Chapter 263

[ 974 words ]

Emilia’s POV

I realized I’d let something slip that I shouldn’t have, so I quickly changed the subject. “Dinner’s ready. Come on, let’s eat before it gets cold.”

Sebastian wasn’t letting it go that easily. “When I tell you not to take those tonics, you don’t take them. If anything happens to you, Emilia, so help me, you won’t like how I handle it.”

I thought he was just being dramatic, the way he always was. But when I woke up the next morning and went looking for the tonics, they were gone. He’d actually hidden them somewhere in the house. I stood there in the kitchen, torn between laughing and throwing something at his stupid, handsome head.

Ridiculous man.

I’d barely finished my coffee when a mind-link came through from Fynn. He’d sent over a stack of files first thing, briefing documents for the department I’d be joining at Hanson Group, along with a mountain of onboarding paperwork. My first day was tomorrow, and I intended to walk in knowing more than anyone expected me to.

I settled at my laptop and started reading through a report when Sebastian strolled in, phone in hand, looking far too pleased with himself.

“Caleb and Jeremy are dragging me out,” he announced. “Come with me.”

“I can’t,” I said without looking up. “I start work tomorrow. I have all of this to get through.”

“Bring it with you. You can read in the car.”

“Sebastian.”

“Fine, then leave it here. It’ll still be here when we get back.”

“I’m not going,” I said, finally meeting his eyes. “I want to do this properly. Go have fun with your friends.”

He tried three more times. He offered to cut the day short. He offered to buy me anything I wanted afterward. When I stayed firm, he finally gave up with a heavy sigh, kissed the top of my head, and left me to my files.

I’d been working for maybe an hour when my phone rang. Scott Hanson.

Scott wasn’t one to pester anyone. He never called unless it actually mattered, which was exactly why my stomach tightened a little when I saw his name.

“Hello, Mr. Hanson. Is everything alright?”

“Miss Taylor, are you free this evening?”

“Why?”

“Have dinner with me.”

“Didn’t we just have dinner the other day?”

“Can’t two people share a meal twice?” he asked.

“I’m a married woman, Mr. Hanson. It wouldn’t look right, me having dinner with another man all the time.”

“Are you serious right now? You sound like you crawled out of some black-and-white film. People marry, people divorce, it’s the most ordinary thing in the world these days. Don’t you think you’re being a little old-fashioned?”

I took a slow breath. “I don’t think so.”

He sighed. “So by your logic, married people can’t have friends of the opposite sex? They just cut themselves off from half the world?”

“That’s not what I said. There simply has to be a line. If I say yes to you tonight, that’ll be twice this week I’ve had dinner with you.”

“Do you have to keep such careful count of everything? Are you coming or not?”

“If you give me a reasonable reason, I’ll consider it.”

“Today is my birthday. Is that reason enough?”

I laughed. “Oh, come on. I ask for a reason and you pull ’birthday’ out of thin air? That’s the best you’ve got?”

“I’m being completely serious.”

“Give me a second. I need to verify this.”

I set the phone down and sent message to Lily.

“Hey, you there?”

A single question mark came back. “?”

“Quick question. Whose birthday is today?”

If it really was Scott’s birthday, Lily would know. She always knew. She paid attention to that Alpha like it was a full-time job.

“Scott Hanson,” she replied.

I blinked at the screen. “Huh. It actually is his birthday.”

I picked the phone back up and, with a resigned little sigh, gave in. “Alright then. Yes.”

It was his birthday. I had no real grounds to turn him down.

The second I hung up, another message from Lily lit up my screen. “Why on earth are you asking me that?”

And just like that, an idea bloomed in my head. A wonderful, meddlesome idea.

“So here’s the thing,” I typed. “I owe Scott a meal, and I already agreed to take him out for his birthday tonight. But something urgent just came up on my end, so I was wondering if you could maybe…”

Before I could even finish, her reply shot back. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Why not? Why?”

“I refuse to be anyone’s stand-in. And I’m not stupid, Emilia. You’re the one Scott wants to spend his birthday with, not me.”

“Please. I genuinely have something I can’t get out of. Just this once, help me out?”

“No!!!”

Time to bring out the heavy artillery.

“Fine. Then I’ll tell Scott tonight that you’ve got a massive crush on him.”

It worked instantly. I could practically feel the heat of her fury radiating through the screen.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Wouldn’t I? That’s what you get for leaving your best friend hanging. Push me and I’ll push right back, sweetheart.”

There was a long pause.

Finally, three little dots, then, “Ugh. FINE. But this is the first and last time, do you hear me?”

I smiled at the screen and typed one more line, gentle this time. “If the evening goes well, you should just tell him how you feel.”

Her answer was immediate. An angry emoji, followed by, “Mind your own business!!!”

I laughed out loud in the empty house. Eve stirred, warm and amused.

“She loves Scott,” Eve murmured drowsily. “You’re doing a kind thing.”

“I know,” I whispered. “Someone has to give her a push. That’s what friends are for.”

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