Chapter 10

She awoke to the cold, dim light of early dawn, and Samantha got ready for her last meeting with Greg. However the tension had built, she was focused strongly on how to make this last interaction smooth and professional. Today, in reality, was a very important meeting, for in it the board was going to render its final approval on the project and probably more of her personal life than she was ready to share.

As she entered the room, the nervy tendrils seemed to tighten. Samantha took a last deep breath before she twisted the doorknob of the conference room. Greg was already there, bent over the project documents, going through what looked like the final report. Raising his head, he gave her an assuring smile.

"Good morning, Ms. Reynolds. I'm glad you could make it. Shall we proceed with the final details?"

"Good morning, Mr. Thornton," Samantha respectfully opposed as she took the seat. "I'm ready.

As they continued sifting through the final documents, Greg's mind was sharp. He threw questions at her bordering over every detail regarding the project, and Samantha responded, confidently, trying to steer his line of conversation back to work.

Once they had gone through the documents, Greg leaned back in his chair and turned back towards Samantha with a reflective expression. "I just want to say, the project has turned out exceptionally well. Really, your dedication and hard work make a difference -"

"Thank you," Samantha replied, proud but relieved. "I am glad you are satisfied with the results."

Greg wasn't finished with her. "There was one other thing that I wanted to speak to you about. We have gone over the project, and I have thought about how thorough you have been. I mean, it was more than your expertise that impressed me."

Samantha could feel her heart boom. "What do you mean Mr. Thornton?

The look on Greg's face softened. "I have observed how you've handled yourself well, even under pressure. That makes me wonder about your background. I do respect your right to privacy, but I also would like to know that you are doing fine."

Samantha suddenly became a little uneasy. Greg had obviously been concerned, which was nice. but it was also a bit disturbing. "I do appreciate it, but I prefer keeping my personal life from work."

Greg nodded, eyes flicking to show he had understood. "I respect that. All I wanted to do was to make sure that you're doing alright."

Not getting a chance to say another word, the door flew open and Alex entered holding a document and some papers. "Greg, here are the final reports you wanted."

Greg picked the folder up from Alex and turned again to face Samantha. "We are finished here. And again, thank you very much for all your dedication . The project is successful .and it was great to be able to work together

Samantha was all smiles and felt the sky-opening lightness of being. "Thank you, Mr. Thornton. It was really a pleasure getting the chance to work beside you.

As the meeting came to a close, Greg moved to stand and proffer his hand. "Let's schedule a final check in next week just to make sure everything is wrapped up smoothly."

Samantha shook his hand, feeling a blend of relief and anxiety. "Sounds good. I'll be in touch.".

Exiting Greg's office, she was aware of a sense of finality. The project was complete, and she had accomplished doing what she had set out to: keeping her personal life and the double life of an erotic writer a secret. But she could not get over the feeling growing inside of her—that each day, with each contact, Greg was becoming more interested in her.

Back at home, Samantha spent the day attending to her daughters as usual, but all the time her mind was on the meeting. The laughter of Lily and Emma was a refreshing break, but this tension between her and Greg wasn't going away.

She put the little girls to sleep and then sat down at the laptop; she turned once more to the final project's e-mails, ensuring she had all the necessary information. Her phone buzzed again, with another message from Rachel. "Mr. Thornton wants to express his gratitude directly. He is organizing a small celebration in relation to the completion of the project; he invited you."

Samantha's heart missed a beat. This was only equaled by unending public exposure; was this perhaps a chance for Greg to know more about her? She had to handle this delicately.

Samantha was filled with a mix of anticipations and anxieties as she readied for bed. The project was finally over, but the difficulties with Greg and the upcoming celebration were new difficulties she would have to confront; sighing with resolution, she steeled herself to face what came next with the same professionalism she had exhibited throughout the course of the project.