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I flipped through the pages, impressed, as always, by Jules’s thoroughness. “Thanks, Jules. You’re a lifesaver.”
She smirked. “Tell me something I don’t know. Now, let’s go knock the socks off your new team.”
The conference room was already full when we arrived. A dozen pairs of eyes turned to me, a mix of curiosity and apprehension clear in their gazes. I took a deep breath, channeling all the confidence I could muster.
“Good morning, everyone,” I began, my voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in my stomach. “I’m Fury Gracen, and I’m excited to have you all be part of launching the Gracen, McCrae & Palmer office here in New York. I know new startups can be unsettling, but I want you all to know that I’m confident we can grow and succeed together.”
As I launched into my vision for the company, I could see some of the tension in the room ease. A few people even nodded along, their expressions shifting from wariness to cautious optimism.
The numbers and charts flashed by as I rattled off our plans, but my brain kept circling back to Sienna. I hadn’t seen her since that moment at the restaurant, bumping into her with Olivia clinging to me like she owned me. What the hell had Sienna thought? My heart clenched, picturing her face when she saw us together.
“Mr. Gracen?” A voice cut through my thoughts. I blinked, realizing I’d paused mid-sentence.
“Sorry,” I said, clearing my throat. “As I was saying, our focus for the next quarter will be...”
I got through the rest of the meeting with no more slip-ups, but I could tell Jules had noticed my momentary lapse. As the team filed out, she hung back, her eyebrow raised in a silent question.
“Just lingering jet lag,” I lied, not meeting her eyes. “Nothing to worry about.”
Jules snorted, clearly not buying it. “Right. Want to try that again?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “It’s nothing, really. Just... adjusting to the new environment.”
“Uh-huh,” Jules said, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorframe. “Adjusting or avoiding? Come on, Fury, spit it out. What’s really eating at you?
I felt my face heat up. “Really. It’s nothing.”
Jules rolled her eyes. “Please. I’ve known you for years, Fury. I can tell when something’s got you twisted up. Or should I say, someone?”
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. I glanced down to see a text from my cousin Carson: “Hey man, Vix and I are grabbing dinner tonight. Want to join? Promise we won’t make you feel like a third wheel.”
I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the screen. A part of me wanted to say yes, to forget about work for a night and just enjoy some time with family. But the responsible part of my brain, the part that had gotten me this far, reminded me of the mountain of work waiting on my desk.
“Sorry, can’t tonight. Raincheck?” I typed back, ignoring the pang of regret in my chest.
Carson’s response came quickly: “All work, and no play, makes Fury a dull boy. Don’t forget to live a little.”
I pocketed my phone, trying to shake off the feeling that I was missing out on something important. When I looked up, Jules was watching me with a mixture of concern and exasperation.
“Let me guess,” she said. “You just turned down plans with friends to work late?”
I shrugged, not meeting her eyes. “There’s a lot to do if we want to hit the ground running.”
Jules sighed. “Fury, I get it. This is a big move, and you want to prove yourself. But you can’t pour from an empty cup. You need to find some balance.”
Her words hit a little too close to home, echoing the nagging doubts I’d been trying to ignore. “I know, I know. I just... I need to focus right now. Get everything settled.”
Jules looked like she wanted to argue, but instead, she just shook her head. “Alright, boss. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when you burn out before the end of the month.”
“Right. Let’s get back to work, shall we?”
Jules gave me a look that said she knew exactly what I was doing, but she sat down without comment, spreading out a series of charts and graphs.
As we dove into the numbers, I felt some of the tension ease from my shoulders. This, at least, was familiar territory. I could lose myself in market trends and growth strategies, push aside the complicated tangle of emotions for a while.
A few hours later, I stepped into my condo, the stark contrast between its modest furnishings and the opulent penthouse Olivia had shown me hitting me like a slap to the face. The beige walls seemed to close in on me, the impersonal decor giving off the vibe of a temporary crash pad rather than a home. The silence was almost deafening, broken only by the hum of the refrigerator.
God, I couldn’t wait to move. This place felt more like a hotel room than a home, and the sooner I could settle into that swanky new pad, the better.
