Chapter 50

Wolfe's POV.

Last night was crazy—the good kind, but it left me with a lot to think about. As I sat at my drafting table, my sketches for the new jewelry collection spread out in front of me—they were almost finished, I couldn't help but reflect on the past few days. I was making solid progress on my designs, which was a pleasant surprise considering how distracted I usually got when I thought about Makenna.

I put down my pencil and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. Makenna. Our conversation about love and being in a relationship played on repeat in my head. Since I was old enough to know about women, I’d never committed to one woman. Relationships were messy and complicated, and I’d always thought they were for fools. Yet here I was, not just committing, but actually wanting to commit. What kind of sorcery had Makenna worked on me?

Hell, the idea had always seemed as foreign to me as a diet without carbs. My teenage years were a blur of wild parties, late-night escapades, and a string of short-lived flings. A chuckle escaped my lips as I thought about how the teenage version of me would’ve reacted to this. He’d probably slap me upside the head and call me an idiot. But that kid had no idea what he was missing. He’d never met anyone like Makenna.

My parents couldn’t possibly be in love—not the kind of love I felt for Makenna. My dad’s idea of a romantic gesture was upgrading Mom’s car every year, while Mom’s version of affection was letting Dad have the TV remote on his birthday. Real heartwarming stuff.

But with Makenna, it was different. It was intense, fiery, and all-consuming. I wanted to be the man she deserved, even if it meant stepping way out of my comfort zone. Love was uncharted territory for me, but if anyone could make me navigate it, it was her.

I was determined to make sure our relationship never turned into the cold façade my parents maintained.

I glanced at the sketches on the table. Jewelry design had always been my escape, my sanctuary. But now, it felt like a way to express what I couldn’t quite put into words. Each piece I designed seemed to reflect a piece of my feelings for Makenna. A delicate bracelet for her grace, a bold necklace for her strength. I wanted to create something that would show her how much she meant to me, even if I was still learning how to say it.

As I picked up my pencil again, ready to add more details to one of the designs, my thoughts drifted back to the conversation Makenna and I had. Her confession that she had been in love with me for a while had hit me like a ton of bricks. It felt like my heart had been squeezed in a vice. How had I been so blind?

I was looking forward to spending the weekend with her. The thought of having her all to myself, made me feel like a kid counting down the days to Christmas. I wanted to make up for lost time, to show her that I was serious about us. Learning to love her meant learning everything about her, understanding what made her laugh, what made her cry, and everything in between. It wasn’t going to be easy, but for her, I was willing to try.

A small smile tugged at my lips as I remembered the way she had looked at me when I asked her to be my girlfriend. I was willing to learn, to grow, to be better—for her. And if I had to make a fool of myself along the way, so be it. I had already done worse things for lesser reasons.

My office phone rang. I winced as Stella's annoying voice crackled through the speaker, pulling me back to the present. She was still here. Why was it so hard to find a replacement? Right. I’ve been really distracted lately. “Mr. Wolfe, Ms. Barnes would like to see you.”

Makenna? I wasn't expecting her today, but the idea of seeing her brought a smile to my face. “Send her in,” I replied, my heart picking up its pace.

The door opened, and I looked up, expecting to see Makenna, with those eyes that could cut right through me. Instead, it was Mackenzie, striding in with a folder in hand. Well, this was unexpected.

“I’ve sent the financial report for the month to your email,” she said, her tone all business.

“Alright,” I nodded. “I’ll check it out later. Can you give me a quick summary?”

She sat down and opened the folder, launching into the report. “Revenue for the month increased by 12%, primarily due to the new product lines. Expenses were slightly higher than projected, but we've managed to keep the profit margin stable. The balance sheet is strong, with current assets outweighing liabilities, ensuring solid liquidity. The cash flow statement shows a healthy influx from operations, though there's been a notable outflow due to capital expenditures.”

I nodded, impressed with the details but also a bit disappointed it wasn’t Makenna. “What’s your take on it?”

Mackenzie leaned back slightly, as though considering her words. “Overall, we're in a good financial position. The increased expenses are justified by the investments in new projects, and the return on investment looks promising. However, we should keep an eye on the capital expenditures to ensure they don't spiral out of control.”

“Good. Anything else?”

She shook her head and stood as if to leave. I turned back to my work, but her voice stopped me.

“Yes. One thing.” She cleared her throat. “I really like you, Wolfe.”

I looked up, genuinely surprised. “Mackenzie, this is a work environment. Let’s keep personal discussions outside of the office.”

She smirked, leaning against my desk. “You wouldn’t let me see you outside the office anyway.”

I raised an eyebrow, amused despite myself. “Well, this just got interesting.”

Ignoring my comment, she took a deep breath and continued. “I don’t usually tell anyone I like that I like them,” she continued, her eyes locked on mine. “But you’re an exception.”

An exception? I really didn’t want to find out what she meant by that. I chuckled, shaking my head. “I appreciate the honesty, but it really doesn’t matter because I don’t feel the same way.”

Her expression faltered for a moment before she recovered. “You’ll learn to love me, Wolfe. Give it time.”

I frowned, my patience wearing thin. “I have a girlfriend, Mackenzie. Besides, I’m not interested in any relationship with you.”

She paused, her eyes widening in shock. “Who is it?”

“Not that it's any of your business, but it’s Makenna.”

Her annoyance was visible for some seconds before she quickly masked it. “When did you start dating?”

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. “I’m not paying you to come into my office and interrogate me about my personal life, Ms. Barnes. Please, get back to work.”

Visibly angry, Mackenzie scoffed and stormed out without another word. I shook my head in disbelief. Women. One minute they’re confessing their undying love, the next they’re marching out like you’ve insulted their favorite designer.

I sighed, turning my attention back to my sketches. The weekend couldn’t come soon enough.