The job was fulfilling.
It was the public pressure that stressed me out. I knew if I could just make it past Christmas, everything would fall into place, or at least I hoped it would.
But a knock on the door interrupted my brief respite from overthinking and I looked up to see Nate's father standing in my doorway.
His presence was immediately intimidating because Nate wasn’t here to defend me or stand between us this time.
And I knew how the man felt.
"Can I help you?" I kept my voice steady despite the alarm bells screaming in my head.
"I came to speak with Nathan." Mr. Bradley strutted right in like he owned the place and walked directly to Nate's door which was locked. "Where is he?"
"He's at a medical conference in New York. He'll be back tomorrow evening." I stayed seated, gripping the armrests of my chair. "Would you like me to have him call you when he returns?" The way my pulse spiked couldn’t be good for the baby.
"No." He closed my office door after glancing out, and my small office suddenly felt suffocating. "Actually, it's better that he's not here. This conversation is overdue, and it's easier to have it without him present."
I forced myself to meet his gaze though I was trembling now. "What conversation?"
"The one where I tell you exactly what I think about this situation you've created." He moved closer to my desk, looming over me. "You've insinuated yourself into my son's life in ways that are entirely inappropriate. You're his employee, yet you've managed to manipulate him into a public relationship that damages his reputation and undermines everything he's worked to achieve."
"I haven't manipulated anyone," I said defensively, feeling my anger tick up.
"Haven't you?" He raised an eyebrow. "A young woman takes a job with a prominent physician. Gets herself appointed toa ceremonial role that requires close contact. Orchestrates situations that force intimacy. And now here we are, with my son's career in jeopardy and his name dragged through gossip columns."
"That's not what happened." My heart was pounding and I felt like I might throw up.
"Nathan has gone through four assistants in six months and the only reason you stayed is because you superimposed your selfish agenda into his life." The man glared at me, but I tried to see him as someone who was just looking out for Nate.
It was just too hard to look past his hateful words.
But I hadn't orchestrated any of this.
I never wanted it to begin with.
"I stayed because I needed the job," I said. "And I became Hearthkeeper because your son pointed at me when he was backed into a corner. None of this was planned. I didn't want any of it."
"Perhaps not initially. But you've certainly taken advantage of the situation." He leaned forward, bracing his hands on my desk.
"Do you have any idea what the hospital board is saying? What the committee whispers when Nathan isn't in the room? They're questioning his judgment. His fitness for leadership. His ability to maintain professional boundaries."
"Then maybe they should question why professional boundaries matter more than genuine connection." I spat the words out hastily and immediately regretted them.
But they were fueled by months of pressure.
His expression hardened. "You think you're special. But I’m telling you, you’re nothing to him. Do you know why he doesn’t have a relationship?"
Mr. Bradley's eyes narrowed and I flinched.
I didn't know, and somehow, I didn't want to know.
His words felt threatening in a whole new way I didn't expect.
"If you cared about Nathan at all, you'd resign from your position," he continued. "Step down as Hearthkeeper. Remove yourself from his life and let him rebuild his reputation without your continued presence undermining him."
"Does Nate know you're here?" I asked.
"Nathan doesn't need to know. This is a conversation between adults who understand how the world actually works." He straightened. "You're young. You'll find another job, another life. But my son has invested decades building his career. Don't be the reason it all falls apart."
