A Waltz With Wolves (Book II in The Harrison Inc. Series) | ✓

Chapter Forty-Two: 22 Days

**

As if it was any surprise, Claire fired me.

Well technically, I fired her—she was under contract with me, so she is no longer my client.

After Thanksgiving, we both agreed that it would be smart to no longer work together; it was clear business was mixing too much with pleasure to the point of it almost becoming one.

With today being December first, the festivities finally have a reason to commence. But for me, majority of December will be spent working for others—for my clients, for Sebastian and his promotional campaigns and most importantly, for the Quintanilla Christmas party in several weeks. My fingers never stop; the emails are incessant. Tomorrow, I'm going to the Quintanilla household to add my input on the decorations and most importantly, the guest list. Many important people are invited. And not important in terms of solely social stature, but important politically; society as a whole. They want this to go well, as do I. Honestly speaking, I'm being paid handsomely to ensure that this party is receiving the best publicity it can possible get. Many have RSVP'd so far, so I'm content that part of my job is done. The other half lies in making sure the party runs smoothly; that relationships are formed. Alliances are made.

Sebastian is definitely going. I've forced myself to rid his name out of my mind the last three days like he's the plague, but it's nearly impossible. Now that I've come to terms with the feelings I have for him (and after Thanksgiving—this year's feast has gone down as one in infamy) my mind won't stop. The longer I go without seeing him—without hearing his voice—the more I miss him. I sit at my desk and put off the work I have to do, the places I have to go and the people I have to meet because I can't concentrate. I feel like I'm committing adultery, the way I think of him while I'm still with someone else.

Sarah suggested that I pick a day where I can talk to him and tell him how I feel. This was when everyone was making to-go plates, covering them with tin-foil while Dad's carried crying children out the door, upset they had to leave their cousins for the day. Claire and Sebastian were gone by this time. They left early.

"Sit down, have some coffee—someplace private," Sarah said to me. "Tell him what you've been thinking."

I placed some left-over roast into a Tupperware I brought. "It isn't that easy. Today just made shit even more complicated."

"You think it gets easier from here? It's only going to get worse. Claire was fucking bold, and she'll only get bolder from here."

"I have a feeling that we won't be working together after this." I ended up being right.

"You'll think it'll end there?" Sarah rolled her eyes, leaning in to avoid the group of ladies who walked in and tried to decipher what we were speaking about. "Talk to him. Now. Before shit gets worse."

I thought briefly about what Oma had told me hours before on the back porch and knew Sarah had a point. Now, as my fingers tremble over my phone, I can't help but think of excuses to talk to Sebastian in person.

Despite my judgments, I pick up the phone and call him. Ava, his secretary/receptionist/Wonder Woman answers. I ask to speak to him, in which she tells me he's in the middle of an important meeting.

"Oh." I spin in my chair, as if that will help conjure up something to say. "Well, can you tell him to call me back as soon as he can?"

"Sure. Did you want to leave a message?"

"No, that's fine." I want to try my luck; Ava and I are friends. We go way back. "Do you know who he's speaking to?"

"A woman," she whispers. Her voice, her sighing, indicates she scared to tell me this sacred information. "She's from Colombia. Her name is Julia Castellanos. That's all I can really say."