“So you're saying there's nothing between you guys? He’s just being nice to you?” Nelly’s voice had that teasing lilt, the one that always made Samantha feel like she was being scrutinized under a microscope.
Samantha glanced up from her computer screen, the bright light reflecting off her tired eyes.
She knew Nelly wasn’t going to let this go.
Not after she'd seen Caleb offer her a ride home after work the previous day.
“Exactly. Nothing,” Samantha replied, her tone firmer than she felt. “He’s just… considerate, that’s all.”
Nelly raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair with a skeptical grin.
“Come on, Sam. You can’t seriously expect me to believe that. He’s not just any guy. Guys like him don’t do ‘considerate’ without a reason.”
Samantha sighed, her fingers pausing over the keyboard. Nelly had a point, but she wasn’t ready to admit it.
“He’s just helping me out, okay? Maybe he feels bad for me or something. But that’s it.”
Nelly’s grin softened into something more thoughtful as she studied Samantha.
“You know, sometimes people act a certain way because they care, not just because they feel bad. Have you thought about that?”
Samantha bit her lip, her thoughts swirling in a mix of confusion and doubt.
She had thought about it.. more than she wanted to admit. But saying it out loud felt like crossing a line she wasn’t sure she was ready for.
“Maybe,” she finally murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “But it doesn’t feel that way. I feel like he's just being a nice person. Besides, I worked late yesterday that was why he offered to give me a ride home"
Nelly raised her hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay, it’s fine. I get it,” she said, though the glint in her eyes suggested she wasn’t entirely convinced.
Samantha offered a small smile before turning her attention back to her screen, her fingers moving across the keyboard with renewed focus.
The conversation might have ended, but her thoughts were far from settled.
She immersed herself in her design, the lines and colors taking shape as her mind tried to push away everything else.
The presentation was coming up soon, and if she could nail it, it could be a real game-changer for her career.
That was what she needed to focus on.. her work, her future.
But even as she tried to concentrate, Nelly’s words lingered, weaving their way through her thoughts.
Caleb’s actions had been puzzling, to say the least.
The way he’d offered her a ride home, the way he looked at her sometimes, as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.
It was confusing, and she didn’t like feeling confused.
She had told herself to brush it off.
She’d made that resolution last night, sitting in her room, replaying every interaction with Caleb in her mind.
He hadn’t said anything about liking her, hadn’t made any move that suggested he wanted more than friendship.
She needed to stop overthinking things, stop setting herself up for disappointment, especially when she wasn’t even fully healed from Tyler.
Tyler.
Her fingers faltered on the keyboard at the thought of him.
How was he doing? She hadn’t heard from him since that last time. No texts, no calls.
Was it because he found out she’d left? Did he finally give up on her?
A pang of guilt mixed with a strange sense of relief twisted in her chest.
She didn’t know what she wanted anymore, but she knew she couldn’t afford to dwell on it. Not now.
With a deep breath, Samantha pushed those thoughts aside and forced herself back into her work.
She’d deal with everything else later.
Right now, she had a presentation to perfect.
Just as Samantha was about to dive back into her work, the sound of the main door swinging open pulled her attention away from the screen.
A lady strode into the office, her presence commanding immediate notice.
She was tall, with perfectly styled hair that cascaded down her back.
Dressed in a designer suit, with heels that clicked sharply against the floor, she looked like she stepped right off the cover of a fashion magazine. Every inch of her screamed wealth and confidence.
The lady didn’t hesitate as she made her way to the reception desk.
Her voice, clear and demanding, cut through the hum of the office.
“Is Cal around?” she asked, her tone curt.
Samantha’s heart skipped a beat.
Cal? Caleb?
The receptionist, startled but professional, plus she didn't look like the last was a first timer, responded.
“Welcome ma'am. He’s in a meeting at the moment. Can I take a message?”
The woman rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “He’s been ignoring my calls.”
Samantha’s chest tightened as the woman’s words hung in the air.
Ignoring her calls? Her mind raced, and despite herself, her gaze drifted up from her desk, drawn to the stranger.
She studied the woman more closely now.
Her flawless skin, the sharp edge of her jaw, and the way she carried herself with an air of entitlement.. it all added up.
Could this be… Monica?
Determined not to give anything away, Samantha kept her eyes glued to her monitor, pretending to be engrossed in the intricate details of her design. But the words on the screen blurred together as her mind raced.
She forced herself to focus, to block it all out. But it was harder than she expected.
She straightened in her chair, trying to look as indifferent as possible, her hands hovering over the keyboard as if nothing had changed.
As the receptionist picked up the phone to put a call through to the CEO, the lady tapped a manicured finger against the desk, her gaze sweeping casually over the office.
For a brief moment, her eyes landed in Samantha’s direction.
Samantha felt a flush creep up her neck but refused to look away from her screen, hoping to appear oblivious.
The lady's gaze lingered on Samantha for a moment longer than comfortable, an unreadable smile playing on her lips.
There was something unnervingly calculating about the way she looked at her, as if she was sizing her up.
“Oh, that must be the new employee huh?” the lady remarked, her voice dripping with a mix of curiosity and subtle condescension.
Samantha’s fingers froze over the keyboard.
Her heart skipped a beat as the words registered, but she kept her eyes locked on the screen, desperately trying to maintain her composure.
What did she mean by that?
Nelly shot Samantha a sideways glance, her curiosity clearly piqued.
Samantha could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, her mind scrambling for a response, but she forced herself to stay calm.
Taking a deep breath, Samantha finally turned her head slightly, enough to acknowledge the woman with a polite nod.
“Yes, I’m new here,” she replied, her voice as steady as she could manage, though it felt like a fragile mask she was barely holding together.
Before the lady could respond, the sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway caused all three women to turn their heads.
Caleb appeared, his expression a mix of irritation and forced politeness - the kind you reserve for someone who always seems to show up unannounced, disrupting your plans but whom you can’t easily dismiss.
“Monica,” he said, his voice laced with a strained patience, “why didn’t you call me before coming here?”
Samantha’s heart thudded in her chest.
She shook her head, mentally chastising herself. This is exactly what you wanted to avoid, she thought. Getting caught up in speculations and emotions that had no place in your life right now.