Page 23 (1/2)

The stapled packets Leo set down in front of everyone around the conference room table paled in comparison to the slick trifold printed brochures everyone had in front of the Bad News Bears of event planning

I unzipped the portfolio and the foaether fell out of the bands holding the the floor with a t

hunk Leo’s fingers gripped the edge of his chair, probably trying not to facepalm My ribs would be bruised by the time we left with how hardto burst through my chest at the same time?

He crouched at the saathering everything up and setting it up on the easels sitting in front of the room

“Shit” My voice was laced with misery and embarrassment

Could I black out now? Wake up on the other side of this without the heart attack? So much of this prep had been meant to beat down the nerves, but now an about-to-puke feeling hit roups to speak

Leo picked up the last foaroup

I tried not to cringe They looked like crappy fifth grade science presentations We should’ve done digital—at least appeared modern Why had I kept this to physical boards? This was my fault I’d wanted them to feel the fabrics and not have all the colors screwed by the teital, I couldn’t have forgotten the boards and I wouldn’t be so hot and sweaty right now

Leo leaned in close, resting his hand on my shoulder He sot this”

Get it together, Zara Mine and Tyler’s futures hung in the balance

“I’ve got this” I grabbed the last board and set it beside the other easels

Standing in this bright, sunlit conference roo at h the door to safety

“Has anyone here been to summer camp?”

Our presentation was a balance of the old and the new Leo’d had to fight for every idea and I’d been tempted to rip them off the board on the taxi ride over, but we had a deal and if I was going to get any help fro here walking theh the day we’d planned felt like aharder to breathe and

“Sorry, as that, Kathleen?” Focus, Zara I snapped to attention and leaned in, trying to keepdown