Chapter One
Olivia
“Why do you always let her do that?” Alyssa hissed, following me down the hall to my cubicle.
Someone had jammed the copier again, and I could hear them cursing as telephones rang out around the office. We’d just finished another Monday morning meeting, and I was thankful it was over.
“Do what?” I glanced at Alyssa over my shoulder, noting the way our male coworker’s eyes followed her, tracking her every move.
She was gorgeous—small and petite with red hair that flowed around her. I was the giant ogre to her fiery pixie, towering over her by nearly a foot. And where her hair was a vibrant red, mine was a boring brown. Where her eyes were this unusual hazel color, mine were pale green. We couldn’t be more different in both looks and temperament, but we were the best of friends, bonding over our mutual love of books and good food.
“Steal your ideas,” she said.
“Shh.” I dragged her inside my cubicle. It wasn’t fully enclosed, but it was at least more private than the hallway. And she needed to keep her mouth shut.
“What?” She lifted a shoulder. “This isn’t the first time Nicole took credit for your idea, and it won’t be the last.”
I busied myself with booting up my computer and entering the password. “What does it matter? Everyone wins. Besides, she’s more persuasive than I am.”
“Bullshit.” I could feel Alyssa’s glare even without looking. “You’re smart. You’re persuasive when you’re passionate about something. Hell, remember when you convinced me to skydive for your twenty-fifth birthday?”
I laughed, remembering that day all too well. It had been both terrifying and exhilarating. To date, it remained one of the most reckless things I’d ever done. Sometimes, I still couldn’t believe I’d done it.
“And I swore that I’d never willingly jump out of a plane,” she continued. “That anyone who would was crazy.”
“Yeah, but you’re my best friend. And you love me.” I batted my eyelashes at her.
“That’s not why you were able to sway me.” She planted her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at me. “I just don’t get it. Why won’t you let your voice be heard?”
“Because it’s enough that my ideas are being implemented. I don’t need a pat on the back.” Why was that so difficult to understand?
She leaned her hip against the wall of my cubicle. “I heard Adrina’s leaving. If you aren’t careful, Nicole will be the one getting promoted—onyourideas.”
I waved a hand through the air. “So what? I don’t care about being promoted.”
“Yeah.” She laughed, taking a seat in the chair in the corner. “Because you’re loaded.”
“My dad’s loaded—not me,” I corrected.
“And your mom,” she said.
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.” I blew out a breath, my shoulders tightening at the mention of my parents and their wealth. In my experience, money had been the source of more harm than good. And no amount of money could buy happiness or guarantee love.
“So…you don’t want to make decisions about how to promote new releases or which author events to agree to or—”
“Yeah. I do,” I admitted grudgingly. “But I also prefer to take more of a behind-the-scenes role.”
“Because you’re scared.”
I narrowed my eyes at her and sank into my chair. “I’m not you, okay?”
“I never said you should be. I just think you need to speak up for yourself now and then.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I gnashed my teeth and turned to my computer, where a slew of emails was waiting.
“Have you pitched your sexy soldier program to Seth?” Alyssa asked, referring to our boss.
“No. I haven’t. Not yet.” I rolled my eyes when she gave me a look that said “come on.” “And would you please stop referring to it as the ‘sexy soldier’ program?”
