Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 59445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
“Hey, boss,” Seth said as he knocked on my opened door about an hour later. I hadn’t heard anything from Brynn, which left my stomach in knots about the whole situation. “I’ve got some final touches I wanted to show you.” He motioned to some storyboards tucked beneath his arms.
“Great,” I said. “I also have some news. We’re going with your proposal for the final,” I said, completely ignoring the zing of guilt that hit my stomach.
Brynn would understand, she wouldn’t be able to deny the numbers either. And after we landed this deal, we’d be free and clear to declare our relationship to the public, which would only give us more reason to celebrate.
BRYNN
The flight in Charleston where we’d filmed the last of my proposal shots was thankfully on time and smooth.
I’d caught a few hours of sleep at the hotel last night, and made sure I was presentation ready before even boarding the flight. The schedule was tight with the Nike execs flying in, so tight that I hadn’t even been able to connect with Weston after he’d sent an S.O.S text last night, which thanks to reception hadn’t even come through until I’d boarded the plane, but I hoped to catch up with him at the office this morning. Besides, I was sure the text had likely been about something that happened on our favorite show. If it had to do with the project, he would’ve called or at least said as much in his text.
And it was hard as hell to be worried about anything like that on a day like today.
Because today was the day I’d make my mark on this company. The day I’d finally set myself apart and prove to myself that I was more than just lucky when I snagged the personal assistant job for Weston all those years ago. I wasn’t just lucky, I was good. We were good as a team, in business and in matters of the heart. Sealing this deal would only further prove how much I belonged in this world, even if I sort of fell into it by being Wes’s best friend.
I walked into the office with more than just a smile on my face—I felt it in my heart. Nothing was going to crush the joy I had coursing through my veins. I was on top of the freaking world—Nike was only one proposal away from giving us the account.
A few of the interns smiled at me sheepishly as I headed to my office to prep for the big meeting, but it wasn’t until I spotted Jake and Seth talking in the corner next to my office that I started to furrow my brow. They hushed their voices the second I walked by, the two of them almost looking sad as they darted the opposite direction from me.
Huh, weird.
I headed into my office, full of adrenaline. The Nike execs were already being set up in the conference room as per my instructions to Amelia, and I could practically taste the praise I’d get from Weston later after I landed such a huge account. I wasn’t trying to be over-confident, but the proposal myself and my team had come up with was fire, and we’d worked our asses off on it.
“Good morning,” Amelia called as she came into my office. “How are you holding up?” she asked, her voice dripping with sympathy.
I pulled up the meeting points on my iPad, then glanced at Amelia. “I’m fantastic,” I said. “Ready to crush this pitch.”
Her eyes widened, and she shifted her shoulder bag across her chest. “Oh…” she said, biting her bottom lip. “That’s great, Brynn. You’re definitely going to slay this meeting.”
I narrowed my gaze at her, confused at her tone.
“What’s going on?” I asked, apprehension blooming in my chest. First the interns, then Jake and Seth, and now her?
“Nothing,” she said, and I could tell by the way her features shifted she was lying. “Do you need anything else for the meeting? The execs are all set up with drinks and snacks, and I’ve queued up the video pitch Weston instructed me to play.”
“Thank you,” I said, walking around my desk to stand in front of her. “But what I’d really like for you to do is be honest with me right now. What’s going on? There’s something, I know it.”
Pity flashed in her eyes, and she shook her head. “We can talk about it after the meeting—”
“Talk about it now. I have two minutes.”
“I really thought you already knew,” she said, digging into her bag. She pulled out the Valentine’s Day issue of Vogue, handing it to me like she was handing me a loaded gun. “I’m fully prepared to walk out with you, you know,” she said as I took it from her. “No questions asked.”