JOY IN CHAOS

e buzzed beside her, lighting up the screen with another message from Nichol

make you resume so early to work

light of her week. Since the gala event, they'd been texting non-stop, that it has even gotten t

n't worry, I get plenty of coffe

came almost

, perhaps? Dinner? You can pick the p

d soft spoken man, she had never seen anyone like that. His interest in her felt genuine, and their conversations had grown more personal over the la

typed back, adding a wink

n, though her thoughts remained on Nicholas. He was so different from Rich

ad been... dif

beautiful thoughts of Nicholas befo

Lexi

ands tucked into the pockets of his tailored suit. His dark eyes met hers,

" she asked, as she

for lunch today," he said

rom Richard. She blinked, she was caught off guard. "Lunch?" she asked agai

his jaw tightening as if th

ame man who had berated her for the smallest mistakes j

I have a lot of work to cat

no room for argument. "You've been workin

r, he added, "It's not a sugges

cale restaurant, the tension between them was intense. Mabel toyed with her fork,

poke, it wasn't w

n?" he asked, his vo

ract her. I mean this is someone who has actively contributed to making me have the

icking to her. "You've

compliment? From Richard Sinclai

" she said

ormal conversation. But then her phone buzzed on the table,

p her phone, along wi

on that dinn

ed, and Mabel braced

lking to him?" he as

tion becoming evident. "E

tone clipped. "You've been chatti

s none of your business," sh

he shot back. "He's not what you think, Mabel. He's a playbo

you can dictate who I talk to just because you're my boss? N

est, each beat fueled by a mix of frustration and nervous energy rushing through her body. A s

able. For a moment, she thought he might lash out again

have the right to tell you what to do. B

tared at him in disbelief. Was this the s

otection," she said,

to the table. "Maybe not. But tha

er work, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Richard's words. There was s

ishing up her tasks, Richard appea

his voice low. "For earlier. I sho

incerity in his expression. "It's fine," s

d. "I was in my feelings. Y

was a softness in his eyes that she hadn't seen bef

," she sai

in the doorway for a momen

s's charm and sweetness had drawn her in, but Richard's

aught her off guard. But at the same time, Nicholas represented something safe

r text from Nicholas, Mabel sig

lds. And one imp