AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Handing me a folder across my desk, she says, “Those are the résumés of the candidates for seats on the board of directors. I know most of them, but I want you to call and interview each one. It will be good practice for you.”
I place the folder on my desk and give a surreptitious swipe of my hands on my skirt because that made my hands sweaty. While I’m confident enough in myself to know I’m smart and capable, I know the people she has inside that folder are all successful businesspeople in a completely different class from myself. I don’t mean that in a self-deprecating way. It’s just that Brienne is a multibillionaire and the people she associates with, while not in that stratosphere of wealth, are pretty damn rich and accomplished. That also means they can be bold, assertive and bullheaded. She’s already warned me that I might be up against people who are borderline rude in my dealings because they don’t have time for niceties. And now she wants me to cut my teeth on some of those people.
“Not a problem,” I say brightly, even though my stomach turns a bit. I remind myself that I need this job and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make it work. I will make it into a career so I can always take care of Travis.
Brienne winks at me. “I have all the confidence in the world, Danica. I know I picked the one and only woman for this job.”
That indeed fortifies my confidence.
“Got plans for lunch?” she asks. “I was going to order a salad to be delivered. You’re more than welcome to join me in my office?”
“As lovely as that sounds, I’m going to meet your future sister-in-law at Primanti’s.”
Brienne’s eyes light from within, softening into true fondness. “I’m so happy you and Kiera hit it off.”
Kiera is Drake’s sister who moved here in October to help him take care of his boys when he travels. I also notice Brienne didn’t deny that they’ll be related by marriage one day and that makes me wonder if they’re talking about tying the knot.
“How about you join us?” I suggest. “You know Primanti’s is far better than a salad.”
Brienne laughs, wagging a finger at me. “I will not be tempted by that deliciousness. But I truly don’t have time to go anywhere. I’ve got a meeting at one o’clock.”
I glance at my watch and see that I need to head out if I’m going to meet Kiera on time. I stand from my desk and reach into my drawer for my purse. “I’ll be thinking of you while you eat your rabbit food.”
I come around my desk and grab my wool coat off the back of the door. As I’m shrugging into it, Brienne says, “You should just go home for the rest of the afternoon after lunch. No sense in coming back for such a short time before you have to leave to pick up Travis.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to assure her I don’t mind coming back, even though she’s correct. It would only be for about half an hour. Brienne has chastised me on more than one occasion to stop fighting her when she makes legitimate offers like this.
So I nod and say, “I think I’ll do that.”
♦
Kiera arrived earlierthan our arranged time so when I walk in, she’s already at the table with our food. Since Brienne introduced us back in November, this has been one of our favorite lunch spots.
Apparently, there was an episode when she first moved here that prompted Brienne to introduce us. Kiera got quite sick while Drake was at an away game and was in a precarious situation because she was too weak to care for the three boys. Brienne was more than happy to help her out but realized that Kiera needed a bit more of a support system. Brienne knew me before the crash since I’d been with the team going on almost a decade. She asked me if I’d mind befriending Kiera, which I didn’t, and it turned out I met somebody who, in a very short time, has become a dear friend. We have so much in common but mainly the thing that binds us together is our shared sense of humor.
Which can be irreverent at times.
I wave at Kiera as I move toward the corner table and she gives me a tiny lift of her chin, mid-bite of her sandwich. When I plop down in the chair, she mumbles a greeting around tender slices of pastrami, layered with french fries and coleslaw.
I have the same sandwich before me and I immediately start to unwrap it.
After she swallows, wipes her mouth and takes a sip of her water. “Girl… I love what you did with your hair.”
I tug on a lock nervously. I’ve always worn my dark brown hair in one length just past my shoulders but I decided to have some layers cut into it. I’m not sure why… maybe a desire to feel a little different.
“It doesn’t look stupid?”
Kiera rolls her eyes at me. “Not even going to justify that with an answer. Someone as obnoxiously beautiful as you has no right to ask such stupid questions.”
I snort and pull a french fry free from my sandwich, waving it at her. “Easy for you to say, Miss You Should Have Been a Supermodel.”
“Okay, okay… I get it. We’re both stunningly beautiful. Which also makes me wonder why we’re both depressingly single.”
Any other person in the world, including every single one of my family members, would have never said that out loud to me. It’s been ten months since Mitch died and no one has ever mentioned the possibility of me dating again.
Finding someone else to love again.
Possibly remarrying.
