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Chapter 3It’s usually pretty easy to tell how a pitch is going once you start. Sometimes you know how it’s going to go just based on how the clients greet you and what room they put you in. If they’ve come into the meeting with a preexisting idea of their agency of choice, the pitch doesn’t even really matter. And that can be really fucking maddening.This is one of those cases where it’s obvious how it’s going. The moment we walked into the lobby of the building, a young, 20-something woman came hurrying over to us and immediately went to shake Lauren’s hand. She acted almost as if Lauren was the client and this place was the agency.I guess I’m not that surprised. She’s well known in various industries due to her role within this agency and her past experience. She speaks regularly at conferences and big events like SXSW and she’s frequently interviewed.Not to mention, it’s hard to not to be enamored with that face. It’s a really good face.We’re ushered into a beautiful conference room that overlooks the Puget Sound. Well this is a good sign. The five clients we’re presenting to are already seated at the table. I recognize each of them from the briefing doc the development team sent all of us. I know who they are, what they do, and what I need to say to each.After the normal round of handshakes, we sit down and begin. Lauren is just as spectacular as she was in rehearsals and it’s not hard to see that the clients agree. Usually clients try to maintain somewhat of a neutral mask during pitches. These clients were eating up every word— I even saw some rare head nods.She expertly tells them what they want to hear about themselves but also dangles some competitive carrots in front of them to showcase who they can be.Unlike in rehearsal, I keep my eyes on her, so I know when it’s my turn to begin presenting. I’m not flustered in this environment. She has no power over me in here. I give her a small smile and nod and turn my attention to the men across the table.Thankfully, I’m met with the same enthusiasm as Lauren, and actually, maybe even more from some of them when I start digging into the analytics slides.“Every company believes that they are ‘data driven’. But most don’t really leverage all the data sources and insights they have at their disposal. We never recommend any strategy without the data to back up that idea. And we believe we can reach your audiences with the right mix of that research, channel expertise, and targeted content.”I finish my section and look back to Lauren for the final statement.“In your brief, you asked us why you should choose Altitude as your agency of record,” she states. “We’re not coming in here to tell Kolej Escort you that you’re doing things the wrong way. Quite frankly, you’re not. You have a successful, globally recognized brand for a reason. We don’t want to reinvent the wheel for you. We want to enhance the best things about your company. By mixing old school media relations strategies, with new world amplification and targeting, I know we can move the needle for you. And we’re excited to dig in.”The Q&A at the end goes as smoothly as the presentation. Lauren fields most of them and I chime in when necessary. The final question comes from the youngest man in the room.“I think it’s safe to say that Altitude is one of our top choices. We really appreciate everything you’ve presented today, and I’m impressed, to say the least. Another agency has also showed promise. So, I guess my final question is, what differentiates you the most from your competition?”I don’t give Lauren the chance to respond. I jump in without even looking at her.“I know the agency that is in the running with us, Will,” I start. “I actually worked for them for almost a decade. And there’s a reason I’m with Altitude. I chose the best. As should you.”Lauren turns her head to me, and a flash of surprise crosses her face before she schools it into its normal, neutral position. I can almost see heat radiating off her.As we leave the building after the pitch, I feel the normal sense of adrenaline I always feel after these things. It’s the same feeling you get the moment you step off a roller coaster. The tension and excitement are still there, but it’s mixed with a sense of relief.The team is conscious not to say anything or even give each other significant looks until we’re out of the client’s building and in the parking lot. Pitches are an audition and that audition starts the minute the receptionist sees you until he or she sees you go.Once we’re out of ear shot of the building, Lauren gathers us in to a circle. Most pitch leads like to do this so the team can come together and quickly process what just happened in the room.“That was fantastic team. You all did really amazing,” she says looking at me on that final word.She then went around and complimented each person for their role. And these weren’t canned compliments, she really thought about each person, their value, and gave them validation. That’s so rare in a leader that I feel my heart clench a bit. I tell myself its professional respect for Lauren and nothing more. At least I think it is? Real convincing, idiot.I’m the last person of the group she calls out.