Chapter 34 Stolen Moments
Monday Morning
Elena knocked on Mrs. Chen's door at seven-thirty, Leo bouncing with barely contained energy beside her.
The door opened, and Mrs. Chen's face lit up. "There's my favorite boy!"
She reached for a hug, but Leo was already launching into his story.
"Mrs. Chen! Mrs. Chen! We went to the zoo! And I was on Alexander's shoulders and I was SO tall! And we saw elephants—they're really big—and I got a stick—Mama made me leave it at home but it's a really good stick—and we had a p-p-picnic and—"
Mrs. Chen laughed, finally managing to pull him into a hug. "Slow down, sweetheart. I can't understand you when you talk so fast."
"But I have so much to tell you!"
"I can see that." She looked up at Elena with knowing eyes. "And who is this Alexander?"
Leo answered before Elena could. "He's Mama's friend! He has a shiny car and he knows about dinosaurs and he's coming to my birthday party!"
"Is he now?"
"Yep! I invited him and he said yes!" Leo wriggled out of her arms. "Can I have juice?"
"Of course. Go pick which kind you want."
He ran off to her kitchen, and Mrs. Chen turned to Elena with raised eyebrows.
"So. Alexander."
Elena's face heated. "It's—we're—"
"You look happy."
"I am. Terrified, but happy."
"Good." Mrs. Chen squeezed her arm. "You deserve happy. Both of you do."
Leo reappeared with a juice box. "Mrs. Chen, did you know Alexander can make pan-cakes? With blue-berries!"
"Can he?"
"Yeah! And they were so good! Better than Mama's!"
"Hey!" Elena protested.
"Sorry, Mama. Yours are good too. But his were—" Leo made an explosion gesture with his hands. "—really good."
Mrs. Chen's smile widened. "Well, he sounds very impressive."
"He is! And he's tall. Like really really tall. Taller than you!"
"Most people are taller than me, sweetheart."
Elena kissed Leo goodbye, listening to him continue his Alexander narrative as she left.
On the bus to work, she caught herself smiling and couldn't stop.
The office was its usual Monday chaos—phones ringing, people rushing, Victoria already on her third cup of coffee.
Elena settled at her desk, pulling up emails, trying to look professional and not like someone who'd spent the weekend falling deeper in love.
At eight-thirty, Alexander's office light turned on.
She didn't look. Stayed focused on her screen.
Five minutes later, her phone buzzed.
Good morning.
She bit back a smile and texted back: Morning.
How was the bus?
Crowded. How was your meeting yesterday?
Boring. I spent the whole time thinking about you.
You're supposed to pay attention in meetings.
Hard to pay attention when someone keeps occupying my thoughts.
Smooth.
I try. Coffee later?
We work together. We have coffee every day.
Not that kind of coffee. The kind where I get to look at you without pretending I'm not.
Her face heated. She glanced around—Jenna was on a call, Victoria's door was closed, no one was watching.
Victoria has a lunch meeting at noon. Conference room B.
I'll be there.
Elena set down her phone and tried to focus on work, heart racing.
The morning crawled by.
Elena managed schedules, handled calls, prepared reports. Professional. Efficient. Exactly like always.
Except she felt Alexander's presence constantly. Heard his voice in meetings. Caught glimpses of him through his office window.
At eleven, he walked past her desk to Victoria's office. As he passed, his hand brushed her shoulder—so quick, so subtle, anyone watching would think it was accidental.
Her skin tingled where he'd touched.
At eleven-thirty, Victoria emerged already on her phone.
"Elena, I'm leaving for my lunch meeting. I'll be back by two. Handle anything urgent."
"Of course."
Victoria left, heels clicking across marble, already issuing instructions to whoever was on the phone.
The moment the elevator doors closed, Elena's phone buzzed.
Conference room B. Now.
She grabbed her tablet to make it look legitimate and walked down the hall, heart hammering.
The conference room was empty except for Alexander, standing by the windows with two takeout containers.
The moment she closed the door, he was there, arms around her, pulling her close.
"Hi," he breathed against her hair.
She melted into him, hands fisting in his shirt. "Hi."
They stood like that for a long moment, just holding each other.
"I missed you," he said finally.
"You saw me this morning."
"Not like this. Not close enough."
She tilted her head back, and he kissed her—soft and thorough and perfect.
When they broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers. "Two days felt like forever."
"It was less than forty-eight hours."
"Forever," he repeated.
She smiled, running her fingers through his hair. "You're being dramatic."
"I'm being honest." He kissed her again, quick and sweet. "Come on, I brought lunch."
He'd gotten Thai food from the place down the street—pad Thai for her, curry for him, spring rolls to share.
They sat at the conference table, close enough that their knees touched.
"How was Leo this morning?" Alexander asked, stealing a bite of her noodles.
"Still talking about the zoo. Mrs. Chen couldn't get a word in."
"He was pretty excited."
"He won't stop talking about you. 'Alexander this, Alexander that.'" She smiled. "I think you've made a permanent impression."
"Good. That was the plan."
"Was it?"
"Absolutely. Win over the kid first, the mom follows naturally."
"Very strategic."
"I'm a businessman. Strategy is what I do." But his eyes were soft, teasing.
