Page 41 of Say You Remember Me
But then Maddie turned to me again and asked, “Do you have a timeline for when you’re going to get that family to go with the house? Or are you more focused on your career right now?”
I thought about it for a moment, leaning back in my seat. “I’ve been really focused on work this year—trying to clean up my image with the board since I was definitely too far on the other end of the spectrum for a while. But once I get this new content creation project off the ground, I’d like to start thinking about settling down.”
“So for now you live in that huge house all by yourself?” she asked, her voice quiet, as if she somehow sensed the loneliness I’d been feeling more lately.
“No roommates, no pets.” I tried to keep my tone light, but the truth of it tugged at me more than I cared to admit. “I’ve thought about getting a dog or maybe a cat, but I travel too much. It wouldn’t be fair to leave them alone.”
“That makes sense.” She nodded, her expression understanding. “Pets are a big responsibility.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, though my thoughts drifted to her. I imagined the weight of raising a child on her own, the responsibility she carried every day. “But not as much as raising a kid. I can’t even imagine balancing all that. You make it look easy.”
She laughed softly, shaking her head. “Well, I’m glad it at least looks easy.”
I glanced over, catching the faint blush on her cheeks. There was something undeniably captivating about her in that moment—the strength she had, the way she carried herself despite everything life had thrown at her.
“You figured it out, though,” I said quietly, my voice dipping lower. “And while I haven’t met your son, I have no doubt he’s a pretty great kid. His mom certainly is.”
Her eyes softened, and she turned away for a moment, looking out the window as if trying to compose herself. When she looked back at me, there was a vulnerability there that tugged at something deep inside me. “Thank you for saying that,” she whispered. “I do my best.”
“That’s all any of us can do, right? Our best at any given time.” I paused, glancing at her again. “Some days it feels like we’re barely keeping our heads above water, but at least we’re still fighting.”
She nodded, and her eyes lingered on me for a heartbeat too long. And I felt it again—that pull, the quiet gravity between us that seemed to grow stronger the more time we spent together.
We pulled up to the hotel a while later, its sleek, modern exterior standing out against the bustle of the Boston streets. I handed the valet the keys, and as we stepped inside, Maddie’s gaze swept over the murals and sculptures that decorated the lobby.
“This place is beautiful,” she murmured, her awe evident.
“It’s a good spot,” I replied. “Close to everything you need. Which is important when you hate driving in big cities.”
She smirked, glancing at me sideways. “You’re really trying to lean into that small-town-boy charm, aren’t you?”
“I might be trying to change that first impression you got of me just a bit.” I chuckled.
“I don’t know why,” she said. “It was a pretty great first impression. On my end, at least.”
“That it was,” I said. And when our eyes caught for a charged moment, I wondered what might have happened if we’d been able to build on that first impression. If she hadn’t been a new employee and I’d been able to meet her again at Sloan’s party without the boss/assistant dynamic being an issue.
I’d probably have asked for her number, and not being able to play it cool, asked her out the next day.
Then who knows, maybe instead of talking about settling down in the next couple of years, I’d have already been on my way to getting that family I wanted.
And now you’re just being delusional, Ian,I told myself before I could get too far in that daydream.
Those kinds of love stories only happened in the movies.
“How may I help you?” the hotel clerk asked when Maddie and I stepped up a moment later.
“We’re here to check in,” I told her. “There should be two rooms under the name Ian Hastings.”
“Of course, Mr. Hastings,” the woman said, typing something on her keyboard. “May I see your license?”
I handed her my license.
“Okay,” the woman said, looking at her screen once she’d pulled my information up. “It looks like I have you down for one of our luxury suites as well as a king-sized room. Is that correct?”
A sudden wash of guilt passed over me at the idea of my getting a luxury suite when Maddie would be in a regular room. So making a split-second decision, I cleared my throat and asked, “Actually, do you have any other luxury suites available?”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Maddie whispered beside me. “I don’t need anything fancy. A regular room is more than enough.”
