CHAPTER 29
LOVEBOMB DETONATED
NOLAN
Client moved the meeting to 3. You still good to lead?
Rishi, I was born ready.
Then raised by wolves.
Then professionally trained in PowerPoint.
God help us. I’ll bring coffee. You bring charm.
I’ll bring sarcasm and a strong jawline. Close enough?
Honestly? That’s why we keep getting hired.
I’m not evensure how I got here.
One second, I’m half-listening to Rishi pitch, nodding like a responsible adult.
The next, I’m staring at my phone, pretending to check emails while very muchnotthinking about Rorie Adams. Or whether she got the gift. Or what she thought when she opened it.
And then?—
An articlecatches my eye:
“How to Know If You’re Being Lovebombed
(And Why It’s So Dangerous).”
I pause. Blink. Click.
Lovebombing, the article begins,is the act of overwhelming someone with excessive attention, admiration, and gifts early in a connection—usually to gain control or create false intimacy.
A cold bead of sweat forms at the base of my neck.
Common signs: extravagant gestures early on, constant texts and check-ins, compliments that feel too intense for how well you know each other, pressure to escalate the relationship quickly, the desire to “freeze a moment” as if it’s already permanent.
I stare.
The glass galaxy. The stars. The whole“I’ll remember forever”vibe.
Oh my god.
Am I a lovebomber?
Sitting up straighter, I scroll faster, panic licking the edges of my chest.
It wasn’t supposed to be like that. I wasn’t trying to manipulate her. I wasn’t trying to scare her. I just wanted to give her something that felt memorable.
My inbox pings.
CHAPTER 30
OUTLOOK SAYS I’M A COWARD
