ge

er when a nurse comes i

ize I have probably been sitting here for several minutes l

ng all right

ack at the bed. "She j

safest wor

rch in her brows, or the fact that if somebody showed me a photog

hand. "If you didn't mention not kno

ean closer again. "O

ch is fair. She has already

k alike. The world has billions of faces, so eventually

er to believe if hers were not curr

andbag tucked beneath

phone is locked, and the nurse who took her details earlier asked whet

it onto

of stealing," I tell her quietly

tion card confirms what I heard earlier

hy should today settle for one stra

ugh cash folded into one compartment to make me shut the wallet again bef

eatly arranged inside a slim document folder, though one c

back to the top a

h companies whose names I recognize from business news. Advanc

u could have left me o

ed, then Verena became more complicated, and eventually finishing school moved from some

Global Logistics & Infrastructure, for the position of

t starts in two hours and eleven minutes. I look at the paper, then at Eli

close it because that would be insane.

and manage not to touch it for almost th

ently because my own brain has sto

which means at least one

move through the hospital courtyard with places to

er bag. Everybody seems attached to a life t

l amount of money in my account. My father's house is

to call and announce that I need a bed tonight without

rview folder sits q

ea, which is why I go

ing," I tell un

rrible ideas begin, but

ler than Price Global, but logistics is logistics. I grew up hearing abou

Clients wanted impossible deadlines. He used to spread route sheets

something because of what I noticed. I never tho

uage in the way she probably does. The rest looks like someone took

Unfortunately, it makes the ide

ck my

, warehousing, infrastructure, supply-chain technology and industrial development. I sk

ave twelve browser tabs o

iously like things Dad used to do while com

iately regret it when every website seems to have

reasons, followed by Why do you want to work at Price Global? Apparently "

p scr

asier to prepare for because at le

é, searching every qualification and

my brain, looks around and apparently

ck th

forty-three m

h

rom the top of

cing myself to read the name b

hat stakeholder mapping means will not hel

ng over at the bed. "This i

nced. "I am attending an interview you phys

nges. If she wakes up, I can explain. If by some

close the last interview-pr

like I've spent the day crying and with a dress torn

pull the door open in a hurry, already calculating how much time I have l

survive it. The cup jerks between us, spilling across t

t. I'm s

properly, and my brain takes

he's

me face and the kind of mouth I would probably have stared at under le

op briefly

be very a

he sp

ally walk through doors withou

the face doesn't

d I'm

acket. "An apology doesn't replace a suit that

urning into something con

returning to my face. The disdain that settles over his face

ivate floors. You should make inquiries

only an asshole.

tissues back into my bag. "But if looking expensive is the only thing keeping you from being mistak

are silence as my chance to leave before common

t cleaned. Yo

elevator, ignoring the sharp "Come back

pologized once, and I'm definitely not stay

to Elise Marlowe. The gorgeous asshole with

d an elderly couple steps out. The woman looks a

s this the pr

tells her. "This is the t

halfway into

he moment as his eyes move from the nurse to the floor number beside the elevator. When he looks at me again, the tig

learance rack trying to decide how much professiona

at do not look like they will fall apart before sunset. The shop assis

is clean, and for today, clea

ly in the restroom, and study Elis

ng PRICE GLOBAL across its entrance, my h

check the name at the top o

peating the name under my brea

next hour, I have one job: re

step