A groan escaped me as I tossed in bed, blinking against the morning light. Wait...
My eyes flew open and I lunged for my alarm clock, the same one that apparently decided to retire without notice.
"Shit." I scrambled out of the sheets, half-tripping as I bolted to the bathroom.
Between breaking off my engagement, dodging my ex-fiancé's father, and the chaos after the bombing, I hadn't had a moment to breathe. Last night was the first proper sleep I'd gotten in days... too proper, apparently.
I got ready at record speed, rushing for Ellie's New Year's party at the hospital. It was a sweet idea, throwing a celebration for patients who couldn't go home for the holidays but right now, I was mostly focused on not arriving late enough for Ellie to kill me.
I grabbed my keys off the counter and rushed out the door. I hadn't even made it two minutes into the drive before my phone started ringing.
Groaning, I balanced it between my shoulder and ear while fumbling for my hospital pass.
"Catherine speaking."
"Miss Catherine," came Ronald's voice through the receiver, smooth, deep, and enough to momentarily knock the breath out of me.
"I'm calling to remind you of our date."
My brows drew together as I looped the pass around my neck. "Date?"
He chuckled, the low sound doing to me things I didn't want to admit. "It might have been a dream then. But since I have you on the line I'd like to ask you to accompany me to the New Years town gala."
My fingers drummed against the steering wheel. "I..."
"It's strictly business," he cut in. "With everything that happened at the town square, I want to announce my candidacy for mayor. Build some momentum."
I bit the inside of my cheek.
I mean... he wasn't wrong. As his agent, I was supposed to be there for announcements like this, spin the story, follow up with the press. It was my job. Still, after the other night, the night we almost kissed... I almost kissed him, I didn't trust myself around him. Not entirely.
But I couldn't run from him forever. I signed up for this project, and I wasn't a quitter.
"My sister's party is today," I said finally, "but I think I can carve out some time."
"Perfect," he said. "I'll pick you up from the hospital."
"No!" I blurted. "No, it's fine. I have a few things to take care of before then."
A bloody lie but who's keeping track?
"I don't mind," he said smoothly. "Maybe I can help with whatever it is you've got going on."
I laughed nervously. "That's my job, Mr. Tu-Ronald."
"I'll pick you up at five?"
I hesitated, cursed my inability to say no, then sighed. "Five is fine."
"See you then, Miss Catherine."
"Bye."
I pulled up at the hospital parking lot, literally running through the place. By the time I'd got to the top floor I was sweating and out of breath.
Ellie turned with her IV pole in tow. "I was starting to think you'd bailed."
I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to steady my breathing. "Not a million years. How can I help?"
She grinned and held up a set of deflated inflatable letters. "Those lungs look healthy. Put them to work."
The lungs in question felt like they were on fire, but regardless of that, I took the letters and got to work while Ellie disappeared with some of her friends.
"Miss Catherine," Hannah, the head nurse, called, beaming as she walked over. "Always wonderful to see you. I see you're already pitching in, as usual. This year's party is going to be our best yet."
She pulled out a chair and added, "The board of directors and a few investors will be joining us."
I slid closer as my curiosity grew. "Is something going on?"
She giggled like we were sharing a secret. "No, dear. Just the usual donor check-in. They want to see where their money's going."
I hummed in response and before I could say anything else, she was called away. Now I noticed it, the slightly over the top decorations, staff in their brightest uniforms, the air was filled with excitement. A smile ghosted over my face but the moment was cut off by the rumble of my stomach.
That's what happens when you leave the house on adrenaline alone.
I wandered down to my favorite vending machine, popped in some coins, and waited for my candy bar to drop. The wrapper crinkled loudly in the quiet hallway.
I took a bite and sighed. "You really need to get your life together, Catherine," I muttered to the chocolate.
"Don't be too hard on yourself."
I jumped, nearly dropping the candy as I spun around, my pulse thundering in my ears.
"Mr... Ronald." My breath caught. "What are you doing here?"
If I didn't know any better I would have thought he was following around like a stalker. But I did. Ronald didn't chase women, they chased him.
"I'm here for the party." He announced like that much was obvious.
My confusion must've shown on my face, because he added, "I'm an investor. Got the invite yesterday. Wasn't planning on coming... until I heard you'd be here."
My breath hitched. Did he just... admit to coming here because of me? Reel it in Catherine. Don't do that thing you usually do, where you overthink and end up getting way ahead of yourself. He probably came to talk about the campaign... yeah. That's probably it.
I forced a polite smile, crumpling the paper of the candy bar. "Enjoy the party Ronald."
I started to walk past him, but his hand gently closed around my arm, sending a wave of heat straight to my face. I looked up at him, his eyes gleaming with unspoken words.
It seemed like time slowed and nothing else existed apart from that moment. But then he slowly let go, clearing his throat.
"Forgive me," he said quietly. "That was uncalled for. I'll be at the main hall with the others."
I nodded stiffly, brushing past him with a weak smile and the crumpled candy wrapper clenched in my fist like it was holding me together.
Why did he always have to look at me like that?
I ducked into the staff lounge, shutting the door behind me as if that flimsy piece of wood could block out the chaos he left in his wake. I slumped into the nearest chair and buried my face in my hands.
I just needed a moment to gather my thoughts before I could return to Catherine with the nerve of steel. Except the moment didn't come.
Instead, Ellie barged in with a silver paper crown on her head, and a twinkle in her eyes that made me immediately suspicious.
"Guess who's charming the socks off every investor in the main hall?" she said, sing-songing the words like a high school gossip.
I groaned into my hands. "Ellie, don't-"
"Too late," she interrupted gleefully, dropping into the seat beside me. "Your not-boyfriend just made a donation big enough to fund two new pediatric wards. Two, Catherine. I nearly choked on my juice box."
I looked at her sideways. "Maybe he actually believes in the cause."
"Oh, I'm sure he does. But I also think he believes in you," she said, wiggling her eyebrows. "You should've seen how he was watching the door. Like some lovesick vampire waiting for his midnight snack."
"Ellie," I warned, fighting the heat creeping up my neck.
She held up her hands. "Fine, fine. I'll drop it. But don't come crying to me when he ends up in the gossip columns with some heiress and you're here pretending you never had a chance."
"I'm not pretending," I muttered. "There is no chance. I'm his agent. This is business. Strictly. Besides I just broke up with Jayden... his son."
Ellie gave me a long, knowing look. "Sure. Just keep telling yourself that."
She left me with that bomb and bounced back into the hallway, probably to terrorize another unsuspecting nurse with her blunt observations. I stayed a moment longer, letting the silence settle around me before finally standing and straightening my dress.
Business.
I kept chanting it like a mantra as I returned to the party preparations, past the cheerful chaos of balloons and sparkly decorations. I managed to avoid Ronald for the next hour, though I caught sight of him a few times, surrounded by donors, a polite smile on his face, but his eyes were always drifting.
It was almost five when Hannah waved me over with a clipboard and a beaming smile.
"Could you help me with the raffle announcements?" she asked. "We're short one volunteer."
"Sure," I said automatically, anything to take my mind off this.
I was halfway through reading out ticket numbers when I caught a flicker of movement near the entrance. Ronald. He stood by the doors, watching me. Not the raffle. Not the cheerful crowd. Me.
And I hated how that made my heart skip.
