How do I handle this situation at work?

[columbia1]

The last year has been a difficult one. About 15 months ago, an important relationship in my life ended and I was devastated. At the same time, a new hire at work that I thought would ease my load made it more difficult as she was not very good at the part of her job I shared with her, and I wasn't willing to have the discussion of whether or not her way or my way was better. At one point she complained to management without coming to me first, although I knew there was an issue. I was reprimanded in the situation for not "helping" someone who was not interested in my ideas or in doing anything more than carrying out her own agenda (in my eyes). Since that time, I avoid my boss as much as possible (I often travel) because he tried to transfer me to another building shortly after this incident (which I felt was unfair). He was new to the job (less than a year), and had no evaluation tool beyond this one situation (third-party shared) to judge my overall job performance.

 

Anyway, our department was encouraged by someone else in management to offer help in a new project at work over the summer. Our department met with everyone involved, including my boss, and he was not receptive to our department being involved (their are six total). In addition, one of the members of my department applied for the job that specifically was hired to handle this project and was not granted an interview. Over the last few months she has become very negative about this - not only that she wasn't interviewed, but critical of the person that was. She is often sought out for her advice/expertise in the area at her building, and it has (in my eyes) led her to have a very inflated view of herself and her position at work. I know she is very confident in her abilities, but it comes across to me as arrogance. Anyway, I get along with her okay but she runs hot and cold. She was also asked to switch positions with me when my boss sought for a transfer, but it didn't end up working out between our buildings.

 

After a few months it is clear the person hired and who my boss wanted to handle this project is not cutting it, and now he has approached our department and is planning to meet with us to ask for our help in the upcoming weeks. My struggle is what to do. My boss does not have a high opinion of me, so I want to help as much as possible to prove that I am good at what I do, BUT I also wonder if he will look to my co-worker who is considered an 'expert' in her building for help instead of me (we are both knowledgeable about things relating to this project - I being the most knowledgeable in HIS building). I also know that my co-worker is DESPERATE to get the position she wasn't interviewed for this summer, and has done a lot to make herself look 'good' for those that matter even though she is coming across to those of us who know her as petty and false because she complains all the time about this person not doing their job the way she would instead of doing her own very well and, if this person is let go, applying for this position again. I also wonder if I contribute if my co-worker will be angry that she can't be the 'expert' because she is trying to make herself so and this would give her another leg up if she interviews for the position again, even though her familiarity with the project itself is only a few months ahead of ours and she really isn't an expert in it. She is definitely someone that wants things 'her way' and doesn't like when people step on her toes. Lastly, I struggle with wanting to offer my help at all. We offered our help already and my boss declined. Now all of a sudden he wants it? I feel like it is a slap in the face to ask us now after he told it wasn't our position to help in this area. Most of my department members have limited knowledge because we weren't asked to be involved, and only my co-worker and I really know what we are doing to help my boss moving forward.

 

I want suggestions on the most professional way to handle this, and what I should do. I'm sure I know what it is, but can anyone help me out?