“Mr. Montgomery?”
I look up, and there she is. Almost like I’d summoned her.
I glance at my watch. Past eight.
“What are you still doing here?” The edge in my voice comes out sharper than I intended.
She flinches, then recovers quickly. “I was having trouble with a spreadsheet. I wanted to finish it tonight.”
“I’m sure it could’ve waited until morning. There’s no reason to stay this late.”
“I don’t mind,” she says evenly. “I don’t back away from work. Especially not the kind I enjoy.”
There’s a certainty in her voice, bordering on defiance, that almost makes me smile.
Almost.
“Do you need anything?”
“I’ll reach out to IT tomorrow. Sorry for disturbing you.”
She’s halfway to the door when I stop her. “Show me.”
Without hesitation, she crosses my office and sits across from me, handing over her tablet. I scan the file, impressed despite myself.
“This is good, Maya. Very good.”
She gives that same careful smile.
“It just needs a few small adjustments,” I continue, pointing out a formula error. “That’s what caused the issue.”
She listens intently. Focused, almost hungry for direction. When I hand the tablet back, our fingers brush. A fleeting contact, nothing more. But she inhales softly, her lips parting just enough for me to notice.
“I don’t even know how to thank you,” she says quietly.
“There’s no need,” I reply. “You did well.”
She rises, smoothing her skirt, her eyes locked on mine. “Goodnight, Mr. Montgomery.”
I nod. She heads for the door, looking back at me just before her hand finds the doorknob.
And there it is again. The unmistakable danger flickering behind her eyes.
When the door clicks shut, I exhale once and return to my work.
Time to finish up and go home.
To Ceci.
Chapter 03
I'm not a cheater
Colin
I spend most of the day out of the office. Meetings back-to-back, the kind that leave little room to breathe.
When I finally step into my office in the late afternoon and see the pile Margaret left on my desk, I know it’s going to be one of those nights.
