Chapter 32
“Hey.” Haylee looked up from her desk, and the smile that lit up her face twisted Cherish in an entirely different way than the headaches ever did. “You look so much better.”
“Oh, thank you.” Cherish coughed, trying to buy herself time for the flutter of emotions she had desperately tried to work through as the shot finally took the edge of the pain away.
Haylee nodded, the smile remaining on her face and her eyes twinkling.
Damn it, the woman was always full of that contagious energy, and here Cherish was, a moth drawn to the flame. Why did Haylee have to be so beautiful?
Cherish leaned up on her toes, words on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t force herself to say them. She couldn’t make herself actually talk. Instead, she just stared at Haylee like the awkward idiot that she was. The silence stretched and intensified before Cherish blinked back into reality and headed to her desk. But her eyes lingered a little longer, and a pink blush washed over Haylee’s cheeks before she looked down at her hands, fidgeting on the desk.
That was a good sign, surely it was a good sign. Had Febe been right? Could things really be salvaged? Was love truly worth the risk of inevitable heartbreak?
Cherish sat and looked at her desk, exactly how she had left it.
No, not exactly. The cup of coffee she had only half drunk in her attempt to force through the pain had been emptied, washed, and returned. It wasn’t life altering, but the simple task filled Cherish with just a dash of hope to mix in with the layer of confusion that lingered. It had taken a lot to agree to stay home another day, but she’d been determined to use the time to work out what she could do about this whole love thing.
She performed her usual routine, focusing on it more than she normally did. Turn the computer on, check supplies in the top drawer, tuck the bag into the bottom drawer. Enter password. Watch the number of new emails climb.
It was as natural as breathing, but she couldn’t let her mind wander to the sounds of tapping from the desk across from her own. She couldn’t think about the strength or passion she had felt in those fingers.
Shaking her head, Cherish held back the groan. She looked at the cup again. She needed more, and then she would force herself to focus on her work. Something that merely a year ago she would never have had to do. Cherish grabbed the washed coffee cup and stood.
“Coffee?” Haylee spoke, standing up at her own desk at precisely the same time.
“Oh.” Cherish blinked, her lips betraying her as a smile tugged them up at the corners. The air between them crackled, and their eyes met and flitted away only to meet again. “I was just about to go and get some.”
“Oh no, you don’t have to do that. I’ll get it for you.” Haylee rushed around to Cherish’s desk, reaching for the mug in Cherish’s hand. Their fingers brushed, and Cherish looked down at their hands. Then quickly back up to Haylee’s face. Haylee’s eyes didn’t dart away this time, her small smile shy as the blush deepened in her cheeks.
“Y-you don’t have to do that,” Cherish stammered.
“It’s not a problem. I know you have a lot of work to catch up on, along with all the interviews for my replacement.”
A stone landed heavily into the pit of her stomach. That’s why this wouldn’t work. The reminder took the breath from Cherish as she relinquished the mug to Haylee. Haylee was leaving her, and Cherish would do well not to forget that point.
“Right.” Cherish sat heavily as Haylee rushed away.
Cherish was in love. And she hated this feeling, despised it. She was always in love with the wrong person.
“Oh God.” Groaning, Cherish put her head down on the edge of her desk.
“Should you be here today?” Febe asked from the doorway to her office.
Cherish lifted her head, only to be met by two raised eyebrows.
“Absolutely.” Cherish shuffled back in her seat, shoulders squared and back straightened. “Feeling exactly like I used to, thank you. I’ve got more interviews to schedule.” Cherish tried not to bite out the words, but she failed, miserably. It was a good word to sum up how she felt about her life as a whole.
“I can help with them.” Haylee returned, both cups in her hands. Haylee smiled at Febe before she dropped her eyes and slid Cherish’s now-filled mug toward her. “I’m almost done with rescheduling Jacqueline’s clients.”
“Not quite done with rescheduling. I need you to clear mine for today and tomorrow.”
“What?” Haylee turned her head sharply and so did Cherish.
