THE MAN WHO REMEMBERED HER SMILE...
498 Words
Elias Hart had known Amara Cole since she was twelve years old.
He remembered the first time he met her.
She had been sitting beneath a mango tree with scraped knees and a smile too bright for someone who had just fallen.
“You're bleeding,” twelve-year-old Elias had told her.
Amara had looked down.
“Oh.”
Then she had smiled.
“That's unfortunate.”
He had laughed.
And they had been friends ever since.
Years later, when Amara walked into his office for lunch, Elias still looked at her exactly the same way.
Like she was home.
“You look tired,” he said.
“I work for a dictator.”
Elias laughed.
“Damian Blackwood?”
Amara dropped into the chair opposite him.
“Yes.”
“Everyone says he's terrifying.”
“Everyone is correct.”
“And yet you're still working there.”
“The salary is good.”
Elias smiled.
“Only the salary?”
Amara paused.
“No.”
His expression changed slightly.
“What else?”
She looked away.
“Nothing.”
Elias leaned back.
“Amara.”
“What?”
“Are you starting to like your boss?”
She nearly choked on her drink.
“What? No!”
Elias smiled.
“Interesting reaction.”
“I don't like him.”
“Good.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Why good?”
Elias was silent for a moment.
Then he looked directly at her.
“Because I don't think I would like sharing your attention with him.”
The air changed.
Amara stopped smiling.
Elias had always been special to her.
Safe.
Familiar.
Comfortable.
But something in his eyes now suggested that maybe he wanted something more.
Before she could answer, her phone rang.
Damian.
Amara sighed.
“He's probably about to ruin my afternoon.”
Elias watched as she answered.
“Yes?”
“Where are you?”
“Lunch.”
“With who?”
She looked at Elias.
“Why?”
“Answer.”
“That's not your business.”
“Amara.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Elias.”
Silence.
Then Damian's voice became dangerously calm.
“Come back to the office.”
Amara frowned.
“I'll be back when my lunch is over.”
She hung up.
Elias stared at her.
“You just hung up on Damian Blackwood.”
“Yes.”
“Aren't you afraid of getting fired?”
“Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
“Only when rent is due.”
Elias laughed.
Amara smiled.
But neither of them knew that, across the city, Damian Blackwood was staring at his phone with an expression that made his entire executive team disappear from his office.
He did not understand why hearing another man's name from her lips irritated him.
He did not understand why he wanted to know where she was.
Or why.
He only knew one thing.
He didn't like it.
And Damian Blackwood was not used to disliking something he couldn't control.
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