“Resting finally, but anxious and asking for you repeatedly. So hurry along.”
She cuts the call with her usual warmth.
As the elevator drops, so does my heart. Please let it be just a blip. Mom’s condition has been like a ticking time bomb lately, and this sounds like a big, bad boom.
Dammit, Vicky will flip. But work will just have to wait.
My feet barely touch the ground as I race to the care home through three subway rides. Mom’s exhausted but breathing easier. I hold her hand, providing whatever comfort I can until she drifts off. The doctor says it was temporary. Still, leaving her guts me.
I’m starting to wonder how many more heart-stopping, panic-inducing, rush-to-the-care-home episodes I can handle. Life is so damn hard sometimes. While an absurdly priced diamond necklace is being delivered to Willow as we speak, I’m over here trying to scrape together enough cash just to keep us afloat.
The difference in our lives blows my mind. I know I shouldn’t compare, but it’s tough when their world of extremewealth is thrown in my face every day. A world I’ll never experience, no matter how hard I work.
I slip back into the office quietly, praying to avoid Vicky.
No such luck. She clicks her fingers an inch from my face. “Where the hell have you been?”
“I had a family emergency,” I say evenly. “Sorry.”
“We don’t pause business hours for personal shit,” she snaps. “You don’t see me running off when my mother fakes another shower slip for attention.”
My eyes widen. Kayla’s jaw hits the floor behind Vicky. Mental note: remind Mom to time her lung disease flare-ups outside of Vicky’s business hours.
“Of course, won’t happen again,” I force out, biting my tongue.
Vicky scans me critically with her shark eyes. “Willow wants you off the project. What the hell did you do to piss her off?”
“What? Nothing!” My confusion is genuine, as is my dismay. “I positioned Willow flawlessly in the press. They painted her as an angel. I don’t get it. I’m really off the campaign?”
“Nope, Connor insisted you stay. Said he can’t be bothered with someone new now.” She shrugs. “His words: ‘She’s less irritating than the rest.’”
What?
That makes zero sense. If anything, I annoy him more than everyone else in the world. The man must be a secret masochist, wanting to drag out our mutual misery.
Or he still has a game plan with you.
Vicky claps loudly, making everyone jump. “Listen up, people, we’re going to the Quinn & Wolfe drinks tonight.”
Kayla gasps. “Lexi and I have plans already.”
We do? This is news to me.
“Yes, you do,” Vicky snaps, eyes flashing. “I just spelled it out for you. Tonight, your one and only mission is to be the face of this company, ladies.”
Kayla’s face crumples. “But we have a double date planned.”
Shit, it’s all coming back to me now. I forgot that I promised Kayla about the damn double date.
“Raincheck ’em,” Vicky sneers. “If the guys are interested, they’ll come begging later.”
With that, she whirls around and storms off to her office.
Kayla slumps back, defeated. “Justin’s gonna kill me if I bail last minute.”
I wince in sympathy. “Hey, we’ll go for a quick drink then sneak out. Vicky won’t even notice.”
I force a bright smile despite feeling dead on my feet. After the day I’ve had, all I’m craving is a steaming bath and the soothing sound of murder podcasts. I don’t want fake small talk at Connor’s office bar or flirting with Kayla’s new boyfriend’s buddy.