“Ems. This is your win. Your Rus Escort strategy, your vision, your closing statement. Thanks for making me look so good.”She says it with such sincerity, and without any hint of flirtation, that I’m suddenly realizing how much I wanted this woman to be impressed with me. Not just because of the intimate moments we’ve shared, but I want her to think I’m valuable at Altitude.“Thank you, Lauren. I speak for the group when I say we’re incredibly grateful for your time and advisement,” I say as I give her a small smile.She gives me her signature smirk for a second too long before moving her gaze back to the group.“I know you all have a lot of work to get through this week, but given that it’s after 3:00, anyone who wants to join me for a little happy hour, I think a toast is in order.”The comment is mainly for the few people here who are more junior in their positions. The ones who feel pressure to stay at the office until 6:00pm even after a grueling pitch week. After my years in the agency world, I feel no such pressure. I usually pick up work once I’m home anyway.I inwardly smile at the wonderment on the group’s collective face. It’s clear Lauren has a strong effect on everyone, not just me.“My hotel is right next to the office and there’s a beautiful bar in it. Shall we plan to head there? I can drive a few people if you want to come with me,” she says, looking at me on the word come.I can see memories flashing behind her eyes. My moans, her fingers dipping into her pussy, the faint taste that’s still on my tongue…I look away because by this point, I’m sure people have started to notice. I look around at my co-workers, but their eyes are trained on Lauren in a kind of star struck way.The few who can’t fit into Lauren’s car break off to order Ubers while three of us head to her rental across the street. I can’t help but wonder if the two other women wonder why she parked in the lot next door to the client’s building.Before we enter the garage, I quickly shoot Jackie a text telling her to meet us there since she’s technically part of the pitch team. Being a senior designer at Altitude, she has a pretty relaxed in-office schedule and she’s also never one to miss a happy hour. It’s one of the reasons she’s my best friend in Seattle. She has a fun, care-free attitude and an amazing eye for design. Jackie is no drama and I love that about her.When we get to Lauren’s car, Alana Spears, a Senior VP on the PR side, is distracted by her phone and automatically pulls one of the back doors open. The other two women with us follow her lead and pile into the back of Yenimahalle Escort the car.I’m painfully aware of how close I’m going to have to be to Lauren for the next 15 minutes by being in the front seat. Thankfully rush hour hasn’t started yet and we should be there soon.As I slide into the front seat, I keep my eyes ahead, trying to ignore the heat that’s starting to rise around me.I have no idea what we discuss on our way there. Sarah, a mid-level strategist, rambles on about the Seattle office from the back seat and Lauren engages with her like she cares. Maybe she does. I’m reminded again of how little I know about this woman.As we pull into The Four Seasons valet, I see Jackie walking in. Thank god. I need a fucking buffer here. Not that I’ll tell her anything that happened with Lauren. But at least I’ll have a friend who’s not just a co-worker to talk to.Jackie is the first woman I dated when I first moved back to Seattle after a stint in New York City. I’m also how she landed her job at Altitude. But once we became co-workers, it didn’t seem wise to continue that part of our relationship and we easily moved into friendship.Even so, I don’t feel compelled to tell her that our boss fucked me in my office. Or what happened right before the pitch. Or every thought I’ve had for the past 24 hours. And maybe part of me feels hypocritical for ending it with Jackie when I so easily gave in to Lauren.As we enter the bar area of the hotel, I see Jackie standing at the bar. And somehow, she already has a drink in hand. Typical.Lauren heads to the hostess and I hang back a moment to see if she’s grabbing a table or if we’re doing the stand-at-the-bar thing.Thankfully, it appears as if she was able to grab us a table because I can’t stand in these heels for very much longer. My mind is instantly distracted from my throbbing toes though when I notice that the hostess is a little too enthusiastic, never taking her eyes off Lauren.I try to ignore knot that suddenly pulls in my stomach as she engages Lauren in small talk on the walk to the table. I have an irrational dislike for this hostess.It’s hard to tell if Lauren actually likes the attention people bestow on her or if she’s just polite. She is Texan after all. But I have to do everything I can not to roll my eyes as she easily laughs with the girl.As we approach the table, I’ve had my limit of the young hostess now not even trying to hide the flirtatiousness of her tone. Lauren sits down and I intentionally choose the seat on the opposite side of the table and one down.“Can we please get some waters?” I ask the hostess, before I even fully sit, successfully interrupting their banter. The hostess pauses like she wants to finish her thought to Lauren, but instead gives me a small, tight smile and walks away.I can tell Lauren is looking at me, but I avoid her gaze. I don’t need to see her knowing smirk. I’m not the girl who gets jealous. I’m not. I don’t even know this woman. She doesn’t even live here!
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