Chapter 3: The Offer
1410 Words
Sera's phone rang at 8:14 the next morning.
She was standing in the kitchen, staring into the refrigerator and trying to decide whether coffee counted as breakfast.
The unfamiliar number made her hesitate.
Then she answered.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Vale?"
"Yes."
"This is Nora Bennett from Bennett & Cole."
Sera straightened.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to speak with you about yesterday's interview."
Her stomach tightened.
"We'd like to offer you the position."
For a moment, Sera said nothing.
"You mean..."
"Junior Design Architect. We'd like you to start Monday."
Sera closed her eyes.
"Yes."
Nora laughed softly.
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
"Good. I'll send the paperwork over this afternoon. Congratulations, Sera."
"Thank you."
The call ended.
Sera stood frozen.
Then she looked toward the hallway.
"Adrian!"
Footsteps approached.
"What happened?"
"I got it."
He stopped.
"What?"
"I got the job."
His face broke into a grin.
"You got it?"
She nodded.
"I got it."
He laughed.
"I knew you would."
Sera couldn't contain herself.
She crossed the kitchen and threw her arms around him.
Adrian caught her automatically.
One hand landed against her waist to steady her.
For one brief second, neither of them moved.
Sera became suddenly aware of how close they were.
Adrian seemed to realize it at the same time.
His hand dropped.
"Sorry."
"It's okay."
She stepped back.
They looked at each other.
Then Sera laughed nervously.
"Sorry."
"For what?"
"I don't know."
He smiled.
"You don't have to apologize for being happy."
She smiled back.
"I really got the job."
"I know."
She hugged him again.
This time, he kept his hands safely at her shoulders.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
When she finally pulled away, Adrian looked almost as happy as she felt.
"Breakfast," he said.
Sera laughed.
"You're obsessed with feeding me."
"Someone has to."
By lunchtime, Sera had told Camille.
By afternoon, she'd signed the paperwork.
By evening, she had convinced herself that she wasn't nervous about Monday.
She was.
Very.
Adrian found her sitting at the dining table surrounded by papers.
"You've been staring at that handbook for an hour."
"It's important."
"It's forty-three pages."
"Exactly."
He pulled out the chair opposite her.
"You're going to work at an architecture firm, not infiltrate the government."
"You don't know what their employee handbook says."
"I know it probably doesn't contain state secrets."
Sera closed the folder.
"What if I mess up?"
"You won't."
"What if everyone is better than me?"
"They won't be."
"You don't know that."
"I know you."
She looked at him.
He said it so simply.
Like knowing her was enough to make the answer obvious.
"You always make everything sound easy."
"No."
He leaned back.
"I just know you don't give yourself enough credit."
Sera smiled.
"You're annoyingly supportive."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I'll take it anyway."
She laughed.
Monday morning came too quickly.
Sera stood outside Bennett & Cole with her portfolio in one hand and coffee in the other.
The building was modern without being intimidating.
Glass walls.
Open spaces.
People moving quickly through the lobby.
She took a breath.
Then walked inside.
"You're Sera Vale."
She turned.
Nora Bennett stood behind her.
"Yes."
"Good. You're early."
"I wasn't sure how long traffic would take."
"Smart."
Nora handed her a folder.
"Your desk is upstairs. You'll be working with the residential development team."
Sera nodded.
"Thank you."
"And don't worry about trying to impress everyone."
Sera blinked.
Nora smiled.
"Just do good work."
She walked away.
Sera stared after her.
That sounded familiar.
She shook her head.
Adrian's influence was apparently following her to work.
The first two hours went smoothly.
Then Ethan Cole appeared.
He stopped beside her desk.
"You must be the new architect."
Sera looked up.
"That's me."
He held out his hand.
"Ethan."
She shook it.
"Sera."
"I know."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Should I be concerned?"
He smiled.
"Nora mentioned you."
"Good things, I hope."
"Mostly."
She laughed.
"Mostly?"
"She said your portfolio was good."
"That's reassuring."
"She also said you have strong opinions."
Sera smiled.
"That sounds less reassuring."
"It depends."
"On?"
"Whether you're usually right."
She laughed.
"Ask me after the first project."
"I might."
Ethan walked away.
Sera returned to her screen.
She didn't notice the small smile on her face.
