THE FEELINGS WE TRIED TO HIDE
1109 Words
Chapter Six
Nora Bennett had always believed that feelings were easier to understand on paper than in real life.
In books, everything made sense.
Characters fell in love for a reason.
They faced obstacles.
They confessed their feelings.
They found their happy ending.
But real life was different.
Real life was complicated.
Because sometimes the person who made your heart feel safe was the same person who made you afraid.
And lately, Garrett Hayes had become that person for Nora.
She sat at her desk, staring at the same paragraph she had been editing for the past twenty minutes.
The words on the screen blurred together.
Not because the work was difficult.
Because her mind was somewhere else.
With him.
Garrett.
She had spent enough time around him now to understand that the man everyone feared was not the man she knew.
The world saw a billionaire CEO who had everything.
Nora saw someone who carried invisible weight on his shoulders.
Someone who rarely smiled.
Someone who seemed surprised whenever someone showed genuine concern for him.
And that realization made her uncomfortable.
Because caring about Garrett was becoming easier than she wanted it to be.
"You're quiet today."
Nora looked up.
Claire stood beside her desk.
"I'm always quiet."
"Not like this."
Nora closed her laptop.
"Maybe I'm just tired."
Claire studied her for a moment but didn't push.
"You know you don't have to figure everything out immediately."
Nora frowned.
"Figure what out?"
Claire smiled slightly.
"You know exactly what."
Nora looked away.
She hated how easily Claire noticed things.
"I don't know what I'm feeling."
That was the most honest answer she had given.
Claire softened.
"Maybe that's because you've spent so long protecting yourself that you forgot what it feels like to let someone in."
Nora remained silent.
Because deep down, she knew there was truth in those words.
At Hayes Global Holdings, Garrett was having the same problem.
Except he refused to admit it.
He looked through the reports on his desk, but his attention was somewhere else.
Nora.
He had worked with hundreds of people.
People who wanted his approval.
People who wanted access to his wealth.
People who carefully chose every word around him.
But Nora was different.
She disagreed with him.
She questioned him.
She looked at him like he was human.
And that was something Garrett wasn't prepared for.
Michael entered his office.
"The foundation project is progressing well."
Garrett nodded.
"Good."
"Ms. Bennett's ideas have received positive feedback."
A small smile almost appeared on Garrett's face.
Almost.
"She is talented."
Michael noticed the change in his tone but said nothing.
Instead, he placed another file on the desk.
"There is still one issue."
Garrett's expression returned to seriousness.
"What is it?"
"The investors want reassurance about the company's future direction."
Garrett opened the file.
"I'll handle it."
Michael nodded.
Then he left.
Garrett leaned back in his chair.
The truth was, he could handle investors.
He could handle business problems.
He could handle pressure.
What he couldn't understand was why one woman had managed to affect his thoughts so easily.
Later that day, Nora arrived at Hayes Global Holdings for another project meeting.
She walked into Garrett's office carrying documents.
"You look busy."
Garrett looked up.
"I am."
"Should I come back later?"
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Nora paused.
Garrett noticed.
"I mean, the meeting can continue."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"You almost sounded like you wanted me to stay."
"I did not."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Of course not."
For a moment, the tension between them felt lighter.
Different.
Almost comfortable.
They spent the next hour discussing the foundation project.
But unlike their earlier meetings, there was less distance between them.
They laughed occasionally.
They disagreed.
They challenged each other's ideas.
And neither of them noticed when the professional line between them started becoming harder to define.
After the meeting, Nora gathered her things.
"Garrett."
He looked at her.
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Depends on the question."
She smiled.
"Do you always avoid personal questions?"
His expression changed slightly.
"Usually."
"Why?"
Garrett was quiet.
Then he answered honestly.
"Because people usually ask questions because they want something."
Nora looked at him.
"And you think I do?"
"No."
The answer surprised her.
"No?"
He shook his head.
"No, Nora. I don't."
The honesty in his voice made her heart beat faster.
"Then why do you let me ask?"
Garrett looked away for a moment.
Because he didn't have an answer.
Because with Nora, things felt different.
"I don't know."
It was a simple answer.
But for Garrett Hayes, admitting uncertainty was rare.
That evening, a storm covered the city.
Nora stood outside the building waiting for a taxi.
The rain grew heavier.
She looked at her phone.
Nothing.
A car stopped nearby.
The window lowered.
"Get in."
She looked inside.
Garrett.
"No, I'm fine."
"It's raining."
"I can wait."
"Nora."
The way he said her name made her stop.
Not as an order.
As concern.
She hesitated before entering.
The drive was quiet at first.
Not uncomfortable.
Just quiet.
"You always do that," Nora said.
Garrett looked at her.
"Do what?"
"Act like you don't care."
His hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel.
"I don't understand."
"Yes, you do."
She looked out the window.
"You help people. You notice things. You protect everyone around you."
A pause.
"But you pretend you don't have feelings."
Garrett didn't answer.
Because she was right.
After a while, he asked:
"What about you?"
Nora turned.
"What about me?"
"You do the same thing."
She looked surprised.
"I do not."
"You hide behind your work."
The words touched a place she didn't expect.
"You don't know that."
"I know more than you think."
Silence filled the car.
Because somehow, they both understood each other more than they wanted to admit.
When they reached Nora's apartment, she opened the door.
"Thank you for the ride."
Garrett nodded.
"Nora."
She looked back.
"Yes?"
For a moment, he wanted to say something.
Something honest.
Something he had never said to anyone.
But the words stayed trapped.
So instead, he said:
"Goodnight."
She smiled softly.
"Goodnight, Garrett."
That night, both of them lay awake thinking about the same thing.
The distance between them was disappearing.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Dangerously.
Neither wanted to admit it.
Neither wanted to be the first to say it.
Because sometimes the hardest words to speak were not words of anger or pain.
They were the words that revealed your heart.
And both Nora and Garrett were afraid of what would happen once those words were finally spoken.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD