Chapter 204

He looked a little nervous. So, he’s feeling guilty, huh? I guess no guy is ever truly relaxed when another guy is in the picture. Seeing Hayden so nervous was kind of funny. He almost never looks like that. But I kept my face serious, on purpose.

I stood there, staring at him, silent. Hayden’s lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but he hesitated, unsure. This usually straightforward guy was hesitating like a kid caught doing something wrong.

I couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing. My laughter only confused him more. "Kiki…"

I took the cup of milk he’d made and, standing on tiptoe, kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks." Then I turned to leave, tossing over my shoulder, "Grab my bag."

Hayden followed me downstairs, looking much more relaxed. When we reached the car, I surprised him; instead of heading for the driver's seat, I walked to the passenger side. I tossed him the keys. "You're driving."

He hopped into the driver's seat while I settled into the passenger side, sipping the milk and scrolling through my playlist, feeling more content than I had in ages.

Just as we neared the office, Hayden pulled over at a bus stop. "What are you doing?" I asked, glancing at him.

"You said we should keep things low-key at work, right? I'll get out here so no one sees us together and starts gossiping."

Oh, right. I'd almost forgotten. Shouldn't he have forgotten, too? But no, of course he had to bring it up. What did that even mean? I thought back to the way the office girls had swooned over him after he'd shut down Brad's nonsense, and a strange feeling bubbled up inside me.

"Are you worried that being seen with me will hurt your chances with the ladies at work?" I asked, my voice sharper than intended.

"No, Kiki, that's not it!" Hayden said immediately.

I reached over to unbuckle his seatbelt. "Just go, then."

Chapter 284

Hayden grabbed my hand, stopping me. "Kiki, come on. Don't be like this."

I knew I was being ridiculous. I'd told him to keep his distance at work, and now that he was, I was angry. Typical. Women can be so complicated sometimes. Even I had to admit that.

"Look, I don't care about anyone else. Just you," Hayden said softly, gently pushing my hand away. Then he started the car again, heading toward the office.

I stayed quiet the whole drive, stewing. When we pulled up and I got out, I threw one last line at him, mostly to save face. "Mr. Hart, we're just coworkers, remember?"

He gave me a helpless smile. "Got it." One of his best qualities—he always knew when I was joking and when to take me seriously. He never got mad over little things.

Jace was the total opposite. Back when we were together, I hardly ever joked because he could never tell when I was kidding. Even if he knew, he'd overthink everything, acting like I meant something deeper. It was exhausting. Eventually, I just stopped trying to be playful around him.

Now, I kept comparing him to Hayden, and I couldn't help it. They'd both been such a huge part of my life. But, as they say, comparison is the thief of joy, right?

Thinking about Hayden and Jace, I finally realized how different guys could be. Even being in love felt like two completely separate experiences.

"Morning, Mr. Hart!" "Morning, Ms. Kay!"

Hayden and I stepped out of the elevator together, and our coworkers offered their usual greetings. We both nodded and said, "Good morning," politely and professionally, then went our separate ways. Business as usual. I mean, who says you can't date a coworker? As long as you keep it low-key at work, what's the big deal?

After wrapping up a morning meeting with my team, Ron popped into my office. "Hey, Ms. Kay, can you finish up your current tasks?"