“It was good,” Elena replied. “Busy. Lots to learn.”“She was impressive. She handled herself well,” Ryan said, his tone cool and measured. “Most interns fumble around the first week, but she adapted quickly.”Elena’s stomach fluttered.Enric smiled at her, pride unmistakable in his eyes. “Told you
The café smelled like toasted almonds and vanilla syrup when Elena slid into the booth across from Avonlea. The café was an artsy little place with neon signs and too many vintage posters that made it feel like it was constantly stuck in 1995. It was late evening, just after six, and the warm glow o
“Mr. Johnson, Mr. Carter is on line three.”“Tell him I’ll call back.”The assistant nodded and disappeared. Ryan watched the screen for another minute before finally tearing his gaze away.Elena’s first assignment involved reviewing brand proposal documents and selecting key elements from past camp
Ryan continued, outlining expectations, schedules, the zero-tolerance policy for lateness or incompetence. Elena barely heard a word. She was too busy memorizing the way his fingers flexed around his tablet, the way his jaw tightened when someone asked a stupid question.Still no glance toward her.
The morning sun spilled through the blinds in gentle slats of gold, casting a warm glow over Elena’s room. The alarm buzzed at 6:15 AM sharp, but Elena was already awake.She’d tossed and turned all night, her mind replaying imaginary office scenarios ranging from impressively cool to catastrophical
“What happened?”She explained everything, the call from Avonlea, her dad’s reaction, the conversation they had in the living room. When she told him what Enric said about trusting him, there was a beat of silence.“I don’t deserve that, do I?” Ryan said quietly.“Yes, you do,” she whispered. “You’r