Page 1 of Love and Cherish

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“I don’t want a repeat of last year,” Allegra Ilic stated precisely.

Cherish clenched her jaw hard, her molars squeaking as she held the black office phone up to her ear. The panic clawed its way up her throat and made it next to impossible to speak. “I promise you, Ms. Ilic, we won’t have a repeat of last year.”

Allegra huffed, not believing Cherish’s false promises. Cherish had regretted the annual gala since the last one, which had been such a catastrophe, but now with the pressure from Allegra breathing down her neck, she knew she had to keep her boss in line. Which was easier said than done.

“It was a disaster,” Allegra hissed.

“I understand, Ms. Ilic.” Cherish swallowed hard. She remembered all too vividly exactly the shitshow that her boss had created and the fools she had made of all of them. Cherish was ninety-eight-point-seven percent sure that if Allegra Ilic could leave Febe Aarts out of the gala, she would. But Febe’s presence was required. So here they were. Exchanging threats and placations over the phone. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“You better. Because if we don’t get the funding this year, we won’t survive another.”

Cherish’s stomach plummeted. That wasn’t a threat. It was the truth. Cherish had seen the numbers, and the Holbrook Foundation was floundering. But she hated bringing it up to Febe. It was such an awful reminder of—

“We need this to work. We have heavy hitting donors coming in for this spectacular event, and we need them to spend their money, not share gossip,” Allegra snipped like this was something they should all know and understand by this point.

“I’ll make sure Ms. Aarts behaves.” If only Cherish believed the words spilling from her lips.

Allegra snorted. “I’m not sure that’s possible, but at least keep her contained.”

Cherish’s hand shook as she sent a second call to Haylee’s phone. She glanced up, making eye contact with Febe's second personal assistant to make sure she knew to answer it. Haylee rolled her eyes, but she picked up the phone anyway.

“I’ve got it in the calendar. Thank you. I look forward to seeing the formal invitation.” Cherish shoved the phone onto the holder as Allegra’s objection rose through the line. She couldn’t take any more of it. Febe was hurting. Anyone within a mile radius of her should be able to see that clearly. And last year wasn’t her fault.

Fact.

Haylee hung up and cringed. “She wants to see me.”

“Then you better get in there.” Cherish stared at her computer, entering the date of the gala into her personal calendar so that Febe wouldn’t see it. She didn’t need Febe to be more upset than she already would be. The gala brought up too many horrifying memories.

For both of them.

The door to Febe’s interior office closed with a click, Haylee inside. Cherish rubbed her temple, the impending headache that had been threatening to spill into a full-blown migraine finally tipping the scales. She reached into her right-hand drawer for the medicine she always kept there and popped two pills into her mouth, dry swallowing them.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d used water to suck those things down. She’d had too many headaches lately. Still she loved her job. Most days. She just had to remind herself of that. Working at the world-leading online therapy company was nothing to balk at. Febe had built it from the ground up, before COVID had hit, seeing the need for easier access to quality mental health representatives throughout the United States. When Febe had offered the personal assistant job to her, Cherish had jumped at the opportunity.

She would do anything for Febe.

She always had.

Cherish jerked with a start when the main door flung open. She opened her eyes wide and then winced at the bright fluorescent lighting that seemed as sharp as a knife. Despite her attempts to get Febe to change the bulbs to something softer, she hadn’t been successful. Which meant she was going to have to work really hard to get Febe to not fuck up the gala this year.

“Where is she?” Precious, one of the therapists on staff, growled from the door.

Cherish’s lips parted in surprise, but she stood up slowly, her fingers pressed into the top of her desk. Defend Febe first. Figure out drama later. “You’re going to have to wait.”

Febe wasn’t in the mood for an argument today without both of them blowing a gasket, and Cherish knew which one would be worse and who would win.

Febe.

“I need to see her now.” Precious stood inside the door, hands on her hips, defiance in her eyes.

“No. She’s in a meeting.”

“Like hell she is.” Precious stomped toward Febe’s office.

In a flash, Cherish rounded her desk and put herself between the door and Precious. Cherish lowered her chin and looked over her thick boxy glasses, a firm glare. “She’s in a meeting.”

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