marriage was just supposed to be. Marissa had been so gorgeous, so successful, and he thought marrying her was the thing to do since they had all the makings of a power couple. They were supposed to be perfect for one another, and instead marriage was just a stone wall between them.
He had been so stupid. Young and stupid.
He crumpled up the paper and decided it was time for a run.
He threw on a t-shirt and running shoes and cranked up the Van Halen he could only hear in one ear.
Maybe Cass wasn’t the only one who couldn’t let go of her own insecurities.
* * *
“ S he’s got an attitude ,” Phil grumbled, resisting Maddox’s suggestion he turn the next web redesign over to Cass’ team.
Maddox chuckled. His firecracker certainly did.
“What? Like I want to deal with her bullshit every day.”
Maddox stopped laughing.
“Every day?”
“Well, you know, to check in. And then she’ll fight me on everything.”
“Dude, just let her do her thing,” Maddox scowled and grabbed a pen to play with. Damn, he hated sitting still, and Phil was trying his patience with that incredulous look. “She’s good. Let her be good.”
“I know she’s good, but you let her run too loose. You created the monster, and now I’ve got to rein her back in.”
A furrow formed in Maddox’s brow. “Rein her in for what?”
“She doesn’t respect me.”
“What does that mean?”
“She does her own thing. She never checks in. I don’t know what she’s doing half the time,” he rambled, and Maddox began to realize that maybe Cass had been right. Phil was a controlling prick.
“Leave her be, Phil. Just give her the project, set up a time to check in in a month, and leave her to it.”
“You may be her…whatever you are, but stop showing favorites. If she was anyone else…” Phil spat, his eyes growing wide as he took in how dark Maddox’s face was getting.
“What are you accusing me of, Phil?” He growled.
“You favor her.”
“She’s good at what she does,” Maddox countered, and that was the truth. Sure, there was that strange connection between them, and of course he crossed lines with Cass, but that would never have happened if she wasn’t one of the best managers he had. It was probably why she was one of his best. He told her straight out when she was being a bitch monster, and he had no problems setting her on the right track when she was heading in a wrong direction.
“Is she?” Phil questioned, and Maddox knew it was just out of spite. Phil didn’t like looking weak, and he was lashing out.
“You can stop. Now. Don’t say something you’ll regret, Phil,” Maddox balled his hands into fists, no longer fidgeting. “I’d suggest leaving my office, handing over the project to Cass, and thinking hard about what you’re accusing me of and why it might just be the worst career move you’ll ever make.”
Phil paled. He was good, really good, and Maddox knew it. He was young and wanted to prove himself, so he pushed himself and his people hard. But Cass was right. This wasn’t the Phil he knew before San Francisco. This new Phil was brimming with power combined with anxiety, and that was a dangerous combination.
Knowing he’d pushed Maddox over the edge, Phil nodded and walked out of the office, closing the door behind him.
Maddox rubbed the back of his neck. Why had Phil gotten under his skin? He’d been accused of taking his relationship with Cass to inappropriate levels before. In fact, it was an ongoing joke between the two of them. It helped Cass keep herself in check and reminded him that there was a boundary he couldn’t cross. But it was the way Phil said it. As if he and Cass together was something tawdry and dirty. As if the two of them together was something to be ashamed about…
He shook his head. Dammit. There was nothing going on, and nothing would. Cass was just a friend. A coworker and friend. He had no interest in her. She was just comfortable. She was Cass.
He had been so stupid. Young and stupid.
He crumpled up the paper and decided it was time for a run.
He threw on a t-shirt and running shoes and cranked up the Van Halen he could only hear in one ear.
Maybe Cass wasn’t the only one who couldn’t let go of her own insecurities.
* * *
“ S he’s got an attitude ,” Phil grumbled, resisting Maddox’s suggestion he turn the next web redesign over to Cass’ team.
Maddox chuckled. His firecracker certainly did.
“What? Like I want to deal with her bullshit every day.”
Maddox stopped laughing.
“Every day?”
“Well, you know, to check in. And then she’ll fight me on everything.”
“Dude, just let her do her thing,” Maddox scowled and grabbed a pen to play with. Damn, he hated sitting still, and Phil was trying his patience with that incredulous look. “She’s good. Let her be good.”
“I know she’s good, but you let her run too loose. You created the monster, and now I’ve got to rein her back in.”
A furrow formed in Maddox’s brow. “Rein her in for what?”
“She doesn’t respect me.”
“What does that mean?”
“She does her own thing. She never checks in. I don’t know what she’s doing half the time,” he rambled, and Maddox began to realize that maybe Cass had been right. Phil was a controlling prick.
“Leave her be, Phil. Just give her the project, set up a time to check in in a month, and leave her to it.”
“You may be her…whatever you are, but stop showing favorites. If she was anyone else…” Phil spat, his eyes growing wide as he took in how dark Maddox’s face was getting.
“What are you accusing me of, Phil?” He growled.
“You favor her.”
“She’s good at what she does,” Maddox countered, and that was the truth. Sure, there was that strange connection between them, and of course he crossed lines with Cass, but that would never have happened if she wasn’t one of the best managers he had. It was probably why she was one of his best. He told her straight out when she was being a bitch monster, and he had no problems setting her on the right track when she was heading in a wrong direction.
“Is she?” Phil questioned, and Maddox knew it was just out of spite. Phil didn’t like looking weak, and he was lashing out.
“You can stop. Now. Don’t say something you’ll regret, Phil,” Maddox balled his hands into fists, no longer fidgeting. “I’d suggest leaving my office, handing over the project to Cass, and thinking hard about what you’re accusing me of and why it might just be the worst career move you’ll ever make.”
Phil paled. He was good, really good, and Maddox knew it. He was young and wanted to prove himself, so he pushed himself and his people hard. But Cass was right. This wasn’t the Phil he knew before San Francisco. This new Phil was brimming with power combined with anxiety, and that was a dangerous combination.
Knowing he’d pushed Maddox over the edge, Phil nodded and walked out of the office, closing the door behind him.
Maddox rubbed the back of his neck. Why had Phil gotten under his skin? He’d been accused of taking his relationship with Cass to inappropriate levels before. In fact, it was an ongoing joke between the two of them. It helped Cass keep herself in check and reminded him that there was a boundary he couldn’t cross. But it was the way Phil said it. As if he and Cass together was something tawdry and dirty. As if the two of them together was something to be ashamed about…
He shook his head. Dammit. There was nothing going on, and nothing would. Cass was just a friend. A coworker and friend. He had no interest in her. She was just comfortable. She was Cass.
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