But hadn’t Howard called my draft a disaster just yesterday?

Curious, I opened the email attachment from my boss. That’s when I realized—the version they received wasn’t my final draft.

I checked the timestamp of the email I’d sent. It was during the middle of the night—while I was sound asleep.

So, his dark circles were from staying up late, rewriting my proposal, and even submitting it for me.

I couldn’t figure out why he’d go to such lengths. Was this really all just to help Lance “keep me in check”? The thought didn’t sit right with me, so I asked him directly.

But when our eyes met. I saw his gaze holding a depth I couldn’t quite decipher.

He also didn’t answer my question, so I didn’t press further.

As adults, there were moments when words weren’t necessary. I thought I understood, but I didn’t dare to believe.

While rushing through breakfast, I accidentally tripped on the edge of the table. Quickly, Howard caught me before I fell.

But the way I landed... my lips brushed against his collarbone, and my hand ended up somewhere it absolutely shouldn’t have. As such, the air between us shifted immediately.