Etching Our Way (Broken Tracks 1)

“Wait.” I hold my hand up, stalling them. “Before you leave, I think we need to take a vote…” I turn my gaze to Pete’s, smiling menacingly. “Those in favor of Pete staying on the board, raise your hands.” No one moves a muscle and I smirk. “Those opposing him...” I’m rewarded with every single hand being raised in the air and a grin takes over my face as they all file out, leaving Pete and me alone in the boardroom.

“You underestimated me and showed your hand before you were ready to strike.” I pick my jacket up off the table, pushing my arms through it and stepping toward him. “You should’ve known not to take me on, Pete. You will always lose.” I let that sink in before I thunder, “Get the fuck out of my buildi

ng!”

He jumps at the loudness of my voice and grabs his jacket, his parting words, “This isn’t over,” echoing around us.

The hell it isn’t. I’ll make sure that he never works a day in his life again, at least not in this city.

Particles of light dot my eyes as I open them, seeing everyone crowding around me with my mom kneeling by my side.

“Harmony? Are you okay, sweetheart?” she asks, a worried expression marring her face.

“What—What happened?” I croak.

“You fainted, hon. Let’s sit you up slowly.”

She shoos everyone back to give me some space then helps me to sit up. I give all the worried children a small smile to reassure them that I’m okay, and I see them visibly relax at the sight of it.

“Sorry, kids, Miss J got too hot,” I say with a little chuckle, but inside, I’m dying looking into Clayton’s gray eyes that are exactly like Tristan’s. How I never noticed it before, I don’t know.

“Why don’t you go home? I can handle the cleanup.”

“Seriously, I’m fine. I was—”

“You fainted; you are not fine. You need rest,” she replies, giving me “the mom stare.”

“I’ll take her,” a voice says and I look at an outstretched hand before looking up into Edward’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, but who are you?” Mom asks.

“An old friend,” I interrupt before Mom starts questioning him. “Fine, you can take me home.”

I take his hand so he can pull me up and Mom narrows her eyes at us.

“You call me when you get home,” she says, eyeing Edward suspiciously. “And leave your car keys on your desk.”

I quickly wave over my shoulder to everyone, trying to keep my eyes away from Charlotte and the kids. I don’t think I can cope seeing them again right now, this interaction with Edward is weird enough.

I unlock my office and grab my purse, leaving my car keys on the desk and shutting the door on the way back out. We walk to the front door and he opens it for me, taking my arm to keep me upright even though I insist that I’m fine.

We walk down the cobblestone path and he guides me to an unfamiliar car.

“New car?” I ask.

He chuckles. “It is, but this isn’t the car I normally drive around in, this is my personal car.”

I blush, of course he doesn’t drive around in the car he drives Tristan in all of the time. I sigh as he opens the door to the passenger seat for me. “You can get in you know, I won’t bite.”

I chuckle and climb into the car being gently guided by him, feeling weird being in the front with him instead of in the back like all those years ago.

He climbs into the driver’s seat and clears his throat. “I know tonight must’ve been a lot to—”

“I was hot,” I interrupt him.

He sighs. “You don’t have to pretend with me, Harmony. I was there too.”

My eyes flutter closed at the memory.