Chapter 1 #2
“Trying for workman’s comp on your first day, Ms. Ward?”
I swallow hard. “No, I—”
“Mr. Stone, how are you today?” Madison chimes in before I can answer his question.
Stone, as in Aaden Stone of Stone Investments? The realization of who he is starts to sink in. I can feel the blood drain from my face. I push myself away from him. With a reluctant squeeze, Aaden releases his grasp on my waist and looks at Madison.
“Good morning, Madison. I’m fine, thank you.” He smiles at her, but those little crinkle lines next to his eyes are missing. I take another step away from him, needing to put a little more distance between us.
“This is my friend Leah that I told you about. She just started today,” Madison says.
His eyes drink me in, and I flinch under the intensity of his gaze. I wrap my arms around my waist, feeling like I need to hold myself together.
“I’ve already had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Ward.” He smirks.
I force myself to smile. God, just kill me now!
He cocks his head, studying me. “Madison? Would you mind running this report downstairs for me? I need it reviewed before I leave.” He hands her a piece of paper without taking his eyes off of me.
My hands nervously clutch the skirt of my dress at my sides.
My lips part to accommodate my heavy breathing, and his eyes automatically drop to my mouth and darken.
“Of course,” Madison says. She takes the paper with an eager-to-please smile. “I’ll be back in a few.” She bumps my hip with hers then rushes off.
Aaden crosses his arms across his chest and smoothly transitions back into professional mode. “Do you mind if I call you Leah? I like to be a little less formal with my employees. It makes for a more relaxed working environment.”
He flashes that blinding white grin, and I swallow hard. How could I not know who he was? I should have looked him up the minute I was offered a job.
I nod my head. “Of course, you can call me whatever you want. You’re the boss.” I grimace at my shaky voice. His arms flex across his chest, that tight black T-shirt looking like it’s about to pop at the seams. Finding my voice, as well as my manners, I release the death grip I have on my skirt.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry I didn’t realize who you were before.”
“The pleasure is definitely all mine. I hope you’ll like working here. We need a little spice for a change.” His eyes sparkle as he peers down at my dress.
I brush my hand nervously across my stomach. I glance around, needing a distraction from his intense gaze. My eyes land on the box on my desk. “Thanks again for helping me with my stuff.”
“You’re welcome.” He looks down at my waist and smiles. “It looked like it weighed more than you—the least I could do was to help.”
My body stiffens. Heat crawls up my neck, and I know my pale skin is turning red again. My eyes drop to the floor as I clasp my hands together in front of me. I’ve been struggling with my weight for a few years. When I got the news of my mother’s cancer, my appetite vanished once again.
His arms drop to his sides, and his body sways like he wants to step closer, but he holds himself back. “I didn’t mean that as an insult.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. I’ve been dealing with a lot lately and haven’t really been taking time for myself.” I regret the words as soon as they fall out of my mouth.
Aaden runs his hand through his hair. “Well, shit, now I feel like an ass. I’m sorry.”
The pained look on his face has me shaking my head. “No, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I blurted that out. I think I’m just nervous.”
His sexy smile returns, and he places a hand on my desk, leaning a little closer. “I make you nervous?”
“God, yes.” I breathe out. When he laughs, I cover my face with my hands, hoping to recover. “I mean, oh my God, I’m so embarrassed.”
“You have no reason to be nervous around me, Leah.”
I lower my hands and clasp them together under my chin. I can’t help but smile.
He pushes off the desk and stands up straight. “Good, I’m glad I can leave you with a smile.” He extends his hand, and I take it. “Welcome aboard.”
***
“You thought Aaden Stone was a maintenance man?” Madison asks, her voice raising an octave. She started to grill me the second she was back at her desk.
“How was I supposed to know who he was?”
She raises her perfectly plucked brows at me.
“Uhhh, research? Have I taught you nothing?” She folds her arms across her chest. “You know, he didn’t even know my name until a week after I started working here.
You’ve already made his name list in under an hour, and he went out of his way to carry your things and personally show you to your desk. ”
“He was being nice,” I say. “Now, can you please show me around so we can get to work?”
Madison rolls her eyes. “Fine, let’s start with the break room.”
Once the tour was over, and I was settled at my desk, the day flew by.
I fell into a groove easily. It felt like I had been working here for years.
After the initial stuffy environment feeling wore off, I found that most of my co-workers were polite and helpful.
