Chapter 5: An Unexpected Apology
991 Words
The rest of the evening should have been enjoyable.
Instead, Emma spent most of it trying to avoid Alexander Kingston.
Unfortunately, it wasn't working.
Every time she looked up, she somehow found him somewhere in the crowd.
Talking to investors.
Speaking with guests.
Posing for photographs.
Looking impossibly handsome.
Not that she was paying attention.
At least that's what she kept telling herself.
"You're staring."
Emma nearly jumped.
Sarah grinned.
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
Emma sighed.
"Can we not talk about this?"
"No."
Sarah leaned forward.
"The man smiled at you."
"Sarah."
"The Alexander Kingston smiled at you."
Emma rubbed her forehead.
"Because I threw coffee on him."
"Still counts."
Emma laughed despite herself.
Across the ballroom, Alexander happened to glance in her direction.
Their eyes met.
Again.
This time he raised his glass slightly.
Emma immediately looked away.
Her cheeks warmed.
Sarah noticed.
"Oh, this is getting interesting."
By ten o'clock, the gala was beginning to wind down.
Guests slowly started leaving.
Emma felt relieved.
The evening had been wonderful, but she was exhausted.
"Ready?" Sarah asked.
"More than ready."
The two women said their goodbyes and headed toward the exit.
Emma was almost free.
Almost.
"Emma."
Her heart stopped.
She recognized the voice instantly.
Slowly turning around, she found Alexander standing a few feet away.
Sarah's eyes widened.
"Oh."
Alexander smiled politely.
"Would you mind if I borrowed your friend for a moment?"
Sarah looked between them.
Then suddenly became very interested in leaving.
"Not at all."
Emma shot her a look.
Sarah ignored it completely.
"I'll wait outside."
And just like that, Emma was alone with Alexander.
Wonderful.
For a moment neither spoke.
The ballroom around them had grown quieter.
Most of the guests were gone.
Only a handful remained.
Alexander slid one hand into his pocket.
"I was hoping I'd catch you before you left."
Emma blinked.
"Why?"
He looked genuinely surprised by the question.
"To thank you."
Now it was Emma's turn to look confused.
"Thank me?"
"For making tonight bearable."
She stared at him.
"I ruined your suit."
He laughed.
"There are worse things."
"Like what?"
"Being trapped in conversations about quarterly profits for six straight hours."
Emma couldn't help smiling.
"You didn't enjoy your own gala?"
"It's a charity gala."
"Same thing."
His grin widened.
Emma found herself relaxing.
Talking to him was strangely easy.
Almost effortless.
Which made absolutely no sense.
People like Alexander Kingston weren't supposed to be easy to talk to.
They were supposed to be intimidating.
Complicated.
Untouchable.
Yet standing here, he simply felt like a normal man.
A very attractive normal man.
But normal.
"Can I ask you something?" Alexander said.
Emma nodded.
"What made you become a nurse?"
The question caught her off guard.
Most people asked about the hospital.
Or her schedule.
Not why.
She thought for a moment.
"I like helping people."
Alexander waited.
"There has to be more to it than that."
Emma smiled softly.
"When my father passed away, the nurses who cared for him were incredible."
His expression immediately softened.
"They treated him with dignity."
She looked down briefly.
"They treated us like family."
Alexander remained silent.
Listening.
Really listening.
"It made a difference."
Emma looked back up.
"So when I got older, I wanted to do the same for someone else."
For a moment, neither spoke.
The noise of the ballroom seemed distant.
Alexander finally nodded.
"The world needs more people like you."
Her heart skipped.
Just once.
But enough to notice.
"What about you?" Emma asked.
Alexander smiled.
"What about me?"
"What's it like?"
His eyebrow rose.
"What's what like?"
"Being Alexander Kingston."
He laughed.
"That's a dangerous question."
"I'm curious."
He considered it.
Then answered honestly.
"Complicated."
Emma waited.
"My family built something incredible."
His gaze drifted toward the city lights visible through the ballroom windows.
"And I'm proud of that."
"But?"
Alexander smiled slightly.
"But sometimes people only see the company."
Emma understood immediately.
Not Alexander.
Not the man.
The name.
The wealth.
The expectations.
"I imagine that gets lonely."
His eyes found hers again.
"Sometimes."
The admission felt surprisingly personal.
Like something he didn't usually share.
Emma wasn't sure why he'd shared it with her.
Maybe because she wasn't part of his world.
Maybe because she had no reason to want anything from him.
Or maybe...
There was another reason.
One neither of them fully understood yet.
The conversation flowed naturally after that.
They talked about Willow Creek.
The hospital.
Favorite books.
Travel.
Childhood memories.
Everything and nothing at the same time.
Before either realized it, nearly forty minutes had passed.
Emma checked the time.
"Oh wow."
Alexander laughed.
"That's usually my reaction to board meetings."
She smiled.
"I should probably go."
A small part of her didn't want to.
Which was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Alexander seemed reluctant too.
"Probably."
Neither moved.
The realization made them both laugh.
Eventually, Emma picked up her purse.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being nice about the coffee."
His eyes sparkled.
"Anytime."
She turned toward the exit.
Then stopped.
"Alexander?"
He looked up.
"Yeah?"
Her smile was warm.
"Genuinely... I'm sorry about the suit."
For a second he simply stared at her.
Then his grin returned.
"The suit was worth it."
Emma's heart did something strange.
Something she chose not to examine too closely.
With one final smile, she walked away.
Outside, Sarah was practically vibrating with excitement.
"What happened?"
Emma groaned.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing."
Sarah stared.
"You were talking for forty minutes."
Emma froze.
"How do you know that?"
"I checked."
Of course she did.
Sarah looped an arm through hers.
"So..."
Emma sighed.
"So what?"
Sarah smiled.
"Do you think you'll see him again?"
Emma looked back toward the hotel entrance.
Toward the ballroom where Alexander still stood.
For reasons she couldn't explain, she hoped so.
Very much.
"I don't know."
But deep down, she had a feeling this wasn't the end of their story.
Not even close.
- Writer
