Harrison dropped his hand down, the tumbler dangling at his side as he watched Cassandra stroll in on Julia's arm. When Harrison thought he had seen the height of her beauty, she always found a way to knock him speechless. She was dressed in a stunning multi-coloured mock-neck crop top along with pair of slacks and a green blazer. To say he had seen her look happier would be the understatement of the century.

She had her head bent, looking over a folder by Julia's side as she walked towards the table slowly. They had been in there for ten minutes, and she had not once lifted her eyes to meet his. He knew she didn't hold a grudge towards him because of what happened with Josephine; she was trying to keep their relationship strictly professional.

Julia stayed close to her side, making sure she had everything she needed without her having to move around the conference room. Maria sat quietly by his side, occupied with her tablet, pictures and folders popping around on the screen.

When the door glided open, every head turned towards it to watch Mr Cooper walk in with his assistant following close behind. Everyone stood on their feet, and each exchanged their names and shook hands with the man. He looked more like a solider than an executive, but Harrison was not one to judge by looks.

"How are you feeling, Miss Hernández?"

Cassandra leaned back in her chair and shrugged, "better. Thank you so much for holding this meeting off until I was able to return to work. I promise you won't regret it."

"Not a problem, and I would remember to hold you on that promise," still standing, he turned to Harrison with a smile; "I trust you have resolved your matters with your ex? You and Miss Hernandez would be attending some galas concerning this project, and I will not want her to show up tossing possible."

Harrison prevented his smile from dropping at his words. He wanted to believe he had put an end to the problem, but he wasn't sure if it was truly over. Thankfully, the messages and visits to his office had stopped, but he desperately wanted to believe Josephine wasn't cooking something up.

"I believe no such thing would happen sir."

Cooper took his seat and, with deft fingers, unfastened the buttons of his suit to get comfortable. Rubbing his palms together, he signalled his assistant to pass the documents in front of him to everyone seated. When each of them had a copy on the table, he nodded then began.

"The budget for this plan is going to be big, and I expect everyone's hundred per cent and above but nothing less. Whatever battle is going on between your companies ends today until this business is finished. I want no quarrels or fights; we resolve any disagreement together and without pointing fingers. I want teamwork, and I am hoping that's not too much to ask."

"No sir." They replied in unison.

"Wonderful. You all know what to do from here. You may go to your respective lawyers and give the contract a good look over. Set up a meeting to see that deals to each of you satisfy you, then come back to me with any changes. Unfortunately, time is money, so I need this before this week's end. That means you should all have made your changes. Are we okay with that?"

Cassandra took her time to answer the question, going over it in her mind with care. It wasn't his place to be worried or caring for her thoughts, but he watched her all the same. He could tell that the urgency Cooper placed on the work didn't sit well with Cassandra. He knew, from Maria, that even though she had been in the hospital, she stayed on top of her work. She was as prepared as he was, for the task. When it came to business, she usually didn't mind whatever time limit she had.

Cooper finished the meeting early because he needed to meet up with his wife, so they all found their way out of his company by themselves. As far as elevator rides went, it was awkward to be so close to Cassandra and saying nothing while they moved. She hummed to herself, but he was close enough to hear it.

The ding of the elevator alerted him to their stop before the metallic door wheezed open, and the sound of people chatting reached his ears. Maria stepped off the elevator first, but before he could join her, Cassandra stretched out an arm to block his way. He turned his neck with alarmed slowness towards her outstretched arms before looking up to stare at the back of her head.

"Julia, step off the elevator, please."

Julia turned her confused eyes back to Cassandra but made no move to step out of the elevator, "I beg your pardon?"

"I need to discuss something with Mr Clark, very important, so I would meet you at the park."

There was a slight hesitation in her movement, but she relented and stepped out to stand beside Maria. No waiting another second, Cassandra leaned forward to push an elevator button then the door whizzed shut. Seconds after the elevator moved, he watched as she pressed the 'stop' button with a little more force than usual. The machine cringed and shook a little before coming to a standstill, yet Harrison said nothing.

"You owe me," Cassandra announced aloud but refused to turn around to face him. He played along, resting his back against the cold metallic surface as he pushed his hands into the pocket of his suit pants.

"I apologized to you in the hospital, and I recall you saying we were both at fault for what happened that night."

"Well, good for you then," she spun her heels, folding her arms and giving him a stern look. "I also recall telling you the morphine could be dulling my anger, and I would scream at you once that thing was out of my system. So guess what... it's out."

"Really?"

"Really."

He pushed off the walls with his shoulders and stalked forward while keeping his eyes on Cassandra. He walked closer to her, looking down at her with an equally questioning stare. Cassandra stood her ground, not even trying to move back a bit to establish some distance.

"What do I owe you?"

"Friendship."

He baulked and tucked his hands into his pocket as he stared at a spot above her head. He let her strange words sink in, but his mind couldn't process what she had said. It was either the coffee and tequila he had in the morning that was messing with his hearing, or she was brain warped after leaving the hospital.

"Explain. From what I remember, you came to my office one day just to throw in my face how you and I couldn't be friends. At the hospital, you told me I had to keep my distance to stop sending the wrong message to the people around us."

"I am trying to change a few things; one of them is reducing my mother's worry over me. I want her to be relaxed and focused on her own life for once." She used her fingers to push against his chest and straightened her shoulders as he stepped back. "She is trying to be less bossy, and I am trying to be less problematic. She wants me to get more friends, more of a life outside the office, and I am willing to meet her halfway."

"What is Shantel for? Isn't she your friend?"

"Oh, she is. Unfortunately, my mother has asked her not to be my accomplice, and she joyfully agreed not to support me for the next two weeks. Now, with Mr Cooper trying to rush things, my timely schedule won't help me at all."

"So, that's what you want me to apologize to you with? Friendship?"

"For two weeks, to be exact. Believe me, the words falling out of my mouth are scraping my vocal cords and tongue as they leave, but I am desperate, and I want to find a way to get a good result from this catch-22 I have landed in."

"You are a remarkable woman."

"I am fabulous too, but I am not looking for compliments. Would you help me, or do I have to find someone else to help me?" She flagged a finger before he could speak, "don't get cocky here. I am asking you because you are the only person my mother knows I have a serious conflict with. That doesn't mean I wouldn't find someone else if you try to play smart."

"Fair enough," he dragged his fingers through his hair as he pondered over her request. "On one condition."

"What?"

"As I help you with your deceitful act, you should help me by not ending up in the hospital. I met your mother, and that woman can get scary when she is upset. I would help you as an apology, but I don't want to end up beneath your mother's heel."

Cassandra turned her head and laughed over her shoulder, cocking her head back. "Well, rest assured that I intend on doing my part as well. My mother and I also have a deal regarding that. I am not asking for this favour to go against her; I am asking for this favour so I can..."

"Kill two birds with one stone. I know."

He stepped past her and pushed the button with his thumb. The elevator groaned before it continued its journey to the floor she chose. She stayed behind after the elevator dropped him off, but as he watched the door close, his only thought was that he did not have two weeks to be her friend. He wanted to use the two weeks to get to know the 'Ice Queen' of Santa Montes. There was no denying that the shades of Cassandra Hernández were as intriguing as the woman herself. Their work together gave him a chance to know her and encourage her to see him differently.