Paper Flowers (Paper Memories #1)

Chapter 1

Tori

Beads of sweat rolled down my chest, and I cursed the Florida heat.

Sure it was July, but it seemed like I was walking through hell instead of a parking lot.

I picked up my pace, hoping I wouldn’t look like I’d been out for a run rather than heading to my first day of training.

Three months to train for a job that would be the foundation of my career…

if they didn’t turn me away at the door for smelling like sweat.

“Yes, Dad, I’ll behave,” I told my father, holding my phone to my ear and adjusting my purse. “I’m sure it will be fine, and you and Mom will survive without me there.”

“I know, Tor, but you’re so far away now.”

“Florida is a three-hour plane ride from Connecticut, Dad. It’s not that far. Look, I’m about to go into the building, so I need to go.” And hose myself down after dipping my head in a tub of ice water. “I’ll text you later.”

“Good luck today, honey. You’re going to be amazing.”

My goodbye was quick, and I cursed my stubborn need to park at the back of the parking lot for the extra steps as I pulled the glass door open.

The building of the brokerage firm looked unassuming.

To anyone driving by, it was an office park, not a full-service call center for one of the largest firms in the country.

The guard at the counter greeted me with a warm smile and, after I explained I was part of the new training class, he checked me in and directed me to a door to my left.

A loud click signaled he had released the lock, and I walked through, seeing that I wasn’t the first to arrive and would have no way to inconspicuously fan the sweat dry.

I took a seat and gave a quiet hello to the woman next to me, who introduced herself as Mary before turning back to nervously type on her phone. About ten other people were in the room, awkward silence filling the space. I fanned my face as the door clicked open again.

My fingers hit my nose as my motion faltered, and I quickly tucked my hand away.

The man who walked in had to be the most gorgeous man I’d laid eyes on.

Thick wavy brown hair, hazel eyes that could drown me, and an expensive suit that made my off-brand dress look cheap.

He caught my eye, and I smiled, not sure what else to do since he’d busted me staring at him.

I was half tempted to see if drool had pooled in the corner of my mouth.

He took a seat beside me, towering over my five-nine frame.

“It’s so quiet in here,” he said, adjusting his suit jacket, my eyes following as if it was some riveting action. I felt his eyes on me and looked up. If ever I wanted to crawl under a seat, it was now. First, I’d gaped at him when he came in, and now I was stalking his hand movements.

Get a grip, Tori.

Thoughtful hazel orbs peered back at me as a lock of hair fell on his forehead. I had the sudden urge to brush it back and balled my fingers into my hand to stop them.

“I’m Gabe,” he said, holding his hand out to me.

“Victoria,” I replied, my voice sounding like I was a three-year-old child instead of a twenty-four-year-old woman. “But I go by Tori.”

When our hands touched, a rush went through me, like a current that snapped and fizzled. My eyes flicked down then back to his, and I drew my hand away as he studied me.

“Tori, huh?”

“Yup.” I almost rolled my eyes at my lack of vocabulary.

A door on the other side of the room opened, and a woman entered, introducing herself as our new trainer before guiding us out of the room.

I stuck by Gabe, telling myself it was because he’d been so friendly when I knew it was just to smell his cologne.

As we waited for security to call us in one by one for our badges, I leaned on the wall.

“Where did you work before this?” Gabe asked me, but a pretty woman a few years older than me stepped into our space and introduced herself as Allison. Her eyes lingered on Gabe, and an unreasonable streak of jealousy had me wishing I could shove her away and continue gazing into his eyes.

You’re at work, Tori. A new job you want to keep.

“I worked at Goldman,” she said, her blond hair bouncing as she adjusted her stance in her spiked heels.

I was having trouble standing for so long in just my two-inch heels, so I didn’t know how she was still upright.

“But this was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” she continued. “I’ll have to start from the bottom again, but you know how that goes.”

“Interesting.” Gabe turned back to me. “And you, Tori?”

My eyes flew from Allison, with her perfect makeup and hair, to Gabe, and I stuttered, “I didn’t.” Geez, I needed to connect my brain to my mouth. “I mean, I ran the finances for my family’s business for two years after I graduated.”

“Oh, how sweet,” Allison said, and the condescending tone crawled over my skin.

Gabe didn’t bother looking at her, his attention only on me, and I didn’t know what to make of that.

I rubbed my cheek, feeling out of my element.

I’d spent the last two years in the snowy hills of Connecticut where I returned home after college.

Choosing to get real-life experience before plunging into the workforce.

“Out of college?” Gabe asked, and I nodded. “That’s smart. I wish I’d taken some time off, but I jumped right into getting my MBA and then worked. Spent four years doing time at another firm before I came here.”

“Victoria Hent?”

“That’s me,” I answered, giving Gabe a goodbye glance before following the man in and leaving Gabe alone with Allison. I wondered how long it would take for her to dig her manicured nails into him.

At home I had never felt out of place, but here I did. I needed to adjust to the business world—the heels and dresses, the skirts and silk shirts. After two years of wearing jeans and T-shirts, I was out of my element. And women like Allison knew that.

