Emily Mitchellâs life is about to get complicated.As the personal assistant to Atlas Bennett, the enigmatic CEO of Flicker, the hottest dating app around, Emilyâs job is all about keeping the wheels turning smoothly. But when a PR fiasco erupts after the appâs dating recommendation algorithm goes terribly wrong, itâs up to Emily to help save the company sheâs worked so hard for... and maybe save herself from falling for her boss.
Flickerâs reputation is on the line, and with the companyâs future at risk, Emily is thrust into damage control mode. Itâs a crisis like no other, but things get more complicated when Emily decides to sign up for Flicker under a fake profile. Sheâs just curiousâabout the app and, okay, about Atlas.
What she didnât expect was to match with Atlas himself.
Soon, their anonymous connection turns into something more and Emily is caught between her growing feelings for her boss and her jobâs never-ending demands. Just when things couldnât get more complicated, Atlasâs estranged brother, Leo, returns, reigniting old family rivalries. With sabotage threatening the appâs future from within, Emily has to figure out how to protect both Flickerâs futureâand her own heart.
Emily Mitchellâs life is about to get complicated.As the personal assistant to Atlas Bennett, the enigmatic CEO of Flicker, the hottest dating app around, Emilyâs job is all about keeping the wheels turning smoothly. But when a PR fiasco erupts after the appâs dating recommendation algorithm goes terribly wrong, itâs up to Emily to help save the company sheâs worked so hard for... and maybe save herself from falling for her boss.
Flickerâs reputation is on the line, and with the companyâs future at risk, Emily is thrust into damage control mode. Itâs a crisis like no other, but things get more complicated when Emily decides to sign up for Flicker under a fake profile. Sheâs just curiousâabout the app and, okay, about Atlas.
What she didnât expect was to match with Atlas himself.
Soon, their anonymous connection turns into something more and Emily is caught between her growing feelings for her boss and her jobâs never-ending demands. Just when things couldnât get more complicated, Atlasâs estranged brother, Leo, returns, reigniting old family rivalries. With sabotage threatening the appâs future from within, Emily has to figure out how to protect both Flickerâs futureâand her own heart.
@VeronikaSlate
Atlas Bennett: The Tech Titan
If thereâs one man redefining tech in the 21st century, itâs Atlas Bennett. The relentless force behind Flicker, heâs taken the platform from startup to social media empire, leaving rivals in his wake. #TechTitans #FlickerCEO #AtlasBennett
Emily Mitchellâs eyes scanned the post, her tablet a lifeline as she waited just off-camera. She watched Atlas stride onto the set of The Morning Show, exuding the predatory grace that was as familiar as it was mesmerizing. Atlas Bennett always looked like heâd already won the game, his presence magnetic, unapologetically confident.
Todayâas every dayâhe had chosen an outfit that perfectly captured his persona as a tech mogulârelaxed yet unmistakably stylish. A well-fitted gray button-down shirt, sleeves loosely folded to the elbowsâa subtle declaration of power that didnât need to shout. Dark jeans, sneakers, the entire ensemble curated with precision. He looked every bit the part of the trendsetting CEO who had single-handedly revolutionized the dating world.
Heâs probably the only person alive who can make a shirt and jeans look like runway fashion, Emily mused, biting the inside of her cheek. She wasnât the only one who noticed. Jessica, the host, a woman with curls too perfect to be real and a smile that bordered on the manic, was practically swooning as she welcomed him to the show.
Atlas Bennett settled into the chair across from her, flashing that smileâthe one that made time stretch, elongating seconds into something viscous and malleable. Jessica visibly softened, her professional composure crumbling at the edges.
âAnd here he is, the man of the hour, the genius behind the app that has everyone talkingâAtlas Bennett!â Jessicaâs voice was a pitch too high, strained from the effort of maintaining her facade. âThank you so much for joining us this morning!â
âThank you for having me, Jessica. Itâs a pleasure to be here.â
The words were smooth, practiced, sliding off his tongue with the ease of a man who has said them a thousand times. Emily watched as Jessica leaned in too close, her eyes fixed on Atlasâs face.
Emily rolled her eyes internally, the irritation bubbling up like acid reflux.
âSo, Atlas,â Jessica began. âFlicker has taken the world by storm. Everyone from teenagers to our grandparents is talking about it. Tell us, what makes this app so special?â
Atlas folded his hands, his expression thoughtful. âFlicker is unique because itâs not just about swiping left or right,â he began. âWe wanted to create an experience that was more engaging, more meaningful. Thatâs why we introduced the concept of âFlicks.â When users sign up, they create a short introductionâeither a video or textâthat we call a Flick. Itâs their chance to show who they are beyond just a profile picture.â
Jessica nodded. âAnd then come the flames, right?â
Wow, Jessica, your investigative journalism skills are really shining through,
Emily thought.
Atlas nodded. âExactly. When two people match, they exchange Flicks.
If they both like what they see, that connection turns into a Flame. But we didnât want the interaction to stop there. The next phase is where things get really interestingâwe introduced an interactive game. The games are designed to help people get to know each other better in a fun, low-pressure environment.â
Jessica leaned closer. âThat sounds amazing, Atlas. Can you give us an example of these games? Iâm sure our viewers would love to hear more.â
âIâm a little disappointed, Jessica,â Atlas teased. âIt sounds like you havenât tried the app yourself. If you had, youâd already know about the games.â Jessicaâs cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink. She let out a small, flustered laugh. âWell, looks like Iâll have to clear my calendar!â she replied, acting for the cameras.
