Chapter 13 – Green or Honey

Chapter 13 – Green or Honey

Juliet Pierce

Disappointment… Yeah, that word pretty much sums up everything I’m feeling right now.

It shouldn’t hurt this much. Noah isn’t the first, and I’m sure he won’t be the last to reject me in an interview just because I’m a mom.

As soon as I reached the lobby, Jenny came rushing over.

“Juliet!” She was out of breath. “What are you doing down here? Mr. Blake was supposed to take you to HR himself!”

I straightened my spine and forced a smile that felt like glass.

“Turns out my profile isn’t the right fit for the position.”

“What? But he seemed so sure…”

“We discovered it wasn’t, in the end.”

“That’s such a shame…” Her voice was genuinely sad.

I took her hand gently.

“Jenny, thank you so much for everything you did for me.”

“It was nothing, really. I was so happy you were getting the job.”

“Me too,” I said, and meant it.

“Is there any chance you could negotiate? You said you needed—”

I sighed. “I do. But unfortunately I’m not the ideal candidate.”

“Aw, I’m bummed. I was already looking forward to having lunch company.”

We both laughed, soft and sad.

“Who knows, maybe I’ll land something nearby and our lunch dates will still happen.”

I squeezed her hand one last time.

“It was a pleasure, Jenny.” I leaned in. “My number’s on file. Text me whenever you’re bored on your break.” I nudged her shoulder with mine and winked.

“You got it. Take care, Juliet.”

We said goodbye. I walked out of the building and headed to the subway on autopilot. My body knew the route by heart; it didn’t need instructions.

The ride back was heavy, suffocating. Every stop felt like another stab of disappointment. I tried to lose myself in the city blurring past the window, but my brain kept replaying the scene on a loop.

I kept trying to separate the two versions of the same man: Mr. Noah, who made me feel alive again with his touch and his attention. Mr. Blake, the prejudiced CEO who discarded me the second he found out I have kids.

The duality was choking me. My heart felt seconds from exploding.

I got off at my Brooklyn stop and started the walk home. Halfway across the street, my phone buzzed. I stopped to fish it out of my bag; the light turned green and I didn’t even notice.

Tires screeched.

“JU!!!”

Strong arms wrapped around me and yanked me backward. He tried to shield me with his body, but we both crashed to the asphalt anyway; my head smacked the ground and he landed on top of me.

“Are you okay? I couldn’t hold my weight—did I hurt you?” Pure panic in his voice.

For a second I just lay there, stunned. It felt like a dream.

His hand cupped my cheek with a gentleness that didn’t match the strength from a second ago.

“Ju, talk to me. Did you hit your head? Are you feeling anything?”

Those honey-colored eyes were wide with terror. I could drown in them.

“Ju!!!” Oliver’s voice snapped me back.

“I… I’m okay, Chris…” It came out a whisper.

He rolled off me. People started crowding around. Oliver dropped to his knees beside us.

“Babe, are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, sweetheart.” I gave him a shaky smile, then turned to Chris. “Thanks to your brother.”

Chris held my gaze a few seconds longer than necessary.

“You’re bleeding…” Oliver pointed at my arm.

“Damn it!” I cursed. With this heat I’d taken off my blazer. Road rash on bare skin—perfect.

“We’re going to the pharmacy. Now.” Chris’s tone left zero room for argument.

“I’m fine, I’ll take care of it at home.”

“No. Pharmacy. End of discussion.”

“Thank you, Christopher, but really—”

Before I could finish, he scooped me up like I weighed nothing.

“What the hell are you doing?!” I snapped.

Oliver laughed. “Forgot to warn you, gorgeous—Chris hates being told no.”

“Put me down. I hurt my arm, not my legs.”

“If you weren’t so stubborn, we wouldn’t be here.”

“I wasn’t stubborn, I was practical.”

“Practical? You were bleeding and wanted to just walk home. That has another name, and it’s definitely not practicality.”

“Maybe we just have different definitions.”

“Or in your case it’s just—”

He stopped mid-sentence, eyes locked on mine.

“What exactly are you implying?” Irritation flared hot in my chest.

He didn’t answer. Just stared, that familiar intensity now laced with something new—challenge.

At the pharmacy door he tried to carry me inside. I put my foot down—literally.

“Put me down. You already dragged me here against my will.”

He set me on my feet, but neither he nor Oliver left. They followed me in.

“Ju!” Alan, the pharmacist, greeted me.

“Hey, Alan. Can you help me with this?” I lifted my scraped arm.

“Of course, sweetheart. Come on back.”

I started toward the treatment room. Chris followed.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Coming with you.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“Don’t be bratty.” That word—bratty—hit me like a spark. His eyes flickered; he noticed.

I stayed quiet while Alan cleaned and bandaged the wound. My mind replayed the entire morning: canceled interview, new hope, Reed, Noah… his rejection, Jenny’s kindness… and now this man who never spoke to me suddenly wouldn’t leave my side.

We finished. Chris paid before I could reach for my wallet.

Outside, Oliver hugged me.

“I’ve got somewhere to be, gorgeous, but I’ll swing by later to check on you and hear about the interview.”

“I’d love the visit… but the interview didn’t work out.”

“Aw, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I forced a smile.

Oliver kissed my forehead, fist-bumped his brother, and left.

“I’ll walk you home.”

“You don’t have to—”

The look Chris gave me shut me up fast.

We walked in silence. When we reached my building, I turned to him.

“Thank you—for pulling me out of the street and for this.” I lifted my bandaged arm.

“No need to thank me. Just pay more attention next time. The crosswalk doesn’t make you invincible.”

“Look, Christopher, for someone who never talks to me, you’re suddenly very chatty and very bossy today.”

He stepped closer, crowding me against the building door.

“You haven’t seen me bossy yet, Juliet.”

His voice dropped low; our breaths mingled in the hot afternoon air.

“C-could you back up, please?” It came out a whisper.

He held my gaze for one endless second, then stepped back, breaking the spell.

“Take care of yourself.”

He turned and walked away.

“What the hell just happened?” I muttered to the empty street.

I went upstairs. Celeste was at the door; I gave her the short version of the failed interview. Sweet as always, she offered to pick up the kids from school so I could “rest my head.” I accepted gratefully.

Inside my apartment, I went to the bathroom, stripped off my clothes, and stared at the bandage in the mirror.

Then I crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling.

First my mind went to Noah—his touch, our kiss, the cold rejection in his office.

Then, without warning, it drifted to someone else.

Sun-bleached brown hair, athletic build, intense eyes the color of warm honey.

“You’re so screwed, Juliet,” I whispered to the empty room.

Green or honey… I can’t let myself fall for either one.