I can feel the knot in my chest loosening, the heavy weight of the day’s events lifting ever so slightly. “You guys are amazing.” Then, my eyes meet Karl’s. He’s carrying a loaf of what smells like very fresh bread and a wheel of cheese stolen from the pantry at the restaurant, and there’s a sof
Karl I need to breathe. Before anyone notices, I decide to sneak out of Abby’s apartment and away from the clean-up party, feeling like I’ve got a storm cloud hanging over my head. Kissing Abby was a bold move, a stupid one maybe, and now the walls in there are practically vibrating with tensi
“Hey Marcus, what’s up?” “Karl, glad I caught you. You have a minute? We need to discuss some pack matters.” “I’ve got a moment,” I say, feeling a knot of tension that I hadn’t noticed before start to unwind. “What’s going on?” “First off, the lumberyard deal went through. They’re asking if we
Abby The sun pours through the curtains, bathing my bedroom in a soft, golden light. As I slowly blink awake, I’m almost immediately filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. My friends, my little family, they all came together to help me last night. My apartment is almost back to normal,
I swallow. So this is it: the article. They had said it would be a surprise last night, and I didn’t know what that meant at the time. I couldn’t be there for the interview because of the fire, so I have no idea how it went. “Go on,” Ethan says. “Read it.” My heart hammers in my chest as I pick
Abby It’s halfway to closing time, and my desk is scattered with index cards. My computer is open to an email from Mr. Thompson outlining some of the potential questions I may be asked during the interview. I’ve written them down, along with my potential responses on the back of each card, so I
My eyes sparkle with intrigue. “Okay. You’re on.” … Eventually, the last of the staff say their goodbyes, flicking off the lights and turning over chairs on tables. I’m almost tempted to do the same, to call it a night and retreat into the comfort of my home, but then Karl re-enters my offic
Abby My cheeks flush a deep shade of scarlet as Karl’s question hangs in the air, an unspoken tension filling the room. I suddenly feel very aware of every minute detail: the way the soft glow from the desk lamp casts a shadow on his face, the almost-empty wine glasses on the edge of my clut