No More Tomorrows

Chapter 4: Team Bonding

Grant felt sick to his stomach. He'd lied to Emily. Again. It felt like all he did lately was lie. To her. To his family and most of all to himself. 

He had this sense that everything was unravelling and all the goals he thought were important enough to risk his relationship for, now seemed unworthy. Emily had sounded so sad when he'd called, but as usual she didn't fight. She accepted him at his word. Trusted him. 

"Yo G Man you getting a private dance tonight? Your favourite red head is working the floor." He looked to the side to see Simon thrusting his hips towards the table. Everyone breaking into laughter. Laughter he joined in on but didn't actually feel. His boss was onto his third whiskey and getting loud, he knew he had to play along. 

When he got the role at Kent and Brookman he'd been over the moon. All those nights studying, scrimping and saving, letting Emily carry the financial load were going to pay off. He was finally in a role with a company that he saw a future with. Where he could earn some serious money and give his girlfriend and family the life they deserved. 

The social aspect of the job had seemed fun at first. Having spent so many years with his head down studying, the first few months had seemed a blast. Dinners with clients. Drinks with the team. Out of town presentations and Saturday golf. It was that feeling of camaraderie he'd never got to enjoy. 

It wasn't until Simon invited him to attend a team bonding weekend and stay in the company apartment that things started to go sideways. Up until then their nights out had definitely included women, but Grant had simply stated he had a girlfriend and redirected any unwanted attention to one of the guys who welcomed it. And they all welcomed it. Even the married ones. 

Turned out Team Bonding in Simon's mind was an afternoon of golf followed by dinner in the best Steak House in town then finishing the night in a high end Strip Club with lap dances included. Apparently he was a VIP member and spent a lot of money there every month. It got him certain privileges with a handful of dancers. This offer was extended to his inner circle and Grant found himself included. 

He'd never forget the look Simon gave him when he declined to take a Stripper into a backroom. When he explained he had a girlfriend he'd looked at him like he was a moron.

"Almost every guy here has a girlfriend or wife. I've been married for eight years. So what. It's a bit of harmless fun."

"It's not harmless. Emily would consider a lap dance a betrayal and going into a backroom is definitely cheating. Sorry but it's out of the question. I'm not that kind of man!" 

I remember how his face changed. How he'd looked at me like I was the shit on the bottom of his shoe. 

"So you're saying you're a better man than us? Better than Hamish or Rick? Better than me? Nobody gets hurt by what happens here and the bond it creates in our team means we're the best performing division in the company. Maybe I was wrong about you. You seemed hungry, but maybe you're too young and soft to run with the men." 

Work Monday morning after that weekend away had been frosty to say the least. Guys he thought he had become friends with were giving him the cold shoulder and Simon seemed to be going out of his way to criticise everything Grant did. At the Monday Allocation meeting he'd even given Grant's latest client pitch to Shane, one of the guys who happily partook in the weekend's offerings. 

Knowing he had to say something he'd approached Simon after the meeting and their conversation left him with no doubt about his future. He either fell into line with the rest of their Boys Club or he'd find himself handling small fry accounts indefinitely.

If he'd been smart he'd have gone home and had a conversation with Emily then started looking for a new job. Hindsight was a wonderful thing.