Page 6 of (Un)Planned

In my everyday attire, I tended to favor blacks and grays, but my home was a different story. I liked to have some life in my home, even if I wasn’t the one living it.

I set the empty drink down on the kitchen counter before strolling over to my briefcase. I looked over my notes from my meeting earlier, hating that my chicken scratch was so much harder to read than my assistant’s. Marie was my lifeline, the closest thing I had to a long-term relationship. Of course, she was happily married to a wonderful woman with two chubby-cheeked toddlers waiting for her at home, but to me, she was family. She was the one who’d tell me I needed to get out of the office more, kicking me out to enjoy the sunshine on beautiful days.

Fuck, I missed her.

The next few hours were a blur, and my mind turned off as I worked through my list. Half of it was bullshit tasks,things I usually paid people to do for me, but Allen, my boss, and I agreed that we would start the New York office with a skeleton crew. A couple of other agents were making the transition with me, but they were flying out later in the week. Until then, it was just me and the damn janitorial staff in chrome city.

As my eyes started to blur from exhaustion, my phone blared to life at my side. I glanced down at the caller ID, and I saw Adam’s name. Hopefully, that bastard had had a come-to-Jesus moment and realized he was risking everything for nothing. But as soon as I clicked on the call, I knew that was not the case.

“Before you ask—no, I haven’t reconsidered. I’m staying in New York, and I don’t want any scripts for at least six months.”Fucker.This morning, it was only three. “But I need a favor.”

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

“Considering I’m neck deep in your last fucking favor, I’m sticking with that answer.”

Adam sighed. “Look, it’s not really for me. It’s for Alex-”

“Not a chance in hell.” I didn’t have an issue with Alex, even going so far as to invest a large chunk of money to help her buy a hotel in her hometown. But I had a limited number of favors, and she already used up all of hers when I got her and Cole out of several messes when they were dating behind Adam’s back.

“Theo…” Adam sighed. “This could be good for you too. Would it kill you to hear me out?”

Great question.

“Fine.”

“Do you remember Alex’s friend, Calla?”

I might have spent a month in that lakeside town, butthe only person I got to know was the take-out man from its lone Chinese food restaurant. The name rang a bell—I had a knack for remembering those, a necessary evil in my career. But I couldn’t place the girl’s face.

“Not exactly.”

“She just moved to New York, and she’s looking for work. You said you needed some help around the office…”

I groaned, leaning back to squeeze my brow with my fingers. This conversation was not going to end well. From the limited information I had on Calla, she seemed flighty and more suited for a nightclub than a professional office. But before I could say no, Adam continued, “Look, I know this isn’t something you’d normally do, but Calla, she’s a good person. She's just down on her luck. She needs a break.”

“If I do this, will you agree to read through the script I sent over?”

“Nope. I won’t,” Adam chuckled.

“Then I have zero motivation to help her.”

“C’mon, man. What do you have to lose? Do me a favor and at least meet with her.”

It was the last thing I wanted to do. I was already floundering, trying to navigate a role I barely knew how to play, and now, he wanted me to take on someone else who had no experience and potentially didn’t bring any skills to the table?

But Adam never asked for favors, at least not personal ones like this. As much as I wanted to say no, I couldn’t, not when he was the one reaching out. A thought tugged at the back of my mind, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you advocating for a girl you barely know?”

“Shit, Theo,” Adam chuckled. “Not everything has tohave some sinister motive. Calla’s been dealt a shitty hand. I’m just trying to help her out, pay it forward or whatever you want to call it.” He exhaled slowly. “Put her in the mailroom, have her answer phones. There has to be something she can do to help. You know you need it.”

I groaned. “Tell her to be at my office at 9 am on Thursday.”

“Thanks, man. You’re not going to regret this. Who knows, you might love working with her.”

---