GHOST'S DON'T STAY BURIED

The conference room buzzed with quiet conversation.

Projectors hummed.

Coffee cups clinked against polished wooden tables.

Executives chatted amongst themselves while assistants hurried around distributing folders and bottled water.

For everyone else, today was exciting.

For me, it was supposed to be another Monday.

I glanced at my watch.

Nine o'clock.

Right on schedule.

The biggest collaboration our company had landed in years was finally beginning. Two firms. One project. Twelve months. Millions of dollars on the line.

Sarah nudged my shoulder.

"You nervous?"

I smiled.

"A little."

"Liar."

She laughed.

"You've presented to tougher clients than this."

"Presenting isn't the problem."

"So what is?"

I looked around the room.

"I just don't like not knowing who we're working with."

Sarah shrugged.

"We'll find out in a minute."

Across the table, Zoey was already helping herself to the complimentary pastries.

"If this project goes well," she said through a mouthful of croissant, "I'm expecting a promotion."

Sarah rolled her eyes.

"You're expecting a promotion because you remembered to come to work today."

"I did more than remember."

Zoey grinned.

"I wore heels."

I laughed despite myself.

Some things never changed.

Sarah pretending to be responsible.

Zoey refusing to take anything seriously.

They'd become more than coworkers over the years.

They were family.

The conference room doors opened.

Conversation slowly died down.

A tall man in an expensive navy suit walked in first, followed by several executives from the partner company.

Everyone stood to greet them.

I did too.

Then...

Someone else walked through the doorway.

Time stopped.

The folder slipped from my hand and landed on the floor with a soft thud.

No.

It couldn't be.

Not here.

Not now.

His eyes found mine almost immediately.

The same dark eyes I'd once memorized.

The same quiet confidence.

Except...

There was something different now.

Older.

Sadder.

Like life had carved away pieces of the man I used to know.

He froze.

Only for a second.

But I saw it.

Recognition.

Regret.

Shock.

Every emotion I'd been trying to bury for years rushed back all at once.

Late-night study sessions.

Shared dreams.

Our first apartment.

Promises whispered at two in the morning.

The day everything fell apart.

I forced myself to look away.

Breathe, Diane.

Just breathe.

Sarah leaned toward me.

"You okay?"

I blinked.

"What?"

"You've gone pale."

"I'm fine."

She frowned.

"You don't look fine."

"I'm just..."

I searched desperately for an excuse.

"...tired."

It was a terrible lie.

She knew it.

I knew it.

But before she could ask another question, the room fell silent.

One of the executives stepped forward.

"Good morning, everyone."

"My name is Richard Lawson, Director of Operations at Horizon Dynamics."

"First, I'd like to thank both companies for making time for this partnership."

He spoke confidently about the project.

Budgets.

Deadlines.

Objectives.

Words drifted past me without meaning.

Because every few seconds...

I could feel his eyes.

Looking at me.

I refused to meet them.

Eventually, introductions began.

Department heads.

Project coordinators.

Financial analysts.

One by one, everyone stood.

When it was my turn, I rose from my seat.

"I'm Diane Brooks."

"My role will be overseeing strategic planning and project implementation."

Polite applause followed.

I sat back down.

A moment later...

The man I had spent years trying to forget stood.

"My name is Abe Carter."

His voice.

God.

I'd forgotten how much hearing it hurt.

"I'll be leading operations and client integration for Horizon."

The room applauded again.

I couldn't.

Not because I was angry.

Because my hands had started shaking beneath the table.

He sat down.

Neither of us looked at the other again.

Not for the rest of the meeting.

But the silence between us...

Said more than words ever could.

---

Six Years Earlier

"That's the dumbest marketing strategy I've ever heard."

I turned toward the voice.

A guy leaned casually against the lecture hall door, a notebook tucked beneath one arm.

He wasn't even looking at me.

He was looking at the presentation still displayed on the projector.

Excuse me?

I folded my arms.

"I'm sorry?"

He finally met my eyes.

"I said your strategy wouldn't work."

I stared at him.

"You interrupted my presentation to tell me that?"

"I waited until you finished."

"How considerate."

A few students snickered.

He smiled.

"If your target audience is university students, pricing your product that high makes no sense."

I took a step closer.

"And if you'd actually listened instead of waiting to criticize, you'd know premium pricing was part of the branding strategy."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"So you're intentionally excluding most of your customers?"

I blinked.

"That's not"

"Because that's what it sounds like."

A louder laugh rippled through the classroom.

Heat crept into my cheeks.

I wasn't embarrassed.

I was annoyed.

Who did this guy think he was?

"My research supports my pricing model."

"So does mine."

He replied without missing a beat.

"Maybe your research needs updating."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Maybe yours needs improving."

Now the entire class was watching.

Someone in the back whispered,

"They're going to kill each other."

The lecturer finally stepped between us, suppressing an amused smile.

"Well..."

He looked from me to the stranger.

"It seems we've discovered today's strongest opinions."

The classroom chuckled.

He adjusted his glasses before continuing.

"Mr. Carter."

The stranger straightened.

"Yes, sir?"

"And Miss Brooks."

"Yes, Professor."

"You've both made excellent arguments."

He smiled.

"So I've decided to make use of that competitive spirit."

Neither of us liked where this was going.

"For your semester assessment..."

He glanced at the class list.

"...the two of you will be partners."

The room erupted into laughter.

I looked at him.

He looked at me.

At the exact same time, we both said—

"You've got to be kidding me."

The professor grinned.

"No."

"I'm absolutely serious."

A chorus of laughter erupted around the lecture hall.

Some students were already placing bets on how long we'd last before one of us quit the project.

Professor Hayes ignored them.

He walked over to his desk, picked up a folder, and handed it to us.

"Your project brief."

Neither of us reached for it.

Professor Hayes sighed.

"I suggest you start acting like teammates."

Reluctantly, Abe took the folder before handing it to me.

Our fingers brushed for the briefest second.

I pulled my hand back immediately.

"I'll read it later."

"So will I," Abe replied.

Professor Hayes shook his head in disbelief.

"I've booked your first project meeting."

Both of us looked up.

"Tomorrow."

He checked his planner.

"Eight o'clock."

"In the business faculty study room."

I frowned.

"Eight in the morning?"

"You'll survive."

Abe chuckled.

"I'll be there."

Professor Hayes looked at me expectantly.

"And you, Miss Brooks?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"No."

"I'll be there."

"Excellent."

As we walked out of the lecture hall, neither of us spoke.

The hallway was crowded with students rushing to their next classes.

Just before we reached the staircase, Abe finally broke the silence.

"One piece of advice."

I looked at him.

"If we're going to survive this semester..."

He adjusted the strap of his backpack.

"...don't be late."

I let out a short laugh.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't work well with people who waste my time."

I folded my arms.

"And I don't work well with arrogant people."

A slow grin spread across his face.

"Then this should be interesting."

He walked away without another word.

I watched him disappear into the crowd.

Cocky.

Annoying.

Completely full of himself.

I already knew one thing.

Before this semester was over...

One of us was going to break.

I just didn't know...

It would be me.