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I wipe my eyes, giggling as I grab my breakfast and hurry from the breakroom, leaving them bickering behind me.
CHAPTER 5
STERLING
Sitting in my office, I glance out the window and notice the estate’s lush green yard sprawled out through the floor-to-ceiling windows are a sharp contrast to the doom and gloom sketches spread out across my desk. I’m digging through all of Sullivan’s ideas when my phone buzzes. I glance at the screen, and my heart skips a beat. It’s a text from Ginni.
Fate
Sterling, I’ve been thinking and I need to tell you something. Can we talk after work?
The words send an uneasy churn through my stomach. Ginni’s already tried to run out on me once, and I can’t help but fear the worst. Did I do something wrong? Is she having second thoughts? A million questions race through my mind as I grab my phone to respond.
Me
Is something wrong?
No matter what it is, I’ll fucking fix it—losing Ginni isn’t an option. In one night, she’s become essential to my survival.
Fate
I just need to explain something. Can you pick me up at five and we’ll find somewhere to talk?
Oh, hell no. There’s no way I’m waiting several more hours to find out what crazy reason to run out on me my little love has come up with now. My meeting with Sullivan will just have to fucking wait.
I send my younger brother a quick text to postpone the meeting.
Me
I had something come up. I’ll be back in the office tomorrow morning and we can meet then.
Pain in the Ass #2
I’m on my way down. We can meet real fast. I have to order the materials if we have any hope of having the Countdown Clock ride ready for September.
Me
I can’t meet today. Order the shit.
There’s a several-moment pause. I see the three little dots moving across the message box but then they stop. After another short pause, the three dots flash again. It’s been a while since I let him order anything without us going through the specs line by line after he lost his goddamn mind and bought seven thousand orange and black striped candy canes.
Pain in the Ass #2
Holy shit. You haven’t given me free rein over ordering since the whole Halloween candy cane incident. It really must be love. Adam told me you were acting all goo-goo after the blind date, but I thought he was nuts.
Me
Stop goddamn gossiping with my assistant.
Pain in the Ass #2
I see you didn’t deny my accusation.
I don’t fucking have time to deal with him, so I send a middle finger emoji and slip my phone into my pocket. The anxious knot in my chest tightens as I turn off my computer. My mind replays every detail of the last time I saw Ginni, searching for any hint that something might have gone awry.
The door to my office swings open, jolting me from my spiraling thoughts. Adam saunters in with his trademark grin, oblivious to the internal chaos I’m dealing with.
“Hey, boss. Got a minute?” Adam says, plopping down in the chair across from my desk without waiting for a response. His casual demeanor is a stark contrast to my anxiety.
