“Oh, this and that.” Her gaze turned mischievous. “I wondered, when you told me you’d decided to participate in the simulation, what was really going on.”

“I was just trying to do my job,” he assured her.

“I’m certain that’s what you told yourself. And maybe you even believed it for a bit.” Mrs. W leaned back, supremely confident in her assessment. “But soon enough, you realized you were falling in love.”

Luke sputtered.

“Against all odds,” she continued, ignoring his attempts to deny what she was saying. “Over the course of the week, you met someone and fell for her, despite everything.” She gazed at him over the rim of her glass, expression sly. “And trust me, I tried to add a few obstacles myself.”

What is that supposed to mean? Ideas sloshed together and his eyes widened. “That night at the talent show. You mentioned my job at the resort on purpose.”

“Did I?” Mrs. W. asked, her tone indicating a confession, not a question.

Luke studied his boss. Sitting in her overstuffed office chair, one hand idly stroking the corgi curled in her lap, champagne in the other hand, Mrs. W. looked like she was auditioning to be a Bond villain. “Why would you do that?”

“I thought it best to get everything out in the open.” She clicked her tongue. “Can’t build a relationship on a false foundation.”

“Who said anyone was trying to build a relationship?” he demanded.

The look Mrs. W. gave him told Luke she saw right through his bullshit. But just in case he didn’t interpret the message correctly, she opened the laptop on her desk and turned the screen toward him.

Luke glanced down, swallowing hard when he saw the video of himself holding the speaker over his head. There was no denying the lovesick look on his face. That was a man who wanted a relationship. His heart contracted. “This might not be the best example to prove your point.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Romantic comedies are supposed to have a happy ending, right?” He nodded at the screen, throat tight. “Well, this one didn’t.”

“My dear boy…” Mrs. W. smiled tenderly. “What makes you think this story is over?”

And just like that, his boss transformed from Bond villain to fairy godmother. Sometime later, Luke had left her office covered in corgi fur, a little tipsy, and very bemused.

He’d fulfilled his contract and earned the bonus. Finally, he had the time and money he needed to devote to his start-up. His sister was safe, secure, and supposedly happy. And yet here he was, a month later, still hesitating.

Reflecting on that afternoon when Mrs. W. had handed him his future on a silver platter, Luke wondered if he wasn’t the problem, the obstacle that had been in his path all along. Not the lack of money, not the concern he had for his sister, but himself.