I woke up at six the way I always do.

The space beside me was empty. Cool already, like he had been gone for a while. The only thing he left behind was a note on the nightstand.

Your friend already paid my boss. Thank you for last night. — E

I read it once, put it down, got up and went to the office.

That was Saturday… by Monday I was distracted… by Wednesday I couldn't think straight.

I lost the thread of a board presentation I had written myself. I sent an email to the wrong person twice. I sat in a meeting about the Singapore acquisition and...