Dalton’s mouth quirked, not quite a smile. “So, what? You’re going to show her how romantic you can be?”
“Not romantic,” I corrected, though the word scraped against my throat. “Proof. That I’m more than the bastard boss she’s known. If I can do that, if I can change her mind about me, then when the time comes to ask,” I let the rest hang in the air between us. Once we were married, I’d let her in on the truth that the only reason she’d have my ring on her finger was to secure the company. I’d make it clear to her that this was a loveless marriage. She’d be hurt, angry, maybe even fight for a divorce, but she’d quickly learn that I didn’t play fair. I couldn’t give her what she truly wanted, but at least she’d be taken care of—designer clothes, a mansion, first-class trips anywhere in the world. To me, that sounded like a fair trade.
She had spent three years seeing me only as the man who didn’t blink at being demanding or dismissive. But that wouldn’tcut it for Elise. She was smart, she was fiercely independent, and God help me, she was stubborn as hell. She needed romance. The charm. The side of me she’d never seen. And I had exactly one shot to show it.
“I need her to fall for me,” I said finally, the words low and deliberate. Dalton raised an eyebrow, but I continued before he could comment. “Not just infatuation. Not just a passing crush. I need her tofeelsomething real, something deeper than what she’s allowed herself to feel with me before. She has to see me as someone worth trusting, worth loving.”
Dalton leaned forward, fingers steepled. “And you think you can manufacture that?”
I smirked, a cold edge hiding behind a practiced smile. “Elise doesn’t know me. Not really. She thinks she does but she hasn’t seen what’s behind the walls I keep in place. She’s going to see it now. I’ll show her another side of me. A side that's more human. More vulnerable. But carefully. Calculated. Enough to make her curious. Enough to make her question everything she thought she knew about me. When she gets back, she’ll join me for a late dinner in my office. It will be just the two of us, so there won’t be any distractions. That’s the first step.” I paused, letting the words hang in the room like smoke. This wasn’t about playing games. This was about winning.
“Where is she now?” Dalton asked.
I forced myself to lean back in my chair, to school my face into something calm and controlled. “St. Martin” I said, my voice even. “Birthday trip.”
I could see Elise stretched out in the sun on a beach somewhere, golden and radiant, that easy smile on her lips, hair catching the light. Probably in some bikini that showed off every curve I’d spent years pretending I didn’t notice. And the thought of strangers noticing? Of some faceless guy letting his eyes lingertoo long? A surge of jealousy shot through me so fast it almost startled me
Dalton hummed, like he was waiting for more, but my mind was already elsewhere. Elise had told me she was quitting.
One month’s notice. Thirty days before she was gone, out of my office, out of my life.
Thirty days to undo three years of being the boss she rolled her eyes at, to show her I wasn’t just the man behind the desk barking orders.
Thirty days to make her see more.
Dalton studied me, his silence stretching long enough to make me shift in my chair. “You’re talking about a month-long charm offensive. You think you’ve got the patience?”
I thought of Elise again. “I don’t have a choice,” I said, voice low.
Because thirty days wasn’t long. But it was all I had.
CHAPTER SIX
ELISE
ONE BIRTHDAYWEEKENDin St. Martin later, I was back at Edge Records with the invisible clock ticking down on my time as Nathan Edge’s assistant.
There was a small, naive part of me that thought maybe Nathan would contact me over the weekend. Maybe he’d call. Maybe he’d respond to my email notice with more than a bland “Received.” Maybe he’d show up at my resort like a scene out of a rom-com, demanding I take back what I said.
But no. Silence.
Instead, I got three days of sun, sand, and sangria with my best friend, and now I was back. My heels clicked softly against the polished floor as I approached my desk on Monday morning, Nathan’s coffee mug in hand, feeling the familiar tightness in my chest. The last time I’d seen Nathan, I told him I was resigning and I had no idea how he was going to act.
I waited, brushing invisible wrinkles off my skirt, until the sharp sound of the elevator door opening announced hisarrival. Nathan stepped into the room, his presence immediately commanding attention, as it always did. He said nothing, acknowledged no one as I followed him into his office, falling seamlessly into my role, the one I’d mastered over the last three years.
“Morning,” I said, placing the mug carefully on his desk.
He glanced up, smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he studied me. “Well, well,” he drawled, leaning back in his chair. “I’m surprised you decided to return.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes, forcing my face into its usual professional mask. “Of course,” I said evenly, letting the warmth in my voice stay strictly business. “I wouldn’t leave you without giving you time to find a replacement.”
The brief exchange left the air between us charged, a careful dance of words we’d perfected over the years. Underneath it all, the weight of my notice remained. One month, and then this routine, this office, him, it would all end.
“I’ll leave you in charge of putting an ad out that I’ll be needing a replacement, as well as the interviews. I’ll meet with the top three candidates and interview them before I make my decision.” Nathan informed me.
“Okay. Would you like for me to read to you your schedule for today, sir?” I replied.
“No need. I took a look at it on the way up here.” Nathan stated.
