Me: She’s never needed my support.Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.You and Dad will be enough for Kendall.
Mom: You have always been selfish.
If protecting my mental health was selfish, then so be it.No matter what I did, I was never good enough for my parents, who worshiped my older sister.She could do no wrong.
I’d spent the week knee deep in the financials for the company FI wanted to buy, and there was something definitely off.Big time.I’d gotten through everything they allowed us access to, the surface information, but that wasn’t enough.Next week would start the deeper dive into exactly what was going on.
It was almost four.I closed down my computer, put my ledger in the safe Lucas had shown me after I explained I didn’t want the ledger to go missing.Even though the office door was locked at night, I wasn’t comfortable leaving the ledger unsecured.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when the phone on my desk rang.Who could be calling me on the office phone?“This is Valerie.”
“Hi, Valerie, it’s Cassie.”
“Hey, Cassie.”We met a couple of days ago when Hazel introduced us at Daily Perks.Cassie was the director of Customer Service.
“It’s Friday, and I wanted to invite you to an afterwork get-together at the local pub.Are you interested?”
The way my head continued to spin from all the numbers I’d been reviewing, I could use the distraction.Lucas had left the office at three-thirty and told me he probably wouldn’t be back for the day; I doubted he’d be there.The last thing I needed was to be around him more.“Sure.
“Where shall I meet you?”It would be nice to get to know others at FI.
“Lobby in about ten minutes.Does that work?”
“Perfect.See you there.”
I liked Cassie.From our first meeting, her bubbly personality gave me a clue she would be fun to hang out with.I had yet to meet her husband, Marcus, who also worked for the company.I grabbed my purse, turned off the lights, and locked up as I left the office.Hazel was already gone, so I stopped at the ladies’ room for a quick repair before making my way to the lobby.
Cassie was already there and talking with a handsome man beside her.While he gave me bad boy vibes with his black jeans and leather jacket, he gazed down at Cassie with an expression of pure love.Oh, to have a man look at me like that.My heart clenched.Lucas had looked at me like that once, then ditched me.What was it like to trust that look?I wasn’t sure I’d ever know.
“There you are,” Cassie said when I walked up.“Marcus this is Valerie, Valerie, my husband.”
“Nice to meet you.”Marcus held his hand out.
“You too.”
Marcus’ grip was firm and his green gaze assessing.Was he sizing me up?I stiffened and released his hand.“Where are we going?”
“The Whistle Stop Pub.It’s just down the street.A group of us like to go there on Friday nights.”Cassie linked her arm with Marcus’ as we left the FI building.
“Sounds like fun.”Maybe I could unwind after this week.After sharing an office with Lucas, my internal radar was overworked, and it needed a break.
“How is working with Lucas going?”Marcus asked.
“I’m not really working with him.Lucas does his own thing, and I do mine.”That was the truth.Now, if only I could quit being so aware of him.
“Don’t you report to him?”Marcus glanced at me.
“Nothing formal.I’ve only been here a week, and I’m still digging into the company I’m here to vet.”I wondered at Marcus’ questions.My contract didn’t specify Lucas was my boss; he wasn’t.Or was he?No one mentioned he was my boss.But it made sense since he was the head of Finance.I’d have to ask, but for now, I tucked my doubts away.
“Honey, behave,” Cassie said.“I’m sorry.He can’t help butting into others’ lives.”
Marcus opened his mouth, and Cassie tapped his lips with her fingers.
I wondered what he was going to say.Maybe I’d find out later.I tried to let it all go.It was time to unwind.
We were soon inside the pub, and I liked the dark wood and the relaxed atmosphere.Just what I needed.
“Over here,” a male voice called.
