Chapter 6

SIX

Hugh

This isn’t real.

I’ve been telling myself that all night. Dinner with Letty was perfect—so much so that it almost felt like a dream. But the truth looms heavy in the back of my mind: this isn’t a real date.

I bought her.

The thought makes my stomach churn. I didn’t plan it like this—not the dinner, not the conversation, and certainly not the kiss I keep imagining. It wasn’t supposed to go this way, but then, Letty has always had a way of turning my plans upside down.

She’s quiet as we drive back to my house, her hands resting in her lap, her pale green eyes gazing out the window. The soft glow of the dashboard lights plays against her features, highlighting the delicate curve of her jaw and the way her blonde hair falls over her shoulders in soft waves.

She’s beautiful. No—she’s breathtaking.

I grip the steering wheel tighter, trying to focus on the road. But it’s no use. My mind keeps wandering back to the dinner, the sound of her laughter, the way she’d teased me about my high school fight like she’d known me forever.

And then there’s the way she looked at me. She looked at me like I was more than just her boss.

Does she feel it too? The connection between us, the pull that’s been growing since the day she walked into my office? Or am I reading too much into every little glance, every fleeting smile?

I steal a quick glance at her, my chest tightening. I want to ask her to lay it all out on the table, but fear holds me back. What if she doesn’t feel the same way? What if I’ve ruined everything before I ever really had my chance with her?

“It was a good night,” Letty says suddenly, her voice soft but steady.

I glance at her, caught off guard by the simple statement. “Yeah,” I agree. “It was.”

She smiles, a small, shy curve of her lips, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.

The rest of the drive passes in silence, but it’s not uncomfortable. It feels like the kind of quiet that holds meaning, the kind where words aren’t necessary.

When we pull into the driveway, I cut the engine and sit back, stealing one last glance at her before reality sets in.

“Letty,” I say, my voice low.

She turns to me, her green eyes locking with mine. “Yes?”

“Do you want to come inside?” The question slips out before I can second-guess myself. “We could… talk.”

She hesitates, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. Then she nods. “Okay.”

We step into the house together, the warmth of the entryway a stark contrast to the chill of the night air. I shrug off my coat and hang it by the door, watching as Letty does the same.

For a moment, neither of us moves. The silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words.

“Let’s sit,” I suggest, motioning toward the couch.

She nods, following me into the living room and settling onto the cushions. I take a seat beside her, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from her but far enough to give her space in case she needs it.

“What did you want to talk about?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I hesitate, my gaze dropping to my hands. “I want to understand,” I say finally. “Why were you at that auction?”

Her breath catches, and for a moment, I think she’s going to brush me off. But then she exhales, her shoulders sagging under the weight of whatever she’s been carrying.

“It’s… complicated,” she says.

“I’ve got time,” I reply gently.

She bites her lip, her eyes darting to the floor. “My brother,” she says after a long pause. “He… he got into trouble. Took out a loan he couldn’t pay back. And somehow, he managed to drag me into it.”

My stomach twists, a surge of anger flaring in my chest. “What kind of trouble?”

“Bad trouble,” she says, her voice tight. “The kind that doesn’t go away unless you pay up. And since he skipped town, it was left to me to clean up his mess.”

I clench my jaw, struggling to keep my emotions in check. “Why didn’t you come to me?”

Her lips twitch into a faint smile, though there’s no humor in it. “I didn’t want to ask and have you look at me like… I don’t know, like I was an idiot for trusting someone who has done nothing but hurt me. I didn’t want to complicate our relationship. I thought that I should keep things professional and… I don’t know,” she finishes weakly.

“Letty,” I say, my voice firm but soft. “I could never see you as stupid. You’ve got such a big heart, so of course you would try to help out your family. I’m just sorry that they let you down.”

Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see the vulnerability she works so hard to hide.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

I reach for her hand without thinking, covering it with mine. “You deserve better,” I say, my voice steady. “You deserve someone who takes care of you, not someone who uses you.”

And I’m going to make sure that she gets that.

I’m already making plans in my head to track down this loan shark that she owes money and to pay him back and warn him to stay as far away from her as possible as soon as possible. There can only be a few in a town this small, so I’m sure that it won’t be hard to find him.

She blinks, her lips parting slightly as if she wants to say something. But the words don’t come, and I don’t press her.

Instead, I shift closer, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Letty,” I say, my voice low.

“Yes?”

I don’t give myself time to second-guess. Leaning in, I cup her face in my hands and press my lips to hers.

The kiss is soft at first, tentative, as if I’m afraid she might pull away. But she doesn’t. Instead, she leans into me, her hands gripping the front of my shirt as the kiss deepens.

When we finally pull apart, we’re both breathing hard, our foreheads resting against each other.

“Hugh,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “What… what was that?”

“That,” I say, my voice rough, “was me failing miserably at keeping my distance.”

She stares at me, her green eyes wide and searching. “Why were you trying to keep your distance?”

“Because I didn’t think that you were interested in me,” I admit. “Because I was trying to keep things professional between us.”

Her breath hitches, and I pull back slightly, needing her to see the truth in my eyes.

“I think that plan kind of went awry when you bought me at the auction,” she says, a soft giggle escaping her lips.

“It’s been going awry for months before that,” I admit, and her gaze softens.

This is it. Tell her how you feel.

“I’ve been in love with you since the day you walked into my office,” I say, my voice shaking with the weight of the confession. “I wanted you from the very beginning, but I thought I couldn’t have you. And now… now I’ve gone and done everything backward.”

She blinks, her lips parting as if she’s about to say something.

“This isn’t how I wanted this to go,” I continue, my throat tightening. “I wanted to take you out on real dates—to show you how much you mean to me. Not to…” I trail off, my voice breaking.

“Not to buy me,” she finishes softly.

I flinch, but she reaches for my hands, squeezing them tightly.

“Hugh,” she says, her voice steady. “You didn’t buy me. You saved me.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest, and I feel a lump rise in my throat.

“I’ve wanted you too,” she says, her cheeks flushing. “Since the day I started working for you. But I didn’t think you’d ever see me that way.”

“How could I not?” I ask, my voice thick. “You’re… everything, Letty. Smart, kind, funny, beautiful. You’ve had me wrapped around your finger from the start.”

A small, shaky laugh escapes her, and she leans forward, pressing her forehead to mine.

“I love you too, Hugh,” she whispers, her voice trembling with emotion.

Relief crashes over me like a wave, and I pull her into my arms, holding her close.

For the first time in months—maybe years—I feel like everything is exactly as it should be. I’ve got my dream girl, and I’m not letting her go. Ever.