Page 6 of Flare
No more messages would come through. No more invitations. No more connections to the friendship they once shared.
She should delete the conversation. That was what Andrew would want—all traces of this interaction erased, as though it never happened.
But her thumb hovered over the screen, unable to complete the action. Instead, she scrolled up, rereading Maggie’s words.
A lump formed in Emily’s throat.
Before today, how long had it been since a message hadn’t been about wedding plans or Andrew’s family obligations or her work deadlines?
But I’ll be safe with Andrew. Once we’re married, I’ll be part of his family… even if Grandma Katherine doesn’t like me very much.
Chapter 2
Disturbing Discoveries
Brunborn Holdings & Estates Offices
Spokane, Washington
Thursday, May 7 (one week later)
What the heck is this?Emily adjusted her glasses, squinted at Andrew’s computer monitor, and sighed.
She’d been working as his executive assistant for nearly two years now, and she still hadn’t figured out his filing system. There were folders within folders, names that changed monthly, and he had a habit of saving files with random alphanumeric names that he claimed were a“security best practice.”
Her many offers to organize his files and documents had been met with vehement refusals, so she just tried to work with what he had. Even if it made zero sense to her.
Tonight, his security felt more like a test. A test she needed to pass so she could continue the tedious work of prepping theProjected Build Timeline and Phase I Permitting Approvals for Silverwood Estatesinvestor packet for tomorrow morning’s big meeting.
This meeting was supposed to be the“next step” for Andrew’s real estate development company.
After a week of intensive brainstorming and editing, the PowerPoint slides were nearly perfect now. But Andrew’s speaker’s notes for the pitch deck were a disaster, and he still hadn’t given her copies of the permit statuses for utilities, roadwork, and environmental impact, not to mention the latest zoning approvals, contractor bids, or supplier contracts.
Just now, he’d slammed his hands down on his desk, shoved back his chair, and snapped,“I’m fucking sick of looking at this shit. Em, you take care of wrapping things up. You’re great at this kind of stuff. All the files are on my PC. You know where to find them.”
She doubted that. It was going to take her forever to find the documents she needed on her own.
“And I’m late for an important lunch meeting,” he added.
And with that, he ruthlessly abandoned her to finish both the investor packet and his PowerPoint presentation.
Emily took a deep breath and tried to push down her simmering resentment.He’s just stressed about the meeting.Andthat’s probably why he’s been so grumpy about our wedding arrangements lately.
She couldn’t help the thought that followed.Why does he get to run away and I get stuck with all the crappy tasks?
Between this presentation and being forced to revise her wedding plans to appease Grandma Katherine, Emily was feeling drained.
She couldn’t wait until both this investor meeting and the wedding were done, and Andrew returned to being the man she’d fallen in love with.
Speaking of the wedding…
“Crap!” Emily looked at the computer’s clock and realized she didn’t have much time to finish the presentation before her 2:30 p.m. tasting appointment at The Velvet Tier Bakery.
This was going to be thesecondtasting… since Grandma Katherine and Andrew’s mother Beatrice had both vetoed Emily’s previous choice of lemon cake with a white chocolate buttercream and raspberry filling.
The bakery must think I’m a real Bridezilla!
Grimly, she scrolled down the File Explorer list on Andrew’s PC, looking for any folder that might contain the information she needed.
