“Are you guys officially an item?” she probes when I don’t respond.

Shaking my head, I avert my gaze, feeling my cheeks heating up. Kelsi is the kind who lives freely. She is very open-minded. But she’s neither conservative nor liberal, having her own ideals and refusing to fit into any boxes.

“I-I…I don’t know.”

“Don’t tell me you’re in a situationship?”

I sigh with resignation.

My relationship with Derik has changed considerably for the better lately. He may not be too expressive with his words, but his actions make me feel at ease.

He’s a man who does things his way, and just the fact that he’d rush work and fly back to Tucson in between his busy schedule is enough to make my heart melt.

Unlike before, he’s also started sharing personal details about himself with me and asking me about things that I enjoy. We’re getting to know each other on a deeper level.

It feels like we’re dating.

But without the affirmation.

“I know he cares for me. His actions tell me so.”

That was a stupid statement.

But then again, it seems everyone goes stupid when they fall in love.

“Didn’t he always care? After all, he’s your guardian,” Kelsi points out, making me flinch.

“It’s different this time. He’s gentler. It’s like I’m getting to know another side of him, the real him. He’s opened up a lot.”

Kelsi clicks her tongue and fills her glass with wine before gulping it down.

She offers me an empathetic look before shaking her head.

“Whatever. It’s not like I can do anything about it. You’re responsible for your own actions. I’d get a pregnancy test if I were you. And make sure you use contraceptives from here on out. For people with status like the two of you, it would be controversial to get pregnant. You know what I mean, right?”

“But what if–”

“And you need to tell him. Do not decide on your own. It takes two hands to clap, Nat.”

“Right.”

Diverting the conversation, I ask her about things involving business, which she seems happy to discuss. Just to be safe, she has her staff remove all the liquor from the table and orders a massive plate of loaded nachos and Shirley Temples. We spend the next two hours catching up and talking about random things.

I’m surprised at how good it feels to spend time with a friend outside of work.

It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten that I need this kind of connection and leisure time. Over the last six years, I’ve mostly just studied my ass off. The last few years of that I’ve been training to run my business, and recently that training has been far more than full-time. I need more time to just relax and enjoy life a little.

When I excuse myself to use the restroom, I receive a call from Jonas. He’s a junior engineer and part of the team that is working on the current business center project. Why would he be calling me outside of working hours?

Frowning, I answer hesitantly.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, feeling a little agitated.

“Ms. Quinn, we have a problem! The foundation built for the main building of the business center collapsed!”

Frozen in sudden shock, I feel a cold rush running down my spine. The evident panic in the man’s voice tells me that things are serious. I swallow, grasping for rationality. The project was supposed to be flawless! I made sure everything was of the best caliber! Foundation collapse? How could this happen?!

Gripping my phone, I heave a deep breath and muster as much courage as I can. My heart is throbbing hard. Blood rises to my head, making me lightheaded, but this is not the time to panic.

I need to remain calm and sensible in this situation if I’m going to navigate this with the best possible outcome.

“Has the area been secured? Call 911 if no one has yet. Contact Mason and meet me at the site.”

Taking large strides, I head back toward the VIP room.

“I’m already here. A rescue team has arrived, too. There were people working the graveyard shift who got buried under it. Please come as soon as possible.”

“Alright. I’ll be right there!”

When I shove the door open, Kelsi looks at me in bewilderment.

“What’s wrong? You look terrible!”

Clenching my teeth, I close my eyes and count for three seconds in my head. I heave a series of deep breaths, hoping that it will help calm my nerves. It’s a futile attempt.

How can I relax when there are lives at stake and I’m the one responsible?

“Something happened at my building site. I have to go. I’ll call you!”

Without batting an eye, I grab my purse and dash across the club, anxiously making my way to the parking area. Within minutes, I’m speeding up the highway. Fortunately, I only drank two glasses of wine. My vision is clear, and the more I step on the accelerator, the more my mind sharpens.

The building plans were checked over a hundred times by some of the best experts in the industry. The calculations were perfect. There is no way it could fail. As the project manager, I’ve ensured that Quinn Industries provided top-notch designs, manpower, and materials. I’ve checked everything personally, down to the minutest detail, knowing that this venture is a test of my capabilities, not only as an engineer but as a team player and a leader.

Unless…someone intended for me to fail.

The idea flashes in my mind as I floor the gas, ignoring several red lights. It’s the dead of night, and there is no traffic. Every second is precious and the need to arrive at the site is making my skin crawl.

Sabotage.

This word echoes in my mind as I speed up the two-lane road. Immersed in my thoughts, I squint my eyes when I see headlights approaching up ahead.

Shit!

Instinctively, I make a swerve to my right, only to see the faint light of another vehicle advancing in my direction. Alarmed, I hit the brakes abruptly. The sound of screeching tires rings in my ears as my body slams hard against my seat with the sudden impact, immediately followed by an almost knockout punch to my face by the airbag. I feel my world spin multiple times and my mind goes blank as a series of deafening crashing sounds register. My ears ache and my head throbs. My eyes water at the searing pain in my neck when the final strike comes, putting my car to a definite halt.

The smell of burned rubber rouses my senses.

Covered in shattered glass, droplets of warm liquid fall on my lashes, blurring my vision further. My body grows numb, and I feel so drained of energy I struggle to even blink.