Read BRIAN (The Callahans Book 1) for Free Online Page A

but Cassidy would know, and a part of me didn’t want her to know. My personal life was my business, no one else’s.
    She was in her office, tucked into a corner beside mine, thin, wire-framed glasses perched on her nose as she studied her computer screen. She glanced up when I walked past. She immediately grabbed a pad of paper and pencil as she stood to follow me.
    “Morning,” I mumbled, dumping my briefcase on my desk.
    “Good morning,” she said softly.
    I snapped the briefcase open and searched through the contents for my laptop. I don’t know why I bothered to take it last night. The briefcase sat in my car while I was at Rachel’s, never opened, no work done. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken work home and actually looked at it. But it was a habit.
    “We need to go over today’s schedule. I believe I have a couple of meetings this morning—”
    “At ten and noon. The first is with the lawyers to discuss the new pizza franchise and the other is with a group of investors who want to discuss the car wash.”
    I looked at Cassidy, a little surprised by her efficiency.
    She gestured with her pad. “It’s all on your calendar.”
    I knew that. I was just scattered because…I didn’t know why I was scattered. It was so strange staring at Cassidy. She was dressed quite professionally in a dark skirt and pink blouse. It was nothing like the jeans and t-shirts she’d favored when we knew each other before, but those curves were still there. I found myself thinking things I shouldn’t be thinking, especially after last night. I had to force myself to move my attention back to my briefcase, even as an image of her curled up on the old, creaky bed in my rented room all those years ago flashed through my mind.
    “I’ve talked to human resources, and they’re okay with me coming down at five to deal with the paperwork, so I’ll be available to you during these meetings.”
    I glanced up. “Great.”
    “How should I…?”
    Her eyebrows rose as she studied me, finishing her question with a look.
    “You’ll come with me, furnish me with any information I might need—the research for both meetings should be on your desk or already loaded onto the computer. And you’ll hold my phone, answer any calls that come in, inform me of anything that can’t wait.”
    “I can do that.”
    There was a little catch to her voice as she spoke, but I was so distracted I didn’t stop to ask what it was about. My head was slowly shifting into work mode. I was about to ask her to give me a minute when Killian tapped on the open door.
    “Do you have a minute? I wanted to go over the announcement for the pizza franchise.”
    “Of course.” I gestured to Cassidy. “Have you met my new assistant?”
    “We met last night.”
    Cassidy was a little flushed. It took me a second, but then I recalled that she met Killian once all those years ago. Killian clearly didn’t remember, and he shouldn’t. He was barely two. It was…it was a mistake. I had Killian with me that afternoon, but I hadn’t expected Cassidy to come over. When she showed up, I couldn’t exactly ask her to leave. It was an awkward situation that underscored to me the fact that I had to make a choice.
    It was that afternoon that made me see that it was time to stop playing with Cassidy’s affections and go back to Abigail.
    I cleared my throat, old guilt settling on my shoulders.
    “If you could give us a minute,” I said to Cassidy.
    She nodded immediately, barely meeting my eye before she walked away.
    “She seems nice enough.”
    I shrugged, tugging out the laptop and setting the briefcase on the floor. I settled in my chair and bit back a sigh. A sudden exhaustion settled on my shoulders.
    “Are we good with the pizza franchise?”
    “Great.”
    Killian dropped a folder on my desk that had proofs of the print ads we’d be sending out this afternoon. I glanced through them even though I’d seen them at the various stages of