Page 34 of Strictly Business

"Yes, I do. Please, have a seat," he says, his tone carrying an edge of seriousness.

I don't like the sound of that, but I comply, taking a seat on the guest side of his large oak desk. Memories of a late night spent in this office with him flood my mind, and I'm certain he's recalling the same. However, those thoughts have to be shelved for another time.

He waits until I'm settled before addressing what feels like the elephant in the room. "First, I want to say that our holiday time together was amazing, and I value every moment of it," he begins, his voice earnest. "I want to explore what's between us, see where this goes, but we need to maintain boundaries between our work and personal lives. So, we'll revisit 'us' at a later time."

I nod in agreement. "I understand, and I do want to revisit this," I say, feeling a twinge of longing.

"We certainly will," he assures me, his gaze intense, sending a wave of heat through me.

I watch him reach for his mug of coffee, take a sip, and set it down. My eyes linger on his hand, recalling its touch just over 24 hours ago. My entire body tingles at the memory, but he's right—we can't delve into that now. It's a tantalizing thought, one that will have to wait. For now, the focus is on work, but the undercurrent of our shared desire remains a promise of what's to come.

“We’ll be working more closely together,” Reece reveals, catching my attention immediately.

“What do you mean?” I ask, curious and a bit anxious.

Before Reece can answer, there is another knock at the door. "Come in," he calls out.

I turn as Talon walks in, closing the door behind him. He enters with his usual confident swagger, throwing me a knowing wink before sitting beside me. "Hey, Gen," he greets casually.

"Hey, Tal," I respond, my gaze shifting between him and Reece.

Reece speaks up, "I asked Talon to join us this morning. We need to go over a few things." He reopens his laptop and turns the screen so Talon and I can see. My article for Mr. January pops up, and my heart skips a beat. How did Reece get a copy? I never sent it to him.

"So, Robyn was right. It's on our server," Reece explains, referring to her comment outside the Hamptons mansion. "By company email, weallhave access."

I glance at Talon, who is nodding along with Reece's words. "So, you’re saying this because...?" I ask, trying to connect the dots.

Talon jumps in, "Remember at the New Year's Eve party, our mother mentioned reevaluating who oversees the articles for The Bachelor series?"

That brings back a clear, albeit uncomfortable, memory. Rachael had commented offhand about ‘changes’ in the new year. I didn't like where this was heading.

"I remember," I say, my voice laced with unease. "It was awkward. I wondered what she meant by that."

I look back and forth between the Forrester brothers, seeking clarity. "Will one of you please tell me what's going on? What does all this mean?" The uncertainty of the situation hangs heavy in the air, and I brace myself for whatever explanation they're about to offer.

"It means our mother was waiting to intercept your article about Knox and Robyn before Robyn could edit it," Reece explains, his voice carrying a hint of frustration.

"Oh my God, so she read my article before Robyn even saw it?" I can barely believe what I'm hearing.

"Bingo," Talon confirms with a nod.

Reece continues, "Our parents suspected something was happening between Knox and Robyn. That's partly why she was sent on that international mission this past year. Mother was trying to confirm their suspicions. They don't think Robyn is good enough for Knox and after the interview, I'm sure you understand why."

"Not that any of us agree with that." Talon clarifies.

"Of course not—goes without saying!" Reeces barks, his tone incredulous.

I sigh, feeling a mix of shock and disbelief. "Does Knox know about this?"

"He knows now, and he's furious, rightly so. In fact, I think he's confronting our parents at their Upstate New York house as we speak. And Robyn...she's tendered her resignation from Forrester International, effective immediately," Reese responds.

"She did what?" I exclaim, shocked by the turn of events.

"First thing this morning," Reece says, his tone dejected. "Until I can resolve this, I need you as acting editor-in-chief. You're to release the Mr. January article, as is, and immediately start on Mr. February."

"Do we have Robyn's permission to tell that story?" I ask, concerned about the ethics of it all.

"The story goes as is. Robyn wants everyone to know what she endured. My parents are against releasing it, but I don't care. The story stays. This was their crazy idea, so they can deal with the consequences. You've done good work, Genesis. You captured my brother's true personality and his love story. It deserves to be told." I absorb his words. It's a lot to take in. "When you finish the McAllen story, send it directly to my personal email," Reece instructs. "We can't have another incident like this. My mother has already caused enough trouble. Proceed as planned with McAllen's office for scheduling. I expect a story as compelling as Knox and Robyn's. Hopefully, we can salvage their relationship."