Chapter 3
The next morning, I woke up floating on air, practically bouncing with every step.
That good mood didn't last long. The HR department dropped a bomb—there was going to be a team-building event that afternoon in the park next to the office.
Team-building? With Jackson? I could already feel the awkward tension brewing.
Sure enough, the first game was a three-legged race. And when it came time to pair up, I felt like fate was mocking me. Of all people, I got partnered with Jackson.
Under everyone's teasing looks and smirks, I wanted nothing more than to disappear into thin air.
"Sorry you got stuck with me, Mr. Zeller," I said stiffly, trying to break the awkward silence between us.
Jackson didn't respond, just gave a brief nod and turned away, his jaw tightening. In the sunlight, I noticed the faintest flush creeping up the tips of his ears again.
My heart gave a tiny jolt. Was he shy again? But in my dream, he was so... bold.
The second our legs were tied together, I could feel the heat from Jackson's body through the fabric. There was a faint woody scent clinging to him.
It was that same scent from my dream. The one I breathed in while nestled in his arms, my face buried in the crook of his neck. My pulse quickened, and my breath caught.
"Ready, set, go!" the referee shouted. The crowd came alive around us in a flurry of noise.
Already nervous, I struggled to keep pace with Jackson's long, even strides. My foot caught, and I stumbled hard, tipping forward.
"Whoa!" I instinctively cried out.
In a flash, Jackson's arm wrapped firmly around my waist, pulling me back.
I practically crashed right into him, nose full of that crisp, comforting scent. I looked up, and my eyes locked onto his.
We were so close, I could count every single eyelash. I even saw his Adam's apple move as he swallowed.
His arm tightened slightly at my waist. I could feel the definition of his muscles and his strength through our clothes.
Time seemed to grind to a halt. All the background noise faded.
He looked at me, eyes shadowed and intense. In them, I saw panic, restraint, and something else I couldn't quite name.
"Focus, Mackenzie." His voice was low, with just the barest rasp.
"Go, Mr. Zeller! Go, Mackenzie! You two are practically kissing already," someone from the sidelines shouted, snapping the moment like a twig.
Jackson recoiled like he'd touched a live wire. He let me go and stepped back half a pace. His face returned to its usual unreadable calm, as though that moment had never even happened.
"Watch your step," he said sharply, eyes fixed forward.
But I noticed it. When he turned, there was a flicker of haste in his movements. His posture, always so rigid, looked strained.
Was he... nervous too? What were these dreams turning us into?
I stared after him, my heart pounding like crazy. A dangerous thought started blooming in my head.
But just when I dared to hope something was shifting between Jackson and me, life smacked me right back to reality. The company brought in a stunning new director, Yvette Sutton.
She strutted in on high heels, wrapped in a designer tweed suit. Her red lipstick popped, and her glossy curls bounced with every step. She walked straight into the private office next to Jackson's. She was our new assistant director. Rumor had it she had serious backing.
What was worse, Yvette gazed at Jackson like a hungry wolf eyeing its prey.
And I, Mackenzie, had become her enemy—probably all because of that three-legged race with Jackson.
On her very first day, Yvette summoned me into her office, which reeked of a cloying mix of rose and musk so strong I nearly sneezed.
She handed me a thick file, her crimson nails tapping the cover lightly. Her smile was sugar-sweet but sharp enough to cut. "Ms. Lott, I've heard you're quite capable. Mr. Zeller needs this market analysis for tomorrow morning's meeting. You'll need to give it your full attention."
I glanced at the file and almost fainted.
The report required three full quarters of data and five competitor analyses.
There was no way I could finish it overnight. Honestly, I'd need a miracle to wrap it up in three days. Was she trying to kill me?