Page 48 of The Boss's Hideaway Baby

My sister’s face softens with understanding, and she reaches out as if to touch my shoulder through the screen. “Oh, Maria. I’m so sorry. That must really hurt.”

“More than I ever thought it would.” I wipe away more tears that stubbornly refuse to stop flowing.

“Hey, listen,” Kelsey says gently, her voice soothing in its familiarity. “It’s going to be okay. You’re an amazing, strong woman, and you don’t need Nathan to be happy. You don’t need anyone but yourself.”

“Thanks, Kel.” I sniffle, attempting a small smile even though it feels like my world has crumbled around me. “I just… I don’t know how to move on from this.”

“We’ll figure it out together,” she promises, her eyes filled with determination. “But for now, why don’t you get some rest? You’ve had a rough day, and trust me, a good night’s sleep can work wonders.”

“You’re right.” I sigh. “I’ll try to get some sleep. Thanks for being there for me, Kelsey.”

“Always, Maria. Always.” She gives me a reassuring smile before we say our goodbyes and end the call.

The silence of the apartment seems to echo in my ears as I set my phone down on the counter. My heart still aches, a heavy weight in my chest that threatens to crush me. It’s hard to breathe, let alone think about moving on.

“Get it together, Maria.” In the bathroom, I splash cold water on my face and stare at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes are red and puffy — a far cry from the confident woman who walked into Nathan’s office earlier today. How could I have been so foolish as to believe he might feel the same way?

“All right.” I force a deep breath and stand up straighter. “Time to move on.”

My apartment suddenly feels suffocating, so I make my way to the living-room window, opening it wide to let in the cool evening air. The city lights twinkle outside, reminding me of just how small I am in this vast world. There has to be more to life than unrequited love.

Sitting down, I search “How to move on from heartbreak” on my phone. The first step-by-step list that comes up seems good enough, and I decide to follow it to a tee.

“Okay, step one. Get rid of anything that reminds me of Nathan.” I scan the room for any trace of him.

I pick up a book he recommended a few months ago and toss it into a box labeled “Donations.” Next comes a framed photo of us at the company Christmas party, standing in a line with several other people as we laugh at some long-forgotten joke.

It’s silly that I ever framed it. The excuse was that I wanted a picture of work friends to look at, when really I wanted to see him every night.

Pathetic. I shake my head.

And this was long before our rendezvous in Montauk.

I remove the picture and replace it with a solo shot of myself on vacation last summer — smiling, carefree, and completely unaware of the heartbreak awaiting me.

“Step two. Find something to occupy my mind.”

I grab my laptop and start browsing local activities. A painting class catches my eye; it’s something I’ve always wanted to try but never found the time for. Before I can talk myself out of it, I sign up for the class and make a mental note to pick up supplies tomorrow.

“Step three. Surround myself with people who love and support me.”

That one is a little harder. I’m a bit of a loner, and only ever really go out when it’s with people from work. Maybe I’ll make some new friends at this painting class, though.

“Step four. Be open to new possibilities.” This one’s the hardest of all, but I know it’s the most important. If I keep my heart closed off, I’ll never find the love and happiness I deserve.

“All right, universe,” I whisper into the night air, looking out at the cityscape. “I’m ready for whatever you have in store for me. Just… please, be gentle. What do I do next?”

The answer comes like a soft whisper in my heart. What I have to do is so obvious, of course.

I can follow this whole list, but it won’t do any good if I skip the most important step. And even though it’s painful as hell, I know I have to go through with it.

With that, I close my window and head back inside. The rest of my life is waiting, and I can’t let anything — not even the man I’m sure to never forget — hold me back.

CHAPTER 19

NATHAN

Maria’s soft breath caresses my chest as her head rests there, her eyelids heavy and her pouty lips parted. Her warm brown hair fans out across the pillow, framing her face. I breathe in deeply, taking in the delicate scent of her shampoo mixed with her natural fragrance.

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