Laura felt a weight lift off her shoulders. “Thank you, Ryan. I don’t know what to say.
He squeezed her shoulder gently. “You don’t have to say anything. Just hang in there, okay? Things are about to change around here.”
As Ryan walked away, Laura felt a mix of relief and anticipation. For the first time in weeks, she allowed herself to feel hopeful about her future at the warehouse.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of nervous energy for Laura. She kept expecting Gregory to storm out of his office and fire her on the spot, but the hours ticked by without Incident. As the workday neared its end, Laura’s desk phone rang, startling her.
“Laura Mckenna?” It was the GM’s secretary. “Mr. Thompson would like to see you in his office immediately
Laura’s heart sank. This was it – Gregory must have gotten to the GM first. With a deep breath, she stood up and made her way to the office, sterling herself for the worst.
As she entered, she saw Gregory standing there with a triumphant smirk on his face. Mr. Thompson, the GM, sat behind his desk with a grave expression.
“Ms. McKenna, please have a seat,” Mr. Thompson said, gesturing to a chair,
Before Laura could sit, Gregory began speaking rapidly. “Mr. Thompson, as I was saying, Ms. McKenna has been a disruptive influence in the workplace. She’s spread false rumors about inventory discrepancies, accused me of impropriety, and today she physically assaulted me in my office. I strongly recommend immediate termination.”
Laura opened her mouth to defend herself, but before she could speak, the door opened behind her. She turned to see Ryan walk in, a determined look on his face.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Ryan said smoothly, “but I believe I have some relevant information for this discussion.”
Gregory’s smirk faltered. “Who are you? This is a private meeting.”
Ryan smiled coolly, “Ryan Callis, new major shareholder. And I’m here to inform you, Mr. Thompson, that with the board’s approval, we’re making some immediate changes.”
He turned to Gregory, his voice hard. “Mr. Simmons, you’re tired, effective immediately. We have evidence of your misconduct, including multiple complaints of sexual harassment and your involvement in the inventory discrepancies Ms. McKenna reported.” Gregory’s face drained of color. “You can’t do this! I’ve been here for years! She’s lying!
Mr. Thompson, looking shocked, turned to his secretary. “Janet, please draw up a termination letter for Mr. Simmons. ”
As Gregory began to plead and argue, Ryan turned to Laura with a smile. “Ms. McKenna, I hope you’ll stay on with us. We value employees with integrity.”
Laura nodded, still processing what had just happened. As she left the office, she heard Gregory’s protests fading behind her. Outside, Ryan caught up with her. “Hey, how about we celebrate? There’s a great club nearby if you’re up for it.”
Laura hesitated for a moment, then smiled. ‘You know what? I’d love to
A few hours later, Laura found herself in a vibrant nightclub, the bass thumping through her body as she and Ryan made their way to
the bar.
“Two gin and tonics, please,” Ryan shouted to the bartender over the music. He turned to Laura with a grin. “Unless you’d prefer something else?”
Laura shook her head, smiling. “Gin and tonic is perfect, thanks.”
As they waited for their drinks, Ryan leaned in close to be heard. “So, how does it feel to be vindicated?”
Laura laughed, the tension of the day finally releasing “Honestly? It feels amazing. I still can’t believe it happened. Thank you, Ryan.
Really.”
He waved off her thanks. “You did all the hard work I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
Their drinks arrived, and they clinked glasses Laura took a sip, enjoying the cool burn of the gin. She watched as Ryan’s eyes scanned the dance floor, his foot tapping to the beat.
“Want to dance?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Laura hesitated, “I don’t know, I’m not much of a dancer.
Ryan laughed. “Neither am 1, but that’s half the fun, isn’t it? Come on, live a little!”
With a shrug and a smile, Laura allowed Ryan to lead her onto the dance floor. The music pulsed around them as they started to move, awkwardly at first, but soon finding their rhythm.
As they danced, Laura felt the stress of the past weeks melting away. She laughed as Ryan attempted a dramatic spin, nearly losing his balance in the process.
“Smooth moves, Callis!” s
she teased.
He grinned back at her. “Hey, I warned you I wasn’t a good dancer!”
They danced for what felt like hours, switching between fast–paced songs and slower numbers. During one such slow song, Ryan pulled Laura close, his hand resting lightly on her lower back.
“You know,” he said softly, his breath warm against her ear, “I’ve been thinking about you a lot since we last met.”
