Page 1

Chapter 1

Phoebe

Phoebe, can I see you in my office?”

The request from her manager cut through the impression Phoebe’s coworker Darren was doing of him at last night’s holiday party. Brandon, her boss, had had a little too much jingle juice and had teared up telling the team how much he appreciated them all. Phoebe’s immediate fear was that Brandon had heard her laughing at the impression.

Don’t be silly, she chided herself. He probably just wants to talk about the Sanderson project.

Her coworkers continued conversing jovially about the party as Phoebe hurried between their desks to Brandon’s office.

“I’m so sorry, I should not have been laughing at—well, technically, you did say all those things, but I’m sure Darren didn’t mean for you to overhear, and I certainly wasn’t—”

Brandon didn’t indulge her nervous chatter the way he usually might have.

“Can you close the door?”

Jarred by the unexpected tone, Phoebe closed the door and then sat stiffly on the edge of the seat.

“What’s up?” A minute ago, Phoebe would’ve bet money that Brandon was calling her in here to congratulate her for having completed the Sanderson project ahead of time. Now, she wasn’t so sure.

“I didn’t say anything weird at the party last night, did I? Because I limited myself to two drinks after what happened last—”

“It’s not that.” He looked uncomfortable, a sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead, his face puckered under his round glasses. “It’s… This is hard, Phoebe.”

“What is it? I’d offer to help if I knew what we were discussing.”

“It’s about your side project.”

“My…?” Phoebe felt her brows scrunch in confusion. “Which one?”

She’d had countless side projects over the years, from tutoring middle school students to starting a pickleball league to selling sourdough bread.

“Wait, is this about the sourdough?” Phoebe leaned across the desk to playfully swat Brandon’s arm. “I told you I’d give you a bread-baking lesson! All you had to do was ask.”

“It’s not the sourdough.” Brandon closed his eyes and inhaled sharply. “You are fired, Phoebe. I’m sorry.”

There was a long, loaded pause. Finally, Phoebe raised her eyebrows knowingly.

“Oh, I get it,” she whispered. “Someone is getting fired, and you need me to practice with you. Who is it?”

Brandon stared, his lips moving soundlessly.

“Sorry, I’ll play along.” Phoebe gave her head a little shake to get into character. “Oh my God, Brandon, what do you mean I’m fired? What did I do?”

“Phoebe, you—” Brandon looked down at his hands, then back up at Phoebe. “You are fired.”

I know, Phoebe mouthed, winking.

“Tell me what I did wrong!” Phoebe hesitated, then stood up dramatically, sending her chair crashing to the floor behind her.

Brandon cleared his throat. “It’s come to my attention that you’ve been posting content about marketing, and that goes against the noncompete clause you signed when we hired you.”

Phoebe’s brain whirred. Wait. My marketing content? That actually was one of Phoebe’s side projects.

“I’m confused.” She righted her chair and sat back down. “Are we still role-playing?”

“We never were.” Brandon peered up at her sadly. Phoebe slowly put the pieces together.