Neither of them make a comment about the conspicuous lack of a file in my hand, but they do share a judgmental glance. They’re both the kind of perfectly groomed upper management types that have probably never made a mistake in their entire career.
“Of course, Ms. Bryce,” the one on the left says, smiling blandly at me. “Please, go ahead.”
I can see my own reflection in the pristinely polished wood of the conference table, and I look like I’m on the verge of a mental breakdown. Truthfully, my instability is very real, but I don’t want the reminder right now. Instead, I glance out the window in an attempt to calm my nerves.
It’s an even worse decision than looking at my reflection.
My eyes immediately fall on a building a few streets over. It cleaves up into the skyline, all glistening windows and shiny metal, the logo for a national grocery chain emblazoned proudly down the side of it. It’s the building Everett and Jenny are in right now.
It’s the building I’m supposed to be in.
“Mary?” my boss asks, his tone edging toward truly frustrated. “Let’s start the presentation, yeah?”
I tear my eyes away from the building and meet Mr. Jameson’s annoyed gaze, but I can’t find anything to say. My mouth is partially open, and when I try to force out an apology, all that comes out is a laugh.
It’s so shocking to hear out loud that it knocks the stubborn wall I built around my thoughts free, and I realize that I absolutely cannot do this.
“I—I’m so sorry,” I say, shaking my head.
The three men all share a look of confusion, but the smile on my face stretches so wide it almost hurts. My mind is already running a million miles an hour as I grab my purse from the chair in front of me. This doesn’t matter anymore.
I don’t know if it ever really did.
“I’m sorry,” I repeat, already heading toward the door. “I can’t do this. Mr. Jameson will handle this for you. Sorry for wasting your time.”
My words are all tinged with laughter, and it makes me sound hysterical even to my own ears. The three of them look at me like I’m crazy, which makes sense, considering that I’m running out of a conference room where I’m guaranteed the biggest deal of my life. But I can’t do it. This isn’t the meeting I need to be in right now.
“Mary!” Mr. Jameson sounds exasperated, and he pushes out of his seat with a mumbled apology to the representatives that are sitting, bewildered, at the conference table. “Excuse me a moment.” He leans in close to me, and he whispers, “Mary, what thehelldo you think you’re doing?”
I ignore him, and it feels incredible.
He follows me down the hall, the door to the conference room bouncing shut behind him, and I can feel everyone’s eyes on us as he continues to try to get my attention.
“You’re about to lose your job!” he hisses at me. “What has gotten into you?”
That stops me in my tracks.
I blink in shock, turning to face him again as I rifle in my purse. God, how could I have forgotten that? There are hardly three feet between us, and I manage the distance in a few strides. I press my employee ID card into his hand and pat him on the shoulder gratefully before rushing back toward the elevators.
Now I won’t need to stop by to turn that in, at least.
“Good luck with Luxe Resorts!” I shout as I slip into the elevator.
The last glance I get of my now ex-boss is a memorable one, and I laugh to myself at the sight of his face, red in anger and shock.
Once the elevator doors close, everything blurs. I pay no attention to the people congregating in the lobby, weaving my way through groups and lines until I burst out onto the street. By some stroke of luck, the crosswalks are all green, but I probably would have disrupted traffic without a care if they weren’t.
I make it to the building just as the clock strikes 1:00, and I decide to forgo the elevator this time. I move fast, quickly assessing where I need to go. I skip right past the elevator. The stairs will be quicker since our meeting is only on the third floor. I’m pretty sure I’d explode into a puddle of nervous energy if I stood still in an elevator, anyway.
After literally running up the stairs in my heels, I stumble out of the stairwell just seconds before the conference room door closes behind Jenny’s back. The sight of her oaky brown hair is enough to make my heart leap in my chest, an odd mixture of hope and dread that somehow manages to calm me down.
There’s only one thing to think about now, and it’s not Jenny, or even Everett.
Right now, I need to do my job.
I catch the door handle just barely before it clicks shut, and my breath rushes out in a relieved laugh. Stepping over the threshold is both the strangest and easiest thing I’ve ever done.
Jenny is babbling through introductions uncertainly, and Everett looks both nervous and sullen. They’re halfway to blowing it already. They both whip around at the sound of the door opening again, and their eyes go wide with shock. A million different emotions flicker over both of their faces, but I tear my gaze away from them. I don’t deserve to look at them until I make this right.
