Chapter 177
Olivia
I stifled a yawn, staring at my computer screen while stretching my arms above my head. My back cracked in three distinct places as I twisted side to side. After hours of tweaking, our concept boards were polished to perfection.
“And we’re officially finished, I announced, saving the file one last time.
Dylan pumped his fist in the air. “Thank god. I was starting to forget what sunlight looks like.”
Ava closed her laptop with a dramatic thud. “If I had to adjust that logo placement one more time, I might have thrown myself out the window.”
“Top floor,” Marcus reminded her, gathering his sketches. “You’d definitely die. And then who would make our presentations look pretty?”
“Someone less talented and twice as expensive,” Ava replied, flashing a tired grin.
I checked the time on my phone, 9:37 PM. We’d been at it for nearly fourteen hours straight.
The team began gathering their belongings, moving with the slow, dazed movements of people who’d been staring at screens for too long.
“Anyone want to grab a drink?” Brandon suggested halfheartedly.
A chorus of groans answered him.****
“My bed is calling,” Ava declared. “And it’s saying very dirty things about how good it’ll feel to collapse into it.”
“TMI, Ava,” Marcus laughed, slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder.
of the conference room
stay and help clean up?” he
Dylan. You’ve done enough.” I waved him off. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Great
his face. “Thanks,
in the silent conference room, taking a moment to breathe. The quiet felt good after hours
collapsed back into my chair and pulled
just
reply came
Congratulations. Still
About to
Don’t drive yourself when you’re this
to drive. I have my
Wait for
his commanding tone. My Porsche was in the parking garage, perfectly capable of getting me home. But the thought of Alexander coming to pick me up sent
See you
things and headed down to the lobby, waving goodnight to the security
again, Mrs. Carter?” he
one of the plush
you work overtime?”
But I volunteered
me with a refreshing chill that was far cooler than I had anticipated. I stood alone at the curb, taking a moment to breathe in the crispness of the evening, my senses heightened by the quiet of
tree accompanied the distant hum of traffic, each car’s
phone buzzed with a text
Drinks tomorrow? Girls’
O’Malley’s: Ryan’s confrontation, James stepping in, and Alexander showing up unexpectedly with his revelation about having security
after tomorrow instead? And maybe somewhere
Her response came quickly.
us someplace new and fancy.
Just text me
do! Btw, how did things end with Alexander last night?
smiled at her not-so-subtle fishing for
I’ll tell you everything the
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!