The project arrived just before lunch.
A residential development that had been stalled for weeks.
The team was struggling with the layout.
Sera studied the plans.
Something bothered her.
She looked again.
Then again.
Finally, she stood.
"Can I ask something?"
Ethan glanced over.
"Sure."
"Why is the eastern access point here?"
"Because that's where the original plan placed it."
"But the morning light hits this side."
He looked at the drawing.
"So?"
"If the buildings are arranged this way, the first three units will lose natural light for most of the morning."
Ethan studied the plans.
Sera pointed to another section.
"And this corridor is too narrow."
A senior designer looked up.
"We've already checked the measurements."
"I know."
She turned the plan toward him.
"But the measurements don't account for the revised fire regulations."
Silence.
The senior designer took the paper.
He checked.
Then checked again.
"She's right."
Ethan looked at Sera.
"You're good."
She smiled.
"I told you."
He laughed.
"Strong opinions."
"Usually right."
"Apparently."
By five, Sera was exhausted.
She packed her things.
Her phone buzzed.
Adrian: First day?
She smiled.
Sera: Survived.
Adrian: That's not an answer.
Sera: It was actually good.
Adrian: Knew it.
She hesitated.
Then typed:
Sera: I caught a problem in the project plans.
Adrian: Of course you did.
Sera: You sound unsurprised.
Adrian: I'm not.
She smiled.
Adrian: Proud of you.
Sera stared at the message.
Her smile softened.
Sera: Thanks.
She put her phone away.
Ethan appeared beside her.
"Heading home?"
"Yes."
"Want coffee?"
Sera looked at him.
"Now?"
"There is a café downstairs."
She hesitated.
It wasn't a date.
Probably.
"Maybe another day."
Ethan smiled.
"Another day, then."
He walked away.
Sera watched him for a second.
She wasn't sure what she thought about him yet.
He was easy to talk to.
Funny.
Confident.
And apparently interested.
That last part made her uncomfortable.
Not because she disliked it.
Because she hadn't expected anyone to notice her so quickly.
When Sera arrived home, Adrian was in the kitchen.
He looked up.
"How was it?"
"Good."
"Just good?"
"Really good."
She put her bag down.
"There's this guy..."
Adrian's expression remained neutral.
"What guy?"
"Someone from work."
"What about him?"
"He offered to buy me coffee."
Adrian nodded.
"That's nice."
Sera studied him.
"That's all you have to say?"
"What am I supposed to say?"
"I don't know."
He turned back toward the stove.
"Do you want coffee?"
She laughed.
"You didn't answer."
"Because there isn't a question."
"Fine."
She walked closer.
"What are you making?"
"Dinner."
"You're cooking again?"
"Yes."
"You cook too much."
"You eat too little."
She smiled.
"Fair."
He handed her a plate.
She took it.
"Thanks."
They sat across from each other.
Sera told him about her first day.
The project.
The mistake she caught.
Nora's reaction.
Ethan.
She didn't notice Adrian's expression when she mentioned Ethan.
He only asked one question.
"Do you like him?"
Sera paused.
"I barely know him."
"Right."
She tilted her head.
"Why?"
"No reason."
She smiled.
"You're curious."
"I'm allowed to be curious."
"Of course."
She returned to her food.
Neither noticed how long the silence lasted afterward.
Later that night, Sera stood in the kitchen filling a glass of water.
Adrian walked in.
Their shoulders almost collided.
He stepped back.
"Sorry."
"It's fine."
She smiled.
He reached past her for a glass.
Their hands brushed.
Both stopped.
It was barely anything.
A touch.
Nothing more.
Yet neither moved immediately.
Sera looked at him.
Adrian looked back.
Then he cleared his throat.
"You should sleep."
"Probably."
She stepped aside.
He filled his glass.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Sera walked toward her room.
She stopped at the doorway.
"Adrian?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything."
He smiled.
"Anytime."
She nodded.
Then disappeared into her room.
Adrian remained in the kitchen.
He looked down at the glass in his hand.
Then toward her closed door.
For seven years, being close to Sera had felt effortless.
Now, for the first time, he was beginning to notice how dangerous effortless could become.
And somewhere across the city, Ethan Cole was thinking about asking Sera Vale out.
Adrian just didn't know it yet.
- Writer
