10. Nora
CHAPTER 10
NORA
I ’m juggling my phone between my ear and shoulder, trying to not botch my mascara application as Lynn practically shrieks down the line.
“You’re kidding! Oliver? As in Oliver Wolfe?”
“Yep, that’s him,” I say, carefully capping the tube and examining my reflection. Eight years haven’t been kind enough to erase the butterflies he stirs up inside me.
“And you just… ran into him?” Lynn’s voice is a mix of skepticism and excitement.
“Right after you left the coffee shop. Talk about serendipity.” I smile at the memory. The way his eyes still crinkled when he smiled, how his presence seemed to fill the space around him.
“Serendipity or fate?” Lynn teases.
“Isn’t that the same thing?” I retort, slipping on my blazer and giving myself one final once-over. Professional, poised, and ready to take on the world — or at least Wolfe Property Group.
“Girl, this is straight out of a rom-com. You realize that, right?” Her laugh bubbles through the phone, and I can’t suppress my own. “Now go knock ’em dead!”
“Thanks, Lynnie. I’ll call you after work.” I grab my purse, keys, and the extra confidence I’ve mustered for today.
“Good luck!” she says before we hang up.
Stepping out of my apartment, I feel nervous about the day ahead. It’s more than just a new job; it’s a step closer to the dreams I’ve been chasing since passing the bar. Oliver’s company is known for its volunteer work and all the humanitarian organizations it funds. They’re actually doing good things in the world.
Using the temporary pass that was emailed to me ahead of me getting my official badge, I access Wolfe Property Group’s private parking garage. The sleek lines of Oliver’s building rise before me, its glass facade reflecting the morning sun. I draw in a deep breath, feeling a mixture of anticipation and nostalgia. This is where Oliver built his empire, where he shaped his dreams into reality. And now, I’m about to become a part of it.
Pushing through the revolving doors, I’m enveloped by the hum of activity. Stepping onto the polished floor of the first level, I know that from this moment on, everything could change. For better or worse, my path has led me here, to the heart of Oliver’s world and maybe, just maybe, back into his life.
I shake my head at the thought — a silly one. Ollie — Oliver — has made it clear our personal relationship is dead. I need to move on already.
Upstairs, I’m greeted by Jenna from HR. Her smile is warm and bright, immediately putting me at ease. The hum of conversation and the clatter of keyboards fill the air — everyone is absorbed in their work, heads bowed over glowing screens.
“We’re all really excited to have you on board,” Jenna says as we walk down the hallway.
“Thank you. I’m happy to be here.”
She swings open a door to reveal an office that’s all mine. It’s spacious, with a generous desk fronting a large window that offers a panoramic view of the city skyline. Sunlight spills across the gleaming surface of the desk, catching on a placard engraved with my name. It feels surreal, like stepping into a daydream I’ve had a thousand times before, but now it’s real, tangible.
“Wow, this is more than I expected,” I admit, stepping inside and running my fingers over the cool glass desktop.
“Oliver insists on providing the best for his staff,” Jenna responds with a hint of pride in her voice. She points out the state-of-the-art computer system, the phone already set up with my extension, and the shelves lined with legal reference books. “If you need anything else, just let us know.”
“Actually, this is perfect,” I say, still taking in the sight of my new professional haven. I’m about to ask Jenna about my first assignment when a soft knock interrupts us.
“Mind if I come in?” Oliver’s voice precedes him, and there he stands in the doorway, every bit the successful CEO in his crisp suit and confident stance. His eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the years fall away.
“Hi, Oliver,” I greet him, surprised at how casually his name rolls off my tongue after all this time.
“Hello, Nora. Welcome to the team.” He steps into the office, his gaze sweeping the space before settling back on me. “I hope everything is to your liking?”
“Absolutely,” I say, and I mean it.
“Good.” He nods, his business demeanor firmly in place.
His lips curve into a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, and it strikes me then — the amount of responsibility he carries on his shoulders. “I trust you’ll settle in quickly. There’s a short stack of contracts on your desk waiting for your expertise. We have our first one-on-one meeting tomorrow morning.”
We?
I assumed my job as a lawyer here would be well removed from Oliver’s position as CEO.
“I’m sorry.” I clear my throat. “We’ll be working together?”
“Of course.” He nods once. “I need someone to go over papers as soon as I receive them.”
“We do a lot in person here,” Jenna inserts. “It saves a lot of time compared to emailing and waiting for others’ responses.”
“Makes sense.” My voice cracks a little bit. I’m already nervous thinking about how it will feel to work that intimately with Oliver.
“Great.” Oliver pauses at the door. “I’ll leave you to get settled in and briefed, then. Our first work session will be tomorrow.”
“I look forward to it.”
As the door clicks shut behind him, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. So much for easing into things.
Jenna clasps her hands in front of her skirt. “You and Oliver went to college together, right?”
“We did. We were regular study buddies.”
Why is she asking about our past?
A sudden wave of jealousy washes over me. Jenna is a beautiful woman. Are she and Oliver a thing? Is she into him?
Almost as quickly as I have the thought, I realize how silly I’m being. She’s just being nice. Even if Jenna and Oliver are involved, it’s none of my business. I don’t have a claim on him, and I never did.
“Has he changed any?” Jenna asks.
I consider that. “I’m not sure yet. He was always serious, but now he seems more… burdened.”
“All he does is work. He even sleeps here sometimes, on the couch in his office.”
“Really?” Still? He’s spent years building this company, which is now a momentous success. Can’t he step away from it for a little bit?
She nods. “He puts in eighty-hour weeks easily.”
My heart stutters at the thought. That can’t be healthy.
“Well.” Jenna claps her hands. “I’ll leave you to get settled. My number is on the desk, and my office is right down the hall. Let me know if you have any questions.”
“I will. Thanks, Jenna.”
She departs with a wink, leaving me with my thoughts and the new environment that’s still making my head spin.
“Eighty hours,” I whisper to myself as I take a seat behind my new desk.
Oliver has always been driven, but when we were in college, he at least had an end in sight. He talked about a day when he would finally be able to work less when he had achieved a certain amount of success that would allow him to kick back.
But this? Eighty hours a week? It’s insane.
I sink into my chair, feeling the soft leather embrace me. Did his success really demand such sacrifice?
I recall late-night conversations under a sky full of stars, our dreams spilling out as easily as the laughter that accompanied them. He wanted it all, but not like this — not at the cost of his soul.
“Maybe that’s why he stopped returning my calls,” I muse aloud, tracing the edge of a contract with my fingertip.
I force myself to focus on the task at hand, going over the contracts that are already on the desk waiting for me. Legal jargon leaps out at me, demanding attention, but my mind is elsewhere, sifting through memories tinged with loss and longing.
As I annotate a particularly dense clause, I realize something: perhaps it’s not too late. Maybe beneath the layers of contracts and closings, the Oliver I knew still exists.
But even if he does, it’s not my responsibility to encourage him to come forth. Oliver made his choices in life, just like we all did. I can’t change him.
Even if I miss him more than I care to admit.