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If it were a pattern—if there were a larger problem, instead of simply the beginnings of one—Carol would’ve been the first to let me know.
Hell, Declan might’ve even said something. He’s very attentive to my career. He would’ve noticed me slipping.
“I had a commitment that night that I couldn’t blow off,” I continue.
“Please,” Hannah says. “We’ve all blown off commitments for work.”
“Yes, and the next time one comes up, I’ll be sure to do so.” I can’t keep the sharp edge out of my tone. “But last Thursday, I was busy. Was the write-up late?”
“No, but—”
“And I worked on it during the workday, like everyone else. In fact, I seem to recall I did most of the initial work on it.” With forced nonchalance, I place my cup under the dispenser of the coffee machine.
“Yes,” Hannah says, clearly impatient. “But—”
“I don’t see what the issue is.”
“While you were off doing whatever, me, Mark, and Andrea were buried in drafts and buzzwords,” Hannah snaps.
“Mark,” I say, tapping the button on the machine for an eight-ounce cup. Mark gives a start, like he was hoping I wouldn’t address him.
“Yeah?”
“Tell me—were you this mad that I wasn’t there after hours on Thursday?”
Mark blinks, looking back and forth between me and Hannah, then shrugs and sighs. “No,” he confesses. “Would it have been great if you were there? Sure. But we got everything done, and sometimes shit happens.”
“See?” I look over at Hannah, who is visibly fuming.
“But Hannah’s right,” Mark adds quickly—maybe trying to pacify her, maybe just speaking his mind. “This job demands more than just nine-to-five.”
“I know,” I assure him. “And I’m more than prepared to give it.”
The coffee machine beeps, and I reach past Hannah to take my mug. I head back to my cubicle, my cheeks burning.
On the way, I walk past Andrea’s desk. She looks up from the document she’s perusing to give me a curious, sideways glance.
I can tell what they’re all thinking as they look at me. They want to know what happened. They want to know why I’ve slipped from the top of the pack.
As I settle back in at my desk, I lean over the hot, steaming coffee and inhale deeply. The scent invigorates me. I promise myself firmly that I won’t be behind for long—and that I’ll never let myself fall behind again, no matter how tempting it is.
My career is important to me, and no whirlwind fantasy is going to distract me from it. It’s possible to date Declan and be great at my job. I’m going to figure out how.
Ignoring the sound of Hannah’s voice carrying over the cubicles to mine, I bury my head in my work, re-reading Carol’s email.
Chapter 39
Sophie
“He what?”
“Yup.” I swirl my wine around in my glass, leaning back against the couch cushions. For the first time in a while, I found myself on my own tonight—Declan has an early meeting with a potential client early tomorrow morning, and is staying up late to prepare for it. As soon as I found out I had the evening to myself, I gave Reagan a call. I haven’t filled her in yet on the news from Nora’s party.
“He swung at him?”
I hum in affirmation, taking a sip of my wine. Reagan stares at me, open-mouthed.
“And, what? Did they get into it? Both of them?”
