6. Nicholas
Nicholas
As Nicholas drove back to Miami the next morning, he gripped the steering wheel and tried to focus on the road, but his thoughts kept racing.
Usually, after spending the night with someone like Valentina, he felt a brief sense of satisfaction and calm. This time, though, Valentina’s memory faded fast, while Olivia Daniels stayed clear in his mind and wouldn’t let go.
He couldn’t get her out of his head, and that both surprised and irritated him. Nicholas was used to being around beautiful women—they were a normal part of his life. But Olivia stood out. She made him curious in a way he hadn’t felt before.
He kept replaying the interview, especially the moment her blue eyes met his, as if she were looking for the real him. She was completely professional, but he could sense a genuine passion beneath her calm surface. Honesty like hers was rare in his world.
He shifted in his seat; the leather made a soft sound as the green Everglades rushed past outside. The connection he felt with Olivia left him unsettled. He didn’t know anything about her—whether she was single, involved, or just not interested.
He’d noticed she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, but he knew that didn’t always mean much.
He couldn’t ask these questions without breaking the main rule his uncle Michael had taught him: never mix business with personal relationships.
Nicholas had always stuck to that rule, but now, for the first time, he was tempted to break it.
A week later, Virginia came into his office, looking pleased, and handed him a tablet with graphs. Lauren Whitaker, the station’s VP, had sent over the latest digital stats, and they were impressive.
The interview with Nicholas and Olivia was watched on YouTube almost three times as many times as any other segment in the station’s history. The "spark" Lauren talked about had clearly paid off.
Virginia stood near his desk with a smirk.
“Lauren mentioned something else. She wants Olivia to have a regular on-camera role, but apparently, Olivia’s husband isn’t happy about it.
Lauren said he complained about not wanting to ‘share her with all the men in Tampa.’ Lauren and I thought his jealousy was pretty funny. ”
Nicholas kept his face neutral, but his jaw tightened a little when he heard the word husband. Of course, she was married. Someone with her beauty, intelligence, charm, and quiet confidence was rarely single. Still, the news hit him harder than he thought it would.
“Good,” Nicholas said at last, giving a short nod to hide his irritation. “That kind of exposure gives Stratus Tampa the credibility we need. Set up a follow-up meeting with Sales and Legal. I want to make the most of this momentum.”
After Virginia left, he leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. The word married echoed in the quiet office. It shouldn’t have mattered, but it left him feeling oddly restless, like something he hadn’t even known he wanted had been taken away from him before he could reach for it.
His restlessness soon gave way to a new plan. After a tough meeting with his executive team, Nicholas finally made the decision he’d been considering for weeks: it was time to open a dedicated Tampa sales office.
Construction on Stratus Tampa was moving fast, and he wanted a physical presence in the city right away. He put Alicia in charge of the setup. She was his top real estate salesperson from West Palm Beach, known for her precision and drive, much like his own.
Within a week, Alicia had found a 2,000-square-foot, fully furnished space in the heart of downtown. Nicholas approved the office right away, and the lease was signed by the end of the week.
By the end of the month, the office was up and running, and Alicia had moved into a sleek high-rise overlooking the waters of Bayshore Boulevard.
She wanted to be hands-on every day as she started picking a local sales team.
With each daily update Nicholas received, he could feel the excitement of the expansion growing stronger.
Once the office was operating, Nicholas decided to visit in person. He wanted to see the space and show each new salesperson how important this was to Stratus Meridian Group. He also thought a pep talk would help the team.
He checked into The Tampa Edition, his favorite minimalist hotel in the Water Street district.
As his car pulled up to the glass facade, the late morning sun turned the building gold.
Inside, the air smelled of citrus and cedar, and the polished marble floors reflected the soft lighting.
It felt modern, sophisticated, and most importantly, still.
He checked into the hotel and immediately left to visit the new office. After a seven-hour day of meetings and speeches, Nicholas returned to the hotel around 6pm, his body exhausted but his mind still buzzing.
The thought of a lonely room service tray felt like a defeat, so he headed down to Market at Edition, the hotel’s upscale Italian restaurant, which also featured a vast bar built out of glass blocks for those just looking for cocktails.
The bar was a pool of amber light and low-decibel conversations.
As he approached, two figures caught his eye, and his pulse gave a sudden, traitorous thud.
Lauren Whitaker sat on a stool, and next to her, looking even more radiant than she had on camera, was Olivia Daniels.
He paused for a heartbeat, watching them.
Olivia was laughing at something Lauren had said, her head tilted back just enough for her blonde waves to catch the light.
The sight of her—unfiltered and relaxed—tightened something behind his ribs.
He stepped into their space, a confident smile fixed on his face.
“Am I interrupting a high-level summit, or is there room for one more?”
Both women turned. Lauren’s face broke into a wide, genuine grin. “Nicholas! I didn’t know you were in town.”
Olivia’s reaction was more intense. He noticed her breath catch and her chest rise quickly, then regain her composure.
"Hi, Nicholas," she said, her voice softer than during their interview.
The air between them instantly hummed with the same electric charge that had nearly short-circuited the studio weeks ago.
Nicholas stood between them, maintaining a calm, professional demeanor even as he felt excited.
He noticed how Olivia looked at him, careful but interested, her eyes showing both nerves and excitement.
He sensed something had changed in her, a restless energy that didn’t match the wedding ring she now wore.
"We just opened our temporary office down the street," Nicholas said, his gaze lingering on Olivia’s face. While he talked about the expansion and the local market, he was really thinking about the strong connection he felt between them that neither wanted to admit.
After a few minutes of conversation, Nicholas said casually, "Since we’re all here, why don’t you both join me for dinner? I hate eating Italian alone."
He looked at Olivia a moment longer than necessary, letting his invitation settle.
Lauren, always quick to notice, picked up on the obvious right away. She swirled the last of her drink, the ice clinking, and set it down with a knowing smile.
"I’d love to, Nicholas, really," Lauren said, her eyes full of playful understanding as she looked at both of them. "But I already have a dinner date, and I’m running late. I just stopped for a quick drink with Olivia."
She turned to Olivia with a warm, encouraging look. "But Olivia, you should stay and enjoy dinner. Think of it as more professional networking."
Olivia glanced at Nicholas, thought for a moment, and gave him a cautious but warm smile. “Dinner would be nice,” she said softly. Lauren gave Nicholas a conspiratorial wink, gathered her things, and signaled the bartender.
Nicholas spoke up, “I’ve got it, Lauren. It’s my pleasure.” Lauren smiled, thanked him, and offered her hand. “I hope to see you again soon, Nicholas.”
She glanced at Olivia. “I’ll see you in the morning,” then turned and walked into the evening crowd, leaving the two of them alone in the amber light of the bar.
For a moment, the only sound was the quiet hum of the restaurant, and Nicholas realized that for the first time, there were no cameras, no scripts, and nothing between him and the woman who had haunted his dreams.