Page 29 of Deadline for Love

Nathan stayed next to me while I went about my work; I didn’t find it disturbing; on the contrary, I felt really safe around him. Nia didn’t mind either.

After the interview, we went to the fire station, and during the drive, James called me, which was unusual for a weekend.

“Hello, boss,” I greeted, confused.

“Are you out with Nia right now?”he asked without greeting me.

“Yes, I am.”

“Put me on speaker.”

Puzzled, I followed his request. “I did.”

“Good! Nia and Bella, have you seen the Sentinel article?”

We confirmed.

“I need you to deliver new articles by Monday working against theirs. I want breaking news! I want you to flatten these cunts!”he almost shouted.

“But, boss, how are we supposed to find breaking news related to the case?” Nia asked in a loud voice so that she was sure he could hear her.

“You’ll find something! I know I’m putting you both under a lot of pressure, but Eric and Aicha already have a few articles ready, and you’re the last ones again!”

This time, I interrupted him. “We just published two days ago. In print and online! Also, our deadline is set for Wednesday; we usually publish the print twice a week and update everything as needed. What is going on?”

“Bella Carter, I set the deadline!’’He ended the call without another word, and I stared at my phone, stunned.

“What a jerk!” Nia hissed.

I snorted furiously in response to her comment, then desperately flicked my hair back and glanced up, meeting Nathan’s eyes in the rearview mirror. He gave me a sympathetic glance, which caused me to look away.

Wow... I had the feeling he’d only seen my bad side so far—This thought caused me to despair even more, but I put on a poker face to focus on my work.

Chapter 10

The day was more stressful than any other and we were out until late evening. The fact that Nathan joined us without complaining once was actually really great. He even suggested joining us again tomorrow, which Nia agreed to. Afterward he drove Nia home, and when she left us, I took the passenger seat.

“What a day,” I muttered.

“Yeah… Is it always like this with you all?” Nathan asked, loosely holding the steering wheel with one hand and resting his other hand on the console.

“Sometimes we’re practically hunting for headlines, but other times—like today—every minute is pretty stressful... But there’s no guarantee that the articles will be accepted,” I admitted. “Let’s hope this wasn’t all in vain. And thank you for accompanying us today and driving us around.”

“This is my chance to get to know you better, so I have my advantages.”

I had to grin in response to his comment. “We’ve barely spoken today.”

“Just being around you is enough for now,” he added and tapped the steering wheel with one finger and continued, “But we can take a little detour.” He smiled again, and then winked.

I didn’t ask where he wanted to take me, but I didn’t protest. I liked spending more time with Nathan, so his suggestion made me giddy.

We stopped at a gas station where he got some snacks and drinks before we drove up a hill at the end of the town.

Together, we got out and sat on one of the benches next to the huge sign that read‚Welcome to Steel Valley.

It was a pity that this place wasn't more popular, because you could see the beautiful landscape here... Although the big factories were more visible than the houses, this was our city.

The moon glowed brightly next to the streetlamp beside the sign. The lights of the factory also gave the town a lively feel. With the starry sky, the city looked beautiful.

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