When Jerica finally reached the office, the sun had long crested its peak. The usual rush of guilt or worry she might have felt for being late was absent today. Instead, a gentle warmth suffused her; the morning with Jared still lingered in her mind.
Maybe, she thought, his suspension was a blessing in disguise. She'd never known him to take even a day off for illness, always driven, always relentless. This week might be their chance to reconnect, to steal back time that had slipped through their fingers.
Jerica stepped into the building with a poise that belied the hour, exuding the confidence of someone who had arrived early. Her manager, noticing her arrival, raised an impatient hand, signaling for her to come to his office. She nodded but barely had time to adjust her route before a firm grip on her arm stopped her in her tracks.
