The bustling office of Kane Enterprises felt both familiar and foreign as Avery stepped through the glass doors for the first time in weeks. The sleek modern design of the lobby, with its marble floors and towering plants, welcomed her back. She clutched her coffee cup a little tighter, nervous but determined to get back into her routine.
Her assistant, Clara, greeted her with a bright smile. “Welcome back, Ms. Deveraux. It’s so good to see you.”
“Thanks, Clara,” Avery replied, returning the smile. “I missed being here. What’s on the agenda today?”
Clara handed her a tablet. “You have a meeting with the board at ten to discuss the Chicago expansion and a lunch appointment with Mr. Hayes and Ms. Janice. The afternoon is fairly light—just a review of the quarterly financials.”
Avery nodded, scanning the schedule. “Sounds manageable. Let’s get to it.”
As she made her way to her office, Avery felt a renewed sense of purpose. She was finally finding her footing again.
The conference room buzzed with conversation as Avery entered, her team already gathered around the large oval table. She took her seat at the head of the table, commanding attention immediately.
“Good morning, everyone,” she began, her tone professional yet warm. “Let’s dive in. Where do we stand on the Chicago project?”
Mark, the head of operations, cleared his throat. “We’ve resolved the zoning issues, and construction is back on schedule. The projected opening date is now six months away.”
“Excellent,” Avery said, jotting down notes. “Let’s keep that momentum going. I want weekly updates moving forward.”
The team nodded in agreement, and the meeting continued smoothly. By the end, Avery felt a sense of accomplishment. She was back in her element.
As the clock struck noon, Avery headed to a nearby bistro where she had planned to meet Ryan and Janice. The small restaurant had an inviting atmosphere, with warm lighting and the aroma of freshly baked bread filling the air.
Ryan was already waiting at a table near the window, looking effortlessly handsome in a crisp white shirt and dark jeans. He stood as she approached, pulling her chair out for her.
“Hey, you,” he said with a smile, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “How was your morning?”
“Busy, but good,” Avery replied, settling into her seat. “It feels good to be back.”
Janice arrived a few minutes later, breezing into the restaurant in her scrubs. “Sorry, I’m late! A patient kept me talking longer than I expected.”
“No worries,” Avery said, waving her off. “We just got here.”
Janice plopped into the seat beside Avery and looked between her and Ryan. “Alright, what’s on the menu? I’m starving.”
As they perused the menu, Ryan glanced at Avery, his lips twitching into a smirk. “You’re going to order the grilled chicken salad, aren’t you?”
Avery raised an eyebrow. “And what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing,” he said, feigning innocence. “It’s just predictable.”
“Predictable?” Avery scoffed, pretending to be offended. “I’ll have you know I’m adventurous when it comes to food.”
“Oh yeah?” Ryan teased. “Prove it. Order something different.”
Janice laughed, flipping her menu closed. “Don’t let him bully you, Aves. You want the salad, get the salad.”
“Thank you, Janice,” Avery said pointedly, shooting Ryan a playful glare.
Ryan chuckled. “Fine, fine. Salad it is.”
The conversation flowed easily as they ate, with Ryan cracking jokes and Janice sharing funny stories from her time at the hospital. For the first time in a while, Avery felt truly at ease.
After lunch, Ryan kissed Avery goodbye and headed back to his office, leaving her alone with Janice.
“You two are disgustingly cute,” Janice said, smirking as she sipped her coffee.
Avery laughed, shaking her head. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is,” Janice said, leaning back in her chair. “So, what’s next on your plate?”
Avery hesitated, then said, “Ryan’s birthday is coming up.”
Janice’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, a birthday? Please tell me you’re planning something amazing.”
“I want to,” Avery said, twirling her coffee cup between her hands. “He’s been so incredible through everything. I just don’t know what to do yet.”
Janice leaned forward, her tone conspiratorial. “Well, what does Ryan love? Besides you, obviously.”
Avery smiled, thinking for a moment. “He loves art, obviously. And he’s a huge fan of Italian food.”
“Perfect,” Janice said, clapping her hands together. “Why not combine the two? Take him to that art gallery downtown and then to that fancy Italian restaurant—what’s it called? La Venezia?”
“That’s a great idea,” Avery said, her excitement growing. “I could even get him a sketchbook or some new brushes as a gift.”
“See? You’re already on the right track,” Janice said, grinning.