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Haylee shivered.

She didn’t understand anything that had just happened. She didn’t know what to say to Cherish or Febe or even what to do while she sat at her desk and waited for Febe to be done with the meeting. Rubbing her hands over her face, she closed her eyes and drew in slow, deep breaths. What was happening?

Why couldn’t she ever just get a job and keep it?

Why did she always fuck everything up?

Why couldn’t she be better?

After twenty minutes of wallowing, Haylee ordered the cars for the gala for Febe and for Cherish, leaving her address out of it. Then she stared at her phone. She should text Cherish, make sure that she was okay. But what would she even say? Because it was very clear that Cherish wanted nothing to do with her.

Grimacing, Haylee texted the only person she could think of—Jackson.

Haylee: I fucked up.

Jackson: Whiskey. Wine. Or axe throwing level?

Haylee grinned at his response. He would want to know that. Dragging in a deep breath, Haylee surveyed the office, convinced this would be one of the last times she stepped foot in here. She would be fired or forced out very soon. No doubt about that.

Haylee: Atomic bomb level.

Jackson: Holy shit. I can call in two hours.

Tears reached Haylee’s eyes, stinging them. He was the best big brother. The only person in the world who understood her, and the only reason she had made it this far in life. She could wait two hours. She hoped, anyway.

seventeen

Haylee gaped at her phone. She didn’t want to go to the gala. In fact, she’d taken great pains to slide through the rest of the week like she didn’t exist and hope that Febe wasn’t going to fire her over whatever Cherish found wrong with her.

But this—this couldn’t be avoided.

Febe: Cherish forgot my speech. Please pick it up and deliver it to her apartment.

A ping with Cherish’s address was attached to the text. Cherish legit forgot the speech? Also, shouldn’t Cherish be helping Febe get ready? Making sure that Febe didn’t run away or whatever from what had happened last year? Cherish still hadn’t told her what happened, and Haylee had stopped probing. Something about the whole entire fuckup of an event last year seemed sacred.

Arriving at Cherish’s apartment was a whole different world from where Haylee came from. This building was nice, expensive no doubt. Haylee chewed on the inside of her cheek as she knocked on Cherish’s door and cringed while she waited. She hadn’t even texted to let Cherish know she was coming. This was going to be a disaster, especially with the way they had left things the last few days.

They hadn’t even spoken.

Not really.

Haylee had tiptoed around the office like she had given the biggest offense, and now she was coming face-to-face with the person she’d known she’d offended. Well, if Cherish came to the door, then they’d be face-to-face. Haylee sighed heavily and raised her fist again, knocking four times in rapid succession.

“Cherish?” Haylee called through the door.

It took another minute for the lock to click. Cherish stood on the other side, her bright blue eyes wide, her deep red hair already in curls around her shoulders, her makeup smoky and stunning. Haylee had to swallow the lump in her throat just to be able to make out a single word.

“Hi.”

“What are you doing here?” Cherish turned her back and left the door wide open.

Was that an invitation to come in? Haylee stood awkwardly until Cherish sent her a scolding look over her shoulder.

“Right, coming in,” Haylee muttered as she stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

“Is that what you’re wearing?” Cherish called as she moved into another room.

Haylee wasn’t brave enough to follow her. “It’s what I had. Um… Ms. Aarts said something about the speech for tonight?”