Page 12 of One Reckless Night

She was up and gone before any of us could say anything.

“I’m calling it a night,” Shawn said, standing up and stretching. “Early surgery tomorrow.”

I nodded, watching as he walked away. That left me alone with Amelia. She’d barely touched her food, and I couldn’t help but notice how she kept fidgeting with her napkin. “Not hungry?” I asked, nodding toward her plate.

She glanced up, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before she looked away. “Just jetlagged,” she said, her voice quiet. “I think I’m going to head back to my place.”

She started to stand, but I stopped her with a question. “Why age-related degeneration?”

She froze, her brow furrowing. “What?”

“Your research,” I said, leaning forward slightly. “Most of my scientists focus on genetics or rare conditions. But you’ve spent the last few years studying age-related degeneration. Why?”

She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the edge of the table. “It’s an important field,” she said. “There’s a lot of potential for breakthroughs. I don’t feel like it’s studied enough. It’s not as immediately life-threatening like a tumor, but it’s… well, it robs a person of their life really. It’s a different kind of death.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy and raw, and something flickered in her eyes—a pain she was trying to hide. I wasn’t great with emotions, but even I could tell there was more to her answer. She wasn’t just talking about hypothetical patients. This was personal.

“Fair enough,” I said. “But you’re not here to save the world. You’re here to push boundaries. My foundation doesn’t fund safe research. If you’re looking for incremental progress, you’re in the wrong place.”

She tilted her head, studying me like I was a specimen under a microscope. “That’s not the reputation that precedes you,” she said carefully. “From what I’ve heard, Dr. Welch doesn’t fail. Isn’t that what you just said?”

“Oh, I fail,” I said with a shrug. “I just don’t let it stop me.”

“If only everyone was as amazing as you. Is there a church on campus?”

“A church?”

“For people to worship at your altar,” she replied.

I smirked, enjoying the sarcasm in her tone. “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow. I’ll be giving you the grand tour tomorrow. Not Clair.”

Her eyes widened slightly, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. “Why you?” she asked.

“Because I’m the boss,” I said simply. “And I like to know who’s working for me. Besides, Clair’s too nice. She’ll sugarcoat everything. I’ll give it to you straight.”

She didn’t look thrilled by the idea, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she stood up, smoothing her dress. “Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

I nodded, watching as she walked away. She wasn’t like most people I met. She didn’t fawn over me or try to impress me. If anything, she seemed determined to keep me at arm’s length. And that only made me more curious. It was why I wanted to spend more time with her. Where was the harm?

As I finished my drink, I reminded myself of all the reasons I couldn’t sleep with an employee. That was the harm: lawsuits, hurt feelings, power imbalances, accusations of favoritism. I had no choice but to keep things between Dr. Amelia Pritchard and me purely professional.