☆ symphony harris has just graduated after two years at a university her parents chose for her. feeling annoyed with her parents' suffocating nature and controlling attitudes, she searches for a job, determined to live her own life free of all press...
hey, friends!! i hope you're all doing well. i've been thinking a lot about symphony and jared's story and it bothers me so much that this book sits unfinished! but i'll finish it one day. in the meantime, i'll take it one chapter at a time! cheers!
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when tuesday rolls around, i've had plenty of time to think about what coffee i want to bring mr ward. i went back and forth between something new and something tried and true. in the end i chose a hot white chocolate hazelnut latte — it just felt right.
"thank you, miss harris." his eyes are brighter than i expect and i suddenly feel an odd warmth in my cheeks when his fingers brush mine during the handoff.
"you're quite welcome." i clear my throat, still feeling groggy from my early morning and stressful snowy highway drive. my fingers still hurt from the white knuckle grip i held for the entire hour.
"how was the drive."
"it was alright. nothing i couldn't handle." i lie.
i'm about to make my usual hasty exit, not wanting to hear "you may go" for the millionth time, when instead i hear, "would it be inconvenient for you to stay?"
i pause, still facing the door and eyeing the exit wondering if i heard him correctly or if i should just keep walking. i slowly turn on my heel, gripping my own latte in my hand. "stay, sir?"
he blinks a couple of times, eyes darting to the left before landing on me again. "yes i'm afraid i need your assistance with a task."
the tension in my chest i didn't know was there let's up and i nod. this makes sense. "of course! what can i help you with?"
he sighs, leaning back in his chair. "it appears the board still isn't very happy with my decision to cut ties with certain partners. so...there's been talking of fazing me out."
my eyes go wide. "you mean like...firing you? how can that be? you are the business...you're the CEO." my voice is strained, my throat feels tight. if jared gets fired, where will that leave me? forget one snow day messing up my life routine, everything would change.
he nods to the side with a small shrug, "unfortunately that's the way it works. if there's enough votes on the board to force me out...i'm out."
i stare at him, studying the way he's leaning back with a relaxed posture. there's not an ounce of fear or frustration in his eyes...but perhaps i don't know him well enough to spot it.
"so..." i begin, "what can i do to help?"
"first, you can sit down and have coffee with me." somehow this statement is even more surprising than his precious one. i almost choke on my own spit.
