"Mom!"There's a pointed silence for only a second, but it's filled with so many unsaid words from years past. "We just talked yesterday, Kens. I'm sorry, sweetie, but your copy assistant job in marketing is not that exciting."Ouch. "I'm not a copy assistant, Mom. I said I make copies sometimes.""Well regardless, I'm sure you didn't call me to wow me with your adventures to the printer, so tell me what's happened."Okay, this is it. I have to tell her now. She's primed for it.Deep breath."You're right. I called because I have big news." I'll start at the bottom of the list and work my way higher. "Vincent and I are dating."My mother gasps. "That's fantastic news. I'm so glad you two finally figured it out. We've been waiting."My mouth falls open. "What?""Oh, Mackenzie, don't be daft. We all saw it. That man is smitten with you."I press the phone to my ear harder so Vincent doesn't hear her. I'll never live it down. From the way the smug smirk on his face gro

A steady beat of rain hits the large glass windows and my gaze strays away from my cubicle. The dark sky heralds the coming cold snowy days of Michigan's winter. It's only the end of September. We won't have any proper snow until December or later, but the flurries can appear at any point from here on out. By Halloween we'll be knee deep in dead leaves, freezing temperatures, and a rainy winter mix.Once the beautiful part of fall ends and the dredges of winter begin, I always curse my misfortune of living in Michigan. Every year at this time, my dream of moving to Florida is revisited. Today as I watch the rain lazily slide down the windows after hitting with such force the thought of my beach escape doesn't come.I would leave too much—Vincent, this job, and the future that's available to us. Florida no longer holds the appeal she has for the most of my life the last ten years. A Michigan winter didn't seem so depressive when I'll have Vincent by my side as we power to through it

I drum my nails on the desk again. The steady click clack keeps me from going insane, or maybe it ushers me along. Either way analyzing marketing reports has to be one of the most boring jobs on the planet. Why hasn't someone invented a computer to do this for humans yet?The numbers run together as my tedious calculations come from muscle memory. I'll be calculating these statistics in my dreams soon. The only thing that keeps me going through the boring days is daydreaming about what the man upstairs is doing. Hopefully not yelling at Amy, his assistant. Although I wouldn't put it past him. She can tolerate Vincent's work demands a hundred times better than I ever did as his assistant.Not being able to see him whenever I want during the day is a drag, though. I'd gotten used to working with him, and now that I find him slightly less annoying, I actually liked a few of the perks of being his assistant. Like getting to stare at him all day. Amy is married and has a new baby with h

An entire week later, I wait until ten minutes after five before closing my laptop for the end of the work week. Most of the floor is empty since Friday is the one evening you can guarantee everyone wants to get home on time. Levi's is the only other cubical with movement in it and I consider stopping to talk to him as he works, but dealing with our issues would have to wait.He'd obviously been even more angered by Vincent's email, but there is no longer time in my life to worry what other people think of me. Between Vincent's exes, my screwed-up relationships, and the life I'm growing, I don't have any extra time or patience to find worry for Levi. He'll come around or he won't, but right now the ball is in his court.The emotional week has worn me out and I swipe my keycard against Vincent's special access panel in the elevator and then let my arm drop heavily. The doors open two floors higher and a magnificent man in a suit with his jacket unbuttoned and his tie loosened steps

"I'm sorry. I'll be quick," I apologize as I hit the up button on the elevator with our special key card.Vincent leans on the side of the railing, looking at me with a smug smirk as I do my best to ignore him by pretending to pull out wrinkles on my dress. He had lied slightly when he said the racks of clothing contained items from my closet in my old apartment the day I watched movers deliver them off the walking closet in his penthouse. It also had a couple of additions he had picked out without my knowledge in typical Vincent fashion.I would've been upset except they were nice additions. I hate to admit it, but Vincent has good taste in clothing. The dress I wear tonight is long and hits right at my knee. Blue silk material shimmers in the light and the off-shoulder straps somehow magically give my boobs an amazing amount of cleavage. The kind I wanted when I spent a fortune on push-up bras but never achieved. The nude heels I wear with it make my legs look especially long.