Chapter 4
SADIE
“The Mic Drop.” I read the name on the neon sign outside the bar, just confirming that I’m at the right place. I should’ve been here a half hour ago, but Tate called to see how another week of work went. He seemed slightly off, so I didn’t want to rush our conversation.
“Sadie?” Harper appears out of nowhere, linking her arm in mine. “Are you coming inside for karaoke night?”
“Yeah.” I smile at my new workplace friend. “I just wasn’t sure I was in the right place.”
“You definitely are.” She tugs me forward, opening the door with her free hand.
The excitement around the office this week over karaoke night was palpable. I guess it’s a tradition they do once a quarter—another team unity thing that Nash put in place.
“There’s everyone.” Harper points straight ahead to several tables in the front. She swings her smile to me as we walk to our group. “What are you singing tonight?”
“How seriously does everyone take this? I’m a horrible singer.”
“No worries. We’re all terrible. Nash is by far the worst.”
“He sings too?” I don’t know why I’m surprised by that.
“Oh, he loves singing the cheesiest songs. Last time, it was ‘Making Love Out of Nothing at All.’ You know, the old song by Air Supply?”
My lips curl up, just envisioning it.
“Hey, guys!” Harper unlinks our arms, bouncing over to an empty seat next to Victor.
The group greets us with hellos and raised drinks.
I glance around. The only open chair is next to Nash, who has his own table. Either no one wants to party with their boss, or he was saving it just for me.
The thought thrills me a little.
I’ve worked every day with him for the past month, and he’s been nothing but professional. My rogue heart may speed up when he walks by, but that’s a separate issue I’ll deal with personally.
I’m just in a weird place right now with Stetson. We’ve barely talked since I’ve been in Chicago. He broke up with me. I shouldn’t have to be the one to reach out. He needs to get over his stubbornness and call me. And he’d be wise to do it soon, because the more days I go without talking to Stetson, the better Nash looks.
I walk to where he’s at. It’s one of those high-top tables, so I climb into the chair, feeling the weight of Nash’s stare on me.
“Hi.” A massive smile covers his mouth.
“Hi.”
His green eyes flicker over my outfit in an appraising way.
I wasn’t sure what to wear tonight. It’s Friday night in Chicago, and we’re at a bar. And if I’m being honest, I wanted my cute boss to take notice. I know I shouldn’t care, but Nash’s face crossed my mind every time I stood in front of the mirror in a new outfit until I decided on a black spaghetti strap midi dress with a billowy tiered ruffle skirt. I paired the dress with platform jute wedges. It’s flirty and fun but still has that summery vibe, matching the August temps outside.
“You look exceptional.”
“Thanks.”
Nash doesn’t glance away. He just keeps eyeing me with a smile that says he enjoys my choice of dress. Mission accomplished . I turn my face, hoping he doesn’t see the slight blush creeping up my cheeks.
I forgot how fun it is to be checked out—confidence boost for days.
“I’m glad you came,” he says over the music, and I can already tell by the tone of his voice that something’s different tonight.
“I thought it was mandatory,” I answer dryly, noticing that he’s not actually sitting. Instead, the side of his body is propped against the high-top table, arm resting on the top, fingers clasped together, legs crossed. It’s the ultimate casual-confident position. And let’s not forget about his lop-sided smile that could bring crowds of women to their knees.
“Karaoke night is not mandatory. Grace doesn’t come.” He tilts his head, thinking. “She came once but left early during a provocative performance of ‘Let’s Get it On’ by yours truly.”
Laughter explodes out of me, causing Nash’s eyes to surge with pride. “I would’ve liked to have seen that.”
“Grace leaving early or my sexy performance of ‘Let’s Get it On’?”
“Grace.” We both laugh because we both know I lied.
“Want to pair up tonight?” The mischievousness behind his eyes reminds me of the day we met at the Cubs game.
“I believe it’s called a duet.”
“I know what it’s called.” His impish smile grows, slamming my heart into my ribs with each beat.
This feels dangerous in the most exciting way.
“Didn’t you promise you wouldn’t hit on me again? Something about being the epitome of professionalism.” My eyes narrow. “I guess that only lasted a month?”
“No, I said I wouldn’t hit on you at work .” His eyes dart past me to the clock on the wall. “It’s nine-fifteen. We’re well past work hours. As far as I’m concerned, this is fair-game territory.”
