Page 3 of Where We Fall

"Bye, Grace."

I spend the next ninety minutes figuring out where the coding went wrong, then fixing it so that the two programs are able to communicate seamlessly with one another.

I close my laptop, take it off the docking station, and then put it in one of my office drawers before I lock it with a key from my keychain.

I routinely grab my purse, switch off the lights, and close my door. I walk past Marcus' office, one of the owners here at Giannelli Family Selections. He's the youngest of the four siblings, and just so happens to be down this part of the hallway by my office along with our Marketing Director, Savannah. Savannah is married to one of the siblings, Luke.

Luke, Mia, and Gabe are on the other side of the hallway.

It's just the six of us in the office. They travel worldwide to find wines that they recommend and sell to restaurants and stores across America.

I've been here for over a year now. It's been a great experience, and everybody is welcoming. Sometimes the guys are a bit intimidating for me. They are without a doubt the best-looking men I've ever been around.

Mia is sweet but has a fire to her when she's passionate about something. I appreciate her drive and ability to stand up for herself and what she believes in. I wish I were more like her. She isn't afraid to be sexy and successful.

As I drive back to my apartment, I reflect on my conversation with Grace. I don't know why her words are sticking with me for so long this time. I can typically brush them off quickly.

Maybe it's because I'm settled in my career now and haven't done anything to switch my focus to my love life.

Truth is, I wouldn't even know where to start.

I moved to Cleveland over a year ago but still haven't found a group of girlfriends to go out with. Even if I did, I don't want to meet a guy at a bar.

Aside from going to work or the gym, I usually don't go anywhere else. Instead, I choose to travel to Chicago to see Grace and my family, or I fly to New York to see my college friend, Zoe.

How do people near thirty find someone to date? It's not like I'm in school and going out with friends every weekend and the thought of trying online dating makes me cringe.

Call me crazy, but my life is spent on a computer as an IT Director. I don't want my love life found on there as well.

I also don't find anybody in my league remotely attractive. I could never get somebody who looks like my bosses, but lanky guys with bad haircuts don't do it for me. Maybe that's why I've remained single all these years.

I could never get the attention of the type of man that would turn my head.

I pull into my apartment complex; it's pushing midnight, and I'm starving.

I can't agonize over this anymore tonight. I'm too exhausted and worrying about something I have no control over is a waste of energy.

Right now, all I want to do is put on my sweats and eat something horribly high in calories. I skipped lunch and dinner, not walking away from the computer for longer than a restroom break.

I deserve a big bowl of pasta with some garlic bread and a glass of Chianti.

One thing that has improved since working for this company is my taste in wine. They've sent me home with so many expensive bottles of wine that I'll never have to buy my own for the rest of my life.

I haven't wanted to waste the bottles drinking them mindlessly, not understanding what it is that I have the privilege of drinking. So, I make sure to research each bottle, discover the region it came from and learn about the wine itself.

The next bottle on my list is this twenty-seventeen Chianti from a small farm in Italy.

Screw love, all I need are carbs, cozy clothes, and a bottle of wine.

Chapter Two

Marcus

Ipunchmycounteras the coffee machine blinks a red light that means fucking nothing to me.

"Dammit! I don't know what that means. Just give me somefuckingcoffee!" I scream at the machine.

This day is gonna be shit, I can tell already.

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