As an up-and-coming social media influencer, Sadie Dwyer has had enough of the expectations thrust upon her and is finally ready to start living life on her own terms. Goodbye cushy corporate finance job, goodbye Los Angeles, and hello fresh start...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
There was no need to be nervous, I thought, pacing around my apartment as the clock ticked closer to three. At which time I was meant to be downstairs, meeting with Finn and Rhett to show them their final website before I pushed it live later tonight. And while I was confident that I'd absolutely smashed the website design, my jitters had started to emerge when it hit me that it would be the first time since Rhett walked out of my apartment yesterday morning that we were seeing each other face-to-face.
Sure, he'd texted last night, catching me as I was winding down for the evening. We'd regaled each other about our days—fairly average on his end while mine was on the more productive side—and then had slipped into a sort of mindless flirting, chatting about randomness a bit too late into the night.
It had left a smile on my face when I finally drifted off—the low stakes of it all—but knowing the context of today had an irritating voice nagging in the back of my mind. One that said I was an idiot for crossing that line for someone who was technically my employer at the moment, despite that having never bothered me before. One that had me imagining walking into his office downstairs and him suddenly dismissing my work in favor of my body. One that told me that I'd royally fucked things up.
But the more rational side of my mind told me I was being ridiculous, and that was the one I knew in my heart was right. I just couldn't seem to shake the bad thoughts.
Luckily, an incoming call from my sister pulled me from the tailspin inside my head, and in an attempt to calm myself down, I answered.
"Hey."
"Hey," she said, and I heard the sound of a commotion and sirens in the background.
"Everything okay over there?"
I could almost feel the weight of the sigh she let out. "All good, I'm just finally off a shift that seemed like it would never end. The hospital never seems to slow down, you know." I heard the click of a lock as she seemingly got into her car. "Anyways," she continued once she was situated, "any chance you're free right now?"
"Not right this second. I'm about to—"
"Okay, I get that you may not want to see me after I fed you to the wolves—aka our parents—a few nights ago, but I swear, I'm so, so sorry about that. Once you stormed out, I gave them both a piece of my mind before following you out the door, but you had already disappeared by that point, and I thought I'd give you some space to decompress. I just... I can't believe they were that bad. But I want you to know that no matter what happens between you and them, I'll always have your back."
Hearing her go on and on had the corner of my mouth twisting up with amusement. "I appreciate it, Whit," I said, "but I will say I'm not trying to blow you off. I'm heading downstairs to meet Rhett and Finn about the pub's new website in a few minutes."
"Oh. Sorry for the rambling then, even though I meant every word." She blew out a long breath in relief. "Maybe I can come over later tonight to celebrate then, because I know those guys will love whatever it is you built for them. We can even talk more about what you plan to do about the one you have some unresolved sexual tension with."
