Elayna lifted her chin, hearing the insult in his words. His regular crowd? The one she clearly didn’t fit with? Well, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of crumbling under his superior gaze.
“Maybe after a few hours of sleep you’ll be able to use better judgment,” she said, noticing the way his eyebrows lifted. “I’ll see you at the next meeting.”
She pulled the door open and heard his faint answer behind her.
“See you then.”
The drive home was a blur, filled with a nonstop inner dialogue she couldn’t make sense of. Just what was that memo about? It was clear enough he wanted to use her to form some type of media distraction, but she had no idea why. And her proposals? She wished she’d been able to hear more about that. What if he wasn’t being honest? How would she ever find out?
She frowned as she pulled up to her house, pushing the gearshift into park and sitting in the darkness. It was all just details. Details that made no sense except to confuse her heart. She’d loved the way he looked and the words he’d said, and the possibility that they might be able to have something remotely close to what Alise had. If she hadn’t heard the memo, she would’ve been completely won over.
Her vision fogged, and she swallowed hard. All she had to do was get her lens signed with the right people, and she’d never have to work with Kayson again. Maybe by then, she’d see the darker man inside, and it wouldn’t hurt so much.
Just a few meetings. It was cake.
Kayson stood in his living room for a long time, with too much in his head to sort through. It had been an exhausting night, but a necessary one. For over a year he’d been wrestling with the idea that he was getting pushed out of the company, and tonight he confirmed it.
A file on the CEO’s computer, labeled with his name, even. Like they never expected him to find a thing, like he was incapable of even that much. They wanted him out and were using this time in his career to justify it, gathering news articles and meeting minutes to accuse him of utter laziness and incompetence.
He pulled the tie from his neck, trying to see only fiction in their story. But bits of truth made their way through. His insecurities had prevented him from attending more than one meeting, and he’d kept himself wrapped up in social plans and parties. It was an easy way to claim he was busy while avoiding any of the real work.
The truth was, he was scared. Scared of failing, scared of being seen as less than them. It might have been better if his mother could’ve just raised him alone and never remarried.
But no, he didn’t mean that. His stepdad had been kind and involved, and because of his encouragement, Kayson now had an opportunity at an incredible career.
If only he could prove that he belonged there.
He yawned and staggered to the couch, thinking of a fleet of superyachts and the complete success that would follow. It was inevitable. The world would love it.
As soon as he sunk into the cushions, his dogs scrambled over, one laying across his feet and the other curling up next to him. They were smart, the way they abandoned their usual slobbery displays of affection and instead provided only comfort. As if they knew his heart was hurting.
He lay down on a couch pillow and caught the scent of a fragrance he’d only just recognized a few days earlier. The honey and rose scent of Elayna’s hair. Their conversation had been so confusing. The inviting turn of her lips that clashed painfully with her brusk refusal of him. He’d been so sure she felt something when they said goodbye at the restaurant. And now… Now she had a different look in her eyes. What a pity he couldn’t have noticed a bit sooner—like before confessing his inner-most feelings to her.
With a sigh, he squeezed his eyes closed. He knew his thoughts would lead back to her, no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. Something had changed between them, and he didn’t know why. But maybe it was for the best. He wasn’t being honest with her, after all, and explaining his reasons sounded vain even in his head. She might as well hate him now and get it over with. She was so much more than anyone he’d ever met, working for causes more than for comfort. It intimidated him to no end, but he also found her the most authentic person he’d ever encountered. More than the infamous executives he’d been groveling below, so much more.
His mind was sinking eagerly into sleep, and he saw her again, close up and angry. It left him confused and utterly helpless in her gaze. He wanted to reach out and touch her face, but her image vanished again and again, always appearing farther away than before.
A dog barked and he jolted awake. The sun was streaming full and warm through the windows, with Shade and Titan sitting expectantly by their food bowls.
Kayson pushed off the couch with a groan. “Okay, I’m up.”
The dogs licked their mouths.
“Let’s get to work, I guess.”
On his way to feed the dogs, his phone rang. He cleared his throat on his way to answer it, hoping to sound like he’d been awake for hours.
Kayson knocked on her door, feeling more nervous than he could ever remember. He pulled in a few deep, cleansing breaths.
The door opened halfway, and Elayna stood in front of him in the strong afternoon sun. She clearly hadn’t been into work that morning as she was wearing a tank top and some thin drawstring pants. The sun was golden and radiant on her blonde hair, and his heart lodged in his throat.
“Hello, Kayson,” she said, sounding tired.
“Hi.” He abandoned his entire rehearsed speech at the sight of her. “Are you well?”
“No, actually I had to stay home sick today,” She brushed her hair back with one hand, and it tumbled forward again in glorious chaos. “But it’s not too bad, what do you need?”
“Me?” Kayson couldn’t remember his own name. What was it he wanted?
Her.
But wait, she hated him. Right.
He took a breath. “Here,” he said stupidly, handing her the pink cardigan he’d seen her leave outside the restaurant. She took it with a cringe, and he wasn’t sure what that meant. He decided to keep talking. “I got a phone call this morning. It was some pretty exciting news, so I wanted to come tell you in person…but if you’re not feeling well, it can wait.”
“I’m okay.” She sighed. “But you understand if I don’t invite you in?”
“Oh, yes. Absolutely.” Kayson was lost in the relaxed, calm turn of her mouth. It created a perfectly adorable pout. He forced himself to look away. “I just wanted to tell you there won’t be any more meetings.”
Elayna’s head tilted, “There won’t?”
“No.” Kayson was grinning now, trying to hold back his excitement. “Because we’re going to be on national television instead.”
“What?” Elayna’s mouth dropped open.
He couldn’t help but laugh at her beautifully stunned face. “The ‘Mornings With Mandy’ show?” He didn’t want to give her time to object and rambled out every fact he could remember. “I’d emailed her a few weeks ago, and she suddenly called me today. She wants to meet with us both and discuss your lens. It would just be her interviewing us, and you can do most the talking, plus it’s a fifteen to twenty-minute spot.” He grinned. “So instead of hosting three different meetings, our managers will simply tune in and listen in the comfort of their own homes.”