The Troubled Heart

Chapter4

By Friday evening, I’m already exhausted. It’s been a full week at this new job, and honestly? I actually really love it- except for one tiny annoying detail,my boss won’t look at me for more than ten seconds.

Makes me wonder if I imagined the rooftop connection. Maybe he’d had one drink too many. Maybe I read too much into it. Maybe I’m just delusional.

I shove my laptop into my bag, grab a few files I need to finish coding from home, and right then my phone dings. Sierra.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten drinks tomorrow.”

I smile.

“Course not, sweetie.”

She replies immediately:

“Picking you up at 6.”

Me :“Yeah, babe.”

I’m actually excited. She’s been the one stable thing I’ve had since I moved here, and I can’t wait to fill her in on everything.

Saturday, I ditch the whole “dress LA-coded” nonsense. I pull on jeans and a black top. Simple and so me.

A car honks outside .Sierra,Of course.

I rush down the stairs.

“Biiiitch,” I yell as soon as I open the door, “you look good as hell. How did you get prettier in one week?”

She bursts into laughter. “I don’t know, babe. I just glow.”

We drive to the restaurant she’s been dying to take me to. When we walk in to the entryway of the restaurant,I can already hear soft music playing as we walk towards the hostess

“Table for two,” Sierra says, smiling like she owns the place.

“Name?”

“Sierra Smith.”

We follow her inside and—damn. The place is gorgeous. Soft, ambient lighting glows gently across the space, nothing asks for attention, yet everything commands respect. It’s a space that whispers wealth, comfort, and taste.

“Oh wow,” I whisper, leaning toward her as we walk. “This is some expensive s**t. And I’m completely underdressed. Thank God it’s your treat because I definitely cannot afford this.”

Sierra smirks. “Relax. My girlfriend and I come here all the time. Nobody cares. You’re lucky I’m exposing you to the good things in life.”

At the table, I pull out a chair for her because I’m a gentleman like that, then sit across from her.

“Sparkling water?” the waiter asks.

“Yes, please,” Sierra answers. I nod. “For me too, thanks.”

I grin at her. “You know, if you weren’t taken and I wasn’t gay, I would think you were trying to win my heart.”

She scoffs. “Even if I wasn’t taken, babe, you’re not my type.” We both laugh.

The waiter comes back to bring our water and take our orders and i just leave it to Sierra because I could tell she really wanted to get a specific food on the menu for me and I didn’t mind,I don’t know much about all this anyways.

As soon as the waiter leaves, I lean in. “Oh my God, babe, you won’t believe who my new boss is.”

She squeals. “Tell me! You know suspense stresses me.”

“It’s the cute guy from the party,” I say, raising an eyebrow. “The one I talked to.”

Her mouth drops open. “What—the Archer Walton? I should’ve guessed when you said cybersecurity. So you work at Walton Dynamics? Wow.”

The server brings out food and I must say they don’t delay at all . The quality of the food really matches the aesthetics of the restaurant ,I really can’t wait to try it

I nod to Sierra’s question, stabbing a piece of food. It tastes incredible. So rich ,like an experience“Yep.”

“So how’s it been? How do you act normal around someone you were literally flirting with a few weeks ago?”

“Shockingly easy,” I say. “He’s so professional. I barely see him. And when I do? Strictly work. No extra seconds of eye contact. Nothing.”

“That’s… good?” she says more like a question . “I’ve heard he’s very rigid. Keeps to himself. Nobody knows much about him.”

I shrug. “Yeah. It helps keep things uncomplicated. I’m honestly starting to think I misread everything. Maybe he was just being nice.”

Sierra gives me a look. “The Archer Walton I’ve heard about is not ‘nice.’ And I saw how you two were. That wasn’t platonic.”

“Don’t give me ideas,” I laugh. “If he wasn’t acting so professional, I don’t think I’d hold myself together.”

“I understand,” she says, leaning back. “He’s literally built like a Greek god. And those eyes? Whew. If I was single…”

“Si,” I gasp dramatically, tapping her hand, “are you helping or sabotaging me?”

“I’m helping,” she giggles. “I promise.”

“Good. Because I am officially matching his energy now. Professional and focused. I won’t even care if he stood in front of me right now.”

Sierra stops mid- sip. She squints like she’s itching to tell me something I don’t want to hear.

“Uhhh…you sure about that babe?”

“Yes one hundred percent”

“Ok so ,don’t freak out ” she whispers.

“What? What’s that?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.

She points subtly over my shoulder. “Look… that’s Archer. Right there.”

I freeze.

Archer? The one I promised myself I wouldn’t think about right now? Yeah, that’s working out perfectly.

“Really?,stop messing with me” I ask, forcing my tone calm.

Sierra nods. “Yes. That’s him.”

I turn slowly, trying not to make it obvious that my heart just fell all the way to my ass. And there he is.

Sitting at a table across the restaurant, impeccably dressed in a suit that fits him like it was carved for him alone. The lighting catches the angles of his jaw, his hair perfectly in place, and those eyes,blue and sharp, scanning the room, look like they could see right through me.

And he’s not alone. A blonde woman sits with him, laughing at something he says, completely caught up in his presence. She’s gorgeous—like the kind of flawless that makes you question your own existence.

I force my shoulders to relax and try to act nonchalant. Totally professional and neutral. Absolutely unaffected by the greek-god energy.

Sierra leans closer, trying not to laugh. “Who is she?”

“I… I don’t know,” I murmur, leaning forward slightly. “But she’s smoking hot.”

“I would ignore me too if I had someone like that,” I joke weakly, masking the of disappointment I feel. “Can’t blame him.”

Sierra snickers. “Oh, you’re hiding it too well. I can see your brain melting.”

“Shut up,” I whisper, though a small, guilty smile escapes

I can’t help but wonder who the gorgeous blond is ,was she his girlfriend ,even if she is why do I care ,he’s my boss and there’s nothing between us .At least he makes sure there isn’t.