“Elise?”
I turned and instantly broke into a smile.Marissa. We’d worked side by side for years, navigating late-night deadlines and Nathan’s infamous mood swings. She still looked polished as ever, her caramel hair falling over a cream blazer.
“Marissa!” I beamed, giving her a quick hug. “Wow, it’s been forever.”
“I know,” Marissa said, pulling back with a teasing twinkle in her eye. “Word on the floor is you’ve been keeping busy with the boss.”
Her playful tone made my cheeks warm, but it wasn’t embarrassing the way it might’ve once been.“Guess we weren’t as sneaky as we thought.”
Marissa smirked knowingly. “Not even a little bit. Everyone here has been saying for years, ‘when are those two finally going to admit it?’” Marissa smirked. “It’s about damn time.”
I shook my head, but I couldn’t fight the smile that tugged at my lips. “Well, I guess the rumors can finally rest.”
“But I’m happy for you, Elise. Really.”
“Thanks, Marissa.” I squeezed her hand before letting go, the warmth of her easy acceptance softening the last bit of tension in my chest.
With a quick wave, I continued down the hall, my heels clicking against the polished floor until I reached my old desk. It was neatly organized, with a fresh vase of flowers and a framed picture of a family brightening the corner.
I paused, my heart giving a weird little tug. This had been my homebase, my safe place before everything changed. Now, it belonged to someone else.
I smoothed my expression into a smile and cleared my throat gently. “Hey, Harper.”
“Elise!” Harper’s face lit up when she spotted me. She pushed back her chair and stood, smoothing down the fitted blazer she’d paired with jeans and heels, the perfect mix of corporate edge and LA cool.
“How are you?”
“Good. Good. You left some big shoes to fill though.” Harper admitted.
“You’re doing better than you think,” I said warmly. I had vouched for Harper when it came down to the final two candidates, and I was glad Nathan had listened. “Nathan tells me you’ve been killing it.”
Harper grinned, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Well, I try. But he’s… Mr. Edge. You never really know if you’re impressing him or just mildly tolerated.”
I smirked, leaning a little closer. “Trust me, if he kept you, you’re doing more than impressing him. He doesn’t do ‘tolerated.’”
“Noted.” Harper chuckled, tilting her head toward Nathan’s office doors at the far end of the hall. “And between us, he’s been moodier than usual today. The kind of mood where people take the long way around to avoid him.”
I bit back a laugh, her lips curving with mischief. “Good to know. I’ll see if I can do something about that.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt it.” Harper winked, sliding back into her chair. “He’s in a meeting but you’re more than welcome to wait in his office.” Harper told me. “Go save the rest of us, please.”
I thanked her and slipped into Nathan’s office, shutting the door softly behind me. It smelled faintly of leather and cedar, familiar in the way only his space could feel. I leaned against the desk, smiling to myself as I remembered the late dinner we shared after I announced that I was quitting, the awkward silence, the way he’d tried to maintain that stoic exterior, and the tiny crack that first revealed him to be human. Look how far we’d come.
The door opened and Nathan stepped in. His usual composed expression softened immediately when he saw me, a flicker of delight in his eyes.
“Cupcake,” he said, and it was more than a greeting. It was relief, surprise, and something softer, almost vulnerable all in one.
“Hi handsome,” I stood up from his chair and erased the distance between us.
“What are you doing here?” Nathan wrapped his arms around my waist the second I was close enough.
“The dance class I was supposed to teach today got cancelled, so I figured I’d stop by and see if you wanted lunch...maybe even dessert?” I teased, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Your timing is perfect, cupcake.” Nathan brushed his lips against mine. “Give me a minute. I left my phone in the conference room but when I return, I definitely want dessert.”
“I mean actual dessert, Nathan.” I said when I saw the way he was looking at me. “A new Bakery Bliss opened closer to the office.”
“Oh, I was talking aboutmydessert, baby,” he murmured, his voice low and teasing. I felt heat rush to my cheeks, a mix of embarrassment and excitement. I opened my mouth to respond but Nathan was already planting a kiss on my forehead and heading out of his office.
