Avery's Point of View
The rain had slowed to a miserable, rhythmic drizzle by the time the team’s town car dropped me back at the hotel. My throat still burned from the tears I’d shed alone in the pavilion dining room, but by the time I stepped into the lobby, my face was a mask of perfect, professional calm once more.
I couldn't let anyone see the cracks. Especially not tonight.
When I quietly unlocked the door to the penthouse suite, the soft glow of the living room lamp cast long, peaceful shadows across the hardwood. Sarah was curled up on the armchair, reading a textbook, while the quiet murmurs of a cartoon played on low volume.
"Hey," Sarah whispered, closing her book and smiling warmly as I stepped inside. "How did the executive dinner go?"
"Perfectly," I lied, slipping off my
