Page 4 of Love Unexpected

“It’s nice to officially meet you, Marcus. I’m Emma, Mr. Lawson’s new assistant. I was just heading out for the day.”

“I meant to come by earlier to introduce myself, but I got swamped with meetings. I just wanted to say good luck working for my brother, he can be a real pain in the ass,” he teases with a charming smile. “But seriously, you can stop by my office any time you want to complain about him.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I chuckle awkwardly, walking backward towards the elevator.

“Oh, just give it a few days. You’ll come running to me,” he calls out, his laughter following me as I retreat to the elevator.

Something about Marcus feels like a breath of fresh air in this office. His energy is light and fun, the complete opposite of his brother’s intensity. I can’t help but smile at his teasing. I appreciate having someone like Marcus around; he makes me feel a little more at ease.

Chapter 4

Emma

After navigating through a little bit of traffic, I finally pull into the garage. It’s already dark and depressing outside. And to make it even worse, the moment I walk inside the house, I’m immediately greeted by an unwelcome chill. “Shit. I forgot to call someone at lunch,” I mutter to myself in frustration. For a fleeting moment, I had almost forgotten that I didn’t have heat. It’s just one more thing reminding me that I’m starting over, and not exactly on solid ground.

“Shit. I forgot to call someone at lunch,” I mutter to myself in frustration.

I’m mentally and physically exhausted from my first day of work. My muscles hurt all over from the move, and I’m still whining like a toddler. All I wanted to do was come home, curl up in bed, and decompress. I pull out my phone to check the weather app—thirty-five degrees outside, and it seems nearly just as cold inside. Awesome. With a sigh, I kick off my shoes and sink down onto the floor. The biting chill of the hardwood floor spreads through me. I realize I really need to get couches soon.

Starting over sucks, and with it comes the awful feeling of isolation. Eventually, I manage to peel myself off the floor.Running a warm bath, I let the steam fill the room until I can no longer see my reflection. I sink into the tub and allow myself to have a good crying session. When I finally step out of the bath, I feel better and much lighter.

I drift off to sleep quickly, wrapped in my comforter and heating blanket. But sleep is a fickle friend, and I end up waking multiple times throughout the night. Waves of nausea rippling through me, pulling me from my bed on more than one occasion. It had been a restless night, which is why I didn't hear my alarm and suddenly jolted awake at seven in the morning, panicked.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit—SHIT!” I yell while scrambling around the room, throwing on whatever clothes I can find that aren’t wrinkled. I brush my teeth, put my hair up in a bun; a few small strands fall out of place, and quickly swipe on mascara before running out the door.

Mr. Lawson is going to kill me; he has a meeting at seven. In the unforgiving corporate world, this might actually be the end of my job already. The dread of losing my job looms over me the entire way to the office. What started out as an exciting fresh start has quickly turned into a nightmare. I’m beginning to wonder if moving here was a huge mistake.

———

By the time I step off the elevator, it’s already forty minutes into the meeting. I should have at least another twenty minutes before I have to face my boss. Slipping quietly into my chair, I quickly power up my laptop. The computer seems to be taking its sweet time to start. When I finally get logged in—surprise, surprise, I have an email from Mr. Lawson sitting in my inbox.

I hesitate to open it, staring blankly at my blinking cursor. Part of me thinks I should just pack my stuff up now to avoid the humiliating lecture. But then reality crashes in, reminding me that I desperately need this job. I need this income. I click open the email, and my stomach drops.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Urgent.

Ms. Sterling,

I need to see you in my office the second my meeting concludes.

Do not keep me waiting. Again.

Noah Lawson, CEO

Luxury Investments, Inc.

I re-read the email over and over again. I can feel his anger through those two short sentences. A chill runs down my spine as my mind begins to spiral. Despite the sudden chill I feel, beads of sweat begin to form on the back of my neck, and I think I’m going to be sick.

I try to appear calm on the outside, while power-walking to the bathroom. Rushing into a stall, I barely make it to the toilet in time before I throw up the granola bar I scarfed down in the car. At least no one else was in the bathroom. The last thing I need is for people to start talking about me or spreading rumors.

When I finally finish dry heaving, I stumble to the sink, quickly rinsing my mouth out and patting my skin dry with paper towels. The reflection staring back at me is a mess—my eyes are wide and sunken in, more strands have fallen out of my bun, and my skin is noticeably pale. I look just as bad as I feel. This is not good at all.

What am I going to say to my boss? The pressure of starting a new job in a new city, all while carrying the weight of a secret so deep weighs heavily on me. I know I’ll have to tell him eventually, but right now, I just need to prove myself here first. After all, he made it perfectly clear on my first day that he doesn’t accept excuses.

Drawing in a deep breath, I brace myself for the inevitable confrontation waiting for me. Each step I take back toward my desk feels heavier. I’m still wracking my brain for what to say when I come face to face with my boss. But as I round the corner, my stomach sinks at the sight of his office door wide open. That door was definitely shut when I got here, which means he is already inside and waiting on me. Again.

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