Free I’ll Be There by Samantha Chase Page B

looked at everything she had set up and reached for a folder. “Let’s do the contracts so you can get the revisions over to legal as soon as possible.”
    Cautiously, she sat down and they soon fell into the rhythm of their work. Every time Zach quietly read a portion of the contract, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander. Why couldn’t he be like this all the time? Was there anything she could do to help him…relax? Chill out? Get off her freaking back?
    If she could just figure out what was wrong with him or what his issue was with her, she would do everything in her power to fix it so they could go back to the way things once were between them. She missed the old Zach. There was a time when she used to look forward to going into the office, but now it was normally met with a sense of dread. While it was true she loved what she did and was good at it, Zach had a way of sucking all of the joy out of it for her and making her feel like she wasn’t good enough.
    Sort of like her family did to her all the damn time.
    And it was really starting to piss her off.
    Gabriella knew she was a good person—a good employee—and she deserved to be recognized as such. This had been brewing inside of her for a long time, and maybe the time wasn’t right for her to be pushing the envelope with Zach, but the reality was there was never going to be a good time. It was going to be painful and hurtful and when it was over, one of them was going to be screaming.
    And she had a feeling it was going to be her.
    â€œGabriella?”
    She looked up and found Zach looking at her. “I’m sorry…what is it?”
    â€œI was pointing out this clause in article four. I want you to change the terms to net sixty, and then in paragraph C, make a note to change the wording to incorporate all the divisions of Montgomerys.”
    â€œIncluding East Coast?” she asked.
    â€œYes.”
    They finished the work on that contract and the other two Gabriella had brought with her, and she quickly put them aside and set up the video for Zach. “If it’s all right with you, I’ll let you watch this while I call the office and go over the revisions. I took the video myself and narrated it. I think I anticipated all of your questions and concerns so I’m talking throughout the whole thing.” She gave a weak smile. “Sorry.”
    Zach couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m sure I’ll live. I’m used to working with you and hearing you talk all the time, Gabriella. It won’t be anything new.”
    It was quite possibly the longest and most pleasant statement he’d made to her since the accident. It warmed her heart but she quickly turned away so he wouldn’t notice how much his words pleased her.
    They worked separately—she on the phone with the office and he with the video as he made notes. As soon as she was off the phone, Zach called her over.
    â€œI think the space looks good. It’s very similar to what we already have upstairs, and hopefully next year we’ll be moving to a building of our own.”
    â€œReally? So soon?”
    He nodded. “It’s time.” Flipping through the notes he made, he went over some of his concerns and Gabriella made notes of her own. “If you can get the ball in motion and have management get a contract drawn, then we can start making plans for furniture delivery and for the decorator to go in and do her thing.”
    â€œVery good. I’ll make the call now and hopefully I’ll be able to pick the contract up tomorrow morning on my way here.”
    â€œWhy don’t you take tomorrow to work in the office? Check on Carolyn and make sure everything is going okay.”
    Here we go again . “I have been checking in with Carolyn. And Ethan. And Summer. Everything is going fine, Zach. My work is with you, not the rest of the company.”
    â€œWhen I’m not there, you need