Page 89 of Book Club Confidential

Her email password failed, and she tried again. The third failure sent a fresh wave of anxiety through her limbs. An error message directed her to contact the Hello, Marketing help desk.

Xavier had revoked access to her work account. She’d waited too long to reach out to her clients, and now she couldn’t. She’d lost her opportunity.

“I want you to know I understand and take full responsibility,” Grant said. “But I can’t express how sorry I am for putting you in a position where you felt it necessary to step away. I would never want to make you, or anyone, ill at ease.”

“Wait. Stop.” She closed her laptop and rubbed angry fingers against her forehead. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

But she had, and the Hello, Marketing tech department had locked down her email and removed her network access. Standard protocol for security purposes when someone left the office family. Yet the possibility hadn’t even crossed her mind.

Tessa imagined Xavier accessing her contacts, then parceling them out to interns and coworkers. To Peyton.

“I don’t understand,” Grant said. “And I swear I’m not trying to push— Oh my God. I’m being pushy while trying not to be.”

“It wasn’t you,” she assured.

“If I didn’t overstep,” he said, cautiously, “why the change? I thought we were doing great together. I thought we shared a vision.”

“I quit,” Tessa said. “I should’ve called and let you know sooner, and I’m sorry.”

Her stomach roiled. How had she made such a mess of so many things, and in such a short time?

“I’ve got that,” Grant said. “But why? What went wrong?”

She paused, vision blurred with unshed tears. He misunderstood. “I didn’t quit your account,” she said. She’d never intentionally abandon any of her accounts. “I quit my job.”

While those statements were one in the same, it hadn’t felt that way in the moment. In fact, when she’d told Xavier she quit, it was to draw a line and put a stop to his bullying and Peyton’s cheating. The full realization that she’d left both her job and clients had hit later, in the elevator. Now, the fact sat heavy as an anvil on her shoulders.

She’d quit advertising.

“Oh,” he said. “Well, that certainly changes things.”

You’re right about that, she thought. She’d changed everything, and none of it was for the better.

“What are you doing now?” he asked.

“Looking for a job,” she admitted. She needed to get busy on that.

“I meant what are you doing at this moment?” he clarified.

Tessa looked down at herself and groaned. “I’m on my way to take a shower.”

“Have you eaten?”

“No.” Her stomach growled to underscore the problem.

“Let me buy you lunch,” he said. “Whenever you’re ready. Don’t rush. I have plenty of work to keep me busy.”

Tessa shot to her feet once more and hurried to her bathroom on a burst of adrenaline. “Okay.”

“Okay,” he echoed. “Just two friends, sharing a meal and talking a little shop.”

Her hand froze on the bathroom door. “Friends?”

“Coworkers?” Grant guessed. “I don’t know what to call us. I only know I still want you on this project. I like working with you.”

She ignored the pang of nonsensical rejection. Not a date. A working lunch. “I’m not sure that’s possible. You have a contract with Hello, Marketing.”

“I don’t care who you work for,” he said. “I went there looking for you. I made that very clear.”