Page 75 of Forget Me

“Oh, good.” Larissa laughed, high and false. “If only Mateo had a head for numbers, we wouldn’t need you at all.”

I froze, my voice gone. If she didn’t need me, that had to mean I was off the list for the assistant director spot, too. Why the hell was I even here, trying so hard?

For the kids, I reminded myself grimly. For girls like Bree. For them, I’d keep trying, keep falling short, and do it all for free.

“Larissa.” Natalie’s voice was quiet but firm.

“She was late and unprepared until Mateo got here.” Larissa gave me a steely stare. “I could hire any accountant to do what she does.”

“Ah,” Mateo said, his voice like gravel. “But you didn’t hire an accountant. Mimi does this work pro bono, from the kindness of her heart. She does it for the children. In her spare time. I think you’d have a hard time finding someone as talented as Mimi willing to do that.”

I was glad I’d washed off my mascara because it would have run down my face. I swiped under my eyes and flashed Mateo a watery smile to express my gratitude. He understood. He saw me.

Larissa glanced up at the screen, her jaw set. “Fine. You can have another chance. Give us the numbers.”

My body went cold. Like a puddle slowly freezing from the top down, my skin tightened, and the grateful tears pooling in my eyes dried up. I became a pillar of cold, hard ice. Despite Natalie’s and Mateo’s defense, I was on shaky ground. All because I’d let myself get distracted from my goal. Not only was my chance at the assistant director position slipping out of my grasp, but I was letting down the kids.

My one-night stands didn’t stay long enough that I almost missed important meetings and showed up unprepared. None of them had made me look unnecessary in front of the person I wanted to hire me. They stayed safely in the non-work side of my life.

Crossing the work boundary was one thing Mateo had in common with Byron. He was all over my life—involved in my work, part of my family, and now setting my love life on fire.

He’d brought me flipping panties. To the office. That was a line I’d never crossed. Not even with Byron.

My mother’s voice whispered in my ear. I couldn’t show weakness like this again. Not if I wanted the job at the foundation. Not if I wanted to keep helping the kids like Tara at the library.

And I wanted all that. I’d prove it to Larissa.

Though—I glanced at Mateo, sipping his coffee and looking expectantly at the screen like he actually cared about the gala budget—now I wanted him, too.

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