Page 49 of Dream Chaser

I could’ve been there with her today, but she needed a win. I wanted her to see that she was capable of securing us a sponsor on her own. Even if she didn’t, it wouldn’t be her fault. She was a fast learner, smart and dedicated.

Asher arched his brow. “Why worry then?”

I cut off a piece of my steak, mulling over what I could disclose without betraying Nova’s trust. “She’s trying to get a divorce, but it looks like her husband won’t make it easy.”

Some things were better kept to myself—like the fact she’d had nowhere to stay and I’d had no clue. Or that I was ninety percent certain the asshole she had unfortunately married had left her with nothing. She probably didn’t have savings, or she wouldn’t have been sleeping in her goddamned car for weeks.

“I didn’t know she was married,” he said.

“Neither did I until a few days ago.”

I only told Asher because he was my friend and one of the most discreet guys I knew. Kaia was his stepsister. He knew a lot about complicated relationships.

“So her husband refuses to give her a divorce?” Asher asked.

“Sean knows a good attorney. We’ll see after Nova talks to him.”

“And you’re invested in the outcome because she’s your employee.”

The smirk was back on Asher’s face. I pushed my plate aside. “Precisely. You’d try to help, too.”

Asher hated injustice as much as I did, and none of what Nova was going through was fair.

“Yes, guess I would,” he said. “What about Aeterno?”

“Excited to work with you. They want posts and an interview. Talk to Nova. She’s the one who knows.”

Asher stopped chewing. “It’s nice to see you delegate something for once.”

It was comforting to know I finally had a capable marketing professional on my team.

And dangerous to realize how important she was becoming.

***

I fought the urge to text Nova about the meeting when I returned to the office. I didn’t lie to Asher—I trusted her, but worry lingered. Not about the sponsorship deal, but her.

It fucking gutted me to see her crying last night. Confirming she’d been homeless on my watch flooded me with guilt.

That was why she’d lied at the interview—she’d been desperate. I would’ve been too if I’d had nowhere to stay.

As I switched on my computer, Eleanor strolled in. “How’s it going? Nova’s taking a while to come back.”

Nova had asked me not to tell Eleanor that I took her home. She didn’t want people at the office to think she was getting preferential treatment. I had to respect her wishes, even though her work spoke for itself. Nobody would doubt she earned her position, and if anyone did, I would set them straight.

“It’s a lunch meeting,” I mumbled. “The longer it takes, the better. It means things are going well.”

Eleanor chuckled, leaning her hip against the corner of my desk. “She was so nervous this morning. Asked me if she looked okay at least three times. Poor thing.”

My temples pulsed with an imminent headache, a product of stress and lack of sleep. I massaged them, eyes fixed on my computer screen. “I hope you reassured her. She had a shitty day yesterday. She needs something good.”

“Hm.” Eleanor shifted her weight. “She said nothing when she came home last night.”

I glanced at her. “She will once she’s ready.”

“But she told you.” A knowing smirk tugged at her crimson lips.

Fuck. I didn’t like it one bit. “Like you repeatedly pointed out, I’m the boss. It’s my job to know everything.”