I lift my iPad and swipe to the mood board. Soft sage greens. Bleached driftwood. Dune-toned linens. The design isn’t just aesthetic—it’s emotional. It’s peace and permanence and depth without pretension. It’s a place people will come to rest. To reconnect.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket.
I pull it out expecting a message from Alex or maybe Leilani needing a project update. But I go still when I see the name flashing across the screen.
Gabby.
FaceTime.
My pulse kicks up, uncertain.
Why is she calling me?
My heart ticks faster—not panic but not the opposite either. I haven’t spoken to Gabby since she fired me and I didn’t expect to. Not this way. Not on a random Thursday in the middle of a hotel site visit.
Still, something makes me press Accept.
Her image flickers into view. Her hair is longer now, makeup barely there, but the warmth in her smile hasn’t changed.
“Magnolia,” she says, and there’s affection in her voice. “Wow, look at you. You’re glowing.”
I blink, surprised by the kindness. “Hi. Um… hey.”
Gabby’s eyes soften. “Sorry to call out of the blue. Violet told me the news about you and Alex Sebring.”
I nod, still wary. “We’re together again. Engaged, actually. We’re getting married in November.”
Her smile widens. “I heard. That’s why I called. I wanted to offer my congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I say, cautious but kind. “That means a lot coming from you.”
Gabby’s smile wobbles a little. “I owe you an apology for how I treated you. Fear dictated my decision, and I handled it poorly.”
I don’t rush to respond. I let her apology sit between us.
“You didn’t deserve that. You gave everything to Soul Sync. Your time. Your heart. You supported what we were building more than anyone, and I punished you for finding your soul mate. I made you feel you’d done something wrong by falling in love.”
A slow breath escapes me. I glance down at the floor, and back at the screen.
Gabby continues. “I’ve reflected on it a lot since. And then that report came out––the one telling the world how you met at Soul Sync.”
She leans back in her chair. “Magnolia, the Australian branch blew up overnight. Applications haven’t stopped pouring in. We’re overwhelmed but in the best way. I have you and your fiancé to thank for that.”
Something in me loosens. Not the full knot, not yet.
“I’m glad Soul Sync Australia is doing well. I always believed in what you’re doing.”
Gabby smiles again, this time a little watery. “I mean it. We were sinking and you threw us a life preserver. And in the process, reminded me what the whole damn thing was supposed to be about.”
Gabby hesitates, her smile softening into something smaller. “Listen, I know you don’t need it—not anymore—but I want you to know the door is open. If you ever want your job back, it’s yours. No strings. Only appreciation and respect.”
I’m partly insulted, partly stunned. She believes a warm smile and a dangling offer can undo what she did? I rein it in, and breathe through it. No point in lashing out when I’ve already moved on.
I shake my head. “I appreciate the offer, and I’m happy for Soul Sync, but no. I can’t come back. The ease of your decision to fire me changed everything for me. Not to mention your decision to have security escort me out in front of everyone.”
Her smile falters a little.
“I have a new job now—designing for Sebring Hotels—and I’m building something real for myself and my family’s future. It’s more than employment.” I pause, gathering my thoughts. “You know me, Gabby. Once my trust is broken, it doesn’t rebuild. That’s who I am.”
