JENNIFER WILTON'S POV
The car slowed down in front of my apartment building, and for a moment, neither of us spoke.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable exactly, but it wasn't easy either. It felt like one of those pauses where something could be said or avoided.
Nathaniel pulled to a stop and shifted the gear into park.
"Well," he said, breaking the quiet, "this is it."
I nodded, unbuckling my seatbelt. "Yeah. It is."
I reached for the door handle, then hesitated. I wasn't sure why. Maybe today hadn't turned out the way I expected it to. Maybe because part of me was still trying to make sense of how I ended up here at all.
"Thank you," I added. "For the ride. And… earlier."
He glanced at me, expression unreadable as usual. He had mixed emotions, almost as if he didn't know what I was talking about at first. "You don't have to thank me."
"I know. I still am."
He gave a small nod, like he accepted that.
I opened the door, stepped out, then paused again. I hated that I kept doing that.
"Goodnight, Nate."
"Goodnight, Jennifer."
I closed the door before either of us could say something else that would complicate things.
Inside, the apartment was quieter than I expected. The lights in the living room were on, but Alex's shoes weren't by the door, which meant she hadn't made it home yet.
Katherine was on the couch with her laptop balanced on her knees, glasses sliding down her nose.
She looked up immediately. "You're home early."
I dropped my bag by the door. "Is that a crime?"
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "No, it's just surprising on a Monday."
"Well, my shift ended early," I said, heading toward the kitchen.
She twitched a brow to one side, indicating she wasn't buying what I was selling, but decided not to press further.
"What?" I asked, grabbing a glass.
"Nothing, just that everything about you seems fishy these days,'" she said with a calm smile breaking her lips.
I heaved slowly and dropped my glass on the table. "Nothing seems fishy, it's normal. Don't be like Alex please,"
As much as I didn't want to admit it, she had a point, I had slept in his house, cried on his arms, and been in the same car with him and we'd just met a few weeks ago. And for some reason, I'm still thinking about him right now.
Before Kathy could respond, the door swung open and Alex walked in, heels in one hand, jacket half off her shoulders.
"I smell tea," she said. "And secrets."
She stopped when she saw me. "Oh. You're back already."
"Apparently, everyone finds that suspicious," I muttered.
Alex dropped onto the couch beside Katherine. "So? Talk."
"There's nothing to talk about," I said quickly.
They both looked at me.
I exhaled.
Alex studied my face more carefully. "You okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Just tired."
She didn't push. Which, coming from Alex, meant she was saving it for later.
————-
The next morning, work was busy enough to keep my thoughts occupied—barely.
I was organizing guest requests at the front desk when my phone buzzed.
`Damian Steele'
My body stiffened.
*Please come to my office when you have a moment.*
No greeting. No context.
Just that.
I glanced at the clock, then at the lobby. It didn't look like I had anything really important to do, so I left my desk.
I took a deep breath as soon as I got to his door
`Let's get this over with,'
Damian's office was exactly what you'd expect—sleek, intimidating in a way that was meant to impress.
"Jennifer," he said warmly when I walked in. "Come in."
I stayed standing. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
He smiled. "I've told you, you don't have to be so formal."
"I prefer it," I replied.
He gestured for me to sit. I didn't.
His smile faltered briefly, then returned. "I won't keep you long. I just wanted to check in."
"About work?" I asked.
"About you," he corrected.
That made my skin crawl.
"You left early yesterday," he continued. "I hope everything's alright."
"It is," I said. "I had a personal matter."
"Of course," he said softly. "Personal matters can be… distracting." He adjusted his position, placing one leg above the other.
I kept mute.
He leaned back slightly. "You know, Jennifer, I've always admired how dedicated you are. It's rare."
"Thank you," I replied, while my eyes gazed around the room trying to avoid eye contact.
"You deserve someone who notices that," he added.
I looked at him then.
"And does your wife notice that too?" I asked.
The air shifted.
His smile tightened. "My marriage is… complicated."
I nodded once. "That's none of my business, I think we're done here."
For a moment, it looked like he might argue, but he just waved a hand dismissively.
"Very well. You may go."
I didn't wait to be dismissed twice.
As I walked back to the elevator, one thought kept circling in my head.
Too many men.
Too many intentions and I was already exhausted.