Chapter 1
Tori
Beads of sweat rolled down my chest, and I cursed the Florida heat. Sure it was July, but it seemed like I was walking through hell instead of a parking lot. I picked up my pace, hoping I wouldn’t look like I’d been out for a run rather than heading to my first day of training. Three months to train for a job that would be the foundation of my career…if they didn’t turn me away at the door for smelling like sweat.
“Yes, Dad, I’ll behave,” I told my father, holding my phone to my ear and adjusting my purse. “I’m sure it will be fine, and you and Mom will survive without me there.”
“I know, Tor, but you’re so far away now.”
“Florida is a three-hour plane ride from Connecticut, Dad. It’s not that far. Look, I’m about to go into the building, so I need to go.”And hose myself down after dipping my head in a tub of ice water.“I’ll text you later.”
“Good luck today, honey. You’re going to be amazing.”
My goodbye was quick, and I cursed my stubborn need to park at the back of the parking lot for the extra steps as I pulled the glass door open. The building of the brokerage firm looked unassuming. To anyone driving by, it was an office park, not a full-service call center for one of the largest firms in the country.
The guard at the counter greeted me with a warm smile and, after I explained I was part of the new training class, he checked me in and directed me to a door to my left. A loud click signaled he had released the lock, and I walked through, seeing that I wasn’t the first to arrive and would have no way to inconspicuously fan the sweat dry.
I took a seat and gave a quiet hello to the woman next to me, who introduced herself as Mary before turning back to nervously type on her phone. About ten other people were in the room, awkward silence filling the space. I fanned my face as the door clicked open again.
My fingers hit my nose as my motion faltered, and I quickly tucked my hand away. The man who walked in had to be the most gorgeous man I’d laid eyes on. Thick wavy brown hair, hazel eyes that could drown me, and an expensive suit that made my off-brand dress look cheap. He caught my eye, and I smiled, not sure what else to do since he’d busted me staring at him. I was half tempted to see if drool had pooled in the corner of my mouth.
He took a seat beside me, towering over my five-nine frame.
“It’s so quiet in here,” he said, adjusting his suit jacket, my eyes following as if it was some riveting action. I felt his eyes on me and looked up. If ever I wanted to crawl under a seat, it was now. First, I’d gaped at him when he came in, and now I was stalking his hand movements.
Get a grip, Tori.
Thoughtful hazel orbs peered back at me as a lock of hair fell on his forehead. I had the sudden urge to brush it back and balled my fingers into my hand to stop them.
“I’m Gabe,” he said, holding his hand out to me.
“Victoria,” I replied, my voice sounding like I was a three-year-old child instead of a twenty-four-year-old woman. “But I go by Tori.”
When our hands touched, a rush went through me, like a current that snapped and fizzled. My eyes flicked down then back to his, and I drew my hand away as he studied me.
“Tori, huh?”
“Yup.” I almost rolled my eyes at my lack of vocabulary.
A door on the other side of the room opened, and a woman entered, introducing herself as our new trainer before guiding us out of the room. I stuck by Gabe, telling myself it was because he’d been so friendly when I knew it was just to smell his cologne. As we waited for security to call us in one by one for our badges, I leaned on the wall.
“Where did you work before this?” Gabe asked me, but a pretty woman a few years older than me stepped into our space and introduced herself as Allison. Her eyes lingered on Gabe, and an unreasonable streak of jealousy had me wishing I could shove her away and continue gazing into his eyes.
You’re at work, Tori. A new job you want to keep.
“I worked at Goldman,” she said, her blond hair bouncing as she adjusted her stance in her spiked heels.
I was having trouble standing for so long in just my two-inch heels, so I didn’t know how she was still upright.
“But this was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” she continued. “I’ll have to start from the bottom again, but you know how that goes.”
“Interesting.” Gabe turned back to me. “And you, Tori?”
My eyes flew from Allison, with her perfect makeup and hair, to Gabe, and I stuttered, “I didn’t.” Geez, I needed to connect my brain to my mouth. “I mean, I ran the finances for my family’s business for two years after I graduated.”
“Oh, how sweet,” Allison said, and the condescending tone crawled over my skin.
Gabe didn’t bother looking at her, his attention only on me, and I didn’t know what to make of that. I rubbed my cheek,feeling out of my element. I’d spent the last two years in the snowy hills of Connecticut where I returned home after college. Choosing to get real-life experience before plunging into the workforce.