I laugh at the loophole in his promise. “So what you’re saying is, I need to be on guard tonight?”
“Not just tonight.” Nash leans closer. My stomach elevates, hanging in weightlessness until his words tickle the skin on my neck, and everything drops with an exhilarating force. “I’m always interested in you. I just can’t show it.”
My gaze shifts sideways, giving me the perfect view of his jawline and stubble-clad cheek. He pulls back just enough for our stares to collide.
“Because I have a boyfriend?”
“You don’t have a boyfriend—unless you got back together again, and I don’t know it.”
“No, we haven’t officially gotten back together, but we will.”
“Until then, I don’t care about your ex- boyfriend.”
I swallow, shifting farther back into my chair, creating more space between us. “Well, I care about him. We’ve been together for a long time. A relationship like that doesn’t go away easily.”
“It does if you take an internship in Chicago.”
So true.
I look stupid defending a relationship and a man who dumped me. But I understand this breakup isn’t real. It’s just a fight. I’ll move home in December, and we’ll probably be engaged by summer once Stetson graduates from law school. That’s always been the plan.
“The real reason I can’t show interest in you is because I’m your boss.” Flirtation fills Nash’s expression. “I’ll wait until your internship ends, because I honestly don’t want anyone else.”
Why is that the cutest thing a man has ever said to me?
“Well, let’s just keep things work-appropriate tonight,” I say, trying to tell myself that too.
“You don’t actually want me to do that.”
My mouth falls open in humored disbelief. “Yes, I do.”
“Nah, I see the way you smile at me.” His grin tips higher with cockiness. “It tells me everything I need to know.”
I roll my lips together, desperately trying to cover up whatever Nash thinks he sees.
“What are we singing tonight?” Harper slams the book of songs down on the table between us.
Just in the nick of time.
“Sadie and I are singing a duet,” Nash answers.
“No, we’re not.”
“Yeah, we are.” His head flops to me with a pointed stare. “It will be the highlight of everyone’s night.”
Harper bounces up and down, clapping in delight. “Please, do it.”
“I’ll go put our names in right now.” Nash leaves before I can stop him, taking Harper too.
“This is awful,” I mutter. I’ve never even glanced at another guy besides Stetson. Now, I’m singing a duet with one.
A few minutes later, Nash returns. “We’re after Victor.”
“What song?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“What if I don’t know it?”
“You know it.” He takes a sip of his drink, momentarily hiding his smile.
“What if I don’t want to sing with you?”
“What? Are you scared?”
“Of karaoke?” I scoff. “I’m the queen of karaoke.”
“What else is there to be scared of?”
Having too much fun with you and liking it way too much.
“Nothing.” I lift my chin. “I’ll destroy whatever song it is.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
Victor finishes his rendition of “Fire Ball.” I had no clue he had moves like that.
“Next up is Nash and Sadie.” Everyone from work cheers. “They’ll be singing “Rewrite the Stars” from The Greatest Showman. ”
“Really?” I shoot him a sharp glare.
“What?” He shrugs innocently. “It’s a great song.”
It may be a great song, but the lyrics hit a little too close to home. There’s no doubt in my mind he did that on purpose, like a subliminal message that’s not so hidden.
I grab the microphone and face the crowd, channeling my inner Zendaya as the music starts.
Nash’s part is up first. He turns to me, singing to me. He’s pitchy, and his timing is off, but I can’t help smiling at his exuberant effort and the way he hams up his performance.
He’s just so fun.
I’m grinning from ear to ear when my part starts, making it hard to sing. But there’s no way I’m letting him outperform me. I give it my all, and by the time we’re to the chorus, we both have our heads thrown back and eyes shut, holding out each note as if our life depends on it.
Nash even points the mic to the crowd, letting them sing along. At the end of the song, everyone is on their feet.
He takes my hand in his, swinging it above our heads before we drop into a bow. He slings his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in for a friendly, appropriate side-hug.
“You were terrible,” he says into my ear above the crowd's cheers.
I laugh. “So were you!”
His arm drops, and we exit the stage, giving high-fives to everyone in our group.
I sit, eyeing Nash as he talks with Eli.
Everything he does is over the top and animated, and I love it.
I can’t remember the last time I felt this free and had this much fun.
And suddenly, out of left field, a new life plan pops into my head—one that’s so different from the one already put in place that it terrifies me.