My palms were sweaty as I drove back to the office. It was just past two o'clock and I was still shaking inside from my own personal earthquake that seemed intent on destroying the foundations of my nice, predictable life.

I hadn't been able to focus on the imam's sermon about the importance of having gratitude, or on my prayers, which I did on auto-pilot, both which I'd feel guilty about hours later when I realised. Instead, I pretended to pay attention while my mind kept replaying the little smile Derek Reynolds gave me and how his skin felt in that oh-so-slight touch, feeling the thrill every time.

Sigh.

The chicken in me wanted to go in the back door and hide out in the stock room rather than face the wrath of Crystal when I told her Mr Reynolds wanted me to take over his account.

How was I going to reveal that I'd stolen the Reynolds account? Which was really bad word choice. I'd done a superior job, so he'd chosen to become my client.

Crystal wasn't going to see it that way, though. She'd just see that I'd shown her up. Again.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Last year, when I won the Salesperson of The Year for the fourth year running, she grit her teeth so hard when she had to give me my plaque that people looked over from the next table in the busy restaurant we were having the company supper in.

She couldn't fire me for taking Reynolds, but I'm sure she'd find some petty and mean ways to make my life miserable.

As if I needed more misery.

I had enough coming in all of the future meetings with my new client where I had to figure out how to not think of him in inappropriate ways while he swivelled in that big leather chair and pierced me with those smouldering eyes.

I groaned at the image.

Life couldn't get worse.

An unfamiliar car was parked in my usual spot, so I pulled in at the end of the row next to Fred, the accountant's, Audi.

It wasn't unusual for clients to visit the office, but I had no appointments and neither did Simon, the other sales rep. Crystal always visited her whopping two clients at their offices, although it was possible one had come here.

A ridiculous wriggle of worry lit in my stomach that one of my clients was here complaining about me.

Then it hit me, The head honchos! They must still be here.

I jumped out of my car and quickly walked to the front door. I stopped a few feet away to smooth my clothes and put my game face on. I wanted to make the best first impression possible since they couldn't be redone.

My cheeks heated at the reminder of how Mr Reynolds found me crawling around on the floor to rescue a spider I couldn't even take outside. Then the shaking hands fiasco. I shook my head. He must think I'm a loon.

These people wouldn't get a bad first impression, God willing.

I lifted my chin and confidently opened the door. The air-conditioned air was delicious after the summer's heat.

Sally, the receptionist, looked ready to burst with whatever she had to tell me. She waved me closer, so I laid my briefcase on her desk and leaned in while I opened it to retrieve my papers. "They've been holed up in the conference room since they came. Crystal was in for almost half an hour. Brought Fred in for awhile to go over the accounts. Then Simon. I've taken coffee in twice. They asked me about working here."

"No clue what they were talking about with the others?"

Sally shook her head. "I've heard them all laughing from time to time. Fred's been holed up in his office ever since. Crystal is back in with them now."

Before I had a chance to ask more, the conference room door opened and Crystal led out three people I'd never met. She was looking back over her shoulder at them, laughing and giving a mega-watt smile that lit up her whole face.

Sally and I exchanged glances. This was a side to Crystal we didn't know existed. In three years we'd never seen her laugh, and she only smiled at customers.

Crystal turned and saw me. "Abi! You're back!" I caught a hard edge of warning in her voice. "Sally, why didn't you send her in to meet our guests?"

Sally blushed scarlet. "I'm sorry. I didn't know I should."

"You've seen them talking to everyone else, so why wouldn't they want to talk to Abi? I expect better from you."

Sally gaped, taken aback.

I distracted Crystal by thrusting out my hand to the closest person to me, a trim man in his mid-fifties with salt-and-pepper hair, giving myself a mental kick when I remembered too late my decision to stop shaking men's hands. "I'm Abi Khan. I just walked in the door a few seconds ago, actually. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier."

He gave my hand a swift shake. "Not a problem. Pleased to meet you. I'm Guy Marchand. VP of HR of our little company. Crystal tells us you were out on a sales call. We like to see initiative."

No one missed the pointed look Crystal gave Sally at that.

The second man, shorter and slightly balding, had the thick build of someone who seriously lifted weights, but his slight paunch revealed he was letting himself go a bit. He shook my hand and said, "Paul Watts, VP of Finance. It's nice to meet the person who's name I've been ordering to get engraved on plaques. Excellent sales numbers, Ms Khan. Congratulations."

"Thank you, sir." I saw a muscle twitch in Crystal's jaw.

The third person stepped forward. She was poised and refined with short , dark hair styled in a sassy but feminine side-sweep, wearing business casual like it was haute couture made specifically for her. I instantly adopted her as my idol that I wanted to grow up to be like.

Her grip was firm and her voice enthusiastic when she said, "I'm Sydney Ramirez. CEO. I'm very glad we finally have the chance to meet you."

Crystal looked back and forth between me and the CEO trying to read the subtext just like I was.

I smiled my best smile and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you too, all of you." I looked to the VPs to include them.

"You've been doing some very impressive sales numbers, Ms. Khan. I started out in sales myself, you know." Mr. Watts puffed out his chest a bit.

"Really? I'd love to hear any tips you can pass on."

He smiled and narrowed his eyes like I was kidding him. "With numbers like yours, you could give me a few lessons. Move to Toronto and you just might move to the number one sales person in the company instead of being the fourth!"

Crystal's smile froze in place.

I felt my cheeks warm. I'd quickly learned saying aloud "It's only by God's grace and mercy" lead to complicated conversations about my belief that my hard work only came to fruition because of God. Not to mention a lot of people just felt awkward if I made any mention of God whether we were at school, work or just at the mall.

So out loud I voiced, "I work hard to do everything the best I can. This is a great company, and I feel blessed to work here."

"Crystal said you were out re-signing one of her contracts. Is that the file there?"

I looked down at the traitorous brown folder I'd removed from my briefcase while talking to Sally that didn't have anywhere to be except in my hand. "Yes, it is." God forgive me for wanting to lie about it.

"Excellent! We were about to leave, but we don't need to be anywhere for another hour or so. Show us what you've got."

Crystal locked eyes with me, blazing with warning, then turned on her heel and almost stomped into the conference room.

Trailing along after, praying an Abi-sized sinkhole would open up for me to fall into, I flicked my eyes up. Served me right for asking if life could get any worse.