an
sed," Mason Grant said, dropping a thick stack of papers on
e pen down and leaned back in my leather chair, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows of Kingsley Tower. Out
tebook. He let out a loud laugh and shook his head. "We just bought out our big
my neck. My muscles felt stiff and hard from si
died my face. He leaned against the edge of the desk. "You look complete
older on my desk. "There is always another meeti
tone. "But you are not a machine. You have not taken a single night off in three mont
rning," I said, reaching for another sta
them. "No. The reports can wait until tomorrow. Put the papers down, pull o
nd his gray eyes were steady. He was not going to let m
my chair. My tall, six-foot-three fra
black wool coat off the hanger, and slid it over my shoul
I said, walking towar
called out behind me. "Do
loors, leaving the executive level behind. When the doors opened into the underground parking gar
and the engine let out a low, powerful hum. I drove out of the ga
he. I drove without thinking, steering the car through the grid of streets. As the tall gla
to a movie, or sat down for a meal with someone just to talk. My house in Brookstone Heights was larg
f my father's voice echoing down the hallway, and the way my mother would shrink back into the kitchen corner, trying to make herse
y to control anyone. But in trying to avoid his path, I had built a different ki
r onto a narrow side street. Up ahead, a blue neon light
id The Blue
rom the business district that none of my board members or executives ever came here. No one in
stepped out into the cool evening air. The sound of a slow s
d roasted coffee. Small round tables were scattered across the floor, and a few couples sat in the dark corn
bartender asked, wiping the co
" I said, sliding onto a tall leather
poured the clear water over it, and dropped a green
, pressing two dolla
y in the quiet space. I looked around the room, watching the sha
drink, drive back to my empty house, and stare at the ceiling until the al
tting in a quick gust of cold wind. I did not turn my he
down just three stools away from me. One of the men was talking q
is voice loud and cheerful. "You need to relax your should
a," a soft woman'
-green dress that fit her soft, plus-size figure perfectly. Her long chestnut-brown hair was brushed straight, falling over her shoulders
second man said, his voice low and steady.
She had soft facial features and wide hazel eyes, but there was a strange
g as he set down three small menus. "What
. "We need something bright and cel
, sudden laugh. It was not a polite, quiet chuckle. It was a real, unguarded sound tha
he said, her smile widening until her eyes cr
led to win a contract, or they laughed to make me happy in the boardroom. But her voice was completely r
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