Page 20 of Just My Luck

With my donut and coffee, I headed straight to Rick’s office to handle business. We sat down, and Rick asked for a full update on the Onyx deal. I laid it out flat—the compliance hurdles, the timeline, and the numbers—filling him in on everything Sterling was expecting from us.

Once we wrapped up, I went back to my own office and settled behind my desk to tackle the growing stack of files my father had left me. Two hours in, my line rang. It was Kit Sterling.

He kept the call brief, asking a few sharp, calculated questions about our roll-out strategy. But then his tone shifted into that smooth, predatory purr. He made a direct offer: he wanted to host me and Nova in Vegas again next weekend to “finalize the creative vision” over another private dinner.

The image of Kit leaning over Nova in that velvet booth, touching her shoulder and whispering in her ear, hit me like a physical punch to the gut. Knowing what Kit really wanted—and knowing I couldn’t trust myself not to break his jaw if he laid a finger on her again—I ended the call with a noncommittal answer.

Friday afternoon, Rick and Sofia were working hard on the Clear Creek Brewery account, and I was curious how it was going.

“Tell me you’ve signed off on the contracts,” I asked, leaning against the doorframe of Rick’s office, a rare, relaxed grin on my face now that the immediate fires were put out.

“Signed, sealed, and sent to legal,” Rick answered, tossing his pen onto the desk and leaning back in his chair. “You’ve been a lifesaver. Seriously. I don’t know why Dad didn’t put you in charge instead of dragging me back here.”

“Yeah, well, you owe me,” I chuckled, tapping the wood frame. “But, hey, since you’re finally caught up, I need a favor. I shifted some pieces around and put Nova on those retail accounts that I’ve been trying to lock down. She’s already tearing through their market data.”

Rick looked up at me, a strange, knowing smirk tugging at his lips. “Nova, huh? Good choice. She knows how to close a deal.”

“She’s the best we have,” I said easily, the genuine respect I had for her coming out without hesitation. “Dad always said she had a better instinct for the heartbeat of this place than any of us. I just want to make sure she has the resources she needs.”

Rick watched me closely, his eyes sharp and analytical, though I didn’t care to unpack whatever game he thought he was playing.

“Well, if anyone can help you lock down those new accounts and show the rest of the board what you’re capable of, it’s her,” Rick said, testing the waters.

“Exactly,” I agreed, ignoring his tone.

“What’s the favor?” he asked.

I took a deep breath, the thought of Kit’s proposition burning in the back of my mind. “I need you to convince her not to go with me on the next Vegas trip.”

Rick’s eyebrows shot up. “Why?”

I rubbed the back of my neck, fighting off the urge to explain Sterling’s creepy fascination with her or the fact that I was fiercely protective of what was finally happening between us. “Just… don’t ask. Just find some reason to keep her here. Do this favor for me?”

Rick nodded slowly, taking in my tension. “Sure.”

“Great. Anyway, I’m heading out to check on the creative team. Don’t work too late. Some of us actually have a weekend to catch up on.”

“Will do.” Rick smiled.

I pushed off the doorframe and walked out, striding down the hallway with determined purpose. I was going to keep Nova safe and keep this company afloat. And this weekend, I was going to make damn sure I kept my promise to her by spending as much personal time with her as I could.

Chapter 9

Nova

Despite running on maybe three hours of sleep, I couldn’t stop the smile from tugging at my lips as I tapped away at my computer. I was exhausted down to my bones, but I was happier than I’d ever been in my entire life.

The last few days had felt like a dream. Every single night since our reconnection at Jax’s townhouse, I’d stayed with him. Last night was no exception. We’d abandoned all our stress at the door, ordered a greasy pizza, and sprawled out on his couch to watch some mindless action movie we barely paid attention to.

One look from him had ruined any chance of us finishing the film. We hadn’t made it to the bedroom until after midnight, and we hadn’t slept until the sun started peeking over the foothills.

Years of waiting, built-up tension, and hidden desire had exploded between us, and I was soaking in every single second, enjoying it all without a single thought for tomorrow. Actually, I purposely avoided thinking about the future.

My peaceful reverie shattered today the moment I walked down the hall to check on Sofia.

“Hey, I grabbed those app analytics you wanted—” I began, opening her office door.

I froze mid-step. Sofia was sitting rigid in her desk chair, her face utterly drained of color, her eyes wide with unadulterated terror.