I smile and thank him one last time, getting up from my seat with the jitters coursing through my body. I shut the door to his office at his request, letting out a loud breath of relief.
This was all too much to take in, but my anxious thoughts don’t have their chance to take off when a vibration erupts in my back pocket.
Nate Archer.
If I was fucked then, I’m even more fucked now.
How ironic is it that the girl deathly afraid of planes finds herself with the guy who designs them?
“Hey.” Nate’s deep yet soft voice filters through.
Something about the way he utters the three-letter word has me going weak in the knees. He’s always had this way of making my mind quiet when everything feels like it’s spiraling.
“You never answered my text about celebrating tonight.”
“Sorry. I ran into Evelyn and talked things out withmy PI.”
“And?” Nate asks, waiting for my continuation.
“He told me it’s not too late for me to attend this major chemistry conference in December.”
“Well, look at you!” His happiness is palpable.
“But it’s in Italy.”
The line goes so quiet it feels severed.
“We can talk about it all later. How about you just meet me outside for now?”
“What do you mean, ‘meet me outside’?” I laugh nervously.
He chuckles. “It’s exactly what it sounds like.”
My mouth drops in shock as I connect the dots and rush to the nearest exit. My eyes roam the darkened surroundings once I’m out, and they instantly land on a certain man leaning against the hood of a truck.
Nate’s grin widens when he spots me, and I’m unable to stop that thing my heart does whenever I see him.
“I spy with my little eyes a pretty girl wearing dark blue jeans, Converse, and a camel trench coat.”
The smile that makes its way onto my face widens at the flirty comment, but it’s then that I spotanothergirl with that same description.
“Gosh, this marriage hasn’t even started, and it’s going to shit. My fiancéalreadyhas eyes for another girl?” I fake a gasp only for the line to cut in my face. While I giggle, Nate playfully rolls his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.
The chilly November air at this time of night would typically leave me cold, but something about Nate’s presence warms me up all the way from my heart to the tips of my toes.
Despite never seeing him drive this truck before, my fingers wrap around the passenger handle. A clicking sound erupts before I have the chance to open the door. I pull on the handle once, twice—and a frown makes its way to my face when the door won’t budge.
“What was that about?” I ask, pulling the handle several more times. “And since when do you own a truck?”
Nate is still leaning against the hood, acting indifferent as he inspects his hands. His very veiny hands. “Don’t you think there’s a proper way to greet your fiancé?”
I roll my eyes, not hiding the smile on my lips.Flirt. He hasn’t let the fiancée title go, no matter how many times I’ve corrected him. And at this point, I think I’m starting to embrace it.
“I told you he’s cheating.” I shrug.
The car door unlocks with a distinct sound.
I take another go at making my way inside, only for a large hand to land on top of mine.
