One Month Later...

Abrielle saunters into Hamilton Hotel and Resort Office. She shows off her shiny gold ring. She stops next to me. "You know that guy from the bar that you were all over well he proposed to me and I said 'yes.' We're getting married in two weeks. I want you to be there." She places the envelope on the desk.

I spin around in my chair and look her. "Do you always have to be an inconsiderate bitch?"

She nods. "Yes, when it comes to you I do. I nearly lost my turn at landing a hot rich billionaire because of you." she smirks. "I'm glad he wanted to take me home too." She whispers. "He's great in bed. That's something you'll never know about my Chad." Abrielle moves away from me and she spins. "I'm getting married." she sings.

Joy McKellar walks into the office and she looks at Abrielle. "GET BACK TO WORK. I don't pay you to dance and sing about getting married all day." She smiles. "Congratulations," she walks into her office. She shuts the door.

The phone starts to ring and I answer it. "Hamilton Office, this is Grace."

"Hello, Grace. This is Joy. I need to see you in my office right away."

"I'll be right in, Mrs McKellar." I hang up the phone and I pick up a note pad and pen. I walk into the room and she looks up from her computer. "Please, take a seat Miss Fernandez."

I sit across from her.

She crosses her arms. "Are you alright? I've seen how she's been acting around you since she got engaged to Chad."

I shake my head. "I'm not okay. She's been jealous of me for years. When I've been close to getting something that I want she seems to take it away from me. A few years ago I was supposed to get a promotion, but, the next minute the boss said he gave it to Abrielle because she can please him."

Why am I saying all this to my boss?

I cover my mouth with my hands. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be telling my boss all this."

Joy laughs. "I like that you want to be honest with me. I haven't had many people like that in my life. You're like a breath of fresh air in my life."

I smile. "Thank you, I guess."

Joy rises. "About that promotion?" she places her hand on the desk. "I think you deserve it. How about I give you your own office and a personal secretary? I'm thinking of giving you the VP job."

I move over to Joy and hug her. "Are you serious?"

She pulls away from my embrace. "Yes, I am. As the VP you'll be working closely with a friend of my husbands."

I bounce up and down like a little kid on Christmas Day. "Who?"

She looks at the ground. "You're not going to like this. But, the person you'll be working with is..."

Please don't say Chad.

"...Chad Kristofferson."

My face pales. I hold onto the desk. "I don't know if I can work with him."

Joy looks out the door. "I'm not going to make you work with him if you don't want to. I'll just have someone else do it then." She picks up the phone. "Abrielle, would you..." I pull the cord out of the phone. She looks at me and smiles. "I knew that you work. Chad will be here in..." She looks at her watch. "Five, four, three..."

"Chady, What are you doing here, baby?" Abrielle screeches.

I look at Joy and she laughs. Joy looks at the door. "He's got ten seconds to walk through that door or I will kick his arse." She rises and moves towards the door. She pulls the door open. "Chad, get in here now. You're making a bad impression on yourself to my VP."

"I'll be right there, Joy."

"Bloody idiot!" she mumbles. She walks over to her seat. "I don't know what he sees in that girl."

Chad enters the room. "You want to know what I see in that girl?"

Joy nods.

"She's beautiful and kind. I've never met a girl..." He cuts his sentence short and he looks at me. He smirks. "I remember you. I got you into Sparks six months ago and then you vanished."

I cross my arms. "I didn't vanish. You were the one that went home with Abrielle and I took that as a hint that you wanted her."

Chad moves towards me. "I never wanted her, beautiful." He touches my face with his calloused hand.

Joy clears her throat. "I don't want to interrupt this moment between you two. But, we have a few things to discuss before I show you to the VP room."

Chad and I sit next to each other. I cross my legs and place the notepad on my leg. I start to write what Joy says. Chad turns his head toward me. He clears his throat. "Grace, are you ready to go to your office?"

I nod.

Joy rises and she smiles at me. "I'll show you to your new office." She looks at Chad. "Abrielle's not going to like you working with Grace."

Chad nods. "I know. But, that girl will have to deal with it. I'm not going to pull off the deal I made with you." He pulls her into his side. "Jensen, will kick my arse if he finds out that I screwed you over. Do you know what happened to the last person that screwed up?" she shakes her head. "Neither do I. But, I bet it's not pretty."

We exit the office.

Abrielle looks over at us. She hangs up the phone and she moves towards us. She wraps her arms around Chad pushing Joy out of the way.

Joy, nearly falls and Chad catches her. She looks at Chad. "I'm sorry," she says. He nods. Abrielle frowns. Joy looks at her. "I've put up with enough from you, Abrielle. You've treated me like dirt beneath your feet from the moment you started dating, Chad..." she cuts herself off as she pulls her phone out of her pocket. She looks at it. "DAMN IT!" she walks away.

I look at Chad. "I supposed we have to look for the VP office ourselves."

He nods. "Yeah! Can you give me a minute? I need to talk to Abrielle."

I walk away. I look around for the door with VP on it. I find it down the hall and my name is on the door.

When did Joy do that?

I open the door and step into my office. My stuff is set up on the table and in the corner is a pot plant. There's something attached to the plant and I pull it off. I open the piece of paper and I read the letter.

Dear Grace,
Congratulations to my new VP. I hope you like your new office. While we were in my office I had someone pack up your things and set this room up for you. Please, be nice to Chad.

Joy McKellar

I fold the piece of paper and stick it in the top draw. I sit in my seat and start the computer. When the computer is loaded I muck around on it trying to get used to the new programs I'll be working with.

Chad enters the room. He moves towards the seat and he sits. He pushes his seat closer to the desk. He places his hands on the table. "Do you want to know I'm marrying, Abrielle?"

I shake my head.

He looks at his hands and I see a tear fall down his face. He wipes it away and stares at his hands.

I move out of my seat and I wrap my arms around him. "What's going on, Chad?"

He takes a deep breath. "My father has cancer and his dying wish is to see me marry. I can't disappoint him. That's why I'm going to marry, Abrielle."

"I'm so sorry, Chad."

***

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