The Matchbaker (A Romantic Comedy) Read Online Free Page A

presentation tomorrow.”
    My pride prickles at the fact she’s flown last minute to Paris because she doesn’t think I’m capable of landing this deal on my own. But I swallow it down and reply in cordial tones. “That’s very kind of you, Celia, but I’m pretty sure I can handle it.”
    “Oh, really?” She spins around, looking more severe than I’ve ever seen her. And that’s saying something, since her jet-black hair is always slicked into a tight bun and her lips have never so much as quirked upwards into anything resembling a smile. “I’m not so sure about that.”
    I blink, perplexed. “What are you talking about? I’ve been working on this for months. I’ve never been so ready for anything in my life.”
    “And that’s why you took the day off to go to gallivanting around the city?”
    Gallivanting? “I didn’t take the day off, I—”
    She’s standing at the bar where my bottle of Bordeaux awaits, eyeing it with interest. I’ve always liked Celia, but if she so much as touches that bottle, I swear I might bite her hand off.
    “Just the afternoon,” I finish. “Look, Celia, I’m ready for this, and I don’t need your help.”
    She turns abruptly to face me. “Your promotion depends on this presentation, Candace. No deal, no promotion.”
    Oh, God. I was feeling confident a minute ago. Now I’m not so sure. I really want that promotion. God knows I’ve put in the work and paid my dues over the last several years. If I got it, I would be the youngest executive ever at Bell North. This is my dream, everything I’ve been working toward. Only I had no idea my future rested entirely on tomorrow’s presentation. Talk about putting on the pressure.
    But I can’t let on that I’m nervous, so I smile and say, “Oh, Celia, you’re so silly!” My laugh is faker than fake, but I need to convince her I can do this. “I’m ready . That promotion is as good as mine.”
    Celia takes a deep breath and gives me a shrewd half smile. “All righty then. If you’re confident—”
    “I am!”
    “Good. Now, here are the latest numbers from Le Roi. You’ll want to look these over tonight and make sure you’ve got the best possible deal for them.” She procures a manila envelope from her Prada briefcase and holds it out to me.
    I’m confused. “I thought I had the latest numbers,” I say. “The presentation is all set and ready to go.”
    “Well, these came in this morning. I would have given them to you, but…” She drops her glasses to her nose and raises her eyebrows. “I couldn’t find you.”
    If Lucy hadn’t just discovered her boyfriend was cheating on her, I would kill her.
    As it stands, I have a whole night of work ahead of me, re-crunching numbers and re-doing about a thousand PowerPoint slides. But I can’t let on that I’m shaken by this news, so I paste on a smile and grab the folder from Celia. “No problem,” I say and then step aside in an obvious gesture for her to leave. “Better get to work.”
    She steps past me and heads for the door. “I’ll meet you at Le Bar at one tomorrow afternoon. We should know what they thought of your presentation by then. Make it count, Candace!”
    The door slams behind her. “Make it count, Candace,” I repeat, mocking her. If I didn’t have so much respect for Celia, I would want to punch her in the face.
    There’s another knock at the door and I realize I’m still in my towel. I grab the robe on the back of one of the tufted chairs and tie it around me as I run to let Lucy in. Her blonde hair is wet and she’s in a pair of Victoria’s Secret pajamas. I know they’re Victoria’s Secret because I have the same set of pink striped flannel PJs.
    “Hey,” she says as she brushes past me. “Are we ordering room service?”
    I sigh. I hate to break this news to her. “Actually…there’s a change in plans.” She looks up at me with bloodshot eyes. Clearly she’s been crying some more. “Celia stopped by. I have to redo