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my grandmother the good news.
    Finally, a glimmer of hope.
    It couldn’t have come soon enough.

    FIONA
    After arriving at the office and going through the orientation Colin mentioned, all members of the lab team gathered for the CEO’s address on the new project, which I’d come to learn was known as the Link Protocol.
    Colin offered me a seat next to him, which I happily took. I found his presence reassuring in the moment. With a bit of luck, some of his calm demeanor would rub off on me. After we’d filed in and taken our seats, I placed my planner on the table in front of me. Pulling out a pen, my highlighter and an assortment of labels I used for categorizing things, I readied myself to take copious notes.
    Just then, Colin leaned in towards me. Speaking with a hushed tone he asked, “Mr. Hawkins. Do you know anything about him?”
    I was a bit ashamed to admit I didn’t. But it was true. I’d only ever been focused on the science, my work . The politics of companies and the personalities of the people involved didn’t interest me. I only cared about putting my knowledge and passion to the test. If I hadn’t gotten the job I wanted here, I would have continued searching at a number of different firms until I landed it.
    I shook my head.
    “No,” I whispered back to him.
    Colin nodded. “He’s a good man. Fair. I think you’ll like him. With your credentials, I have no doubt he'll feel the same way.”
    Around that time, the door to the conference room opened and a shapely woman with brunette hair pulled high and tight behind her head entered. She crossed the room with an efficient stride and as she did, the sound from her heels echoed, putting a halt to all conversation around the conference table. Clutching an armful of paper, she made her way to a podium at the front of the room.
    Colin nodded and with a light whisper said, “That’s Holly, Mr. Hawkins’s personal assistant.”
    Acknowledging him, I scribbled a reminder note in case I ever met her again.
    Without looking up to face the group, Holly began to speak as she prepared the podium for the CEO’s arrival. “Good morning everyone. We will begin in just a moment or two. Mr. Hawkins got delayed on a call.”
    After she finished, she looked up and headed in the direction of the table. Holly moved between each of us, providing a brief on the Link Protocol as she did. I thanked her as she passed by, and moments later she walked back towards the podium. As she did, a new person appeared through the entrance to the conference room.
    Well, I should clarify…
    He was new in terms of the people in attendance but he certainly wasn’t to me. Slack-jawed, I froze in place as Gabe strolled inside and made his way towards Holly without a word.
    Wait a second, he was the CEO? The pick-up artist from the bar? Seriously?
    Just then, Colin leaned in my direction and confirmed my suspicion with a whisper. “That’s him, Mr. Hawkins.”
    I nodded and at the same time, slumped a bit in my chair. Leaning back to at least partially conceal myself behind Colin, I alternated between disinterested glances at the protocol document and stares of disbelief at him. I happened to cast my gaze back to some of the other women seated at the conference table. All of them spontaneously began to primp and preen like lionesses at the watering hole.
    I rolled my eyes at the spectacle.
    Good lord.
    Shaking my head, I glanced back towards Gabe. I couldn’t believe my eyes. He looked nothing like a CEO.
    Well, okay, aside from the expensive looking clothing and alligator-skinned loafers. And yes, he did carry himself with a look of a man in charge. He was at ease and unhurried, just like he was at the bar the night we met. As he turned away from us, I bit my lip while my eyes wandered down his backside. Beginning with his shoulder length, wavy brown hair my gaze moved from his broad shoulders, to his narrow waist all the way down to his tight...
    Stop, Fiona. Right now. Jesus.
    I