Chapter 16
KYLE
The hum of the office was almost deafening as I leaned back against the polished mahogany table, arms crossed, scanning the faces of my team. The meeting was dragging on longer than it should have–my mind was somewhere else entirely, but I couldn’t afford to show it. Not now. Not when everything was riding on these next few weeks.
“Any updates on the Watson project?” I asked, my voice cutting through the low murmur of conversation.
Karen, one of my junior staff, cleared her throat before responding. “We’re waiting on final approval from marketing. Shouldn’t be more than a couple of
days.”
I nodded, my mind elsewhere, running through the possibilities. “Right,” I muttered. “Let’s get this sorted quickly, then.” I was about to ask for any other updates when another voice interrupted.
“Everything else is on track, Sir” Mark, my assistant, chimed in. “You’re on schedule for the presentation Friday.”
Barely hearing him, I just nodded. “Good. Make sure everything’s ready to go. I don’t want any surprises.”
The room fell silent, my gaze sweeping over my team. I should’ve been paying more attention, but I wasn’t. Nothing seemed to hold my focus today. Not the reports, not the progress. Only one thing was on my mind: a certain redhaired
I rubbed a hand over my jaw, trying to focus. She was on my mind constantly now. Since we last spoke, since I’d seen her with another guy.
The idea of her with another man hit me harder than I expected. I had never once thought about it–her moving on with another guy. Hell, it’s been two years since our divorce and there is a high chance she is with another man now.
My chest clenched in frustration. No no no
I shifted my weight, hoping to shake off the unease gnawing at me.
“There is something else sir” Mark said, adjusting his glasses.. “We’ve been getting some feedback from overseas clients. They’re pushing for a few last- minute changes to the proposal, nothing major but something that could affect the timeline if we don’t act fast.”
My eyes flicked over to Mark, suddenly more alert. “How much time are we talking?”
“A couple of days, but if we don’t get it finalized, it could push the whole thing back. They’re worried about the impact on their launch window.”
I let out a sharp breath, then nodded. “Alright, we’ll handle it. Get the team on it, make sure everything’s adjusted before Friday. We can’t afford a delay. We’ll make sure this goes off without a hitch.”
“Got it,” Mark replied, tapping a few notes on his tablet.
I needed closure. I needed to fix this.
Karen spoke up again. “We also got some preliminary reports back on the market analysis for the new product line. The numbers are strong, but we might need to adjust the launch strategy based on some of the demographic shifts we’re seeing. It could impact consumer engagement.”
I tried to focus on her words, my mind struggling to make sense of the numbers she was talking about. “What kind of shifts?” I asked.
“Some changes in regional interest. More engagement in the Midwest than anticipated, which could be a good opportunity to double down on that market. We’re also seeing a slight drop in the West, but it’s not enough to make a huge difference right now. We’ll need to tweak the messaging for that region.”
I nodded, pushing aside the personal thoughts as best I could. “Okay. Get me a report on the regional shifts. I want a plan for the Midwest, and let’s work on strengthening the West side before the launch. No mistakes there.”
“Absolutely,” Karen responded, jotting down notes on her laptop.
I stood up abruptly, the motion catching the attention of my team. “That’s all for today,” I muttered, cutting the meeting short. They looked a little confused, but no one questioned me. I didn’t wait for them to speak; I was already out of the room
I headed to my office, my thoughts still tangled with her–Ashley. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the image of her from my mind. She was always there, lingering at the edges of my thoughts, reminding me of the distance that was growing between us. I knew I couldn’t let her slip away. I couldn’t forget her. I had to win her back–no matter the cost. Maybe there was nothing between her and that guy. Maybe they were just acquaintances. Whatever it was, I wasn’t going to stand by and lose her. I was ready to take the smallest chance I had left.
