Page 7 of The Mistaken Bet

Head held high, I marched through the entrance hall of AnalyticGoals and made my way over to the receptionist stationed on the desk, who decided it was necessary to look my appearance up and down.

“Kara Penner for a Miss Wendy Graham,” I stated, handing over my identification to verify I was who I had said.

“Ah yes. Unfortunately, Miss Graham is unavailable today, but the deputy of the department is waiting for your arrival. Mr Daniel Stephens.” She flicked through her clipboard of papers. “If you take the lift to the fifth floor, then the second right and then next left, Andrea will direct you further.”

“Thank you.” I turned on my heel and made my way to the queue that had formed at the lift doors.

As the I travelled to the fifth floor, excitement existed, even though I’d expected nerves. As the doors opened, I followed the given directions.

“Hi, I’ve got a nine am meeting with Mr Stephens.”

The lady on the desk, who I assumed was Andrea, turned around and caught the eye of the someone behind her.

“Hi, we don’t like formalities here.” He walked out of the room as I turned around. “My name is...”

“Daniel,” I whispered, unsure if my eyes were playing tricks on me until he looked up at mine. The recognition hit him like a thunderbolt, and I knew the visions were very much real.

“Kara, damn it. Come on. Quick this way.” Grabbing my shoulder, before checking over his that no one had seen me, he directed me to the office behind Andrea’s desk.

“Take a seat, Kara,” he stated whilst staring at me. “Claire didn’t say,” he muttered.

“I didn’t tell her. I knew in my gut I had heard the company name before. Why didn’t I click sooner? The contracts have already been signed, and I’m here for the foreseeable future.”

Daniel’s demeanour turned serious as he paced the room and ran his fingers through his hair. He still looked the same, self-assured guy I’d met that night, but for some reason, he was worried or nervous over something.

“Just say it.”

“The team you're working with…” Directing his eyes towards the ground he continued. “Logan is on it.”

Every breath of air rushed from my lungs. I had forgotten the pair of them worked together, the pieces clicking together regarding him rushing me into his office.

“Well, I’m a professional. We’re just going to have to deal with being around each other.”

“Hopefully not the same way you did last time.” He winced, realising what he’d said and gritting his teeth together.

“You know?” My voice raised an octave at the shock he had just thrown at me.

“I found him”—he met my glazed eyes— “heartbroken and torn to pieces, and in a moment, that wound is going to be reopened like a huge gaping hole. You may have just met but Logan went flying for you.”

My heart constricted at the question I dared ask. “Does he still care?”

“We’re about to find out.” Daniel guided me out of the room, my famous Ice Queen persona locked in place as I headed towards the corridor and my fate. My heartbeat erratically, faster with every step closer to the guy who had my mind twisted in knots and who was moments away from being in my presence, again.

Chapter7

Logan

The last two years had been hell: from the moment Kara had left me tied to my bed, to the present day. It seemed like a constant tornado that I struggled to escape from. Daniel had nearly cost me everything with his stupid bets, and it caused a huge strain on our friendship. As a result, my mental health was knocked. I felt worthless and a failure, and to top it off, my ego had been obliterated too next to nothing. It hadn’t helped when Daniel was promoted at work, when I was too lost in my trapped little world to have focused on anything else.

I should’ve dealt with these emotions by now and found myself another girl, but there was one problem: even though she had hurt and humiliated me, I still wanted her. I missed her, which was crazy after only spending a few short hours together, but that kiss still burned a fire deep inside that I hadn’t allowed to have been extinguished in my warped visions. Even with the odds stacked against us, I hoped I could outweigh them and at some point, explain the truth behind that night.

I still struggled to let go, even though Daniel kept pushing the fact I needed to.

“Can you grab these folders for me from the office?” Andrea’s voice kicked me out of my wallowing thoughts as it boomed from down the corridor.

For the last few months, it had been easier to avoid showing my emotions. I prevented a laugh from escaping as she wasn’t scared at giving a backlash to anyone when required.

At five-foot-one-inches, Andrea was part of the fixtures and fittings, but she still struggled when half the required stationary was stored higher than she could reached. Maybe an office step could be of some help to her, a suggestion I would make to Daniel later when I had five minutes. I always had been a sucker to help someone in distress.

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