Sweet Love - Mia Kayla Page 0,7

to branch out from just his website. He needed business to drive traffic to his website, but I’d already told him this multiple times.

“Yeah …” He kicked up his feet and placed them on my desk, his ankles crossed. “I’m going to a sock convention.”

I shot him a look. One day, he’d grow up. Something or someone would knock him on his ass, and he’d get his shit together.

“Hey, is Claire out there?”

Claire was my temporary secretary.

“I didn’t see her.”

She was most likely hanging out with Nana, eating cookies in some corner.

“I need her to set up another meeting with the marketing team. They need a reset.” I couldn’t outsource, so my marketing team needed to step up and revise their vision for Colby’s until we were on the right path.

“Call Nana. She’s probably with Claire.”

I laughed because I had thought the exact same thing, them being around the same age. There were people who loved this company so much that they would work here till their dying breath—and that wasn’t an exaggeration.

“I’ve got to get back to work.” I turned back to my computer, ready to fire it up.“Did you need something? And your feet, off my desk.”

He sat straighter in his seat. “Yeah, Casey, Alyssa, and that new girl are going to happy hour later. I’m heading to O’Malley’s after work. Want to join me?”

I perked up. “Charlie’s going?”

Kyle’s smile widened. “So, the new girl’s name is Charlie?”

“Yeah. Why?”

He pushed out of the chair and stood, smirking. “I’ll see you at O’Malley’s.”

I stared blankly at the screen. “I didn’t say I was going.”

“You didn’t have to. I know you are. It is written all over your face.”

My eyes met his as he walked to the door.

“Charlie, huh?”

I shook my head. “Shut up.”

“See you at five thirty.”

And the door shut behind him.

Desperation settled deep in my gut. I didn’t have time to mess around.

Maybe I didn’t need to meet with the marketing team just yet. Maybe I just needed to pick Charlie’s brain on what she’d said earlier to get a better direction on where we should be going.

“Charlie, Charlie, Charlie, I think I need to buy you a drink tonight.”

Chapter 4

Charlie

O’Malley’s was a small bar in the South Loop of Chicago. TVs surrounded the main area, and circular leather seats outlined the bar in the center of the room. Autographed pictures of sports stars I didn’t know hung on the walls. Except for Michael Jordan. I knew that much.

“And here, darlings, are your Miller Lites, as requested.” Alyssa settled by Casey in a booth, handing her a drink and sliding my bottle across the table.

“To new and ever-lasting friendships. Cheers!” Casey lifted her bottle to mine and then clinked her bottle against Alyssa’s wineglass.

O’Malley’s wasn’t a wine place, but she’d insisted that it was. Business professionals were dressed in work attire but with undid ties, suit jackets placed on the back of their chairs, indicating that this was an after-work bar. And after work meant hard liquor or at least a cold bottle of beer.

Their conversation continued about the company, and I simply listened.

“All I know is that if we do not think of something soon, layoffs are going to be made because the profit margins are thinning.” Alyssa placed her wineglass to her lips, and a line creased in between her eyebrows.

My stomach sank at the news that Colby’s was struggling. “I had no idea. Why are they still hiring then?” I asked.

“You’re the only person they’ve hired on in months. They were in desperate need of a computer technician in Chicago since Bert, our former tech, retired.” Alyssa tipped back her glass, almost draining all of her wine.

“I just don’t get it.” Casey ruffled her silky brown hair and rubbed at her temple. “Are people all of a sudden not buying candy? How does that even make sense? Seriously, who doesn’t love chocolate or candy? It’s a staple food, like mac and cheese. But better because you have to have a piece of chocolate after every meal.” Her mousy voice was animated and echoed through the room.

Alyssa pursed her lips, leaning toward her in their seat. “Quiet down, Casey. If everyone knew about this dilemma, there would be an uproar because thousands will be losing their jobs if the company goes belly up.” She straightened and placed the wineglass at the center of the table, her fingers sliding up and down the slim, thin neck.

“Plus, I hear that they are working on some new products and