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Addie searched her desk for the box of tissues. “Yep. Just having a rough day.” God, she hated this woman.
Sondra moved closer. “Would this happen to have anything to do with Mr. Hartman?”
Addie froze. Shit. Think fast. “No, of course not. What would make you suggest that?” Addie replied, hoping her body language didn’t give her away.
“Look, Mrs. Greyer. I’m not going to waste your time here. And I ask that you don’t waste mine. Are we clear?
Seriously. Who does this bitch think she is? “Clear about what?” Addie replied, feigning ignorance and refusing to let this woman, boss or not, get the best of her.
“I know what happened in the elevator, Addison.”
Addie’s face remained neutral, refusing to give anything up. “I’m not sure what you mean.” Ok, so maybe she knows. But make her spell it out.
Sondra shoved papers and a sealed envelope she’d been holding onto Addie’s desk. “Sign the top form.”
Addie glanced at the paperwork in front of her. “I signed a confidentiality agreement in my new-hire paperwork.”
Sondra frowned, sighing loudly. “This one is different. It’s personal. You need help. This is my offer. Sign the goddamn paper, Addison.”
Something in Sondra’s tone, something in the way that she looked at Addie, told her what she knew she needed to do. She signed the form and pushed it towards Sondra.
“Read the proposal and see me in my office tomorrow morning, eight o’clock sharp. And remember, you signed this, Mrs. Greyer. No one’s eyes but your own are to view what’s inside that envelope, are we clear?”
“Clear as day. Oh, and, Sondra, be a dear and close the door behind you on your way out, will you?”
Sondra waltzed out, slamming the door behind her. She had to admit she really liked this girl. She could see that this was going to work out well. Very well, indeed.
Despite everything on her mind, Addie managed to get a little work done before she was due to meet with William. She glanced at the clock and realized that she needed to be downstairs in half an hour and needed to freshen up. Why should I even care? Addie was bothered by the fact that she wanted to look good for William. Stalling, she checked her email one last time. Addie inhaled sharply, trying to force as much air into her lungs as possible. There was an email from William. Ugh, why did he have this goddamned effect on her? Holding her breath, she clicked to open it.
From: William B. Hartman
Date: 6/16/12
To: Addison Greyer
Subject: Impatiently waiting . . .
Dear Addison,
Mere words cannot describe how it felt seeing you again this morning. I never could’ve imagined it possible to miss someone this much. Someone I barely know.
I am beyond sorry that we have found ourselves in this predicament. I never intended to hurt you. It pains me that my celebrity has encroached upon your life, and I promise to do everything within my power to see that you and your family remain in anonymity.
That said, I do believe that sometimes events can occur in our lives that lead us down a different path than the one we thought we were on: a path that steers us in a new direction. While we may not have intended to take this route to begin with, the road is more beautiful than we could have imagined. It leads us to bigger and better places, to dreams we didn’t know we had.
Yours,
William
P.S. Make sure you delete this immediately after reading it. Then, empty your trash, so it’s not stored there.
Addie exhaled. Damn. She was in trouble—big trouble. Grabbing her purse, she headed down the hall to the ladies’ room. Looking in the mirror, she realized that if she hadn’t known better she could easily pass for someone on her way to a funeral. Her little black dress and peep-toe pumps were certainly fitting for a day like today. But overall, she looked good in her overpriced wardrobe. Once she washed her face and reapplied her makeup, Addie hurried down to the lobby. Although the lobby was buzzing with people, it didn’t take her long to spot Carl. He had obviously noticed her before she had him, and once she met his gaze, he nodded quickly, ushering her into the black SUV that was waiting just outside at the curb.
No sooner had she hopped in than the door was closed behind her. Addie couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the three large men in suits who occupied the car with her. She nodded slightly, as if to say hello but remained quiet the rest of the ride. She strained her ears, trying to hear the conversation between the two men in the front but only garnered bits and pieces, mostly about whether or not they were being trailed.
They pulled into a parking garage of The Plaza. Why were they at The Plaza? They were supposed to be going to an undisclosed location. Everyone and their mother knew where The Plaza was.
Carl opened the door for Addie, ushering her out. He seemed to sense Addie’s confusion. “Slight change of plans.”
