"I can't believe you didn't fucking tell me any of this until now!" Sasha said to me over the phone on Tuesday, while I ran out of the office to grab lunch. And not only for me, but for Ryan and Adam too.

I was so busy at work that day that I was having a hard time juggling all the tasks I had to do. But when Adam requested I pick up lunch, I didn't mind the mini-break to clear my head.

I stood in line at the strictly take-out restaurant that specialized in soups. "I'm sorry. I figured the less you knew, the better."

"I get it. I guess." I heard her huff into the phone. "But now it's over?"

"One-hundred percent yes. Now I know that Eric is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with." I was next in line to order. "Hold on, Sasha."

I placed the phone against my chest as I gave the server on the other side of the counter my order for three of the daily specials. She dished it into three relatively large to-go bowls, closed the lids, and placed them in a special caddy designed to hold multiple soups for easy transport. I thanked her and scooted down the line to pay the cashier.

Once I was back outside, I brought my phone back to my ear. "Sorry. What was I saying?"

"That you had a fuck fest with Ryan for the last month. Then went to Naples with Eric, and now he's the man you want to spend the rest of your fucking life with." Sasha was always so good at summarizing things.

"Oh, right. Sash, the Eric that I saw in Naples, was the Eric I met. And the Eric that charmed me enough at your wedding to make me want to accept his proposal." I weaved through the crowded streets, trying to avoid my arm with the soup from getting knocked.

"So maybe you two should move to Naples."

"That's what he suggested too."

"Wait, what? You're not really going to move back to fucking Florida, are you?" I could hear the concern of losing her closest friend in the sound of her voice.

"Not in any future I can see. I love Florida and all, but my home is New York now. I couldn't imagine going back to the slower pace down there. No matter how inviting it seems at the time." I neared my office building.

"Thank God. I was fearing I'd have to drag Becca and move down there too. And you know how much those damn mosquitoes love my ass." She laughed.

I fake swooned. "Awe, you'd get eaten by mosquitoes for me?"

I pushed the revolving doors to the building with my butt and turned it until I was fully inside. I walked briskly over to the elevators and lowered my hand with my phone still in it to press the button.

"So are you and Eric coming over for dinner on Friday still? We need to start working on the wedding seating charts from the RSVPs you've received so far." Sasha sounded like a professional wedding planner then. Which made me even more grateful that I made her my matron-of-honor.

The elevator arrived, and I stepped in. "That's the plan. But will you please request Becca to make a vegan dish that even Eric would eat. Maybe something that tastes like steak."

"Vic, if Becca ever did create a dish that tasted like steak, do you think I'd still be craving bacon?" We laughed together. "But sure, there is a dish that I actually like. I'll have her make it so Eric and I both don't have to sneak in bacon during dinner."

We laughed again. The doors opened to my floor. "Well, I just got back to work. I'll talk to you later."

I disconnected the call and made my way to my old desk outside of Ryan's office. I placed the caddy down and picked up only Ryan's order. I knocked on his door, calmly.

"Come in," he called from the other side.

I opened the door, half expecting to find a girl giving him a blowjob again. But no, he was sitting at his desk reading something on his computer. "Here's your soup." I acted as casual as I could like I had for most of the day. I placed his soup bowl in the middle of his desk and put the white plastic spoon next to it. "Do you need my assistance with anything else, Mr. Herman."

His mouth twitched with a slight smile at me calling him by his last name. "No, thank you, Ms. Ashcroft."

I gave a half nod and left his office, closing the door behind me. I felt that it went better than I had anticipated. That was the first time I had really been alone with him all day. I would have thought he'd try to bring up the topic from the bar again. But I was glad he didn't. I picked up the caddy from my old desk, and made my way to my new desk, outside Adam's office.

I repeated the actions I had done on Ryan's door, on Adam's. He, too, allowed me to enter. He also was sitting at his computer, reading something. If it wasn't for their different hairstyles, I would have had a case of Deja Vu.

"Thank you, Vicky," Adam said as he removed the lid and inhaled the vapors that rose from the hot soup. "Would you care to join me for lunch today?" He gestured to the couch and coffee table that laid behind me.

"That would be nice. Thanks." I stepped back out of his office for only a moment to grab my soup and spoon. I came back in as he just reached the couch.

We sat and ate lunch together, and the whole time I kept thinking about how different it was to talk with Adam from my conversations with Ryan. With Adam, it just felt comfortable and professional. He told me about how he got into the business and that he had always known that he wanted to work for the firm.

He talked about how he was always the charming one. Even though he had a natural ability for design, he had an even more natural knack for getting more clients and business. Which made sense why he was the Head of Sales and Client Relations. And why, even though he was in charge of the client-side of things, he was still heavily invested in making sure all the plans, designs, and specs were done right. He did add that he would preferred to be Head Designer, but since Peter was the oldest, he started there first and therefore got first pick at what position he wanted to take over.

"How is it working for family anyway?" I was curious, especially after seeing how Adam and Ryan had their awkward brotherly disagreement.