I feigned a smile at the camera as they shot my picture for my badge, hating how I couldn’t shake the shadow that was hovering over my confidence. After receiving my badge, I was directed to exit the room and take a seat in the room across the hall.

A classroom. I sat, nervously wondering if that was the last attention I’d receive from Gabe until he pulled out the chair next to me and sat. Badge in hand, he said, “So where were we?”

I peered over my shoulder, looking for Allison to come trailing in.

“Hughes,” he said, and I scrunched my brow. “My last name follows yours.”

There was something bashful about the way he said it, and I couldn’t hide my smile.

“That’s convenient,” I said, finally finding my voice.

“Very.”

A confident answer that had my insides twisting into knots. But this wasn’t a bar. It was work, and I needed to stop, or I’d be in an HR nightmare.

“You were saying you wished you’d taken time off before working,” I said, trying not to get lost in his gaze.

His features took on a faraway look before he focused back on me. Rubbing his jaw, he said, “Yeah, that would have been nice.”

More people came in, filling the space around the U-shaped table. My nemesis missed her chance at Gabe’s right side, much to my relief. Not that my reaction made any sense. For all I knew, he had a girlfriend. He was entirely too good-looking to be single.

As the man next to him diverted his attention, I looked around the room, taking in all the unfamiliar faces until the trainer entered to start the first class. After a round of introductions, she singled out Gabe, who had since taken his jacket off, leaving him even more distracting.

“Gabriel—”

“Gabe,” he corrected her, receiving a nod as she made a note on her paper.

“Noted. Gabe, you’ll be with us for the first few weeks to acclimate yourself to the company, then you’ll head to the floor. The analyst team is particular about scooping their new hires up fast and putting them to work, especially one with your experience.”

“Understood.”

My gaze dropped to my hands. So, he wouldn’t be spending the next three months with me. I supposed it was a good thing since I had licenses to study for, and he would continue to be a distraction if my drooling over him didn’t get me fired first.

Allison raised her hand, a smug look on her face. “I have plenty of experience as well. Shouldn’t I be heading to the floor instead of staying here? I’m licensed, after all.”

Gabe sat back in his seat, and I glanced over at him, seeing how his eyes had narrowed. Then again, there were several dagger stares being directed her way.

“I’m afraid not. Traders start here and stay here until you’ve mastered the system and the firm’s standards. Don’t worry, you’ll be on the floor soon enough.”

As our trainer asked if there were any more questions, I snuck a peek at Allison. Her lips were pouty, but her eyes were on Gabe. As happy as I was that our trainer had put her in her place, I still didn’t think I could compete with her. She seemed too perfect, even if she was annoying and obvious.

I smoothed my hand over my skirt, wishing I was in jeans and a sweatshirt, bundled up in my parents’ office with a cup of coffee, until I glanced at Gabe and saw that his focus was nowhere but on me.

He gave me a flirty smile, which caused my stomach to somersault, and suddenly, I wasn’t so worried about Allison.

“Do you want to grab lunch with me?” Gabe asked as I rose, stretching after a three-hour session that made my eyes droop. “I mean, since we have to leave the property to get something.”

“Sure,” I answered, my heart reminding me it was there.

“Great, you can tell me more about this business your parents own, and I’ll drive. In the mood for anything?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know the area yet. I just moved here this weekend. I’m still shuffling boxes around to find things.”

“I’d love to join.” My head made a beeline to where Allison had plopped herself on the table next to me, her skirt riding up to reveal amazing legs. She was too unreal to believe, and she was quickly becoming a pain in my ass.

“Sorry, my car only seats two.” Gabe motioned with his head for me to follow, and I didn't bother looking back at her, although I could feel the sting as her eyes bore into my back.

“Is it me or is she a little desperate?” he asked, holding the door for me as we walked out of the building. The heat hit me, singeing my throat and draining my energy. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”

“Maybe. And will I?”

He chuckled, a sound that reverberated across my skin. “She definitely is, and yes, you will.”

I bounced on my feet, a spring in my step at his words, but I didn’t dare get my hopes up. This was a work lunch with two colleagues getting to know each other. Nothing more.

His car was two spots down from mine, and he must have read my confusion. “I like to park as far away as I can for the exercise,” he said. “Especially on days I don’t hit the gym.”

I wasn’t certain my crush meter could climb any higher, but it did. He held the door of his car open and closed it when I had comfortably tucked myself in. Peering into the backseat, I gave him a questioning look as he got in.

“She wasn’t the one I wanted to go to lunch with,” he stated, giving me a bashful smile that had me thankful I was sitting.

My mouth dropped, and I slammed it shut, my teeth complaining about the impact.

The car started, the AC rushing out in a warm gust that took a few minutes to turn cold.

“There’s a sandwich shop around the corner,” Gabe said. “They have the best homemade chips if you’re up to it.”

“Sounds perfect,” I said, soaking in the air and wishing I could pick my armpits up to dry them.

Gabe chatted with me about Florida, telling me he had moved there for school even though it had driven his father mad because he hadn’t gone to school closer to home.

We didn’t stop talking the entire hour we had for our break, and by the time we were back in his car, my crush had warped into something I doubted I could control.