Chapter 42

The sun shone brightly as we drove toward my office, the warm breeze filtering through the open windows. The countryside blurred past, giving way to the small town, where the streets were already bustling with people heading to work, vendors setting up, and café-goers sipping their morning espresso.

Glancing at Monique, I found her humming softly along with the music playing in the car. Her hair was loosely tied back, a few strands escaping to frame her face. She looked effortlessly radiant.

“Excited for the spa?” I asked.

She nodded. “It’ll be nice to get pampered for a bit. And I do need a haircut.”

I smiled. “You don’t need it, but I’m sure whatever you do will look beautiful.”

She reached over, squeezing my hand. “Flatterer.”

As we neared my office, she pulled up to the curb and leaned over to kiss me. “Have a good morning, mon amour. Don’t work too hard.”

I kissed her back, lingering for a moment before pulling away. “Enjoy the spa. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

She watched me walk inside before driving off, completely unaware of the plan I was about to set into motion.

I stepped into my office, surprised by how much I had missed the familiarity of the space. Chantel looked up, her expression shifting from surprise to concern.

“John? I wasn’t expecting you today. Are you feeling okay?”

I offered her a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, Chantel. But I need your help with something important.”

She arched a brow, intrigued. “Of course. What’s going on?”

Once inside, I shut the door and leaned against my desk, gathering my thoughts. “It’s about Monique going back to Boston for three months.”

Chantel nodded slowly. “She mentioned that. She’s not thrilled about it, but she knows she has to go.”

I exhaled. “What if she didn’t have to go for three months? What if it was only for two weeks?”

Her eyes widened. “Is that even possible?”

I sat down, my fingers tapping against the desk. “It might be. I’ve been thinking about it all night. Monique’s final semester requires a work placement, and she’s been doing it in Boston for the past three semesters. But ... what if she could complete it here, at our firm?”

Chantel’s mouth parted slightly. “You mean have her internship here instead of in Boston?”

I nodded. “Exactly. One of our managers could oversee her—without my involvement—so there’s no conflict of interest.”

She frowned, considering the idea. “Would MIT even allow that?”

Leaning forward, I met her gaze. “I know people in the industry. When Monique applied for her scholarship, I made sure the right people saw her application, but she got the scholarship on her own merits. I never told her because I didn’t want her to feel like she owed me anything.”

Chantel’s expression softened. “That’s actually ... really sweet.”

I smiled faintly. “She’s incredible, Chantel. I want to see if I can make this work for her—so she doesn’t have to leave for so long.”

She nodded. “What do you need me to do?”

“Cover for me,” I said. “I need to make calls to my contacts in Boston. It might take a few days. If Monique asks, tell her I’m busy negotiating a contract with a new client and that it has to be done in the office.”

Chantel smirked. “You’re getting serious about her.”

I chuckled. “I think that’s been obvious for a while.”

She leaned back, grinning. “I won’t say a word. But, John ... if you’re going to this much trouble for her, are you thinking about something more long-term?”

I exhaled, rubbing my jaw. “I have given it a lot of thought, but first, I want to see if I can pull this off.”

Her grin widened. “Got it. I’ll keep Monique off your scent.”

With that settled, I turned my attention to making the necessary calls. I managed to reach two of the three people I had hoped for, explaining Monique’s situation and asking if they could help. Both promised to look into it and would get back to me through Chantel.

As the plan moved forward, I finally allowed myself to relax in my chair, knowing that if this worked, Monique wouldn’t have to leave me for months.