As his voice fills the conference room, my mind wanders back to Maggie. Despite my frustration that she not only lied to me about it but is actually dating someone else, I can’t deny how gorgeous she looked. Not that her outfit was anything special—it was just black leggings and a tight black T-shirt—but it made my mouth water thinking of what was underneath. It’s been six months, and I can’t get her out of my mind. I wish I could figure out why, so I could somehow reverse it.
No matter what Pamela says, there’s no way I deserve to be loved the way the month with Maggie gave me a glimpse of. And her eventual words to me proved that.
In the last few years of working at Nash, it’s been the first time in my life that I’ve seen healthy relationships besides a few of my friends’ parents. It’s been eye-opening, but I always worried it was too late for me.
And then I met Maggie.
During that month, I started to think—no, hope—that I was wrong. I became a different version of myself. One I was unfamiliar with, but one I was excited to embrace.
I felt my walls being dismantled with every minute I spent with her. Something about her sparked a feeling that I’d never experienced before—gratitude that I was alive when so many others weren’t. It was a long way from the man I was when, at nineteen, I watched my father murder my mother, and I was too weak to stop him.
“Ian, you and Matt are going to be meeting with a new client tomorrow. It’s a high-profile politician who’s looking for security for some events he has coming up. Apparently, a lot of people don’t like some of his policies.”
I nod and look over at Matt. His face is serious and blank, which isn’t unusual for him. Last year, he was shot while working a job with Tyler. The man who shot him went on to kidnap Ella. It was a pretty awful time for all of us. But Matt is a good guy, and I’m glad we’ll be working on this job together.
“I’ll send you both over all the information for you to review prior to the meeting.” Jack continues.
“You got it, boss.” I pop forward in my chair and place my elbows on the table.
Jack throws me a pointed look. He hates it when I call him boss. I do it because I love getting under his skin, but also, a part of me, that I don’t like to acknowledge, does it because I want a reminder, maybe for both of us, that I don’t own the company, and he’s my boss.
I came to work for Nash maybe six months after Nate and Jack started it. For the longest time, it was just the three of us and our old receptionist and office manager, Alice. I respect the hell out of both of them, but it does eat at me a little that I’ve busted my ass just as much as they have to build this company to what it is.
My heart skips a beat when Maggie’s words slither through my memory. I still don’t think I can express howmuch her arguing that I should be a partner in the company by now meant to me. It made me want her even more, and thinking back to that now, it still has a hold on me.
“Ian? You good with that?”
I mentally shake myself, realizing that I zoned out and stopped listening. I look at Jack, not really knowing what he’s referring to, but I’m sure I’ll find out at some point soon. “Yep, works for me.”
His expression makes it clear he knows I have no idea what he said, but he doesn’t call me out on it, just finishes the meeting and dismisses everyone, except me. “Ian, can you stay for a few?”
Once everyone else has exited, I shift in my seat, uncomfortable with the way Jack is watching me with a guarded stare.
“What’s up, boss?”
With narrowed eyes, he reprimands, “Ian, cut that shit. I’ve told you to stop calling me that.”
I give an annoyed shrug. “That’s what you are.”
I don’t have time for this. My schedule is filled with thinking of Maggie and trying not to lose my mind.
He sighs, the chair creaking as he leans forward and places his forearms on the table, his hands clasped tight. “I don’t really know how to say this, but we’re all concerned.”
My hands clench into fists so hard my forearms ache with the strain. “No need for that.”
“The last few months, you’ve just seemed like something is going on, and we care about you. I speak for everyone when I say, we’re all here for you.”
That has my tension loosening. Even after all these years, this is also something I’m still getting used to.
I exhale a long breath before replying, “I appreciate that. I’m just working through some shit.”
And that isn’t a lie. Between my sessions with Pamela and my attempts to resolve my feelings about Maggie, one way or another, I know I’ve been a bigger dick than I usually am.
When I notice he’s still looking at me curiously, I add, “Tell Ella she can stop worrying about me, too.”
Jack’s face splits into a grin. “Well, you know that isn’t going to happen, so you might as well get used to it.”
I give a curt nod as a reply, but don’t admit I don’t hate it.
