CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATE NIGHT

Part One

Across the city, Mia was still at her desk.

It was nine o'clock. The floor outside her office had gone dark an hour ago. She had a spreadsheet open on one screen, an email draft on the other, and a cold cup of tea that she had forgotten about at five.

She rubbed her eyes and kept typing.

A knock came at the glass.

"Mia."

She didn't look up. "I'm busy."

"I can see that."

"Then you know."

"I brought food."

That made her look up.

Ethan stood in the doorway with a paper bag in one hand and a drink carrier in the other. He had taken off his tie. His sleeves were rolled up. He looked like he'd been there as long as she had, which he probably had.

"What kind of food?"

"The kind from the place on Fifty-Second."

"The noodles?"

"The noodles."

She closed her laptop halfway. "You're a bad influence."

"You're welcome."

He came in, cleared a space on the desk without being asked, and set out two containers. The smell filled the room, garlic and ginger and something sweet. Her stomach made a loud, embarrassing noise.

"When did you last eat?" he asked.

"Lunch."

"What did you have?"

"Half a salad."

"Mia."

"It was a large salad."

"Sit down."

"I'm sitting."

"Away from the desk."

She sighed, picked up her chopsticks, and moved to the small round table by the window. He sat across from her. The city glittered behind the glass, thousands of tiny lights.

She took a bite. It was perfect. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.

"Better?" he asked.

"Don't gloat."

"I'm not."

"You're gloating a little."

"A little." He smiled. "Okay."

They ate for a while without talking. It was easy. It had always been easy with Ethan, from the first day, when he'd walked into her tiny rented office with two coffees and said he wanted to help her build something real.

"What are you working on?" he asked.

"The Meridian numbers."

"Again?"

"They need another look."

"They've had four looks."

"Five," she said. "I like to be sure."

He set down his chopsticks.

"You answered my email at three this morning."

"I couldn't sleep."

"You never sleep."

"That's not true."

"When was the last time you took a weekend?"

"Ethan."

"I'm just asking."

"I'll take one when the contract's signed."

"You said that about the last one."

"Because it was true about the last one."

"And then there was another."

She stabbed a noodle. "That's how business works."

"That's how you work."

She didn't answer. She looked out the window.

"You don't have to prove anything," he said, more quietly. "Not to me. Not to the board. Not to anyone."

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you still here at nine?"

"Because I want to be."

He didn't believe her. She could tell. But he let it go, and went back to his food.

Part Two

"How's the new hire?" Ethan asked after a while.

Mia's chopsticks stopped halfway to her mouth.

"Which one?"

"You know which one."

"He's fine."

"Fine."

"He's doing the work."

"Daniel says he's quick."

"Daniel says a lot of things."

"He says the subway got him once."

She put the chopsticks down. A small smile pulled at her mouth before she could stop it.

"He told you?"

"Daniel did. He said Alexander ran up twelve flights of stairs."

"He did."

"In dress shoes."

"He had a hole in one of them." She stopped. She hadn't meant to say that.

Ethan looked at her for a long moment.

"You noticed that."

"I notice things. It's my job."

"It's not your job anymore. You're the CEO."

"I still notice."

"I know you do."

There was a silence, not an unfriendly one. Ethan turned his water bottle around in his hands.

"Mia. Can I say something?"

"That depends."

"It's not about the company."

She sat back. "Go on."

"I've been watching you this week."

"That sounds creepy."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

He almost laughed. "You've been different. Quieter. You jumped when he walked into the meeting. You haven't touched your coffee since Tuesday."

"I've been busy."

"You've been watching him."

"I have not."

"You have. Every time he walks across the floor, you look up."

"That's…" She stopped. She frowned. "That's because I'm his boss."

"Is it?"

"Ethan."

"I'm not accusing you of anything," he said gently. "I just… I'd be lying if I said I didn't see it."

"See what?"

He was silent for a second. When he spoke, his voice was low, and very careful.

"Alexander looks at you."

She felt her pulse jump. She kept her face still.

"Everyone looks at everyone."

"Not like this."

"Like what?"

Ethan met her eyes. He didn't look angry. He looked sad, and honest, and a little afraid.

"The way you used to look at him," he said.