They ate in comfortable silence for a while, stealing food from each other's containers.
"Three weeks right?" Alexander asked eventually.
"What?"
"Until Leo's birthday. Three weeks."
"You're really coming?"
"I promised him I would. And I want to." He squeezed her hand. "If that's okay with you."
"Of course it is. I just—" She paused. "I don't want you to feel obligated."
"I don't feel obligated. I want to celebrate your son turning three." He smiled. "What's the plan? Party at your house?"
"Small gathering. Mrs. Chen, maybe a couple of Leo's little friends from the park. Nothing fancy."
"Sounds perfect. What does he want? For presents?"
"Alexander, you don't have to—"
"I want to. What does he like besides dinosaurs?"
"Everything is dinosaurs right now. Dinosaur books, dinosaur toys, dinosaur clothes."
"Noted. More dinosaurs it is."
She laughed, leaning into him. "You're really doing this."
"Doing what?"
"Being part of our lives. Meeting Leo. Coming to birthday parties. All of it."
"Did you think I wasn't serious?"
"I think I'm still processing that you are."
He turned to face her fully, both hands cupping her face. "Elena. I love you. I love Leo. This isn't some phase I'm going through. This is what I want."
Her eyes burned. "I love you too."
"I know." He kissed her softly. "But I like hearing it."
Her phone buzzed. She glanced at it and groaned. "Victoria's back early. Ten minutes."
"We should go."
They packed the containers quickly, wiped down the table, made sure no evidence remained.
At the door, Alexander caught her hand one more time.
"Tonight?"
"I have Leo."
"I know. Can I come over? I could bring dinner. Or we could just—I want to see you. Both of you."
"You just saw us this weekend."
"And now I'm greedy. Want to see you every day."
She smiled, heart full. "Come at six. But bring nothing. I'll cook."
"You don't have to—"
"I want to."
He kissed her forehead. "Okay."
"Okay."
They left the conference room separately—him first, then her two minutes later.
Back at her desk, Elena tried to look normal, professional, like she hadn't just been kissing Alexander Thorne in conference room B.
Jenna glanced over. "You okay? You look flushed."
"Fine. Just—warm in here."
"It's freezing. Victoria keeps the AC on arctic."
"Right. I must be coming down with something."
Jenna studied her for a moment, then shrugged and returned to her work.
Elena exhaled slowly, pulling up her emails.
Her phone buzzed one more time.
You look beautiful when you're trying not to smile.
She bit her lip, fighting the grin threatening to break free, and typed back: Stop watching me. People will notice.
Let them.
Alexander.
Fine. But tonight I get to watch you all I want.
Deal.
She set down her phone and finally let herself smile.
That Evening
Alexander arrived at six with a bottle of wine despite her saying bring nothing.
"It's for you, not dinner," he argued when she raised an eyebrow.
Leo tackled his legs the moment he walked in. "You came back!"
"I promised I would."
"Did you bring your car?"
"It's outside."
"Can I see it?"
"After dinner, maybe."
Elena had made spaghetti and meatballs—simple, kid-friendly, the kind of meal she could pull together after work.
They ate at her small kitchen table, Leo chattering about his day with Mrs. Chen, Alexander listening like it was the most fascinating story he'd ever heard.
After dinner, they did let Leo sit in the car for five minutes, pressing buttons Alexander allowed while Elena stood on the sidewalk watching.
Bath time was chaos—Leo splashing water everywhere, Alexander getting soaked trying to help.
"I tried to warn you," Elena said, handing him a towel.
"Worth it." He dried his face, grinning.
Bedtime story was the bear with the missing button again. Alexander read it this time, doing voices that made Leo giggle.
When Leo finally drifted off, they retreated to the living room.
Elena curled into Alexander's side on the couch, his arm around her, comfortable silence settling over them.
"This is nice," she said softly.
"It is."
"Normal. Domestic. Boring, even."
"Not boring. Perfect."
She tilted her head to look at him. "You really mean that."
"Every word." He kissed her temple. "I could do this every day and never get tired of it."
"Even Leo splashing you during bath time?"
"Especially that."
They stayed like that until Alexander had to leave—both reluctant, both already planning tomorrow.
At the door, he kissed her one more time. "Same time tomorrow?"
"You don't have to come every night."
"I know. I want to."
"Alexander—"
"Unless you don't want me to?"
"I want you to. I just—I don't want you to feel like you have to."
"I don't feel like I have to. I feel like I get to." He smiled. "Big difference."
After he left, Elena cleaned up the kitchen, checked on Leo one more time, and got ready for bed.
Her phone buzzed as she was settling in.
Home safe. Already miss you.
You just left.
Doesn't matter. Still miss you.
Go to sleep, Alexander.
Only if you do too.
Deal.
Goodnight, Elena.
Goodnight.
She set down her phone, smiling at the ceiling in the darkness.
This—whatever this was becoming—felt too good to be real.
But it was real. Alexander in her kitchen. Leo laughing during bath time. Stolen kisses in empty conference rooms.
Real and terrifying and wonderful all at once.
And for the first time in her life, Elena wasn't looking for the catch.
She was just letting herself be happy.
One ordinary, magical day at a time.