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twenty-seven

Haylee’s hands shook as she reached for the black handlebar on the door of the Holbrook Foundation.

She’d been a chickenshit when calling in that day and had just texted Cherish, saying she was too sick to come into work. She hadn’t used a sick day in the almost entire year she’d worked there, and she wasn’t exactly sick today either.

No, today she would have her conversation.

With Allegra Ilic.

The one person Cherish seemed to despise and think that Febe needed to hate as well, but Haylee just hadn’t seen it. Allegra and Febe worked decently well together from what she’d witnessed. Then again, maybe she wasn’t seeing everything. It wouldn’t be unlike Cherish or Febe to keep her at arm’s length about some things.

Her stomach was in knots.

She’d finally paid off the loan she still owed on her car and was working her way through a few of the credit cards. If she kept her job with Febe, then she’d be able to pay off the rest by next summer. But that would mean keeping her job, and lately, that had become untenable. Whatever had happened between her and Cherish had put everything off kilter.

She should have known better before she’d allowed anything to happen.

She should have kept her damn pants on.

Cringing, Haylee pushed that thought to the side as she navigated her way through the building to find the Holbrook Foundation’s office suites. She could do this. Passion. That’s what Cherish had told her. She needed to show that passion and tell Allegra exactly why this was so important to her.

“Um…I’m here to speak with Allegra Ilic?” God, she sounded pathetic. Haylee clenched her jaw hard. She needed to fake confidence if she was going to have any chance of landing this interview. Was it really an interview? That’s what she was calling it, because if everything went the way she wanted it to, then she wouldn’t be working with Febe any longer.

“Just a second,” the young man at the desk said. He futzed with his computer while Haylee tried to take deep breaths to steady herself. She needed this to work, because Allegra was the last option she had right now. But she wouldn’t ever give up on this. “She’s the third door on the left. Go right in.”

“All right.” Haylee swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. Her knees were jelly as she walked down the long hallway and counted the doors.

Allegra’s had her name on it, the door was open slightly, and Allegra was sitting at her large desk. Fuck, she was gorgeous. Haylee could see why anyone would be attracted to her, which probably meant she was straight because that was Haylee’s luck. Knocking on the door lightly, Haylee pushed it open.

It was now or never.

“Ms. Ilic,” Haylee said into the room.

Allegra jerked her head up, her highlighted brown hair falling over her shoulder in long curls. She was the complete opposite of Febe. Warm, inviting, and free from whatever was holding her back. Haylee plastered a smile on her face.

“Ms. Coleman.” Allegra smiled and stood up, coming around her desk with her hand extended. “I’m glad you were able to find us.”

“It was no problem.” Haylee shook her hand, Allegra’s skin warm against hers. “I um…I had to call in sick today, and I know you meet with Ms. Aarts often about business. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention that.”

“Secret’s safe with me.” Allegra winked. “Come, sit down. Let’s have our chat.”

Right. That comment ramped Haylee’s nerves up again. Haylee sat, but she was on edge. She felt like she floated above her seat. Allegra didn’t seem like someone who would pussyfoot around either. They were going to dive straight into the heart of this meeting. When Allegra sat next to her instead of behind the desk, Haylee knew she was done for if she didn’t get her passion across this time.

“I was hoping to talk to you about an idea I had about veterans.” Again, Haylee cringed. Hoping to? She was there actually doing this, and she needed to get over herself fast. “I’ve found there’s a severe lack of help for those most affected by the work and the impact serving has on the lives of veterans. They have things through the VA, of course, but not all soldiers and their families are willing to go to the VA for assistance.”

“They want someone objective, who isn’t going to tell their superiors everything,” Allegra added, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap.

“Yes. Families need the freedom to be able to talk about issues without fearing consequences.”

“And what makes you think a veteran or their family or even active-duty military might utilize these resources?”

Haylee froze. “What I’m proposing is to reach the people on the fringes, those who need the most help.”

“There are a lot of resources out there for veterans, not just those associated with the military.”

“I know, but it’s more the friends and family that I feel need the specialized care. The ones the VA doesn’t cover. The ones no one thinks about.” Haylee wiped her sweaty palms along her thighs.

“Friends?” Allegra looked intrigued by that. Had Haylee said something right for once?