“I also said some things require board approval. You can’t just go spending company funds on renovations without addressing the board, Aurora.”
“I didn’t. I paid for everything out of pocket.”
That stopped me for half a second. I opened my mouth to respond?—
“If you want to discuss it further,” she added, eyes still on me, “my door is always open. I won’t take up anymore of the board’s time. Thank you everyone.”
She held my gaze for a second longer than necessary then looked away first, back to her tablet and back to business. But everybody in that room felt it.
She just checked me in front of everyone.
She changed. That was the only thing that stayed with me after the meeting ended. The Aurora that first walked onto this property was loud, curious and reckless. Always pushing, always testing, always looking for something to react to.
But this version was calculated. Now she wasn’t pushing. She just… went around me.
The rest of the day,I couldn’t focus.
Every time I looked down at something, I saw her standing at that table telling me she paid for everything out of pocket as if it wasn’t a big deal or like asking me wasn’t worth the trouble. Did she think I’d say no if she asked? Would she even have asked?
My jaw tightened just thinking about it. Not because she was wrong but because she wasn’t. I had pushed her to this point and that’s what made it worse.
By midday, I gave up pretending I was getting anything done. I stood up, grabbed my keys, then went to her.
The third buildingdidn’t look the same from the outside. It had life now. People moving in and out, doors actually being used. I stepped inside and paused.
Woah.
She really did something with this place. Desks were set up and equipment was in place.
Hartland spotted me first.
“Sinclair,” he greeted. I gave him a look that made him clear his throat. “Mr. Sinclair.”Better. “You finally came to see what Ms. Rodriguez has built?”
“I been busy,” I muttered, glancing around again.
He nodded, not really believing me.
“Her office is down there. You can just go in,” he added, tilting his head toward the office down the hall. “She got an open door policy now. It’s cute.”
I didn’t respond to that, I just walked past him. As I passed her friend, I was hit with a stank eye out this world. She was not a fan of mine but I swallowed it.
Rory’s door was open so I stepped inside without knocking.
Aurora sat behind her desk, phone pressed to her ear, typing something out with her free hand like she had a million things going at once. She looked up when I walked in but didn’t pause the call. She just lifted her hand slightly and pointed toward the chair across from her desk.
I sat. And waited.
She kept talking.
“Yes, that works,” she said into the phone. “No, I don’t need a full team yet. Just send me two people for now. I’ll train them myself.”
Pause.
“Mm-hmm. And make sure they actually know how to use the cleaning equipment. I don’t have time to babysit.”
Another pause.
Her tone stayed calm, but there was authority in it now.
