Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 64

After Cecilia left, Wallis sidled up to me and said, “I could smell that bitchy scent from a mile away, looked like the real deal.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, not saying a word.

“What did you give her? She seemed pretty chuffed.”

I spilled the beans about Hilary’s preference manual.

Wallis gave me a thumbs up, teasing. “Right on time, like coal in snowy weather. You sure know your stuff, Ms. March. But what if she gets cold feet?”

Cecilia was no fool. With that manual in her arsenal, she and Hilary were bound to hit it off sooner or later. Weighing the wife of Rainbow Capital’s president against a small project, she knew which side her bread is buttered on.

“Aren’t you happy?”

How could I not be? Given Cecilia’s attitude, there was a good nine out of ten chance that Rainbow Capital wouldn’t pull our funding.

But the thought of playing such a good card and just handing it over like that it just sticks in

my craw.

I’d been counting on it to rake in some serious dough.

“Let’s head back and wait for news,” I comforted Wallis, “Maybe we can finally catch some decent Z’s tonight.”

back to the complex, I reached the foot of the building and saw Hogan

blue, single–breasted wool suit that made him look sharp and upright, standing under the clear

paused, then broke the ice, “Here to see Director

see if the

the building. After a while, he asked, “Did you provide the manual?”

like they had met.

you put down a deposit, so I had to show some

“You’re quite thorough.”

make heads or tails of it.

grinned and said, “I always keep my word. Give it

See.”

still trying to steer

there in silence,

one after the other. I felt inexplicably deflated and found myself absentmindedly stroking

gave it to

followed his gaze to

attached to it. An heirloom,

know how he figured I was so fond of it, but suddenly my wrist

Hogan’s teasing tone, “Is Darren

seemed he’d gotten the wrong end of the stick, thinking the wristband

looked down at my toes, pulling my sleeve over the wristband,

felt like something was tearing, making my heart and lungs ache