3. Magnolia Steel
Chapter 3
Magnolia Steel
The glass doors of Soul Sync glide open, and I step inside, my heels tapping out a quick, impatient rhythm against the freshly waxed floor. The office is exactly the same—bright, modern, and buzzing with quiet energy—but something is different.
It’s me.
I should feel excited to be back at Soul Sync. I should be ready to dive into work, to pick up where I left off before Sydney. But I sense a disconnection that wasn’t there before, a strange heaviness in my chest that I can’t quite shake.
Familiar faces greet me as I make my way to my office. Smiles, nods, welcome backs. I return them all, but it seems like I’m moving through a fog, present but not fully here.
When I push open my office door, I stop short. A welcome-back banner decorates the space, and bright pink, yellow, and orange balloons hover near the ceiling, perfectly matching the bouquet on my desk. Someone did an excellent job coordinating.
I set my bag down and reach for the card nestled among the blooms.
Welcome back, Mags! Work has been straight-ass dull without you. It was up to me to liven up the place. You’re welcome.
—Violet
A small smile tugs at my lips. Of course, this was her doing.
“Wow, Sophie. Look at this.”
I glance up as Whitney and Sophie step into my office, both surveying the decorations with amused expressions.
“No balloons for us,” Whitney says, crossing her arms. “Not even a sad little streamer.”
Sophie releases an exaggerated sigh. “I am so underappreciated.”
Violet breezes in, her signature confidence filling the room before she even speaks. “Because neither of you have a friend as spectacular as me.”
Violet’s always been thoughtful, but I never expected anything like this. Maybe part of her has always tried to make me feel special because she knows I don’t have family who would.
I blink back the sting in my eyes and manage a smile. “You didn’t have to do all this, Vi.”
She shrugs, grinning like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Of course I did. Do you know how boring this place has been without you? I had to show you how glad I am that you’re back.”
I gesture toward the extravagant bouquet. “The flowers are stunning.”
“You deserve flowers.” Violet smirks. “And since you have no man to send them to you, I’ve taken it upon myself. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.”
Settle down, Violet. Let’s not get carried away.
The banter and laughter fade as Violet and the others return to their desks, and I sink into my chair. The decorations, the jokes, the flowers—they’re a pleasant distraction. But the moment I’m alone, that lingering heaviness creeps in again. But I don’t have time to dwell on it.
Gabby calls out, “Team, conference room in five.”
I push to my feet, and it’s business as usual. By the time I step into the conference room, everyone’s already settling in. Gabby stands at the head of the table. “Overall, the expansion was a success. The new team adjusted well and maintained a strong match rate. The transition was smoother than expected. But with fewer matches overall, even a single failure had a significant impact on our success rate—more than we would’ve liked. It’s unusual, but I believe with time and refinement, Soul Sync Australia’s success rate will improve.”
My face is expressionless, but a knot pulls tight in my stomach. That failed match she’s referring to takes up a lot of space in my mind.
Somehow, Celeste manipulated the system—slithered her way back into Alex’s life, into our lives—and we still don’t know how she did it. We still don’t know who leaked his emails. Still don’t know how she twisted the truth until it broke.
She threatened me. Forced Alex to pay her off just to keep quiet.
But even now—even with money in her pocket and distance between us—I don’t believe for a second that she’s truly gone. People like her don’t vanish. They hide. They wait.
And some sick, instinctive part of me keeps looking over my shoulder, wondering when she’ll surface again.
“Whitney, Sophie—thoughts on the new team?” Gabby asks.
Whitney speaks up first. “The Australian team is eager and well-trained, but they lack the intuitive flow we have here. They rely too much on metrics instead of reading the clients.”
Sophie adds, “Agreed. They follow the formula well, but the best matches come from knowing when to bend the formula.”
Gabby nods, taking that in. “And your thoughts? Can they handle it without you?”
Sophie glances at Whitney, cueing her for input. “They have potential, but they may still need more guidance. Without us there, it’ll take time to reach the standard we uphold.”
“We’ll see how things go without you there. If they don’t improve, another trip to Sydney might be necessary.”
My heart leaps as soon as the words leave Gabby’s mouth.
