Chapter 1: A Sticky Situation

Zinnia

Whoever came up with the phrase *a sticky situation* must have somehow caught a glimpse of my future and decided this exact moment deserved a name.

Because how…just how, was it possible that I forgot my invitation at home on the very day I was supposed to meet the woman who could change my life forever?

Good heavens.

I pressed my lips together, blinking rapidly to stop the tears threatening to spill.

Crying wouldn’t fix anything, and it certainly wouldn’t magically produce the invitation currently sitting on my dresser at home.

What it would do, however, was ruin my makeup and that was the last thing I needed right now.

With shaky fingers, I dialed Ailany’s number again for the tenth time. She had refused to pick up all this while.

I inhaled sharply, forcing myself to stay calm.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up…” I muttered under my breath, pacing back and forth just outside the grand entrance of the event venue.

The place was massive, with elegant glass doors, uniformed security, and luxury cars pulling up one after another. It was just so breathtaking and every detail screamed exclusivity.

Yet here I was stuck outside pacing when I should be inside trying to secure our future.

Finally, the call connected.

“Hello, sis.”

Relief flooded through me so fast my knees nearly buckled. Thank goodness she finally picked.

“Ailany please where are you? I’ve called you countless times and sent almost a million messages.” I half yelled into the phone.

“Ohhh please… chill out a little, there’s no need to exaggerate,” Ailany replied and I tightened my knuckles.

Ahhhhh…this girl always finds a way to piss me the fuck off.

“Please hurry up and bring the invite for me. I’m still waiting at the venue outside and you know I can’t enter unless you bring the invite.”

“It was a silly mistake forgetting it in the first place but please hurry up.”

“We need to get this contract, a contract with WilderSphere Events now will change our lives,” I said and the line went silent for some time.

“I will bring it right away.” She replied quickly and ended the call.

Good heavens, I hope that girl finally has a sense of time and responsibility, if not today I’ll be damned.

I stayed pacing around the premises where the event was happening. I was supposed to meet with the COO of WilderSphere Events, Juliet Wilder here today.

And now this..

I checked my time and saw that a whole twenty minutes had passed since I last called Ailany, and she still wasn’t here. What the fuck??

Where was she? Was she choosing today of all days to test my patience? Because I swear I might actually lose it.

I glanced towards the entrance again and saw how the other guests walked in effortlessly, flashing their access cards, exchanging polite smiles with security, and disappearing into the glamorous world beyond those doors.

Meanwhile, I was out here looking like a desperate outsider. Which unfortunately I was at this moment because this wasn’t just any event.

This was the… event.

It was an event hosted by WilderSphere Events, the one where I was supposed to meet the COO and the wife of Geo Wilder. The woman who could change the lives of my family and me.

Yet, here I was standing outside, late to my meeting with her, or worse about to miss it entirely.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head.

I needed to do something other than pace around waiting for Ailany to come until God knows when…

I didn’t come this far just to fail because I had forgotten my invitation. Access card or not, I was going to get into that building today.

I took in a deep breath and turned towards the entrance, my heels clicking against as I tried to walk with a confidence I wasn’t even feeling.

I approached the security checkpoint, forcing a polite smile. Oh good lord, please help me out here.

“Good evening, I’m here for the event,” I said hoping he’d just let me in without asking for my invite but who was I kidding?

“Invitation or access card, please.” The security guy asked, not even returning my smile, just straight to the point.

“I…” I hesitated and I could see the suspicion flicker in the guard's eyes, what could I say now?

“Ma’am, your invitation.” He asked again and I closed my eyes briefly.

Think Zinnia, Think.

“In a hurry to get here, I forgot it at home and I’ve been calling my younger sister to bring it but she’s running really late now.”

“But I’m expected inside, I have a meeting scheduled with…”

“I’m sorry, I can’t let you in without your access, you need it. If you can’t provide one step aside.” He cut in, not blinking.

What was wrong with him? Didn’t he just understand what I just said? Someone was waiting for me inside.

“Please my sister will be here soon, and I promise someone important is waiting for me inside. If you could please just…”

“Next,” he called out coldly, ignoring what I was about to say.

God… this was so embarrassing.

I stepped aside, my cheeks burning as the next guest walked forward and was granted entry within seconds.

I swallowed hard, blinking away the humiliation. I couldn’t give up, I still needed to find a way to get inside.

I turned away from the entrance, my mind racing as I tried to figure out my next move, I wasn’t even looking and then… I collided with someone.

Hard.

From his hard rock chest, I could tell it was a man… a gasp escaped my lips as my balance gave way, my heel slipping against the polished ground.

His strong arms caught me, but not well enough to stop both of us from going down. So we hit the ground in an ungraceful heap.

Why must I run into chaos all the time?

“Oh my God…I’m so sorry…” I began, scrambling to push myself up.

Then I looked up and froze.

His blue eyes met mine. He looked so familiar, too familiar and that was when realization dawned on me.

The man underneath me was Dylan Reed, the most popular musician in the country and my best friend's older brother.

The boy I hadn’t seen in years. The man who now looked so much different from how I remembered him.

When did he get this handsome?

I watched as his brows lifted slightly which signified that he recognized me too.

Good heavens.

If I survive this day, it’ll be nothing short of a miracle.