That morning Nadia woke up to a brand new day ahead of her, But instead of feeling good, she just felt really tired. She hadn't slept well the previous night, she was restless and kept thinking about the night before Ambrose's voice on the phone, the loud noise of his chair moving, and when they looked at each other at the door.
She ran away before he could ask her anything else, leaving the papers on his desk. her heart pacing. Even now, as she laid in bed, she kept remembering bits of what happened, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about it.
Be careful where you linger.
The warning played on in her head over and over.
Nadia took a slow breath out and sat up. Her room was quiet, except for her kids breathing softly in the next room. Seeing their little shoes lined up by the door made her feel more stable. Whatever strange secrets her boss might have, they weren't as important as her three kids who needed her.
She had a life to maintain, one she had worked really hard to get back. And can't allow things like this to destroy her peace.
When she got to the kitchen, the kids were already at the table, arguing about who would get the last spoonful of jam. The youngest, was sitting with her head in her hand, watching her brothers with a tired look that seemed too grown for her.
"Okay, let's make peace!" Nadia said, holding up the jar like a flag. "Whoever finishes eating first gets it. Okay?"
Three pairs of eyes looked at her like they couldn't believe it, and then they started laughing.
Things like this, laughing while having breakfast, little socks all over the floor, were what kept her grounded. They made the difficult parts of her life worth living. She moved around them easily, tying shoes, wiping up crumbs, and basically taking care of them.
When they were finally ready for school, she knelt down by the door, fixing their collars.
"Be good today, okay? No fighting, and do your homework."
"Yes, Mommy," they all said together.
Lucia, who was the smallest, leaned forward and whispered.
"Are you going to be late again?"
Nadia smiled a little, tucking a piece of hair from the girl's face.
"I'll try not to."
She watched them run down the street to the bus, their laughter echoing.
For a short time, the tight feeling in her chest had vanished.
Then she looked at her watch, and groaned.
"Late again."
Traffic was bad, and by the time she got to the office, the building was already busy with the usual morning rush. She hurried through the doors, fixing her jacket and hoping no one saw her face red.
The elevator was almost closing when she jumped inside, pressing the button for the top floor.
And then,
"Careful," a low familiar voice said to her.
Her heart sank, instantly became shy.
She looked around, and there he was, Ambrose Romero, looking perfect as usual, with a hand in his pocket and a slight hint of a smile.
Of course.
The world seemed to have a mean sense of humor.
"Mr. Romero," she started, trying to sound relaxed, but her voice exposed her.
"Miss Reyes," he answered, nodding slightly. He looked at the cup of coffee she was holding.
"Should I worry about my shirt getting dirty today?"
It took her a second to understand, and when she did, her face turned red.
"Oh, no, I, I'll be more careful this time."
"Good. I really like this suit."
The silence that followed was… strange.
She held her coffee tighter.
"About the files, I left them on your desk last night. I wasn't sure if you'd want a summary sent to your email too."
Ambrose looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "I saw them. You really do pay attention to details, Miss Reyes. I like that."
Something about the way he said it, soft, and intentional, made her neck feel warm. She made a polite smile.
He's just your boss, nothing more.
The elevator made a quiet consistent humming noise.
he spoke again.
"There's a party this weekend. A company event. And you're going."
She quickly turned her head towards him. "I, I'm sorry, what?"
"It's an annual event. Every manager has to bring an assistant. Wear something classy."
"I, I'm not sure I,..."
But before she could finish, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Ambrose walked out, fixing his sleeves as if it was already decided.
"Seven o'clock," he said, without turning back. "I'll have a car pick you up."
And then he was gone just like that.
Nadia stood surprised in the elevator, her head tilted up looking back at her in the walls, with wide disbelief.
A fancy party?
With him?
She was flustered trying to understand what he had just said. He didn't ask her, he just told her.
She attempted to get busy with work, but she couldn't help herself.
how he looked at her as if she was a problem he had to figure out.
She realized she was staring at his office entrance several times, almost waiting for him to call her again. But he didn't.
When it was evening, she finally gathered her things and left. Nadia walked out of the building. And she could smell the cold.
Whatever that smell was, it made her heart beat faster in a way she didn't quite get.
She only wanted stability, a calm life away from all the trouble. But here she was again, at the start of something she didn't plan for, drawn to a man who was vague and unpredictable.
Ambrose Romero.
the man who had allowed her to be a part of his life.
Nadia glanced up at the tall glass building.
She didn't know it yet, but this welcome would be the start of something bigger, something beyond her wildest imaginations.