Chapter 84

• The doors open on the ninetieth and I poke my head out, looking around. I don’t know what I was expecting his office to look like, but it wasn’t this. For some reason I thought it would be loud, people bustling around with sounds of phones and constant chatter. It’s completely serene, with soft music playing from speakers overhead with ambient lighting and a large water feature adding some relaxing nature sounds. The walls of the wide hallway are adorned with art, and large plants in every corner.
• “Mr. Vaughn’s office is straight ahead,” a woman says to me, causing me to jump. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
• “It’s okay.” I rest my hand on my chest as I look over to the right where her desk sits in a semi-private office. She must be the admin I spoke to on the phone. Her dark auburn hair is swept off her face, soft-pink blush accentuating her high cheekbones. I smile and walk straight ahead until I reach a large wooden door that’s ajar. I knock softly, unsure if I should barge in.