Febe pursed her lips, her eyes inscrutable. “Clear my schedule.”
“For what?” Cherish asked, letting go of the warm mug her fingers had caressed and stared wide-eyed at her boss. Febe had never asked her to clear the schedule like this before.
“For today and tomorrow,” Febe’s reply was as sharp as cracked ice. “Actually, let’s make it the week, shall we?”
“Is there a problem?” Cherish’s chest tightened uncomfortably as she forced her breath to remain steady. Febe was hiding something, and whatever it was, it was massive. She hated not knowing. She hated feeling like she was purposely being left out and forced not to be the supportive assistant that she was. The tension crawled its way up her neck into her skull. She couldn’t get another migraine after only being back here for a few minutes.
Haylee had been right about the pills, and Cherish felt like a big enough idiot. But without them, she didn’t know how she would get through another headache. She couldn’t rush off for a shot every other day.
“No, there isn’t a problem.” Febe turned, her body shifting toward Haylee, effectively cutting off her conversation with Cherish.
“Let me know if you and Cherish end up needing any help with the rescheduling.”
“Of course.” Haylee flicked a quick glance Cherish’s way, not meeting Cherish’s eyes.
What the hell was going on? What had she missed yesterday?
With a click, Febe’s door was closed once more. A beat of silence filled the space, and then another. Cherish stood, trying her best to get as much control as she could over whatever the hell was going on. She narrowed her eyes at Haylee.
“What rescheduling?”
Haylee’s cheeks pinked, but it colored differently this time. “I really am almost done. I got in early.”
“What rescheduling, Haylee?” Cherish asked again, her words biting.
Her adolescence had been filled with the tension of things she didn’t understand. The way others talked about boys, how they all seemed to understand the currents beneath the words that were actually spoken. She hated not knowing what was going on.
“Jacqueline went into labor. We haven’t heard anything yet, but I’ve been trying to reschedule her clients and find temporary therapists for them.” Haylee crossed her arms defensively.
“She’s early.” Cherish pursed her own lips. Had she really read into something when there’d been nothing? But why the blush, and why wouldn’t she let Cherish help? They had helped each other before.
Like a sledgehammer the truth hit Cherish hard. She sat back in her chair, heavily. Haylee had helped her, but… She couldn’t even formulate the words in her mind as thoughts rushed over each other, blurring with their speed. That was always her problem, thinking herself into inaction. She needed to fix this, and fix it now.
“Cherish? Are you all right?” Haylee’s head appeared over her monitor, fast and filled with concern.
No, she wasn’t fine at all.
“Yes. I-I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” Haylee didn’t look convinced.
“Yes.” Cherish grabbed her notepad and pen and pushed herself up from her chair.
Before Haylee could say anything in response, Cherish propelled herself toward Febe’s closed door. She opened it without knocking, sliding inside Febe’s office as soon as the gap was large enough, closing it a lot louder than Febe had previously.
“Cherish,” Febe snapped, but Cherish simply glared back.
Febe turned back to her screen, clicked a button, and spoke rapidly. Cherish assumed someone was on the other end of the screen in a video call that she’d accidentally interrupted. She didn’t care, and that was a strange and freeing feeling.
Cherish pressed her back against the wood of the closed door and closed her eyes. She lost focus as Febe and her meeting partner’s words faded into simple background noise. Finally, she heard Febe say goodbye and end the call.
How could she have been so stupid? She’d been so selfish and stupid.
“Is there a problem?” Febe asked, her tone entirely changed now.
Cherish’s eyes flew open.
“Of course, there’s a problem.” Cherish stalked toward Febe, hands pressed down on the front of the desk. She leaned over her boss, who looked up as though she actually enjoyed the challenge of someone trying to assert their dominance over her. Or…hell, Cherish had no idea what the smirk on Febe’s face might actually mean. And she had a sinking feeling that she knew very little about everything, maybe even herself.
“And what’s the problem?” Febe’s words were slow, precise.
Cherish was about to be eaten alive. “You’ve made a mistake.”