"It's not as bad as you'd think. I mean, sure we see each other way more than any family should. But other than that, I wouldn't have it any other way."

I scoffed at his comment. "Based on the fight between you and Ryan yesterday, I would think it would be better to stay away from working with family." I covered my mouth at my verbal vomit. "I'm so sorry, that was not my place."

Adam finished his soup and set it aside. "Don't apologize. I appreciate your openness. I mean, siblings fight. Just ask anyone. Don't you have any brothers or sisters?" I shook my head. "Oh, really? That must have been lonely."

"Not really." I finished my soup too. I collected my empty container and Adams and walked them over to the trash can by his door. "I was always close with my parents. Plus, I had a lot of cousins that lived near me growing up, so I always considered them more like siblings. Just ones I didn't fight with or spend every day with."

"That must have been nice." Adam stood and walked back to sit at his desk again.

"It was." I could feel that the conversation was quickly dying. Plus, I wanted to get back to my ever-growing workload. "Well, thank you for letting me eat with you. It was nice getting to know you better."

"Likewise." He smiled a similar dimpled smile that Ryan had. "We'll have to have lunch together more now that you're my apprentice. I can teach you so many things."

"I'd like that." I smiled and excused myself from his office.

I returned to my desk, feeling really happy. I realized that accepting to work for Adam was the best decision I ever made.

**********

While working for Adam was the best decision I had ever made. Agreeing to take on the extra workload of two employees was a terrible decision. 

The rest of the week was agonizing. I worked more than ever. Though I was grateful for it too because that meant I didn't have time to concern myself with Ryan on anything other than work.

Thankfully, though, he seemed to have taken the hint after having my drink thrown in his face. He didn't call or text me outside of work. He didn't call me into his office unless the door was left wide open. During our executive meetings and any other office meetings where we both had to attend, he would make sure he wasn't next to me.

Though he was short with me at times, it didn't rub me the wrong way anymore. I knew my helping him was temporary, and even if it wasn't, I didn't care enough about his behavior to call him out on his shit. Or mention it to Adam either. I could already see that there was tension between them, and I didn't want to add fuel to the fire.

The only thing that made my workload worthwhile was seeing my paycheck that Friday. When I saw how much was deposited into my account, I almost thought it was a mistake. Then I had to remind myself that this was going to be my new normal. Though the jump between my old pay and new pay was just over a hundred dollars, it was still a lovely sight.

By the time Friday came to an end, I still had work to do, but I couldn't stay later as Eric was meeting up with me to go to Sasha and Becca's for dinner. Adam suggested I come in on Saturday to work on finalizing our presentation for another potential client that was scheduled next week.

He said I didn't have to, and that it was merely a suggestion as he had no doubt that I was going to get the task done on time. However, even if it was just a suggestion, from the way he presented it, it was almost like a sideways order to come in on Saturday. So, of course, I assured him I would be there early the next day.

The longer I worked for Adam the more I understood the intensity Peggy was referring to. Though, I still preferred it over working for Ryan.

I made my way down the elevator with Ryan and Adam on Friday. This almost seemed standard now, as we had all been leaving together the whole week. But this time, Adam and Ryan were joking with each other and getting along.

When we got to the ground floor, I spotted Eric waiting for me by the entrance doors. Ryan and Adam spotted him too.

Adam approached him first with a friendly handshake. "Eric, brother! Good to see you! Vicky told us you won your first trial. Congrats."

Eric beamed. "I did. It was tough, but we didn't have to end up settling, which made our client very happy."

"Well, I may just have to convince my dad to hire your firm as our corporate lawyers instead. Our good for nothing lawyers have settled our last three lawsuits, and I think we could have walked away without owing them a dime."

Eric's smile deepened. "If you mean that, I'll definitely set something up with my boss and get the ball rolling on that."

"We're on our way to have dinner with our parents. I'll discuss it with them tonight."

"Your monthly family dinner still stands strong, I see." Eric looked impressed, almost jealous. "I can't even be around my parents in the same room without some argument breaking out."

"The price you pay for maintaining a picture-perfect family, huh?"

Eric ignored Ryan's snarky comment and turned to look at me. "Hi, honey." He proceeded to wrap an arm around my waist and pull me into a kiss that lingered just a little longer than it ordinarily would. "Ready to go?"

"Yep." I turned to Adam. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Are you having her work on another Saturday again?" Eric cut in before Adam could respond.

"Buddy, you of all people, know the work that needs to be put in, to satisfy a client." Adam's expression turned from light to hard. Then he looked back at me. "I will be in tomorrow too. Thank you for sacrificing your weekend. I assure you we appreciate all you do for us."

"It's not a problem, really," I assured him and gave Eric a subtle jab in his side.

With that, we walked out of the building. Eric hailed a cab, and we got in it as I watched Adam and Ryan driving off together in their chauffeur car. As we drove off, Eric kissed the back of my hand and apologized for his remark to Adam. His expression was so genuine, I couldn't not forgive him.