Amelia: 4:58 PM: I'm serious! When was the last time you let yourself have fun? When was the last time you even looked at a guy?
I walked to the window and closed my eyes, letting my forehead rest against the glass.
She knew the answer.
We both did.
It'd been two years since I'd let anyone close enough to hurt me the way Brad had.
Amelia: 4:59 PM: Exactly. You've been hiding for two years. Maybe it's time to stop.
I stared at her message until my vision blurred.
Maybe she was right and I'd been playing it safe for so long that I'd forgotten what it felt like to take a risk.
And Dr. Bradley wouldn't risk anything that stupid, anyway. He had built an entire career.
Sleeping with his assistant would be a stain on that perfect reputation that had earned him the honor of Lightkeeper.
I walked to the small mirror I'd hung beside the filing cabinet.
My reflection stared back at me while my phone continued to buzz on my desk.
The truth was, this job probably wasn't going to last, anyway.
Dr. Bradley's schedule was so demanding, and I'd been barely keeping my head above water for three days.
What difference would it make if I crossed a line now?
It would mean rejection and a new job, but I did have two other interviews at different places. I never canceled them just in case this didn't pan out…
My mind was whirring with thoughts I should never think when the door to my office opened, and I spun around so fast, I nearly knocked the mirror off the wall.
Dr. Bradley stood in the doorway with one hand on the doorknob.
He'd loosened his tie since I'd last seen him, and his sleeves were still rolled to his elbows.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said. "Do you have a moment?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice because the instant I saw him, my pulse jumped again.
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, and suddenly, my tiny office felt impossibly small.
It wasn’t homey anymore.
It was a closet again, one where we barely had room to stretch out our legs without touching each other.
He leaned against the edge of my desk with his arms crossed loosely and studied my face.
"I wanted to let you know that the festival committee needs me back tomorrow for a few vendor meet-and-greets and a photo opportunity with the local youth choir. As Hearthkeeper, you'll need to attend as well."
My stomach dropped. "Tomorrow?"
"I'm working on getting you out of the long-term obligations," he added quickly. "But the immediate events are harder to cancel without raising questions. I hope you understand."
"I understand," I mumbled, realizing how unprofessional it sounded. I walked back to my desk and sat down, needing the barrier between us.
He watched me moving and then lowered his hips to the side of my desk, bracing a hand on either side of himself. "Is there something wrong?"