Atlas chuckled. âI highly recommend it,â he said. âBut since you asked, Iâll give you a sneak peek. One of the games is called â20 Questions.â Itâs a modern twist on the classic game where each person asks the other a series of questionsâsome lighthearted, some deeper. Itâs a great way to discover common interests or even surprising facts about each other.â
âThat sounds like a lot of fun! What else do you have in store?â
âThereâs also âThis or That,ââ Atlas continued. âItâs a fast-paced game where you choose between two optionsâlike coffee or tea, beach or mountains. Itâs designed to be playful and spontaneous, sparking quick conversations and maybe even a little friendly debate.â
âI love that! It sounds like youâve thought of everything.â
Atlas shrugged modestly. âWe wanted to make sure the experience was engaging and enjoyable. The idea is to help people connect on a deeper level before they ever meet in person. That way, by the time they get to the final phaseâthe Flicker Dateâthey already have a solid foundation.â
Oh, sheâs downloading the app the second this interview is over, Emily thought, her eyes narrowing as she watched Jessica practically beam at Atlas.
âOh, do tell more about the Flicker Date.â Jessicaâs voice was dipped in sugar.
Atlas leaned forward slightly. âOnce the game phase is completed, the app creates a personalized Flicker Dateâa dream date based on the preferences and interests the users have shared. Itâs designed to be the perfect first meeting experience, tailored just for them. Flicker can go as far as booking tables at a restaurant or order tickets to the museum based on the usersâ calendar availability.â
âAtlas, whatâs next for Flicker?â Jessica asked.
Atlas, ever the professional, didnât miss a beat. âWeâre always looking for ways to innovate and improve the experience for our users. In fact, tomorrow weâre rolling out a brand-new feature that Iâm particularly excited about. Itâs called the âFlame Gauge.â Essentially, as users progress through the game phase, the flame in their match grows or shrinks, giving them a visual cue of their compatibility in real time. Itâs designed to add a layer of excitement and immediacy to the experience, helping people see how their connection is developing as they interact.â
âThat sounds incredible! Iâm sure our viewers will be eager to try it out.â
Atlas smiled, his usual confidence shining through. âWe think itâs going to be a game-changer, literally. But as always, we have a few more surprises up our sleeves. Youâll have to stay tuned for those.â
Of course. Always the tease, never the full reveal. Classic Atlas Bennett, Emily thought, almost admiring how effortlessly he controlled the conversation, always steering it back to the mystery, the intrigue, leaving just enough unsaid to keep them coming back for more.
His charming smile left Jessica momentarily speechless. The silence stretched long enough for Emily to notice, and she couldnât help but feel a pang of somethingâjealousy, maybe? Annoyance? She wasnât quite sure, but it was there, gnawing at the back of her mind.
âWell, I have to say, Atlas, youâve made Flicker sound like a must-have,â Jessica finally managed, her voice a little breathless. âThank you so much for sharing all of this with us.â
âThe pleasureâs all mine, Jessica,â Atlas replied smoothly. âAnd remember, if you ever need any help navigating the app, just let me know.â
Oh, Iâm sure sheâll need lots of help. Emily tried not to roll her eyes as the interview wrapped up. Maybe sheâll even ask for a personal tutorial.
The interview concluded with more of Jessicaâs effusive praise, her words dripping with honey. As Atlas stood and shook her hand, Jessica lingered a moment longer, her fingers clinging to his like a lifeline, clearly reluctant to let go. Emily mentally counted the seconds, One Mississippi, two Mississippi... and finally, Jessica released her grip, her smile faltering ever so slightly.
And just like that, the swooning session is over. Emily stepped forward to meet him, her expression perfectly composed.
âGreat job, Atlas,â she said, as they walked away from the set, already shifting her focus back to the tasks ahead, the next item on the endless list of things to do. âYour next meeting is in an hour. Iâve arranged for the car to take us back to the office.â
âThanks, Emily,â Atlas replied. âEverything go smoothly?â
Of course it did, Emily wanted to say, the words heavy on her tongue, almost slipping out. But you already knew that.
She nodded instead. âAs always.â
And with that, they stepped out of the spotlight and back into the world where Emily was just his assistant, and Atlas Bennett was the man everyone seemed to want.
As assistant to Flickerâs CEO, Atlas, Emilyâs world is centered around her job. Atlas has built an empire in the world of dating apps, with Emily at his side through it all. Just as the company is about to release a game changer for the app, chaos erupts when a user reports a traumatic experience. Now it seems that everything Atlas has worked so hard for is about to come crumbling down, and Emily is determined to do everything she can to help him save it. For the company of course, and certainly not because she has more than professional feelings for her boss.
This was quite the ride. I really liked the concept of the dating app, and the creativity behind the features. It added more depth to what could have been a typical workplace romance. I also liked that there was an element of mystery when things at Flicker started going south.
I wasnât a fan of the of the fake profile scenario. While I do enjoy a good false identity trope, I felt like this took a backseat to the storyline until everything else started to spin out of control when it suddenly came back into focus.
That being said, I loved seeing the actual connection between Emily and Altas grow. Even as they both tried to fight it, they seemed to be drawn together. Atlasâs vulnerability around Emily seemed to come with ease, and her concern and genuine care for him was sweet.
While there were a lot of other characters involved in the story, which can sometimes cause confusion trying to keep up with them, I enjoyed them. I especially appreciated Rachel and her friendship with Emily.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and appreciated the that there was more to the story than just a typical workplace romance.