Page 14 of Breaking His Law

“You’re freaking out, stop freaking out.” I open my eyes, give my head a shake, still feeling unstable.

Which I am.

It was foolish of me to think that my plan was ever going to work.

Turns out I didn’t factormeinto that plan.

Or how I would react to meeting him. Nathan.

I made myself very visible. Too visible. And recognizable.

I worked out every outcome, strategically made my move like a chess player, and positioned myself into a new workplace like a master plotting the perfect gambit.

And yet the unpredictability of coming face-to-face with him made me pull the pin, blowing it all to pieces. It wasn’t even a calculated risk; it was downright stupid of me.

I guess there’s no going back now.

I have to see this through.

I’ll adapt. Adjust to this mini hiccup.

And I will win.

Feeling stronger, I roll my shoulders back, drawing power back into my body, then stand tall and plant my feet, firmly bracing myself like a warrior before battle.

I can do this.

I will do this.

And no one is going to stop me.

6

ARI

Walking quicker than I can keep up with, Janice, the human resources manager, reels off names of staff, departments, and locations of things I should be taking note of but can’t. While I might be in the building I’ve wanted to be inside of for as long as I can remember, I’m also internally having a meltdown.

Now that I’m here at the beginning of a fresh new week, I don’t feel as confident after I decided to forget all about what happened on Friday night and spent the weekend cleaning my apartment, grocery shopping, and binge-watching every episode ofYellowstone… for the third time. Then I made another decision. I’m here for a week.

In and out. Mission accomplished.

“And the executive team is on the top floor?” I interject, derailing Janice’s induction as I take double the number of steps to her one.

Flaring her nostrils, she shakes her head dismissively and replies, “Yes. I already said that. Now pay attention, Ari.”

“I was, I promise, I was just clarifying.” The last thing I want is to upset Janice. With over a decade of experience at the company, she’s deeply familiar with everyone and everythingabout the office. Building a good rapport with her could prove invaluable, even if it is for only a week.

As I’ll be working in the basement in the records room, I’m relieved to discover that I will not be seen by any of the partners or executive team. There are more than ten floors separating us, which is what I was hoping for.Whew, what a relief.

If I have to come in earlier than everyone else to avoid bumping into anyone, then I will. If I have to take the stairs for a week, I will. Eat my lunch at my desk? I’ll do that too.

In fact, this week, my middle name will be Avoidance. Arianna “Avoidance” Donovan.

Perfect.

“Janice.” A frantic-sounding disheveled girl appears looking like she’s already been through the wringer and it’s not even nine o’clock in the morning. “She’s not coming back.” She clutches a laptop firmly to her chest and her knuckles that are wrapped around the edges of the laptop turn white before she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear that’s escaped from what I think was once an immaculate-looking bun. “She just called in.”

Janice purses her lips before saying, “That man is going to be the death of me. Where is Evelyn?” She shoots her first question at the slip of a girl.

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