Chapter Two – An Offer She Couldn't Refuse
307 Words
Amelia barely slept.
The homeowner's message lingered in her mind long after she turned off the lights. Morning arrived with another stack of unpaid bills and the same familiar knot in her stomach.
By eight o'clock, she was serving coffee in a crowded café, forcing polite smiles she no longer had the energy to give.
"Table six asked for you," her manager called.
She balanced two mugs on a tray and walked over.
Her steps slowed.
Daniel Carter.
He sat by the window in a charcoal suit, reading through a folder while the rain tapped softly against the glass.
"You followed me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"I had breakfast here before I knew you existed."
She laughed despite herself.
"Fair enough."
As she set the coffee down, Daniel slid a business card across the table.
"I need someone."
She looked at the card.
Carter Holdings. Chief Executive Officer.
"I think you've mistaken me for someone qualified."
"I don't."
"You don't even know me."
"I know how you treat strangers."
She frowned.
"That's enough for an interview."
Amelia stared at him.
People didn't offer interviews to women they met in bookstores.
People especially didn't do it if they ran one of the biggest companies in the city.
"Tomorrow," Daniel said. "Ten o'clock."
"And if I don't come?"
His eyes met hers.
"Then I'll assume you were afraid to find out how capable you really are."
He stood, paid for his breakfast, and walked away.
Amelia watched him leave, equal parts annoyed and intrigued.
For the first time in months, hope felt possible.
She just didn't realize that accepting Daniel Carter's offer would draw her into a world where loyalty was tested, secrets carried a price, and love demanded more courage than either of them believed they possessed.
- Writer