“Excuse me?” No more smirk now. Febe’s face fell.
“She’s leaving because I didn’t back her idea. But we need to do it. Not just because she’s worth keeping, but because they need the help. It was always a good idea, and I let her think it wasn’t important. I made her think I didn’t want to help her. We have to do this, and you have to hire her back.”
“Cherish…” Febe tilted her head, eyebrows furrowing. “Did Haylee say that’s why she’s leaving?”
“No, of course she didn’t. She’s too professional for that.”
Febe opened her mouth, but an alarm on her phone stopped her from saying anything. She smacked it off and stood up.
“You can’t let her go,” Cherish started again, ignoring whatever alarm Febe had set.
“I’m not letting her go,” Febe muttered as she tried to step around the desk, but Cherish blocked her in.
“She’s better at this job than I am,” Cherish threw out there.
Febe halted, looking Cherish up and down. Her stern look turned to one of pity before she half-laughed. “Hardly.”
“Febe,” Cherish whined.
Febe squeezed Cherish’s arm before leaving her and striding to the door. She opened it a crack and stuck her head out. “Haylee, I need you to go to the airport and pick up two guests for the Communications Conference. I thought I would have time, but…” Febe turned and glared at Cherish, “…it seems I don’t.”
Cherish spluttered, but Febe faced Haylee again.
“Not a problem,” Haylee’s voice sailed in from outside the office.
“Make a sign that says Wellbeing Works, and they’ll find you at baggage claim. I’ll text you the rest of the details. You’ll need to leave immediately.”
“She doesn’t have a car.” Cherish crossed her arms, finally getting some satisfaction because she knew she was right. This would get her the answers she was looking for.
“What?” Febe turned back, mouth open.
“She doesn’t have a car,” Cherish repeated.
Febe’s face pinched as she dug into her purse hanging by the door, producing keys. “Take my car. But you really do need to leave now. I don’t want them waiting at the airport.”
“Um, sure.” Haylee’s voice was so close. Cherish could smell her shampoo through the doorway, and she wanted to step out there and kiss Haylee goodbye.
Cherish wanted to scream. She wanted to stop this. The only thing that needed to happen was for Haylee to be rehired and put in charge of her special project. That would keep everyone exactly where they needed to be.
But she didn’t. She stood there, confused and just as weak as she had always been.
“What did you do?” Cherish snapped before Febe could open her mouth.
“You’re my friend, but even you won’t talk to me that way or continue to interrupt meetings for non-emergencies.” Febe gave her a pointed look, crossing her arms in a way that Cherish knew meant she was unmovable.
Cherish opened her mouth to argue, to curse and hiss, but she forced her lips together and waited.
“I thought she told you what happened.” Febe’s lips thinned, and they could hear the distinct click of the office door closing as Haylee left. “But it appears she’s left that up to me. You’d think in an office filled with therapists that miscommunications like this wouldn’t be happening as often.”
“Told me what?” Cherish’s heart raced, and for a moment, she wondered if this kind of speed could lead to a heart attack.
“Calm down.” Febe strode back to her desk and sat behind it. “Haylee is leaving, yes, but only this office. I haven’t fired her from Wellbeing Works. In fact, I’ve created a whole new position for her.”
Cherish swallowed audibly. “You what?”
“Haylee will be a liaison between Holbrook and Wellbeing Works, at least for now. She’ll be working with Allegra Ilic.”
“But you hate Allegra.”
“No, I don’t, and we can talk about that in a bit. But Haylee will be creating a new program at the Holbrook Foundation, one specifically working with non-immediate family and friends of veterans and active-duty military, providing support and services when and where needed. She’ll start with the single women already in the current programs Holbrook has.”
Cherish sat heavily. She dropped her face into her hands, covering her eyes. This was worse than she’d thought. Haylee really was leaving her. She was leaving her for something so much better. She had found people who put her and her brilliant idea first, and she was leaving Cherish behind.
“I thought she’d told you,” Febe softened her tone. “I’m so sorry.”