Page 14 of Never To Be Mine

I stumbled into my bedroom and kicked off my shoes. Then I stared at my bed and debated stripping or just going to bed as is. I managed to shrug out of my blazer and that was it. Soon after, the alcohol pulled me into a nice, deep sleep.

I woke up with the hangover I knew was coming. Didn’t stop me from the last margarita. Calling in sick wasn’t an option, which meant I had to drag my ass into the shower. I felt like roadkill but I put on some light makeup that did little to hide the bags under my eyes. Then I pulled my hair up because I didn’t have time to mess with it.

But it would be fine. I kept my head down and made my way to my office. When I got there, I wished I could leave my sunglasses on but I didn’t want to look hungover.

Thank God I didn’t have any appointments. I’d order breakfast, drink a barrel of coffee, and then maybe slink home at lunch for a quick nap. More Advil. Maybe I needed something greasy. That was a hangover remedy that went against everything I preached.

I would kill for one of those magic drinks that promised to be hangover cures. Some actually worked, but I didn’t have any because I never needed them. Until now.

“Good morning,” Kari said.

I groaned. “Not today. Please go easy on me. And speak softly. I’m fragile.”

She grimaced. “Don’t shoot the messenger but your father wanted to meet with you as soon as you got in. And well, you’re in.”

“Tell him to wait. Tell him I’m missing. I got held up in traffic.”

“He’s partnering with a new business and he wants you to meet them.”

The haze cleared. Fear snaked through me. Had he decided I wasn’t worthy after the stunt at the expo? To be fair, I did that shit all the time. It had never blown up in my face before, though.

I was sure there had to be a lesson in that, but I didn’t have the brainpower to figure it out.

“Partnering? With who?”

Kari shifted her weight. “Only one way to find out.”

“Acquisitions is my job. He isn’t supposed to bring anyone else on without my input at least.”

Kari shrugged. “Maybe that’s why he wants you to meet them. To get your input.”

I grabbed my blazer from the back of my chair and shrugged into it, wincing as the movement sent a fresh wave of nausea through me. I felt like I’d been hit by a truck, then reversed over for good measure.

“Do I have time to, uh, get coffee?”

“No.” Kari was already at the door. “He said as soon as you got in. Seemed pretty adamant about that.”

Perfect. Just perfect.

The walk to my father’s office felt like a death march. Of all the days. I was never not prepared—except today.

I reached his office door and paused, taking a breath that did absolutely nothing to steady me. Then I knocked.

“Come in.”

I pasted on a professional smile and walked in.

Motherfucker.

Hollis Blackwell was sitting in front of my father’s desk, dressed casually in a black fitted tee and dark jeans. And he smirked at me.

I stared at my father. It had to be a joke. There was no way my father was considering Blackwell for a partnership.

When I looked back at Hollis, he was still flashing that infuriating smile. I had zero patience for his nonsense.

“Dad, what are you doing?”

“Hold on a second,” Dad said. “Hear me out.”