LOGINLater that same day, when Bram comes back into my office —without knocking this time—,I already know he has something, because there's a subtle shift in his energy, something a little more alert, a little more focused."Coach Adam is coming tomorrow morning," he lets me know, skipping any kind of introduction, "Nine a.m. He wants to meet you here."For a second, I just blink at him, because that was fast."Already?" I ask, raising an eyebrow despite myself. He shrugs like it's nothing."He agreed as soon as I told him it was important for you.""Oh, that's very nice. Okay," I nod, already reaching for my calendar, "Thank you, that's perfect."And then, before I can stop myself, I glance up at him again, just for a second, because there's something about the way he stands there, waiting, that almost feels like the old version of us, but I shut that down immediately."Good work, Kent," I add, because that's what this is now. Work. He gives me a small nod in return, and then he leaves a
{ Anastasia }I should be excited.Starting the new men's line campaign is exactly the kind of challenge I thrive on, the kind that forces me to think bigger, move faster, and prove to myself and my family—again—that I can handle anything thrown at me, even when a man has played in my face. Again. And yet, every time I sit down to work on it, there's a quiet, persistent awareness in the back of my mind that this entire campaign I'm so focused on is entirely about Bram, whether I want to admit it or not. He inspired the whole thing. His face, his masculinity, his presence... everything. I can't deny it. It has been three weeks since I ended things and, on paper, everything looks perfectly fine. I've told everyone I'm perfectly fine. I've been out with my old friends and tell them half of the situation with me and Bram, ending it with telling them that I'm completely fine.We work together, we speak when necessary and we maintain a level of professionalism that anyone outside of thi
The new guy didn't just blend into the office, he expanded into it, like he had always been meant to exist there and everyone else had just been waiting for him to show up and make things make sense. Bring peace, even. Within the first two days, he managed to bring everyone out in the open office together, both teams that have been separated since I came here. It was honestly annoying how quickly everyone started loving him, but it's probably mostly because everyone has been so freaked out after Tyler was fired. But Daniel is winning everyone over because he goes around the whole office all day just sucking up to each individual person and forcing conversations, he also knows everything about everything and is willing to take on any work, anytime. It's like an undercover robot sent here to make me look bad. He’s also probably just as tall as me and almost as attractive. So, I do not like that guy at all. "... that little switch could change the whole vibe and make it seem m
For a long moment, I can't bring myself to look up at her, choosing instead to focus on a random spot somewhere near her desk, as if it might anchor me long enough to get through this conversation without completely unraveling."Are you okay with this?" she continues, her voice so neutral it almost sounds rehearsed, like she practiced stripping every ounce of emotion out of it. "Continuing to work with me without being friends anymore? You'd have to go back to your desk outside and actually work this time. Tyler was a prick, but he did a lot, so you'll have to carry his load while I look for someone else."I nod, agreeing to everything she says without really processing any of it. The words pass right through me, meaningless and distant, because all I can think about is getting out of this room before I do something humiliating, like beg."You should go pick up the stuff you left at my place, by the way," she adds, just as casually, as if we're discussing office supplies and not the
{ Abraham }For a whole week, I am forced by the world to face the consequences of talking shit. Charlie was true to his word and he didn't fire me, but he of course called Coach Adam to complain about me and tell him about the stupid video. My coach told me to go to practice earlier the next day and we tortured me on the ice for one extra hour for being so fucking idiotic. For 'saying shit just because I have a mouth'. It was terrible, then I was forced to continue working. That is my punishment. I have to come back to the office now that Linda absolute despises me, Tyler has been fired, Logan feels just as ashamed of me so he hasn't even looked my way and Nora somehow knows everything (I'm sure) because se hasn't spoken to me. Nobody in the office has spoken much to me at all. Joy is the one who has been given us tasks to do and she's the only one who somehow speaks to me but other than that, I'm a pariah. And I miss Anastasia so much, it's unbearable. Of course she hasn't unb
{ Anastasia }"You know you don't have to be 'fine', right?" Celeste murmurs carefully, cutting through her omelet as we're having breakfast. In Cabo.How did I end up here? To be honest, I don't know. I was kidnapped by my sisters. Shipped to another country by my dad. Again. He really thinks a trip will solve a heartbreak.And he’s not that wrong. The sun, the heat and the ocean is definitely making me feel better. After that little breakdown I hadI watched the video three times. I’m that moment, I allowed my anger to grow and grow until I couldn't handle it anymore and had to call my dad to tell him I wanted them gone. All three of them. Bram, Tyler and Logan.I was in a rage, so he knew something weird had happened, and only twenty minutes later, my dad and my sisters were in my house.I showed them the video, and when they got mad about it too I felt so embarrassed that it replaced my anger entirely. To have them see my "boyfriend"—the guy they thought was my boyfriend—talk ab







