AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The world doesn’t see Cole that way though. They just see a tragedy. A single nugget of humanity in a man made of money.
Reed’s the same way. Same story, different angle. All the man wants is his soul mate, although I’m sure he’d never admit that’s what he’s after—and given the kind of women he dates, there’s a good chance he’s going to bring down his livelihood looking for her.
The media portrays him as a man without a care in the world. Cole too.
As for me, I have no idea. I pay other people to pay attention to that brand of bullshit for me.
But the real story is so much different than what people assume they know.
The real story is that there isn’t any amount of money in the world that will pay our demons to go away.
Chapter 13
Sophie
“Midmorning picker-upper,” Andrea singsongs, doing a neat little twirl before delivering a steaming latte on the surface of my desk.
“Ugh, yes,” I groan, making grabby hands at the mug. “How did you know? Oh god, do I look like I’m sleeping with my eyes open? I hope not.”
“You look fine,” Andrea says, perching at the edge of my desk with her own mug. “This is about me. I needed more caffeine to deal with this day, and I figured you had to too.”
“You’re a caffeine angel,” I tell her, blowing delicately on the steam. “And this is caffeine heaven.”
“Have you ever tried not drinking coffee?” Mark asks from his desk, watching our gushing with no small amount of amusement.
“Mark! We do not speak of such horrific things,” Andrea chides him. “Why would anyone want to not drink coffee? Coffee is life.”
“If you’re really that tired before lunch, you should probably be working out more,” Hannah says as she passes by, actually in workout gear, a towel around her neck. “That’s where I’m going.”
“Hm, maybe at lunch,” Andrea says, her face suggesting the opposite.
Hannah turns her laser glare on me, and I smile and shake my head. “Sorry. Didn’t bring any workout gear.”
Hannah tuts at me. “Leave it here like I do. It’s a good idea to actually be familiar with the equipment we’re trying to market, you know.”
“You’re right,” I say. “Next time, I think.”
I haven’t hit the exercise lounge, packed full of sparkling Dynasty equipment, yet. It’s not that I’m against working out, despite the fact that I’m clearly not in as good of shape as most of my coworkers. I am, however, against being sweaty and disheveled on the same premises where Declan Wright works.
The last time he saw me covered in sweat was under very different circumstances, and I really want to keep this job. No reason to make him remember how we met.
Is it weird that I’m actually a little disappointed that our paths haven’t crossed since I dropped off that dossier in his office my first day? I try not to think too hard about it, or about the fact that on my second day of work, I noticed that all of the floral arrangements on this entire floor had been replaced by plants with no flowers. No one said anything about it, and although part of me wants to imagine that Declan did it for me, it’s more likely that there’s some sort of seasonal rotation in the office decorations, and I started work here just before the change.
After all, Declan almost flat-out refused to hire me. Why would he go so far out of his way to make sure I didn’t have to deal with an allergen at work when I’m not even sure he likes me?
“Don’t let Hannah tell you what to do,” Andrea tells me softly, dragging my thoughts back to the present as Hannah stalks off, swinging her yoga pant-clad hips perhaps a little too sinuously for the workplace. “I can’t believe her. She basically just told you to work out. Where the hell does she get off?”
“Probably on our platinum class models,” I say, earning a snort out of Andrea. Then I shrug. “I don’t think she meant anything by it. She’s right too, you know. I need to know and understand every inch of the equipment.”
“Please spare me, Hannah Junior,” Andrea moans before we both laugh.
Hannah and I definitely don’t get along as well as Andrea and I do, but I have to grudgingly respect her work ethic. She goes above and beyond in her job, which is exactly what I plan to do too. The only difference is, I hope I’ll be able to do it without alienating and talking down to everyone else around me.
“Sophie? I need you,” Carol calls from her office a while later, snapping her fingers with impatience. Normally, I might take a little offense to someone snapping their fingers at me, but I’m learning slowly that Carol doesn’t mean anything by it. She’s just trying to get my attention as quickly as possible, and convey urgency. She might not have an ounce of warmth to her in the office, but she is incredibly efficient.
Her office doesn’t have a single personal effect in it. It’s just as efficient—and cold—as its occupant.
Carol flaps her hand vaguely at the chair across from her desk, typing on her phone with her other hand, her brow furrowed.
