“Ouch!”


    Ron quickly turned his head away, covering his eyes with his hand, like we’d blinded him or


    something.


    Hayden straightened up, totally unbothered. “What? Never seen two people in love before?”


    Ron lowered his hand. “Oh, I’ve seen it. Just never quite… this type of PDA.”


    Then he turned to me. “Ms. Kay, you really do live up to your job in marketing–alwaysing up


    with something fresh.”


    I just blinked,pletely speechless.


    “And why are you still standing there? Maybe you’re good, but your guest is tired just watching,”


    Hayden threw out, his deadpan shutting Ron up instantly.


    Ron pped his forehead like it had all been a big mistake. “Look at me! You two flustered me so


    much, I almost forgot about the main event.”


    He stepped to the side, making a sweeping gesture toward the door. “Boss, please.”


    Wait, boss?!


    I froze as this short, round man waddled into the room, looking like he was about seven months


    pregnant.


    I had no clue who this guy was, so I instinctively nced at Hayden.


    He was already seated, casually rubbing his lips with his fingers. I noticed a faint smudge of my


    lipstick on his fingertips.


    “Boss, right here!” Ron rushed over, eagerly pulling out the chair at the head of the table.


    That’s when it hit me–Ron’s whole “someone you’ve been wanting to meet” thing.


    Before I could fully wrap my head around it, Ron was already doing the intros. “Boss, these are our


    company’s star team. Chief Engineer Hayden Hart, and Director of Marketing, Keira Kay.”


    He turned to us with a grin. “And this is our big boss, Kylian Hart.”


    This was the big boss?!


    The one I’d been curious about for ages?


    He looked nothing like what I imagined.


    And he has thest name Hart? Hold up–so, is this guy the investor? Not Hayden?


    “Mr. Hart,” Hayden greeted him, sounding all formal and polite.


    Meanwhile, I just stood there like I’d been hit with a truck, my mind reeling.


    Ron’s voice snapped me out of it. “Ms. Kay, don’t just stand there gawking at our boss’s stunning


    good looks–say hi!”


    ”


    11


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    I quicklyposed myself, standing up and giving the guy–who looked thirty in the face but fifty in


    the body–a polite nod. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hart.”


    “I know who you are. Please, sit,” he said with an easygoing smile.


    Okay, so he definitely had that warm,id–back vibe I’d heard about, but I still couldn’t shake the


    weird feeling in my gut. Ever since I found out thepany’s investor had thest name Hart, I’d


    been convinced Hayden was the big boss. But now? My theory had just blown up in my face.


    Something about this still felt off.


    Instead of sitting down, I stood up. “Sorry, I need to make a quick call.”


    As I passed Ron, I whispered, “Mr. Shane, can we talk outside for a second?”


    “Of course, beauty. Whenever you need me,” Ron said, shing Hayden a smirk. “Hayden, keep the


    bosspany. You two might find out you’re long–lost rtives.”


    Once we were outside, Ron turned to me with a huge grin. “So, what’s up? Want the inside scoop


    on the boss?”


    “Yeah.”


    Ron’s grin got even bigger. “What do you want to know? Is he single? Looking?”


    I didn’t bother with his teasing. “Is he really the boss?”


    Ron let out augh. “Why? Doesn’t he seem like it?”


    &


    X