The gentleness in his voice almost undid me.This was the Nash I remembered—the one who'd made me feel like the most important woman in the world for one perfect night.The man I’d connected with so hard I still thought about him four years later, nearly crushed under the weight of the what-ifs.
"I'm fine."I forced myself to look up at him, and the full impact of his presence hit me like a truck.Four years had only made him more devastating.Broader shoulders, sharper jaw, a gaze that rooted me in my spot.
"Clara."
The way he said my name made my knees weak.He’d called me Scarlett the night we met, because I’d told him that was my name.The truth had come tumbling out the morning after, and he realized I’d lied to him about almost everything—not just my name, but my profession, my life.
The only thing that hadn’t been fake was the connection between us.The way we’d come together like two soul mates, finding each other after lifetimes.
"Mr.Nightingale."I kept my voice professional, even as my heart hammered against my ribs.
His gaze swept over me, taking in the catering uniform, the trembling hands, the obvious desperation that clung to me like cheap perfume.I watched his expression shift from concern to something harder to read.
"I should get back to work," I said quickly, stepping away before I could do something stupid.Like apologize for the hundredth time for lying to him that night.Or ask if he ever thought about me.Or tell him that seeing him again was both the best and worst thing that could happen to me today.
But as I turned to leave, Bitchy Brenda appeared at my elbow, her face twisted with fury.
"What the hell was that about?"she hissed, grabbing my arm roughly, almost causing me to lose another glass."I told you to be charming, not to cause a scene with the clients."
"He was harassing me," I protested."Mr.Nightingale intervened to—"
"I don't care if he was reciting poetry.You embarrassed a client, which means you embarrassed me, which means you're done."Brenda's voice rose with each word."Clean up your station and get out."
"Brenda, please.I need this job.I—"
"Should have thought about that before you made a spectacle of yourself."She turned to Nash, who had been in the process of walking away but was now watching our exchange with increasing intensity."Mr.Nightingale, I apologize for my employee's unprofessional behavior.This won't happen again."
Nash's gaze never left my face."Actually, I think there's been a misunderstanding."
Hope flickered in my chest.
Nash continued, his voice deadly even."You think what just happened was your employee's fault, when in reality, one of my guests was sexually harassing a member of your staff.And your response is to fire her for defending herself?"
Brenda's face went white."I...I didn't realize..."
"Clara did nothing wrong.Sampson, on the other hand, will never set foot in any of my properties again."Nash's tone left no room for argument."I suggest you reconsider your employment decisions carefully."
As Nash spoke, I could see my phone lighting up in my apron pocket.Likely another disappointing response from Preston.
“I completely understand, Mr.Nightingale,” Brenda sputtered.To her credit, she looked genuinely regretful.But only for a moment.Once Nash rejoined his party, leaving the two of us behind, her face hardened.
“Don’t ever embarrass me like that in front of a client again,” she hissed.
“I—I didn’t,” I began, just as my phone vibrated again in my apron pocket.An exasperated sigh escaped me.I couldn’t keep ignoring this.I reached into the pocket and pulled out my phone, reviewing it right in front of Brenda.Fuck it.
“No phones during your shift,” she hissed.
Another missed call from Little Sprouts, with a voicemail.The preview of the voicemail said that Mia had vomitedagain.
“My daughter is having an emergency at her daycare,” I informed Brenda coolly, bringing a little bit of that Nash Nightingale energy to the interaction.Not that I trusted myself to deliver my words with the same lethal calm as him.“I need to go pick her up.There’s no one else.”
Brenda deflated.“Are you serious?”
“I wish it was a joke, but it’s not.”
Brenda’s nostrils flared.“If you leave now, you’re fired.That’s the bottom line.I don’t care what the reason is.”
The choice between keeping this job and taking care of my daughter wasn't really a choice at all.