Laura’s heart skipped a beat. “You have?”
He nodded, his eyes meeting hers. “I know things were complicated before, but I was hoping… maybe they’re less complicated now?”
Laura bit her lip, considering. The attraction she’d felt for Ryan before hadn’t diminished, and now, without the specter of her engagement hanging over her, she felt free to explore it.
“They are definitely less complicated,” she replied with a smile.
Ryan’s face lit up. “In that case, would you like to get out of here? Maybe go somewhere a bit quieter?”
Laura nodded, a mix of excitement and nervousness fluttering in her stomach. They made their way off the dance floor and out of the club, the cool night air a refreshing change from the beated atmosphere inside.
Ryan hailed a taxi, and soon they were on their way to his hotel. In the backseat, Laura felt a moment of hesitation.
“Ryan,” she started, “I just want you to know, I’m not usually this… impulsive,”
He took her hand, his thumb tracing gentle circles on her skin. “I know. Neither am I, believe it or not. But sometimes, when something feels right, you have to take a chance, don’t you think?”
Laura smiled, her doubts easing “Yeah, I think you’re right.”
At the hotel, they made their way to Ryan’s room, a comfortable silence between them. Once inside, Ryan turned to her, his eyes soft in the dim light.
“Laura,” he said quietly, “we don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with. We can just talk, if you prefer.”
Laura felt a rush of affection for him. She stepped closer, placing a hand on his chest. “I appreciate that. But right now, talking is not what I want to do.
With that, she leaned in and lössed him. Ryan responded immediately, his arms wrapping around her as he deepened the kiss. They moved towards the bed, shedding clothes along the way
Their lovemaking was passionate and tender, both of them savoring each touch, each kiss. Afterward, they lay tangled in the sheets, Laura’s head resting on Ryan’s chest as he idly stroked her hair.
“That was…” Laura began, struggling to find the right words.
“Yeah,” Ryan agreed with a chuckle. “It really was.”
They talked softly for a while longer before drifting off to sleep, Laura feeling more content than she had in months.
The next morning, Laura woke to sunlight streaming through the hotel room windows. She stretched, a smile playing on her lips as memories of the night before flooded back. But as she reached out, she realized the other side of the bed was empty and cool.
Sitting up, she looked around the room. Ryan was nowhere to be seen, and his clothes were gone. A pang of disappointment hit her, followed quickly by self–recrimination.
“Way to go, Laura, “she muttered to herself. “One night of fun and you’re already getting ahead of yourself.”
As she got dressed, Laura couldn’t help but feel a bit toolish. In all the excitement, she’d forgotten to tell Ryan that she was now available for a relationship. Not that she was sure that’s what he wanted, but it would have been nice to have the conversation.
With a sigh, she gathered her things, trying to shake off the melancholy that threatened to overshadow the memory of an otherwise wanderful night.
CHAPTER THATY–ONE–A Vice in the Distance
CHAPTER THIRTY–ONE–A Voice in the Distance
Laura McKenna sat at her small kitchen table, absently stirring her coffee as she scrolled through her phone. The morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on her simple breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs. She had just taken a bite when her phone began to buzz, her parents‘ number flashing on the screen.
“Hello?” Laura answered, swallowing quickly.
“Laura, honey, it’s Mom,” came her mother’s voice, sounding strained. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.
Laura’s stomach tightened. “What is it?
Her mother took a deep breath. “Your Great Aunt Mildred passed away last night.”
“Oh no,” Laura said softly, setting down her fork. “What happened?”
“It was peaceful, in her sleep,” her father’s voice chimed in. They must have her on speakerphone. “But we need you to come to Phoenix for the funeral. It’s this weekend.”
Laura’s mind raced. “This weekend? That’s so soon.
“I know, sweetheart,” her mother said. “But the family’s all gathering, and we’d really like you to be here.”
“Of course,” Laura said, pushing away from the table. “I’ll start looking at tlights right away.”
After a few more minutes of conversation and details, Laura hung up and immediately dialed her sister
“Jen? It’s me,” she said when her sister picked up. “Did you hear about Aunt Mildred?”
“Yeah, Mom just called,” Jen replied. “Are you going to the funeral?”
“I am. Want to fly out together?”
“Definitely. When were you thinking?”
Laura glanced at the clock. “How about we try for a flight today? The sooner we get there, the more we can help Mom and Dad with arrangements.”
