“Let’s skip the pleasantries, shall we? You and I both know we’re not here for small talk.”

I look at my reflection and stand with my feet hip width apart, hands on my hips. It’s what my cousin and best friend Kate calls the superhero pose. She saw it on Grey’s Anatomy or something and she loves to remind me I’m in charge of my own happiness.

Normally I would be reciting a mantra or affirmation but today, I can just tell I’ll need a little extra sass. But like, confident sass, not just the sass that comes out naturally when I’m around Jamie. He’s just so… irritatingly handsome and good at everything and totally on the wrong side of this fight.

I glance at my watch and realize I only have two minutes before the meeting starts. I decide to try out my phrase one more time.

“Let’s skip the pleasantries, shall we? You and I both know we’re not here for small talk.”

I think I nailed it that time. Here goes nothing.