Page 70 of The Boss

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit.”

I sighed, rubbing my beard. “I don’t know. Maybe nothing’s wrong. Maybe everything is.” A humorless laugh escaped me. “Maybe I just don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore.”

Melissa studied me, then set her mug down with a quietclink.“I never liked her, you know. Chantelle.”

I looked up. A muscle ticked in my jaw. “You’ve never said that before.”

“You never would’ve listened before. And it’s not my place to pry in your personal life, but… I don’t know. She always struck me as fake. Too perfect, you know? Like, nobody’sthatrefined all the time. Besides, you two are nothing alike. She appears charming and gracious, but underneath all that polished exterior, she’s cold and ruthless like a shark.” Her voice softened. “You, on the other hand, are the exact opposite. You only act cold and harsh, but you’re not. You never have been.”

A lump formed in my throat.

Melissa studied me, head slightly askew. “And do you want to know something else?” I didn’t answer, but she continued anyway. “The only time you’ve smiled since walking in here was when you talked about that new PA guy. Chris, was it?”

My breath caught. I gripped my mug a little tighter, but the warmth of the ceramic did nothing to ground me. Had I really been that transparent? I shifted in my seat, but I didn’t say anything. Couldn’t. I felt… raw. Exposed.

Melissa reached over and squeezed my knee. “You deserve to be happy, Zac.”

I swallowed hard, my grip tightening even more around the mug. “I don’t even know what that looks like anymore.”

Melissa only smiled, like she knew something I didn’t. “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

31. Chris

The wind cut sharp as I stepped out of my car, breath curling into the cold January air. The streets were blanketed in fresh snow, trampled down to a patchwork of slush and ice. Storefronts still twinkled with lingering holiday lights, their windows fogged from the warmth inside. Providence in winter had a different kind of charm—quieter, more intimate, like the whole city had exhaled after the seasonal chaos.

The festivities were over—at least for those of us with jobs. But the students were still on break, so Tyler was sticking around, crashing at his mom’s new place with his older brother. It worked out for me. I’d been itching to see him for months, and we set up a meeting as soon as I got back from Maine.

We didn’t get to do this often. This would only be our third time hanging out in person—the first was in Gettysburg, after the match where we’d met, and the second was that spring, when we met up halfway between our homes. The rest of our friendship had been built over texts, late-night calls, and voice messages full of trash talk and easy laughter. But even with the distance, Tyler had become one of the few people I actually counted on.

‘Try not to cry when you lay eyes on me,’I’d texted that morning.‘I know it’s been a while.’

He’d answered right away.‘I’ll be sure to bring tissues. For you.’

Smirking at the memory, I tugged my scarf higher against the bite of the wind. I spotted Tyler before he saw me, leaning against a lamppost outside the café we’d picked, hands stuffed into his coat pockets. His dark hair was a tousled mess from the wind, his cheeks pink from the cold. He was still as hot asI remembered, and the sight of him made the tightness in my chest relax.

“Hey there, T-bag.”

Tyler turned, grinning as he pushed off the post. “C-man!”

Before I could react, he pulled me into a solid hug, the kind that lingered long enough to sayyeah, I missed you too. I clapped him on the back before we pulled apart, shaking off the moment with a smirk.

“Look at you,” Tyler said, giving me an exaggerated once-over. “All grown up, working a real job, dressing like a corporate drone. What happened to the beast I fought in Gettysburg?”

I scoffed. “He evolved. Got a paycheck. Pays rent. You’ll see it for yourself soon. What, one more semester and you’re out in the big wide world?”

“Yep. Which is why I’m sticking to my poor, starving college student aesthetic for as long as I can.”

“Well, you’re pulling it off quite nicely.”

Tyler flashed me a wide smile. “You haven’t changed. Can’t have a single convo without flirting.”

I barked out a laugh. “I’m nothing if not consistent.”

Yeah, Ty and I didn’t get to see each other often. But when we did, it was like no time had passed at all.

He nudged his chin toward the café. “C’mon. I need coffee before you make me regret this meetup.”

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