“Don’t say that yet.” Calliope smirks over the edge of her cup. “Not if you’re trying to get us working together.”
Yet again, I’m presented with another perfect opportunity to tell her that it’s a done deal and that she’ll be working under merather than with me, but such news could spoil the moment and I’d much rather enjoy her company a little longer.
Her interest in me risks drying up entirely when she learns that I’m now the CEO.
“I’ll maintain my hope quietly, then,” I reply.
But the longer I stare at her, the more a small knot tightens under my ribs. Being dishonest is hardly the best start to whatever is growing between us. Maybe by telling her, she’ll love the honesty and we can work out how to keep work and pleasure separate.
Before I can speak, however, Calliope glances at her phone and raises her brows. “Oh, I have to go. Victoria has been called to a meeting and she can’t cover me any longer.”
“Oh, of course, let me walk you back.”
“Probably best that we aren’t seen together,” she says quickly, giving me a soft but sad smile. “But… can you skate?”
“Skate?” I stare up at her blankly as she stands.
“Yeah, ice skate?”
“I’ve been known to dabble.”
“I always take Nick to the rink before it closes, and there’s only one weekend left, so do you want to join us?”
“Yes,” I answer immediately. Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.
“Great.” Calliope grins as she shrugs on her coat and grabs her scarf. “It’s a date.”
26
CALLIOPE
The invite to ice skating just burst out of me before I could consider all of the consequences, but Elijah’s eager agreement sticks with me for the rest of the week, and when the weekend rolls around, I’m beyond excited.
Pressing him about work is still my main goal, but as he sat there with his eyes lighting up, talking with such passion about his work and how his mother’s death fuels him, something felt different. It was like he was letting me in, giving me a glimpse of his true self, and that kind of honesty is what I want to nurture. It’ll make it easier when I do try to pry real information out of him.
But before all that, I need to think about Nick. Mom’s slip up and his growing curiosity about his father have my head in a spin and this was the only thing I could think to do. If they spend time together and it goes well, then maybe that hurdle will be easier.
“Nick! Be careful!” I call as he whizzes past me on his skates going full speed as he chases after his friend Samson. The cold pinches my cheeks as I lean against the railing, so I cover themwith my hand and watch Nick expertly weave in and out of the other people on the ice. Thankfully, he keeps to the rules and doesn’t get too close to anyone until he collides with his friend and they fall down together, laughing.
“Be careful!” I yell, leaning up against the railing. “Are you okay? Sam, are you okay?”
“We’re fine.” Nick giggles as he climbs to his feet. “Don’t worry, Mom!”
If only it were that easy. Back on his feet, he helps up a laughing Sam and together they skate off while patting one another in an apparent game of rapid tag.
“Kids are resilient," comes a familiar voice next to me. “I can’t tell you how often I’ve fallen on the ice.”
“Elijah,” I say as my mouth gives away my delight with a warm smile. “I didn’t know you could skate.”
“Not for a long time.” He leans against the railing next to me while his eyes lock onto mine. “But when I was a kid, I used to skate with my dad all the time.”
“That’s sweet. I used to skate with Nick but…” On cue, he races past once again, laughing wildly. “He’s much faster than me now and I can’t quite keep up.”
“I’m sure we could fix that,” Elijah replies. “How are you?”
“I’m good! A little stressed, but it is what it is.”
“Work?”
