CHAPTER FORTY ONE – A BAD SPELL

She hit send before she could second-guess herself. It was a professional request, after all. If it also gave them a chance to clear the air about what had almost happened at the party, well, that was just a coincidence. Mara waited anxiously for a response, but none came. As the hours ticked by, she threw herself into preliminary planning for the gala, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. Why hadn't Cassius responded? Was he avoiding her? It wasn't until late that evening, as Mara was getting ready to head home, that her phone finally buzzed. A message from Cassius: "Sorry for the late reply. Things have been hectic. Can you meet me in my office tomorrow morning? We'll discuss the gala then." Mara stared at the message, trying to decipher any hidden meaning in his words. The tone seemed formal, businesslike. Had she imagined the connection between them? Was Cassius regretting their almost-kiss? With a frustrated groan, Mara flopped onto her bed. She was overthinkin