*Ryan's POV*
I'd done my research.
Helen Blackwood took her coffee with two sugars and a splash of cream. She preferred the dark roast from the café on the corner, not the weak brew from the office break room. She arrived at work by seven-thirty every morning and usually skipped lunch when she was deep in a project.
I'd been watching her for months, and now that we were on the same team, I finally had my chance.
I stopped at the café on my way to work Wednesday morning, ordering her usual along with my own black coffee. My hands were slightly sweaty as I rode the elevator to the fifteenth floor, rehearsing what I'd say.
Casual. Friendly. Helpful colleague offering support.
I found Helen at her desk in the marketing department, already absorbed in her work despite it being barely eigh
