A Business Love

chapter 17

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Tuesday morning, Jessie woke up with stage fright as if she was going to perform. Her heart was in her throat. Today, she would finally know if all of these past few months of hard work would pay off and she'd get the promotion she coveted so much. Either that, or she'd make a complete fool of herself in front of the CEO.

She hated that the meeting was at the end of the day. She couldn't focus on anything else. The pressure felt unbearable and she wondered why she had decided to inflict this upon herself. Was she some kind of masochist?

Since she got in the office, she was pacing back and forth in the marketing conference room, nervously rehearsing her speech.

Massimo saw her as he passed by the conference room. He had never seen her this nervous, despite having participating in very important meetings before.

He stopped in front of her and crossed his arms. "Jess, that's enough. Let it go. You've done everything that you can do. You've worked on this really hard and I know you want it. But it's not worth getting yourself sick over it. I want you to remember that even if things don't go as planned with Mauro, you're still my top performer and you still have a great career ahead."

"I know. I know. But I just really want this. I won't die if I don't get it. Maybe I'll cry a little though." She nervously laughed although she knew she would bawl her eyes out if she didn't succeed today.

"I hate seeing you like this," he said shaking his head. "I don't want you to define your worth according to what will happen in that meeting." He perfectly knew that Mauro would have no mercy on her and he was secretly panicked for her as well, hoping he hadn't set her up for slaughter.

"Don't worry about me, Massimo. I'm a big girl."

"It's a beautiful day! Go out, have lunch! I don't want to see you pacing in the conference room anymore. Take a break! It'll be good for your brain," he urged her.

"Fine," she said sighing although she had no desire to go outside.

She bought herself a lunch from the cafeteria and went outside in front of the building where round picnic tables were installed for employees during the summer.

At one of the tables were Teresa, the HR Coordinator that had welcomed her on her first day, Sofia, the legal advisor she had worked with for the digital marketing project, Deluca, and three other people she had never talked to.

"Hello ragazzi, can I join you?" she asked as she reached their table. They all warmly greeted her.

"What brings you here, Provolone?" asked Teresa.

"My boss, literally."

"You're looking really professional," said Deluca, looking at Jessie dressed in a black suit, with her hair parted in the middle and tied up in a low bun. Things between he and Jessie had resolved and were no longer awkward. She had quickly realized that Deluca was actually a tease and flirted with many women.

"I have a pretty big presentation today. I'm presenting to Mauro this afternoon."

"Mauro?! CEO Mauro?!" screamed Teresa in disbelief.

"Yes!" she said raising her hands with an excited smile.

They all looked at her bug-eyed.

"How the heck did you find yourself in that position?!" asked Teresa flabbergasted.

"Oh, Jessie doesn't play. In a few years, she'll be running this whole place," said Deluca.

"Woah, that's a bit much," she answered.