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Chapter 30
Sterling
“Sterling?” Jewel pokes her head out of her office, her eyes locking with mine. The rest of her leaves the room quickly, and she approaches me with a jovial air about her. “Mark retired.”
I blink slowly. “Yes… Two weeks ago.”
“And we’ve been planning something for you ever since.”
“Um, okay?”
Jewel is planning something for me, and apparently, she isn’t doing it alone. Who is ‘we?’
I’ve never been more confused. This started as a normal Wednesday afternoon, and that’s all it’s supposed to be. Instead, Jewel leads me into Mark’s old office.
But it’s not Mark’s anymore.
There’s a picture of my family on the desk in a nice wooden frame. The green rug on the floor is my favorite color. The desk—it looks handmade. It looks like… like something my dad made.
And Aurora is here with her hands clasped together—a pose I’ve realized is her trying to look sweet, though she never has to try for me. Her dark eyes are sparkling.
“Well?” Jewel asks. “Is it a good start?”
“A good start to what?” I choke out, shaking my head.
“Your office. I thought it was about time you had your own space, and while I have been waiting for you to take the initiative and request it yourself, Aurora encouraged me to surprise you instead.”
I shake my head. “You were waiting?”
As much as I love this job, I feel like I fell into it, a backup plan after I dropped out of law school for my mental health. Sometimes, I forget I have to take initiative beyond my daily duties.
This was one of those times, I guess.
“Duh.” Aurora crosses her arms. “You really need to be more assertive. You’re lucky I didn’t take this place for myself.”
Jewel chuckles.
They really did this? For me? And Aurora was in on it? I can’t wrap my head around it.
“I don’t know what to say.” I run my hands through my hair. “Um… thanks. That’s what I should say. Thank you for all the work you put in and for thinking of me. I know space is limited around here, so this means a lot. Truly.”
“Don’t thank me.” Jewel makes her way to the door. “You’re a good employee. You’ll be here for a long time—for as long as you want to be. It’s about time you had a space to do your work.”
“I’ll make good use of it,” I say solemnly.
Jewel steps outside, and Aurora remains, a little spot of light in the otherwise dull office.
Who cares how dull it is in here? It’s mine now.
It takes everything in me to keep from kissing Aurora’s pale, round face. My hands remain at my sides, fingers twitching, and I fight several long moments to think of something to say. The nicest thing in the space is a beautiful, sturdy desk in the middle. It’s so nice, it almost looks out of place.
And strangely familiar. I’ve seen this style before, haven’t I?
My jaw drops. “My dad—”
“I commissioned the desk,” she says. “Yes.”
“The picture?”
