Page 15 of The Greatest Gift

Athena is a force of nature. She’s sharp, professional, and doesn’t take bullshit from anyone. But she’s also fiercely protective of her family. I see it in the way her tone softens when she mentions Stevie, in the way she talks about her mom, Jess, and Judd. She’s intimidating, but there’s a warmth under the surface that makes me like her.

By lunchtime, though, I’m ready for a break. The tension I’ve been holding all morning is weighing on me and if I don’t start training myself to focus on something else, the rest of the week will be a nightmare. Of course, that’s when Judd walks in.

He doesn’t see me at first, his focus on a folder in his hand. But then his eyes lift and he freezes. For a moment, we just stare at each other. His expression shifts—surprise, confusion, something else I can’t quite place. And then, without a word, he turns and walks out.

Athena’s brow furrows as she watches him leave. “What was that about?” she asks, turning to me with a sharp look.

I hesitate, unsure of what to say. My silence only makes her more suspicious.

“Nakul,” she says, her brows furrowing. “What’s going on? I don’t know what happened on Friday, but if you’re doing anything to mess with my brother, I’m going to stop it right now.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair again. There’s no point in lying. “We went out on Friday night,” I admit, although she already knows that part. “And… I think I might have crossed a line.”

Her eyes narrow. “What kind of line?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” I say quickly, though I’m not even surewhatshe’s thinking. “Look, let me talk to him, okay? If we can’t iron it out in ten minutes, you can come rescue him or whatever you need to do.”

She studies me for a long moment, her arms crossed over her chest. “Fine,” she says eventually. “But if you hurt him—”

“I won’t,” I interrupt, meeting her gaze. “I promise.”

Setting down my tools, I take a deep breath and head to the elevator. The ride up to Judd’s office feels endless, my thoughts racing the entire time. The worst part isn’t that he walked out or that Athena confronted me.

It’s the look on Judd’s face. That mix of confusion and uncertainty. He wasn’t angry or scared—just unsure, like he didn’t know what to make of me. Ofus.

When the elevator dings and the doors slide open, I step out, bracing myself for whatever comes next.

Judd

A knock at the door jolts me out of my thoughts. I look up, and there he is. Nakul. Standing in the doorway like he belongs here, like this is normal. My stomach twists, my hands tightening on the edges of the desk. “Hey,” I manage, my voice rough. Spending an entire weekend focused on that kiss has ruined me, mostly because I can’t think about anything else.

“Hey,” he replies, stepping into the office and closing the door behind him. He looks nervous, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets, his long hair pulled back into a loose tie. For a second, neither of us says anything.

I break first, gesturing vaguely at my desk. “I’m, uh, just working. Trying to catch up on things.” He can see straight through that lie and I hate that I’ve been dodging a much-needed conversation the past few days. I’ve been short with him, acting like a child instead of just facing him like an adult.

Nakul nods, but his eyes stay on me, searching, waiting. “We need to talk.”

My heart starts pounding. I look away, shuffling the papers in front of me. “About Friday?”

“Yeah,” he says softly. “About Friday.”

I nod, still not meeting his eyes. “I’m confused,” I blurt out. “It’s just… a lot right now.”

“I know,” he says, his voice steady. “And I’m sorry. If I—”

“Don’t,” I snap, straightening up so fast that the stack of papers I was fiddling with spread across my desk and flutter to the floor. I’m in his face before I realize what I’m doing. “Don’t apologize unless you think it was a mistake.”

He blinks, caught off guard. “Do you think it was?”

“I don’t know!” The words come out louder than I mean them to, my frustration boiling over as I throw my hands in the air. “I don’t know what I want, okay? I like talking to you. I like being around you. But I don’t—” My voice cracks and I trail off, running a hand through my hair.

“But you don’t know what this is,” he finishes for me, his voice just above a whisper.

I nod, swallowing hard. “Yeah.”

Nakul steps closer, his movements slow and deliberate, like he’s giving me every chance to pull away. “Whatever happens, happens,” he says softly. “Can I kiss you again?”

The question sends a jolt through me. My first instinct is to say no, to push him away and retreat into the safety of what I know. But I can’t. Because the truth is, I want it. I wanthim.

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