— “David, let’s just keep it as it was. It was perfect. But we have our own lives back home,” she said, giving him a final squeeze before heading to her gate. Returning to Atlanta was like a cold shower. Grey skies, traffic, and the reality of a toddler and a demanding job.
She told her mother David was just a “nice guy she met,” and that it wouldn’t go anywhere. She forced herself not to check her phone, deciding to focus entirely on Nicky and her career. When David didn’t call in the first forty-eight hours, she felt a pang of “I told you so.”
Work became her refuge. The office was buzzing because the Senior VP was retiring, and a new “hotshot” from the Chicago branch was taking over. — “Everyone, listen up,” the CEO announced on Monday morning. — “I’d like to introduce our new Senior VP of Operations, David Miller.”
The door opened, and in walked… David. In a charcoal suit, looking every bit the high-powered executive. Allison felt the blood drain from her face. She tried to duck behind her dual monitors. David scanned the room, and his eyes stopped right on her. His eyebrows shot up, but he kept his professional mask perfectly in place.
After the meeting, the CEO called her over. — “Allison, you’ll be working closely with David on the Q4 rollout. I’ll leave you two to get acquainted.” Allison’s legs felt like lead. — “Nice to meet you,” she managed to choke out. — “The pleasure is mine. I’ve heard great things about your performance,” David replied, a hint of irony in his voice.
When the room cleared, he let out a long breath. — “Allison? Here? What are the odds?” — “I’ve been here five years, David.” — “This is unbelievable. I wanted to call you so badly, but I didn’t want to seem like a stalker after what you said at the airport… and now, I’m your boss.”
— “Exactly,” Allison said, her professional defenses slamming into place. — “You’re my boss. Vacation is over, David. I don’t do office rumors, and I don’t jeopardize my career. We are colleagues. Period.”
David tried to argue, but she was ice. — “Fine. I’ll respect your boundaries. For now. But I’m not giving up that easily.”
The next few weeks were agonizing. They were professional to a fault, but every time they handed over a file or sat in a conference room, the tension was palpable. Allison saw the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn’t watching, and it broke her heart, but her pride wouldn’t let her budge.
Then came a miserable, rainy Saturday in November. The house felt dark, and Nicky was in a foul mood, refusing to eat his breakfast. — “No! Don’t want it!” he cried, pushing his bowl away. Allison felt a headache coming on as she tried to coax him…
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