Page 50 of Exchange of Heart

‘In your office,’ she whispered as she passed.

‘I’m just heading to the loo,’ I told Freddie.

Stepping inside my office was like a portal to Nora Land. I stomped to my chair, arm outstretched, pointing at an object bound to ruin my reputation.

‘What the hell is that?’

‘A cushion,’ Nora smiled.

‘Why the hell is there a bright purple cushion on my chair?’

‘It’s comfy. I like it.’

My fingers clamped my nasal bone. ‘Corey Flemmington doesn’t have bright purple cushions on his chair. He also doesn’t have flowers in his office.’ I pointed to the pot of lavender by the windowsill.

‘You sound like you need to inhale their calming fragrance,’ she tutted.

‘We’ll talk about this tonight, but I wanted to let you know my father is going to tear you to shreds. You didn’t push that deal and he’s not happy about it. I can tell by the murderous gleam in his eye.’

‘That deal was theft.’ She didn’t seem concerned.

‘Obviously. How do you think the rich stay rich?’ I said.

Nora’s mouth popped open in surprise. ‘That’s disgusting.’

‘No shit, Sherlock. You think I’m arrogant, but really, I just hate everything this job stands for.’

‘You’re in a position that allows you to change that. Why aren’t you doing something about it?’

I’d given up my illustration dream so my brothers could live theirs, and doing something about it might jeopardise that. Nora wouldn’t understand. Not when her family didn’t have a soul-crushing role that someone had to fill.

‘We need to get it together. We looked ridiculous in that meeting,’ I changed the topic.

‘And with these qualifications?’ Nora pointed to my degrees on the wall, refusing to be distracted. ‘Corey, you could be doing anything. Nothing you say makes sense. You could take your life in any direction you wanted!’

I tried to smile, but my lips barely lifted. ‘Forget those qualifications. I’m a nepo baby, remember?’

Nora’s eyes softened and she stepped closer. ‘Corey,’ she sighed, ‘I am so sorry. Even if you got the job because of your dad, you are more than qualified for this role.’

‘You’re— Wait, what?’ I stared at her, waiting for hysterical laughter or a snarl.

She lowered her gaze and shrugged. ‘I wish you’d tell me what was going on. You could go anywhere you want and do anything you want, yet you’re here and miserable.’

It felt like Nora had draped a warm blanket across my shoulders. I was wrong, she would understand. She was experiencing my dismal life, and she noticed every blemish in something I worked so hard to appear picture perfect. I stepped closer, ready to share another part of my life with her. ‘I’m doing it for my br—’

‘You!’ Paddy pointed at Nora from my doorway. ‘I knew there was something going on.’

My widened eyes glanced to Nora, who stared back at me with the same look on her face.

‘Ha! You guys look terrified at being caught.’

Every organ in my body melted. Paddy had us figured out, and I didn’t know how or what or who or anything.

‘It was very simple, Corey,’ he continued. ‘I mean, come on, this office has a woman’s touch at every turn. Not to mention there was no missing your weird eye contact in that meeting. How long have you two been seeing each other?’

My organs slowly reformed and my brain rebooted. He thought we were dating. ‘Not long?’ My answer became a question.

Nora nodded. ‘Not long at all. Very new. Very… life changing. Still figuring things out.’