Chapter Nineteen
Alicia's POV
I woke up with a knot in my stomach.
Work. With Malachi.
The thought alone made me anxious. After yesterday, after seeing him at the café and feeling his eyes on me the entire time, I didn't know if I could handle another day of his teasing. His presence. His everything.
I got dressed slowly, choosing a cream blouse and black pants. Professional and safe. I pulled my hair back into a neat bun and applied minimal makeup.
When I walked into the dining room for breakfast, I immediately scanned the table.
No Malachi.
Relief and disappointment hit me at the same time. Which was ridiculous. I should be happy he wasn't here. Happy I could eat in peace without feeling his gaze on me.
But a small part of me felt empty.
I ate quickly, barely tasting the food. When I finished, I grabbed my bag and headed outside. Maybe he was already in the car waiting.
But when I reached the driveway, only Maurice stood by the vehicle.
"Good morning, Mrs. Blackwood," he said politely.
"Morning, Maurice." I looked around. "Is Malachi already at the office?"
"No, ma'am. Mr. Malachi isn't available today."
My chest tightened. "Is he okay? Is something wrong?"
"He's fine. Just handling some personal business. He said you should proceed to work without him."
Personal business. What kind of personal business?
I wanted to ask more questions, but Maurice's expression told me he wouldn't answer them. So I just nodded and got into the car.
The drive to the office felt longer than usual. I stared out the window, my mind wandering to places it shouldn't.
Where was he? What was he doing? Why did I even care?
When I arrived at the office, it felt empty. Too quiet. Even though Malachi spent most of his day in meetings, just knowing he was there made the space feel alive.
Now it was just me and the silent walls.
I settled at my desk and pulled up the day's schedule. Three meetings. Contract reviews. Budget approvals. Everything Malachi would normally handle.
I could do this. I'd been Travis's secretary for two years. I knew how this worked.
The first meeting started at nine. Department heads discussing quarterly projections. I took notes, asked the right questions, and made decisions when necessary.
But my mind kept drifting.
To him. To where he was. To why he wasn't here.
The second meeting was with investors. They seemed surprised to see me instead of Malachi, but they were professional about it. We discussed expansion opportunities and market trends.
By the third meeting, I was exhausted. Not from the work, but from trying to keep Malachi out of my thoughts.
I hated that he affected me this much. Hated that his absence felt like something missing.
After the last meeting ended, I needed a break. I grabbed my phone and headed to the washroom on the executive floor.
The moment I walked in, I heard voices.
"Did you see Mr. Blackwood yesterday? God, he's so handsome."
"And the way he carries himself. So confident. So in control."
"Nothing like Mr. Travis. I heard he was a nightmare to work for."
My jaw clenched. They were talking about him again. About Malachi.
"Mr. Malachi is so responsible too. He handled everything so smoothly on his first day."
"I wonder if he's single."
That was enough.
I stepped out from the stall, and both women jumped, their faces going pale when they saw me.
"Get back to work," I said coldly.
"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am."
They practically ran out of the washroom.
I washed my hands and stared at my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed. My eyes looked tired.
Why did it bother me so much when people talked about him? Why did I care what they said?
Because you want him all to yourself, a small voice whispered in my head.
I shook my head and left the washroom.
Lunch was quiet. I ate alone in the office, hoping maybe he'd show up. That he'd walk through the door with that smirk and some teasing comment.
But he never came.
The afternoon dragged on. More emails. More reports. More wondering where the hell Malachi Blackwood was and why I cared so much.
By the time five o'clock rolled around, I was done. Physically and mentally exhausted.
I packed up my things and headed to the elevator. The ride down felt endless.
When I stepped out into the parking garage, I immediately spotted him.
Malachi leaned against his car, arms crossed, looking completely unbothered by the world. He was dressed in dark jeans and a black shirt, more casual than I'd ever seen him.
My heart jumped in my chest. Actually jumped.
He looked up when he heard my footsteps, and that familiar smirk appeared. "There she is."
"Where were you?" The words came out before I could stop them.
"Missed me?"
My face heated. "No. I just wondered why you weren't at work."
"Liar." He pushed off the car and walked toward me. "You missed me. I can see it in your eyes."
"Don't say things like that," I said quickly, glancing around. "We're in a working area."
"So?" He stopped right in front of me. Too close. "I don't care who hears."
My pulse raced. "Malachi—"
"Let me take you to dinner," he said suddenly.
I blinked. "What?"
"Dinner. To thank you for handling everything today. You worked hard."
I should say no. I should get in my car and drive home alone. Put distance between us.
But instead, I heard myself say, "Okay."
His smile widened. "Really? That was easier than I expected."
"I'm sore," I said defensively. "And I don't want to deal with family drama tonight."
"Sure. That's the only reason."
"It is."
"Or maybe," he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping, "you just want to be in my presence."
My heart pounded so hard I thought he could hear it. "You're impossible."
"And you're adorable when you're flustered."
He opened the passenger door of his car and gestured for me to get in. I hesitated for only a moment before sliding into the seat.
This was a bad idea. A terrible idea.
But as Malachi got in beside me and started the engine, I couldn't bring myself to care.