I got to the interview spot at eleven sharp. The office was kind of out of the way—not in the downtown area, but like a twenty-minute drive from my place, on the edge of the city.I'd already done some digging on this company. They were into lighting development and had even put in a bid for the amusement park's lighting gig, though they didn't end up getting it.Actually, when the amusement park had those lighting issues, I thought about hitting them up to help sort it out.These two things made me keep an eye on the company, and as luck would have it, they were hiring for a job that matched what I was good at—marketing and promotion.I applied to them first, and they were the first to call me in for an interview.The company had rented out an office building—not exactly as fancy as RiverwaveCorp Tower, but it still took up three floors. I rode the elevator to the right level and followed the signs to the HR office.As soon as I walked in, someone greeted me with a smile. "You m
"Welcome aboard, Ms. Kay." Ron reached out to shake my hand this time, then called someone over to help me with the paperwork.In less than thirty minutes, I was officially part of the company.That was when it hit me—Jace still hadn't approved my resignation. But if push came to shove, I could always ask Matthew. He'd definitely have my back.My phone buzzed in my pocket, vibrating a bunch of times. I'd ignored it while I was talking to Ron.It was Lena calling. "Where are you? I'm off today—want to hang out?"Lena, with a day off? It was super rare.She had been buried in work lately because it was peak baby season."So, you're finally getting a break from delivering babies?" I teased."Yeah, it's like all these moms decided to sync up their due dates, and now suddenly, they're all holding off," Lena groaned. I'd heard this rant before.These days, people were so extra—they would plan everything down to the last detail, even when to have their babies. Some would even follow
Just as I was trying to figure out who could be messing with me, more calls started rolling in—one about a ring order, another about the wedding venue.That was when it hit me: this wasn't just a prank. When I finally asked who'd placed all these orders, I learned exactly who was behind it.Jace. Of course.I knew he wouldn't do something as childish as prank calls just to get under my skin. Realizing what he might actually be up to, I called him directly. "Jace Johnston! What the hell are you trying to do? We've already broken up, and here you are ordering a wedding dress and a ring. Who are you trying to gross out?""Don't think so lowly of me. You think I'm doing this just to annoy you? You've always doubted that I cared, doubted my love for you. Well, let's get married now. That should prove I only want to be with you, right?" Jace's words made my disappointment sink even deeper."Jace, do you really think love is about forcing someone into a wedding dress and shoving a ring o
I didn't even realize Lena was there until she handed me a cup of tea. "Jace is such a jerk. I never thought things would get this ugly once he showed his true colors."I took a sip, letting the warmth seep through me. "Turns out, he was just pitying me."Even though Jace and I had broken up, the memories of the good times still clung to me. But today, his words shredded those memories, leaving only the bitter truth behind.Lena put a comforting hand on my shoulder, rubbing it gently. "Better to see him for what he really is now than later."I didn't say anything, just stared into my cup. Lena nudged me. "Wanna get back at him?""What?"Jace's words had cut deep, reopening wounds I thought were long healed, dragging me back to the worst time of my life.He wasn't totally wrong—after the car accident that killed my parents, when they were lying cold in the morgue, I really did feel like I was all alone in the world. I had no idea what to do.I was so lost, I couldn't even bring
Hayden paused for a few seconds before asking, "Have you been drinking?" His voice was magnetically pleasant.I brushed off his question and pushed harder. "Are you willing or not?"Instead of answering, Hayden asked, "Where are you?"I sighed, frustrated. "Forget it, I already know what you're gonna say," I muttered, ready to hang up, but Hayden's voice stopped me."Keira, where are you? Are you at home or somewhere else?" Hayden's voice had this tone that made it clear he wasn't messing around.All the emotions I'd been holding back just burst out. "Who do you think you are, and why do you care? I can be wherever I want—"Before I could finish, Lena leaned in and grabbed the phone. "Don't worry, she's at my place. I'm her best friend," she said.Then she whispered in my ear, "Be nice if you want his help."I pushed her away, laughing, still wrapped up in our little back-and-forth, when Hayden's voice came through again. "We'll talk when you're sober tomorrow."He hung up bef
"What?" I blurted out, shocked, then muttered under my breath, "He's lost it, hasn't he?""Ms. Kay, Mr. Johnston's been acting kinda crazy lately," Gavin confessed. And just like that, it all clicked—the wedding dresses, the rings, everything. It was all Jace, probably with Gavin handling the dirty work."What is he even trying to do—gross me out?" I snapped.Gavin went quiet for a sec before saying, "Honestly, I have no idea what Mr. Johnston's thinking. But one thing's clear—he doesn't want to lose you. He really does love you.""Gavin Lawson," I said, using his full name, my tone dead serious, "it's one thing for other people to say that, but you? Do you actually believe he loves me?"Gavin didn't say a word."He can keep being crazy all he wants, but I'm not playing his game," I made my stance clear."Honestly, I've always felt guilty. If it weren't for me... you and he wouldn't have ended up like this," Gavin said, his voice thick with regret, still shouldering the blame fo
Was Hayden actually stunned by how I looked?I'd always seen him as this guy with an unshakable inner strength, like nothing superficial could get to him. But I guess even the toughest guys have a weak spot when it comes to beauty.Maybe there was some truth to that saying, "Men are creatures of sight."Seeing that I had Hayden's full attention, I decided to push it a little further. I tossed my wavy hair back, all flirty-like, and noticed his gaze deepening. His face even seemed to grow colder.The sudden shift in his expression was hard to read, and I wasn't about to waste time trying to figure it out. I got straight to the point. "Are you going to agree to it or not?""Agree to what?" he asked, his eyes already shifting away from me.I smiled.Wasn't he the one who hung up on me last night, saying we'd talk when I sobered up? And now he's acting like he didn't know what I meant?I could tell he wasn't being serious—just teasing me."To be my boyfriend, temporarily," I repea
I smiled. "I've made myself clear. We're not on the same page, so let's just drop it.""But you need a boyfriend, right?" Hayden shot back."Yeah, I do. But I'm not about to mess around with someone like you. I'll figure something else out," I said, noticing the way his expression darkened.I expected him to stop me or at least try to meet me halfway, but I totally misjudged the situation. He didn't say a thing."Goodbye. That was out of line," I mumbled before spinning around and getting into my car. As I drove off, it felt like I was fleeing the scene.I didn't pull over until I was sure he couldn't see me anymore. My heart was racing, and I had to take a few deep breaths to calm down. Regret hit me hard—I'd been so impulsive after drinking last night.I could've asked Steve to pretend to be my boyfriend. Involving Hayden was a huge mistake.But what's done is done. No point in dwelling on it now.After pulling myself together, I drove to a flower shop, picked out a bouquet,