Page 19 of Forget Me

“You’re sure? It wouldn’t be any trouble. People in that circle do it all the time.”

“Ben.” I chuckled. “You’re part of that circle now. But I’ve got it, thanks. I’ll figure out how to impress Larissa and earn that job all on my own.”

“I know you can do it. And I’m so proud of you for making this change. It would’ve been easy to keep rising through the ranks at Synergy. It takes guts to be honest with yourself about what you want out of your career.”

“Some days it feels like a bad idea. You know, we accountants are a pretty conservative bunch.” I tried to laugh, but the sound was trapped in my stomach.

“You’ve got this,” he said. “And if anyone deserves to be happy, it’s you.”

Tell that to Larissa. And to the Mystery Man who’d disappeared from my life as quickly as he’d entered it.

I stroked the ring on my thumb. A clue. Though I was too much of a realist to think even my Mystery Man could make me happy forever.

But the job at the foundation? If I secured that, I’d prove my worth to Mom. To everyone.

And then I’d be satisfied.

* * *

I’d hungmy Mystery Man’s gold ring on a chain around my neck. It was for safekeeping, just like I’d promised, not because I liked the warm weight of it nestled against my heart.

At five thirty on the first workday of the new year, I stroked it where it lay under my oversized black blouse as Larissa scanned Synergy’s first-floor conference room and sighed.

“I wish we could find a permanent office space for the foundation. But every building I’ve looked at is so unassuming and drab.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something you like. Eventually.” Though she’d been looking for a year, and I was starting to think her standards were too high. “Until then, I can get space at Synergy whenever I want. And the coffee’s free.”

Her nostrils flared like she smelled the burned-at-the-end-of-the-day coffee, but she said, “You’re doing the best you can.”

It sounded almost like praise, but it wasn’t enough for my greedy, affirmation-seeking self. I opened my mouth to offer to bring her a soda or whatever I could scavenge from the breakroom, but she interrupted me.

“Miriam, I think I may have accidentally left the café the other day without paying. Did you cover my tab?”

The ten-dollar latte. “I did, but it was no big deal,” I lied.

“I pay my debts. Text me your PayMo username, and I’ll pay you back.”

“Okay, sure. But speaking of reimbursements, I still need the receipt from—”

“Hey, sorry I’m late.” Natalie scurried in, looking impeccable as always in a white—white!—wool blazer and trousers. She was built like a model, taller than me and slender, and she looked like she’d just walked off a runway. A vibrant red Prada satchel swung from her shoulder.

“No problem at all.” Larissa’s smile for Natalie was warm and sticky like a sweet roll. “We’re so glad you could join us.”

Natalie shook Larissa’s hand, then mine. Her grin was infectious. “Good to see you again, Mimi. Jackson sent me your budget projections. The detail was impressive.”

A warm glow started just below the ring at my breastbone and spread through my chest. It wasn’t like the time one of the popular girls had discovered I was good at math and acted like my friend so I’d help her with trigonometry. It was nothing like Larissa’s blink-and-you’d-miss-it gratitude. Natalie’s heartfelt praise pushed my cheeks up into a smile.

She plunked her satchel on the conference table and pulled out some papers. “I came prepared with some thoughts about the gala. And a budget proposal.” She shot me another quick, conspiratorial smile.

Larissa sat at the head of the table. “Miriam, can you bring me a bottle of water? Do you want anything, Natalie?”

“Oh.” Natalie scrunched her forehead. “No, thanks. I’ll wait to start until you get back, Mimi.”

Larissa fluttered her hand. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll catch her up later. Miriam’s a quick study.”

My fists balled. Reminding myself I’d been about to offer to get her something, I shook out my fingers. Besides, she’d just complimented me.

“Be right back,” I said. I jogged to the break room and grabbed three water bottles from the stash in the fridge. I supposed in a lean organization like the foundation, an assistant director might also act as an all-purpose assistant. But when I’d gotten my accounting degree and sat for the CPA test, I hadn’t envisioned wanting a job where I fetched water. And now I was doing it for free. A chill flowed across my skin.

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