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“Right. Well, I should get back to work. This meeting interrupted my flow.”
Orlie raises an eyebrow but doesn’t question me. “Of course. I’m glad to officially make your acquaintance, Ms. Solace.”
“Kira, just call me Kira,” I’m able to mutter before rushing out of the conference room and back down to my basement office.
The second the door is closed behind me, I clap my hands over my head. “Motherfucker.”
Orlie Wynters is nothing like his father. All it took was a two-minute conversation with him to realize as much. He’s arrogant and pretentious and judgmental and –
Why didn’t I say something? Being the star employee affords you certain luxuries, including mouthing off from time to time.
However, I’m too quiet for that. Toonice. I’ve kept my head down for years, even in my own family, not wanting to be the center of attention or cause any more drama than was already there.
Sometimes, though, that feels like a curse.
Because Orlie Wynters deserved a sassy reply for calling me and my team of techies “a circus.” The executives are the real circus. Performing for everyone in their Valentino suits and smarmy smiles. We’re the real deal.
However, not even in a different world would I have been able to say something to him.
As much as I don’t want to admit it, Orlie Wynters took my breath away.
But I’m not going to let that get in the way of my work. Never in a million years.
2
ORLIE
PRESENT DAY
What the fuckam I doing? I don’t belong here.
I twist the glass of scotch on the table and stare at the ice cubes clinking together to avoid looking at the scene occurring on the dance floor.
Describing it as a scene makes it sound like it’s some sort of chaos.
No. It’s beautiful. It’s just hard for me to look at it.
A romantic melody swoons through the air, some classic song by a crooner, perfect for weddings.
I force myself to pull my eyes up from the glass to look at Hunter and Amy swaying across the dance floor. The two of them are beautiful together, swaying and sliding in perfect rhythm. The way they look at each other makes it as if no one else in the room exists.
Fine. I’m jealous. I’ll just come out and say it. I’m jealous of their happiness.
I swig the whisky and bid myself to put the jealousy aside and appreciate the happy couple. It’s clear they adore each other.
My friendship with Hunter has grown exponentially over the past few months, and I know he deserves it. More than that, his little girl deserves it.
Amy breaks her gaze from Hunter for only a moment to look over at little Jessica and waves the little girl over.
Jessica runs from her seat to join them on the dance floor.
Hunter scoops her up and the three of them embrace as the music reaches a trembling climax.
It’s so lovely I think I might throw up.
Other couples start to waft onto the dance floor, joining their happiness. Amy’s sisters, who I’m still trying to tell apart, are all joined by their significant others as they sway back and forth. They all seem so happy.
I keep my eyes on Drew for a long moment. But his happiness doesn’t flinch from his face. From what I understand, Dana and him kind of tripped into an unplanned pregnancy. If that were me, I’d probably run the other way.
