Page 20 of Unexpected You

“I don’t tolerate lateness, as a rule, because it shows disrespect for my time, but this is the first, and it sounds like it was out of your control. Just be sure to manage your time and build in a buffer for accidents next time.”

Her face went red and she looked down at her feet as if she was a child who was being scolded.

“I’m sorry,” she said, and I really hoped she wasn’t going to cry. I couldn’t handle someone who cried anytime I had a criticism or comment.

But then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and handed me my coffee. She had a bag with her, and I knew there would be some kind of pastry inside. Every day she brought me something different and tried to convince me to eat it. I’d turned her down every single day.

“It’s lemon blueberry loaf today. With a vanilla bean frosting,” she said as I passed the bag back to her.

“No, thank you.” I’d already told her not to bring me anything, but it hadn’t deterred her, so I wasn’t going to waste my breath.

She shrugged and went to get a plate in the kitchen.

“Do you mind if I make some coffee to replace mine?” she asked.

“Go ahead.”

I now had her favorite Irish cream coffee creamer in the fridge, so she went ahead and boiled some water for the French press as she set out the cake on a plate and grabbed a fork. She’d gotten more comfortable in my kitchen and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“How was your weekend?” she asked, doing a little twirl and then making her coffee and waiting for it to brew.

“Fine,” I said. “I started reading one of those alien books.”

She spun around, her eyes lighting up as she grinned. “You did? And?”

I nodded and then sipped my coffee. “You weren’t wrong about them.”

She let out a little excited noise and bounced on her feet as if I’d just announced she was getting a pony for Christmas.

“I cannot believe you actually read one. Tell me everything.”

I didn’t want to tell her everything. We weren’t friends.

“They’re intriguing. Very readable. I can see why people love them.” There. That was neutral.

“Okay, but when you read a few more, you have to tell me who your favorite couple is.”

She was getting too excited and I needed to shut that down. “I’m not sure if I’ll read more. Maybe.” I took my coffee and went back to my office, effectively ending the conversation.

Cadence was more subdued when she joined me with her coffee. She must have eaten the cake in the kitchen before joining me.

“Can I make a request?” she asked before she opened her laptop and turned it on.

“Potentially,” I said, wondering what the hell it could be.

“Could we have a little, like, meeting in the mornings and go over everything I need to do? I’m good with lists, and it helps me focus. I’d also like to rate each task in order of priority so I can do the most important first. Is that okay?”

That sounded entirely reasonable to me. I’d gotten so out of practice working with another person. Mary and I had had twice-weekly chats like that, but at a certain point she was so good at her job that she knew what I needed before I needed it and my guidance would only be a hindrance.

“That sounds like a good idea. Maybe we keep it daily until your trial period is over and then we can reevaluate if we need it every day.”

She nodded and pulled her chair over to my desk with her notebook. She listed all her tasks for that day, and I told her which were most important, and which were less so. She took copious notes and I was hit with the sensation that it was nice to have someone here with me again. Someone to listen to me. Someone to talk to. Even just another breathing human in the room made me feel less alone.

Writing was solitary, and my laser focus on success had made me even more isolated. It was a miracle that Camille had stuck by my side for all these years, but she was an exception. Sylvia was my friend, but she was also my agent, which meant it was in her best financial interest to keep me happy.

I knew it wasn’t healthy to spend so much time with only my own thoughts for company. That was probably why both Sylvia and Camille had been pestering me so much to hire someone.

“Okay, that’s perfect. Meeting adjourned,” Cadence said, clapping her hands together and making me jump.

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