“I’d be happy to return if needed.” I probably jump in a little too fast, but there’s no way I’m letting Macy play the martyr and volunteer herself first.
Gabby gives me an appreciative nod. “Noted, Magnolia. Thank you for always being a team player.”
I look forward, refusing to even glance Macy’s way. I don’t care to see the irritation written all over her face.
The meeting wraps up, and my mind races. I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but I can’t help it. My mind is spinning.
A return to Sydney. It’s not guaranteed, but Gabby put it on the table, and that’s enough to set my pulse racing.
I barely make it to my office before Violet is on my heels. “You were practically vibrating in that meeting. Should I pack your bags for you?”
I try for nonchalance, but the excitement bubbling under my skin betrays me. “It’s only a possibility.”
And I can’t wait to tell Alex.
Violet sits in the chair across from my desk, crossing her legs. “You’re grinning like you’ve won the lottery.”
She’s not wrong. My face is cramping.
I settle into my chair, unable to fight the thrill pulsing through me. “I didn’t think there would be a reason to go back. But if Soul Sync Australia needs help––hey, who am I to deprive them of my design skills?”
“Right,” Violet drawls. “Because that’s what team players do. You big suck-up.”
A giddy, almost weightless feeling rises in my chest, impossible to suppress.
Violet’s face softens, her usual sass giving way to something more touching. “Listen, I’m happy for you. Truly. If this is what you want, I hope it happens.”
Something about the way she says it makes my heart sad. “But?”
Violet sighs. “But… I’ll miss you. That’s all.”
The words hit me harder than I expect. I glance at her, taking in the sincerity beneath her usual playful tone. Violet is my person. My constant. And I know she wants me to be happy, but returning would mean leaving her again.
“I’m not gone yet. It’s only a maybe. Nothing’s set in stone.” But even as I say the words, my mind is already drifting to Alex and what it would mean to be with him again.
I can already see it—walking into his house, into his arms. Falling asleep with the steady beat of his heart under my cheek instead of through a screen. Waking up to him, not an empty pillow. Life felt fuller with him in it in ways I hadn’t even realized I was starving for. God, I miss him. I miss us.
Violet snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Magnolia.”
“Sorry, Vi.”
“You might be mentally booking a one-way ticket to Sydney, but some of us still have jobs to do.” She stands, adjusting her skirt. “Try not to spend the day doodling ‘Mrs. Magnolia Sebring’ in the margins of your notes, okay?”
I let out a laugh, shaking my head. “Thanks for the advice, but I’m not in seventh grade.”
“You’re in love, Mags. And he’s made you think about things you used to be scared to even imagine.” She blows me a kiss and struts out, leaving me with the thoughts in my head.
I’m still half-lost in thought when Elijah appears at the door, leaning against the frame, arms crossed. “You volunteering to go back to Australia was the least surprising thing I’ve heard all day.”
He steps inside––uninvited––dropping into the chair across from me. His expression shifts, more serious now. “You really want to do another three months in that place?”
I shrug like it’s no big deal, even though there’s nothing I want more. “If they need me, why not?”
“Because I can’t bear to go back, and I was hoping you felt the same way.”
I study him for a moment. “You should stay in Charleston. Be with Sophie. Work on things.”
He lets out a short laugh, shaking his head. “There’s nothing to work on. What happened in Australia wasn’t a relationship. We were having a little fun, making the most of an unpleasant situation.”
This guy’s a discount fuckboy with delusions of grandeur. Bad combination. “Elijah––”
He lifts a brow. “What is it, Mags?”
There’s probably no way to say this that’ll actually get through his thick skull, but I have to try. “You need to talk to Sophie about that. Because I don’t believe she sees it the same way you do. I think her perspective is quite different.”
Before he can respond, movement in the doorway catches my eye.
Sophie.
She stands frozen for half a second, then turns sharply, disappearing down the hall before either of us can say a word.
Shit.
“Go talk to her.”
For a moment, he sits there, jaw tight, running a hand over his face. Finally, he pushes to his feet and leaves.
I watch him go, a knot forming in my stomach. This is going to be a mess. But it’s not mine to clean up.