Chapter 5
5
DYLAN
Monday mornings at an investment bank are nothing short of chaotic. A rush of movement and chatter engulfs me as I enter the open-plan office. Phones ringing off the hook, voices raised in conversation, and the clatter of keyboards—all of it blends into a symphony of controlled entropy. The faint smell of fresh coffee wafts through the air, mingling with the scent of expensive cologne and the unmistakable tang of stress and high stakes. I tug at the knot of my tie, straightening it, its dark, solid blue, matching the tailored suit I put on without thinking this morning. Presentation in my field is everything, and in a world where first impressions can make or break a deal, looking the part is half the battle.
My office is a minimalist’s dream: a polished desk, a few framed certificates on the wall, and a stack of papers that multiply every time I look away. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer a sweeping view of Manhattan. The skyline is breathtaking, even more so with the city still waking up, its skyscrapers glinting in the rising sun. Pausing outside my office, I glance at my reflection in the glass. Hair in place, suit perfect, eyes a little tired—nothing a coffee can’t fix.
And this morning, I’m going to need more than one cup. Mondays are always brutal, but today has an extra kick. There are several mergers on the table, and everyone’s scrambling to get their hands on the best deals.
Kelly, my assistant, is already at her desk next to my door, her fingers flying over the keyboard with the kind of focus I can only manage after my second cup of coffee. She looks up as I stop by her station, offering a bright smile. “Morning, boss. Ready to dive in?”
“Morning, Kelly.” I flash her a grin. “As ready as I’ll ever be. How was your weekend?”
“Too short.” She sighs. “Yours?”
I picture the stack of boxes I still have to unpack and the situation with Hunter that I wasn’t able to fix earlier this morning since she was nowhere to be found. “Too messy.” My smile tightens.
“Oh?” Kelly raises an eyebrow at me.
“Moving houses, remember? My best friend kicked me out to shack up with my sister?”
Kelly nods sympathetically, as if she can sense my mood, but mercifully doesn’t prod for more.
“What’s on the docket for today?”
She hands me a print-out of the day’s schedule, neatly organized, in a large, clear font, double spaced, and printed on cream paper instead of white—the basics of my survival. She’ll have also sent me an electronic copy I can use text to speech on.
I have dyslexia, something I don’t like to parade around, and these little adjustments help me function at the highest level without anyone noticing.
“You’ve got a meeting with the mergers team at nine.” Kelly gives me the highlights of my day. “Followed by a client call at ten. A lunch meeting with potential buyers for the Horizon deal. And later tonight, you have a call with the Tokyo office at seven.”
I nod, scanning the schedule. “Got it. Thanks, Kelly. Any updates on the Lione acquisition?”
“Still waiting on confirmation from their legal team,” she says. “I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”
“Perfect. Thanks. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Kelly waves me off. “You’d be lost and late to everything, that’s what.”
She’s not wrong. I chuckle, heading into my office and closing the door behind me. I settle into my chair, the leather creaking under me, and soak in the silence. The calm before the storm. I flip open my laptop, and emails flood the screen instantly, piling on top of the stack of reports on my desk that I need to get through.
I pull up the meeting agenda Kelly prepared, skimming the major points to cover. But I lack my usual focus; my thoughts keep yanking me back to this morning. The apartment was eerily quiet when I woke up, Hunter noticeably absent. I’d planned to make her breakfast, bribe her with something sweet—pancakes, waffles, the works. A peace offering of sorts. But as I crossed the hall, her door was closed, her room dark, and her shoes were no longer in their spot in the entryway.
A made-up mental image of Hunter sneaking out in the early hours, tiptoeing past my door, flickers in my mind. I didn’t hear her leave. I’m not sure what her morning routine is. But is she always gone before 6a.m.? Or was she avoiding me? I can’t shake the nagging sensation that it is the latter option.
I rub a hand over my face. No time to dwell on it now.
A knock on my door pulls me from my thoughts. Kelly pokes her head in. “Five minutes till your meeting.”
I nod, closing my laptop. “Right. Thanks.”
My assistant leaves, and I stand, smoothing down my suit. Time to put on the game face. Whatever’s going on with Hunter, it’ll have to wait.
The nine o’clock mergers meeting is what I expect: intense and fast-paced. We go over the latest reports, each merger dissected down to the smallest detail. Numbers fly across the table, financial projections and risk assessments, each figure representing millions of dollars and the future of entire companies. I keep my focus sharp, pushing thoughts of my new roommate into a corner of my mind. Here, I’m all about business.
After the meeting, I sort my calls, go to lunch with clients, and by the time I’m back in my office, it’s already mid-afternoon. But I still have hours of work ahead.
My phone buzzes on the desk. A message from Olivia.
Olivia
Hey, handsome. Want to hang out tonight? I could come over and check out your new place ;)
I frown at the message, setting the phone down. I want to hang out with Olivia, but the thought of her coming over to the apartment makes me uneasy. Hunter said it’s okay to have Olivia over whenever. But I don’t really know how she rolls—if she prefers not to have people over during the week, and it’s okay only at weekends, until what time. Last night was our first living together, and I’ve messed up already. I didn’t get a chance to apologize this morning, and bringing a third person into the mix before we’ve cleared the waters might not be smart. I press the microphone button and dictate my reply.
Dylan
I’d love to see you, but the place is still a wreck. Haven’t finished unpacking. How about I come to yours instead?
Olivia
Aww, okay. But you owe me a tour soon. I want to see where my boyfriend lives
Boyfriend. The word tastes strange as I roll it over my tongue, unfamiliar. We’ve been dating only for ten days, but she’s moving at light speed. True, I’ve called Olivia my girlfriend, too, but only because it’s shorter than “the woman I’ve been seeing.” I wonder if she’s on the same page or if she assumes this is already a serious relationship after two dates.
Dylan
Soon, I promise
I send the text and dive back into work. I skim through the numbers, the lines of text blurring as I focus on the bottom line. Profit margins, market share, risk factors—it’s all a balancing act, a delicate dance of data and projections.
Another buzz, another text from Olivia.
Olivia
What time tonight?
Dylan
I’m stuck here for a while. I’ll text you when I leave the office
I toss the phone onto the desk, screen down, and crack my neck, the familiar popping sound a brief relief from the pressure mounting in my head as the busy afternoon stretches out before me.
By the time I resurface, the sun is already setting, casting long shadows across the city. I’m exhausted, my mind buzzing with fatigue. I’m half-tempted to cancel on Olivia and go home. But I’m not positive the situation there would be any more relaxing. Plus, I’m not a dick. I’m not gonna ask for a rain check at the last minute.
I pack up my things, slipping my laptop into my backpack. The office is quieter now, the evening calm settling in. I nod to Kelly as I pass her desk, offering a tired smile. “Heading out.”
She stretches her arms above her head, grinning. “Finally.”
“See you tomorrow.”
“Night, boss.”
I order a car on the ride down in the elevator, shooting a quick text to Olivia next.
Dylan
On my way. Should I stop to get takeout?
Her reply arrives as I step out of the building, the air still simmering with the day’s heat, the city alive around me—the noise of traffic, the whisper of a breeze slipping through the tall skyscrapers, the buzz of thousands of lives all moving at once.
Olivia
No need, I cooked. Can’t wait to see you
Good thing I didn’t cancel after she made me dinner.
My car arrives. I slide into the back seat and lean my head against the headrest, closing my eyes. A vague sense of something left undone sweeps over me. But then the car starts moving, and I tell myself it’s nothing, only a long day getting to me.