The gala was exactly the kind of event Nathan usually navigated with ease—high-profile, well-funded, and brimming with people who either wanted something from him or wanted to prove they were better than him. Normally, it was just another night of strategic handshakes and calculated conversations, but tonight, he was off his game.
He could feel Vanessa watching him, assessing him the way she always did when something was amiss. He didn’t have the patience to deal with her scrutiny right now.
Not when his mind kept circling back to her.
Isla Wells.
She was across the country, probably wrapped up in whatever holistic nonsense she busied herself with, but somehow, she had worked her way into his head. It was infuriating.
Nathan exhaled, running a hand down his tie as he reached for a fre
