Line In Between
606 Words
The next few days settled into an unexpected routine.
Mornings began with coffee.
Meetings.
Reports.
Arguments.
More reports.
And somehow, every conversation between Lia and Ethan ended the same way.
With one of them walking away annoyed.
Usually Lia.
"You forgot to eat."
Lia didn't look up from her laptop.
"I'm busy."
"So am I."
"Congratulations."
Ethan placed a paper bag on her desk.
"Lunch."
She frowned.
"I didn't ask for lunch."
"I know."
"Then why—"
"You'll get a headache if you skip meals."
Lia stared at the bag.
It was from the café downstairs.
Her favorite sandwich.
The one she'd only ordered once.
Weeks ago.
"...How did you know?"
"You order the same thing every time."
"I've only ordered it once."
"I remember."
Her heart skipped.
Just a little.
That afternoon, the office buzzed with excitement.
Blackwood Enterprises was hosting investors from overseas.
Everyone was rushing around.
Sophia handed Lia a folder.
"Mr. Blackwood wants you with him all day."
Lia sighed.
"When doesn't he?"
Sophia smiled.
"Good question."
The meetings lasted for hours.
Lia barely had time to breathe.
She followed Ethan from one conference room to another, taking notes, organizing documents, and answering calls.
By evening, her feet ached.
"I'm exhausted."
Ethan glanced at her.
"You've worked eight hours."
"It felt like eighty."
"I've worked fourteen."
"You're not helping."
As they left the final meeting, a young executive approached Ethan.
"Mr. Blackwood, your girlfriend is waiting downstairs."
The hallway fell silent.
Lia nearly dropped the files she was carrying.
Ethan looked at the executive.
"My what?"
The executive pointed toward the lobby.
"The woman who's always with you."
Lia's eyes widened.
"He's talking about me?"
The poor executive suddenly realized his mistake.
His face drained of color.
"I... I thought..."
"You thought wrong," Ethan said calmly.
The executive apologized repeatedly before practically running away.
The silence afterward was unbearable.
Lia cleared her throat.
"So..."
"So."
"They really believe the rumors."
"They do."
She looked away.
"It's getting ridiculous."
"It is."
Neither of them noticed the tiny disappointment that settled in Lia's chest when he denied it so quickly.
They reached the lobby just as the rain began again.
Heavy.
Cold.
Relentless.
"The driver is ten minutes away," Sophia said.
"I'll wait outside," Lia replied.
She stepped beneath the awning, watching the rain fall.
For a few minutes...
It was peaceful.
Then she heard footsteps behind her.
Ethan.
"You'll get wet."
"I'm under the roof."
"The wind is blowing this way."
Almost as if proving him right, a gust sent rain splashing onto her sleeves.
She sighed.
"Fine. You win."
"I usually do."
She rolled her eyes.
"I liked you better when you didn't joke."
"I made a joke?"
"You almost did."
Another flash of lightning lit up the street.
Instinctively, Lia flinched.
She'd never liked thunderstorms.
Ethan noticed.
"You don't like storms."
It wasn't a question.
"No."
He didn't ask why.
He simply stood beside her.
Close enough that she no longer felt alone.
Neither of them spoke.
The city was filled with noise.
Cars.
Rain.
Thunder.
Yet between them...
There was only silence.
Comfortable silence.
The kind neither of them had expected to find.
When the car finally arrived, Lia turned toward him.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
She smiled softly.
"For standing here."
Ethan held her gaze for a moment.
Then nodded.
"It seemed like the right thing to do."
The words were simple.
But Lia carried them with her all the way home.
Because little by little...
The line between boss and employee was beginning to blur.
And neither of them had noticed just how close they were getting.
- Writer
