Chapter 46: Shopping
Ella rubbed the back of her neck as she stepped out of the building, exhaustion pulling at her limbs after a long, stressful shift. The fluorescent lights inside had been harsh, the hours grueling, and the endless demands from impatient customers had drained what little energy she had left. Her feet ached, her head throbbed faintly, and all she wanted was a hot shower and some peace.
But instead, the city greeted her with a soft breeze and the low hum of traffic. The sun had just begun its descent, casting the sky in a palette of golden pink and burnt orange. The lights from passing cars flickered against the glass buildings, painting shifting shadows across the pavement. She exhaled, slowly—then froze.
She didn’t expect him to be here.
But there he was—leaning casually against his sleek black car like he had all the time in the world. Hands tucked into his pockets. One ankle crossed over the other. Looking like he’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine or maybe a cinematic dream. The first time she’d met Nicholas Carter, she thought he looked too good to be real. That hadn’t changed.
He wore a navy suit, the cut tailored so perfectly it had to be custom. The top two buttons of his crisp white shirt were undone, revealing a hint of tanned skin and collarbone. His dark hair was tousled in that frustratingly perfect way—messy, but deliberate. And his grin, cocky and full of charm, tugged at something deep in her stomach.
A few girls walking past slowed down, whispering behind their hands, their eyes drifting from him to her with open envy.
Ella sighed.
He would be the death of her.
Nicholas’s gaze lit up the moment he spotted her. His whole posture shifted, straightening as he pushed off the car. He walked toward her with the kind of lazy confidence that made people turn their heads. The same confidence that had made her blood boil more than once.
"Look at that. My beautiful wife, right on time," he said, voice laced with teasing warmth.
Ella rolled her eyes, even as her cheeks flushed. "I’m not your wife," she muttered under her breath, acutely aware of the people around them.