Page 22 of It Happened Again

When the crowd dispersed and the executive team left, he pulled me into his office and closed the door.

“I meant what I said,” he told me. “I cannot afford to lose you from the team, even temporarily.”

“Aren’t you remotely proud of me?” I crossed my arms. We’d had a few arguments from time to time onboard the ship, but nothing we couldn’t bounce back from. We had no choice, living in close quarters and spending nearly every minute together. But this? I rejoiced it might finally put a wedge between us.

“Of course, Iamproud of you. I take great pride in the fact that I helped you get to this point. But had I known you were so determined to do this, I could’ve helped you structure the proposal and prepared you better.”

If only Sophie could hear him now, she’d go off on him. I scoffed. “Yet you didn’t. I came to you with it in advance and told you I wanted to do this. You told me not to submit it.”

“I told you to be careful. To think long term about your career.”

“I did,” I yelled. “And this is what I chose.”

He looked pained. “Maisy, I’ve always tried to guide you. To be someone who could keep you from making mistakes. But now you’ll be reporting to Patterson directly. If this doesn’t work, I have no way to protect you?—”

“Then it doesn’t work,” I countered. “And I’ll take responsibility. I don’t need protecting, Julian. I’m an intelligent, grown woman. Not some student you fancy and obsess over. Not anymore.”

He blinked at that. The weight of it. The finality.

I walked away before he could reply.

By the time I reached my desk, I felt ten pounds lighter.

This wasn’t about rebellion.

It was about finally building something of my own. About making my mark on this world.

Whether it succeeded or fell apart—I could finally say it was mine.

On the subway home after work, I texted Sophie. She had the luxury of working for herself as a marketing consultant from her bedroom. I told her everything, hoping she’d support my decision, because as much as this felt like a big win today, a small part of me doubted myself. I loved what she texted back:Sometimes the boldest move is saying yes to yourself.

Wow, Sophie had such a way with words at times. Like a true girl boss.

So moved, I saved her quote and created a cute wallpaper for my phone with them so I could read them every day. As if I was setting sail on my own journey, embarking on this next chapter of my life, I would hold those words in my heart dearly.

9

OURS TO BUILD

BROOKS

Archer pacedthe floor when I walked into the office. His tie undone, espresso in one hand, and thumb flying across his phone in the other, he acted like a caffeine-fueled CEO on fire.

“We’re spread too thin,” he said without preamble. “I’ve got our next project stuck in zoning hell, the team needs a decision on that Midtown high-rise facade by Friday, and now—get this—Orion wants us to add a brand-new pilot project into the first phase of the new wing, shifting a few offices around to make room for it.”

“He realizes the first phase is almost complete, doesn’t he?” I asked and dropped into the chair across from him, stretching my arms overhead, then hooking them behind my head. But then I caught Lacey side eyeing my abs that must have peeked from under my sweater when I lifted my arms; I dropped them.

Archer scowled. “Patterson said, and I quote, ‘make it happen and spare no expense. The Buchanans have agreed to back it.’ I have half a mind to call Rex myself and threaten to tell Chelsea about some of his wild playboy days, unless he backs out of supporting this.”

“You can’t do that, you know it.”

“What are we going to do?”

“We?Might I remind you, Arch, you wanted to become a one-stop service from architecture to construction? These are the kinds of problems you’ll have to deal with.”

“You meanwewill have to with, don’t you?” He stared me down. Now wasn’t the time to admit my heart wasn’t in this, not yet. Even though a friend at Barnard College recently filled me in on an upcoming position teaching architecture at the private institution.

“Right. So tell me what Orion wants.” I leaned forward and put an arm on his desk.

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