Chapter Two

Axel

It was Thursday afternoon, and my office door was open as always. The faint sound of the Star answering calls and working drifted in and out, but my focus was on the reports spread across my desk. Progress on the three projects was steady—two were ahead of schedule, and one needed a closer look. It was time to head out to that job site and make sure everything was running smoothly before the holiday break.

I stood, stretched my back, and shrugged on my coat. Just as I reached for the light switch, the phone rang. Star’s voice carried through the open door.

“I was just calling to see how you were,” she said.

Her tone caught my attention—light and casual, but something about it made me pause. I tipped my head and listened.

“Oh, wow,” she gasped. “All the way in Ohio, huh?”

There was a short pause while she listened.

“Any plans of visiting Flagstaff for the holidays?” she asked.

I frowned slightly and wondered who she was talking to. Another silence stretched before she spoke again.

“Double wow,” she laughed, though there was something brittle about it. “You moved to Ohio, and you’re engaged. Congratulations.”

My curiosity sparked. What was Star doing? Although her tone was polite, something about the conversation seemed off.

“Well, all the best, Brad,” she chirped. “I’ll be waiting for my invitation in the mail.”

I flipped off the lights in my office and stepped out toward her desk. She was sitting there, phone cradled between her ear and shoulder, before she finally hung it up.

Brad? I didn’t recognize the name.

She stared down at the phone, and I cleared my throat. She jumped in her chair and clutched a hand to her chest.

“Where the hell did you come from?” she exclaimed.

I couldn’t help but smile and nodded toward my office. “Right there.”

“Right, right,” she muttered and dropped her hand back to her lap. She shifted, straightened in her chair, and pasted on a smile. “What’s up?”

“Everything good out here?” I asked and scanned her face.

“Never better,” she replied, and the smile stayed firmly in place. “Just working on getting everything wrapped up for the holiday break.”

I nodded slowly. Part of me wanted to ask who she’d been talking to, why she seemed... off. But I didn’t. It wasn’t my place.

“Well, I’m heading out to check on some job sites. Call me if you need anything.”

“Will do,” she said and turned back to her computer.

I walked out of the office, and the cool late-morning air greeted me as I headed to my motorcycle. My mind wasn’t on the projects, though—it was on Star. She’d seemed shaken and let down, but she clearly didn’t want to talk about it. That smile she wore? It was the kind she put on with customers she was trying to get rid of.

I swung a leg over the bike and strapped on my helmet. My hand lingered on the key for a moment before I started the engine. I glanced back at the office, and my brow furrowed. Something was bothering her, and I hated not knowing what. I hated that I couldn’t ask, couldn’t help.

Not that I didn’t want to—I did. Hell, I cared more than I probably should. But I was her boss. There was a line, and it wasn’t one I could cross, no matter how much I wanted to make sure she was okay. The balance we had at work was good and solid. If I overstepped, I risked messing that up, and neither of us needed that.

The bike roared to life beneath me, the sound loud and grounding. I pulled my sunglasses over my eyes and shook my head. Whatever was going on with Star, she’d figure it out. It didn’t have anything to do with work, and I wasn’t going to butt in where she probably didn’t want me.

Still, as I pulled out of the parking lot, a small part of me couldn’t help but wish she’d let me in.