But my boss smirks at me before he turns and walks back to his desk, and for the rest of the afternoon, I chew on my bottom lip.

Soon. I’ll be brave soon.

Eventually.

Six

Galen

Two unwelcome things land on my desk at the same time: a single typed sheet from Kara giving her written resignation, and an early proof copy of the Titan feature. The page layouts are unfinished with blank boxes where ads will go, and some of the taglines on the front cover are clearly placeholders.

I flip the cover page over with a groan, wincing at the title they gave me. The Silver Fox of the Studios. Silver fox? Me? A hand rakes through my hair, unbidden, and my throat is dry. Am I really that old?

A stolen glance at my much younger assistant makes my chest lurch. What if Kara sees this? What if the reality of our age gap finally hits her?

Her resignation letter sits near the corner of my desk, folded in crisp halves. A ticking time bomb. If I lose her now, I’ll really lose her.

“Oh, I forgot.” Across the room, Kara pushes to her feet and smooths her palms over her cranberry silk sheath dress. She rummages in her handbag, popping a container open, and then she’s coming for me, honing in like a beautiful missile, weaving between the sun-drenched olive trees.

I’m not ready.

I’m fucking—I’m gray.

The cover image slams face down on the desk, my hand rigid on top of it. My stiff face resists me at first, but I force it into something resembling a smile, waiting for my girl to reach me.

Kara doesn’t notice. She’s too busy placing a muffin in front of my keyboard.

“Ta da!” God, her grin is beautiful. Makes me want to fall to my knees and weep. “It’s banana and walnut. I tried a new recipe, so, you know, set those expectations low.”

She could present me with a burned husk with the sugar swapped out for salt, and I’d still eat it. Still rate it five stars. “Thank you, Kara.”

Her dress rides up a few inches as she rests her hip on my desk, sifting through the morning mail that I’ve spread across the surface, those smooth brown legs a constant torment. Her eyes linger on her resignation note, then flick to me and away.

My smile is waxy. I may be stuck like this.

“Which job did you go for?”

“Strategy at Holmes and Co. I figure I’ve done enough assisting by now.”

She sure has. Kara could run this whole building with her hands tied behind her back, and I’m glad that she’s progressing. Glad that her talents will be recognized.

I am, damn it; I just need to remind myself of that fact over and over, whenever I remember that she’ll be gone.

No more looking up from my desk and seeing her tapping away at her keyboard. No more stealing kisses in the elevator like the last few days, hardly believing my luck. No more hearing her husky voice as she talks on the phone. No more muffins.