Once he got started on the list, I stepped outside for a second and pulled out my phone.
If I was building a team, I needed people I actually trusted. People who understood what I was trying to do. I scrolled for half a second before hitting call.
She picked up quick.
“Yes ma’am?”
“Hey,” I said, leaning against the railing. “You want a job?
A WEEK LATER…
NOTHING BREAKS LIKE A HEART
Marlon.
I ain’t seenher in a week.
And that wasn’tby accident.
I kept it that way by staying in my office, moving differently through the property and making sure our paths didn’t cross. It was easy like that because Rory didn’t leave her building at all, not even for lunch.
She left this place… empty.
So when the conference room door opened, I already knew it was her by the sound of heels and her intoxicating scent.
Didn’t even have to look up at first. But when I did?—
Yeah.
I missed my Bunny-rabbit.
Aurora walked in with her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, clean and out the way. Her button-up was tucked into some fitted pants that sat right on her hips. Full work mode and she looked good in it.
I leaned back in my chair a little, watching her longer than I should’ve. Behind her came TaskRabbit Hartland and then the friend from New York.
So she really did build her own little team. Just as expected.
Aurora ain’t never been the patient type. She took her seat without even glancing my way, opened her tablet, and got ready like any other meeting. Like we ain’t been…
I looked away first.
The meeting started with the same old routine of numbers and updates.
I gave my input when I had to, kept it short and tight. But I felt her in the room—fuck, I couldn’t not feel her.
When it was her turn, she ain’t ease into nothing.
“I’ve started building out the marketing department,” she said, sliding a folder across the table for us to pass around. Folks started paying attention for real. “As of now, it consists of three people. Myself, Orim as marketing manager, and Hartland will be managing the shed operations tied to the experience and expenses. Any questions?”
“Aurora,” Dillon’s voice came through the screen quick. “You can’t hire your friends without clearing it with me or Marlon.”
Aurora didn’t even blink. “Yes I can. Since you and Mr. Sinclair decided it was best I be moved to marketing, I built my team as I was asked.”
She stood and continued. “Hartland has been helping me from day one with this. He knows the products inside and out but he has taken an extra step in development by training with Patch. I believe that his expertise on Sucré coupled with his knowledge of bookkeeping makes him an asset.”
She winked at him and he returned it with a blushing ‘thank you’.
Then she gestured to the friend, “Orim on the other hand knows anyone and everyone. Without her, we wouldn’t have hadthis level of success with our showcases. Just letting everyone know that she does live in New York full time so most of her work will be remote, but we agreed to have her come in once or twice a month.”
