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April 2nd - Kate
Iwalkuptothe foreign building with the familiar company logo on the door. Drawing in a breath, I pull the handle to my new office. There’s something about a fresh start that feels rejuvenating. Once you get past the fear of change, of course.
Jasmine finally called me last Monday to say that Rowan would be in contact. I was a little nervous, but when we spoke, he said he understood and that it wouldn’t be a problem to relocate me. “We love having you on our team,” he’d said. He told me to take the week to move my things, and although I wanted to get back to work, I didn’t want to argue with him when I was lying.
Every fiber of my being wanted to ask him about being related to Santi, but I refrained. It’s not my business, and as I’ve quickly learned, the less I know, the better. As much as I’d love to knowwhythey live in Rowan’s house, I need to leave it all behind me.
I walk down the hall and towards the back office. The space here at the Grove Shores branch is smaller than Azalea Pines, and I was told that all the workers are in one large cubicle space. I head inside and look towards the back for the new lead underwriter I’ll be working under, Garrett Janson.
Locating him, I tug on the hem of my blouse and walk to his desk. When I arrive, he greets me cheerfully, pushing away from his desk to rise from his seat and shake my hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kate. I’ve heard wonderful things about you from Rowan and Jasmine.”
“Oh, thank you. Nice to meet you,” I respond with a blush. As ready as I am to move on with my life, I can’t help but feel nervous. What if working here doesn’t pan out? What if I hate my new coworkers?
“Come on, I’ll show you to your desk and introduce you to the other underwriters here.”
My role here will be identical to what I did at the Azalea Pines branch. The only difference is servicing the borrowers in this area. Once Garrett introduces me to some of my new coworkers and shows me where everything’s located, he directs me to my new desk.
“Don’t get too comfortable just yet,” Garrett says as I place my bag in the desk drawer. “You’re in luck. The boss is here today, so let’s go meet him before you get started.”
“Oh, great,” I say, standing up. I’m pretty sure the boss here is the other co-owner of Valeri Financials. I’ve seen photos in random newsletters sent out to us with updates about the business, but I’ve never had a reason to know his name. The third branch, Westland, is operated by a hired manager. I don’t know his name, either.
We reach the back of the office space where the wall is lined with two doors. One is next to a window, the table inside indicating that it’s the conference room. Garrett knocks on the other door and a moment later, a voice says, “Come on in.”
Garrett tugs on the doorknob and holds the door open for me. The man behind the desk looks up from his computer and a smile overtakes his face. His dark hair is peppered with gray and his energy reminds me of Rowan—inviting and warm.
“Ah, is this the transfer?” His eyes roam from Garrett to mine. They look so familiar. Almost like…
You’re seeing things.
“Morning, Mr. Mancini,” Garrett says. “This is Kate Appleton.”
Mancini?No…
“Hello, there,” Mr. Mancini says, circling his desk with his hand extended. I can’t help but notice the same swagger that Lorenzo carries himself with.
I snap my jaw shut and clear my throat. “H—Hello, sir,” I reply, shaking his hand. How did I never know this? I wrack my brain for any memory of seeing his name on an email or document. Maybe I did at some point. But until I met Lorenzo, there was no reason for their shared last name to carry any meaning.
“Please, call me Marco,” he says, resting his hip on his desk. “I’ve heard wonderful things about you from Rowan! I’m very excited to have you on our team, even if Rowan was envious to lose you. I’m sorry to hear about the flood in your apartment.”
Flood? Oh, right!
“Yes, unfortunately, the damage was extensive enough that it required me to relocate. Thank you for accommodating me on such short notice. I love working for Valeri Financials.” My professionalism shines through, masking the gears turning in my brain.
Why is this company brimming with Lorenzo’s people?
“Rowan is my partner. If he loves you, I love you.” While Lorenzo and this man—his father?—share a similar suave demeanor, Marco’s professionalism contrasts Lorenzo’s rebellious nature.
Does he know about Lorenzo’s drug abuse? That he doesn’t care about other people?
I remember to smile in response to his statement. “Thank you.”
“Well, let me know if there’s anything you need to get situated.” He taps on his desk before returning to his chair.
“Do you have a moment to review the docs I sent you last week?” Garrett asks. Marco agrees, and I seize the opportunity to make a hasty exit as inconspicuously as humanly possible. Once I’m back at my desk, I let out a bated breath.
What in the fuck is going on? This move was supposed to help me forget about Lorenzo, not create more intrigue.