I am much more relaxed by the end of the day than I was at the beginning, although I’m a little disappointed I didn’t see Aaden again.
“Saki’s here we come,” Madison says as soon as five o’clock hits.
I stand and stretch out my back, then gather my things. Madison turns off her desk light, grabs my hand, and pulls me toward the door. We laugh and chat as we exit the building. I have missed my best friend.
Twenty minutes later, we’re at the restaurant, and I sigh as I glance around the familiar interior.
It’s just like I remembered it. The walls are still a dark burgundy with a gold and black Japanese mural painted along the back.
Japanese lanterns hang from the ceiling above several booths and tables.
Not a single thing has changed in the four years since I left.
It feels good to be in the familiar place again.
After ordering two of my favorite rolls and a bowl of miso soup, we settle into a booth along the back wall.
The conversation goes from work to my mom and then to what Madison had missed over the last three months in Cali.
Throughout the entire meal, my mind kept going back to Aaden like it had been since we met.
Pushing my near-empty plate away, I finally bring his name into the conversation.
“So, why was Aaden dressed like that? Does he always dress informally?”
Madison leans back and rubs her belly. “No, he’s usually in a suit, but I think he’s going to his beach house in Belize this week. He only stopped in to check on a few things.”
Disappointment presses in on me, and I hope I’m able to keep it from showing on my face. “He’ll be gone all week then?”
“Probably. He goes there every few months or so. God, must be nice to have a beach house somewhere, huh?”
“It wouldn’t be terrible.” I laugh.
We chat for another half an hour, catching up and winding down after the workday.
After hugging goodbye, I drive back to my new apartment.
It’s a small loft outside of D.C. city limits.
Prices in or near the city are insane, and you’re lucky if you get something larger than a shoebox unless you’re paying through your nose.
My little six-hundred and fifty square foot apartment was all I could afford.
Still, it’s in a decent neighborhood, and it’s well maintained.
The first floor is an open floor plan with a living room, kitchen, and half bath.
Upstairs is the bedroom and the master bath.
I like that I can stand at the top and look over the balcony and see the entire downstairs.
It’s all modern with hardwood floors, granite countertops, and stainless-steel appliances.
I drop my keys on the little table by the door and kick off my shoes. There are boxes everywhere; I’m unpacking a little at a time. My phone rings as I plop myself down on my couch. Shit, I was supposed to call my mom after work. I swipe the screen to answer.
“Hi, Mom.”
“There you are.” Her voice sounds weak. “I was getting worried.”
“I know. I’m sorry I forgot. I went to dinner after work with Madison, and I lost track of time. How are you feeling today?”
I hate that all of our conversations are about her health now.
This horrible disease has already started taking my mother from me, and the precious time we do have left is spent talking about or preparing for the inevitable.
I worry about her living alone, but she insisted that I get my own place because she didn’t want to be a burden.
Gloria, her nurse, is there every day, but that only comforts me a little.
I know she wants to remain independent, but I want to spend as much time with her as I can.
My dad was only sixty-one when he died four years ago from a heart attack.
He had been an attorney for over thirty years, and my mother would always tell him stress would be the death of him.
She was right. Their relationship was almost like a fairytale.
He adored Mom, and it would have been torture for him to watch her fade away.
His passing was the most painful thing I ever experienced.
Now, facing the loss of my mother, I don’t know how I’m going to survive it.
“Sweetheart, I’m fine. I just wanted to check in to see how your first day went.”
She’s checking in on me when I should be checking on her. “It was fine. My desk is right next to Madison’s, the people seem friendly, and my boss is nice.”
And super hot.
“I’m glad to hear everything went well. I hate to cut things short, but I’m kind of tired. I’ll let you get ready for bed; I know you have work in the morning.” She yawns into the phone.
“Okay, mom, I’ll call you tomorrow, and I’ll be over this weekend to see you. I love you.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart.”
My eyes sting with tears as I hang up the phone, then I drop my head back against the couch.
She sounded so weak. Her treatments have taken a toll on her.
After all the chemo and radiation, the doctors still won’t be able to save her.
I’m twenty-four years old, and I’m going to be an orphan.
When she first told me about her cancer, I started thinking of all the things my parents wouldn’t be around for—becoming a success, buying my own house, my wedding, my children…
all the important life moments. I wipe the tear from my cheek. Life can be cruel.