a taxi back to the airport,” Sam said, sounding dejected.
“Oh, no. I have the limo taking you back in about fifteen minutes, dear. He will be out front where he dropped you off.”
“Oh, okay. I assumed the interview ran much shorter than it should have and getting the limo back would take longer than a taxi.”
Anne looked at her watch. “No, not short at all for one of Mr. Sundenhall’s interviews. Don’t worry, dear. You did fine. The longer the interview lasts, the less chance the person has of getting hired.” Anne winked at Sam as she left the room.
Sam breathed a huge sigh of relief and dialed Tyler’s number to tell him about the anticipated call. Maybe things were looking up after all.
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Lance paced around his office, grabbing his phone and looking at it for the fourth time to see if Sam had responded to one of his many texts. She hadn’t. He knew she was interviewing at Marksun today. It was too much of a coincidence that she had sent her resume to them a few days ago and now was mysteriously out sick. She had a perfect attendance record; he had checked with Human Resources. Why was she ignoring him?
Frankie was doing her daily furniture dusting when Lance burst out of his office and went over to grab some candy.
“Beautiful day out,” Frankie said to him, smiling.
“Yeah. I guess.” Lance tossed a handful of jelly beans into his mouth. “Sorry, I’m a bit out of it today.”
“We all have our days,” Frankie said to him, walking toward Sam’s empty desk. “Is Sam okay?”
“I hope so.”
“She’s such a hard worker. It seems she’s been able to pick up where Angela left off pretty easily. Not to mention taking over for Jill, too. Quite the luck you had, finding her.”
Lance watched Frankie as she spoke, his mind racing. Frankie didn’t talk much, but she noticed everything that went on in the building. Over the years, he had learned that she was a wise woman when it came to many things, business or personal.
“Thanks, Frankie—I owe you!” he yelled as he headed toward the elevators.
