Design for love

ke, sitting on the toilet

keup, check emails, send Julia a goodbye text (because she wouldn't be awake before noon anyway), stop by the coffee shop across the street for a donut, and hail a cab to my new workplace. A

life had

e shower-step three on my carefully curated list-I got this weird, unsettling feeling in my stomach. Twenty minutes later, that "funny feeling" had me stuck on the toilet, expelling what felt like my entire exi

, a little worse for wear after my gastrointestinal battle but still passable. I knew at that point that the coffee shop donut was officially out of the equation, a

y driver on the road (mine included) to move faster. By the time we screeched to a stop at 8:51, I was all

striking, just like the company's reputation. This company was a high-end real estate firm with branches all over the country. I didn't know much about real estate its

ixed with the faint aroma of coffee. Mentally adding "find the coffee machine" to

l voice wasn't exactly a soothing start to the day, but she liked

ot late,

me. Come along now, the others a

were gathered around a table, chatting quietly. Styrofoam cups and boxe

aroline directed me to an empty seat next to a pale-face

Nice to m

e suit and crooked tie screamed "rookie nerves," which

hurned ominously. She mentioned a new project, something about email etiquette, and time management-a blur of corporate bu

Uh

for questions, Matt raised his

mit,

it help to get a little tour of the place?"

't a bad idea, but you'll get familiar with

my mouth with far less grace than I intended. Someone chuckled, a chubby guy across the tab

already reaching for

t of her. "Anastasia, meet me back here when you're done. I still need to show you your workspace. Matt, since you w

bby guy from earlier called after me and stopped me in my

om London. And yes, it happened to be true, but still, th

be rude on my very first day, but I had bigger concerns. If I didn't find tha

Caroline say t

fl

Caroline's directions, and I was hopelessly lost. Two, the ache in my abdomen was now a

hout giving it a second thought, I made a beeline

e pressed to his ear, raisi

a friendly smile. "Sorry to bother you, but c

red something into his phone, and

ious

ion surged.

ss you want me to start bleeding on the floor, I sugge

y rude person, but my panic and hormones were driving

id and I let out a

nal

y employees considering how I just snapped at him. Thankfully, he led me i

an use

d, clutching my bag

trophic, thankfully, but it had definitely been a close call. After taking some deep breaths and sorting myself

maybe he'd think I'd just taken the biggest

ow?" he asked, h

you. I'm much better now." Before I could say more, he h

uh

d painkillers. You looked

Sure, I hated taking painkillers on my per

o lighten the mood, I added, "I don't think I

dn't l

God,

es bubbling up under his intense gaze. "Caroline's probably

one even, but there was something ab

rvous smile. "I'm new here. But I guess I already gave th

ve of God,

What's yo

, his expression unreada

Oh