Never Say Never

door. “Twenty-three is adult. It’s like mid-adult. Five years into adulting.”
“The word ‘adulting’ really makes you sound mature,” Camila told her, smiling. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Emily. Call me if you change your mind—my number is on the contract.”
“Thank you.” Emily slipped the document into her bag before stepping out into the hallway.
“Would you like my driver to give you a ride home?”
“Oh no, that’s okay. I can take the subway.”
“All right, then. But you are not to take my son anywhere near that germ-infested thing, understood?”
“Is that in the contract?”
“Absolutely. Goodnight, Emily.”
“Goodnight, Ms. Evans—Camila.”
Camila shut the door, pleased at how the evening had gone. Emily was great with Jaime, and he would be overjoyed when he learned he would be spending more time with her tomorrow.
She returned to her study with a spring in her step. She had barely settled into her chair before the phone rang. She smiled when she saw the name on the screen.
Camila didn’t have many friends—she was prickly and didn’t let her guard down easily—but Jenny Hall was one of the few who had stuck by her over the years.
To the media, they were enemies at each other’s throats, owners of rival networks on opposite coasts, but behind closed doors it was a different story entirely.
“Well, this is a surprise,” Camila answered, relaxing back in her chair as she waited for her laptop to boot up. “Is it time for our annual phone call already?”
“Oh please, you know you miss me.”
Camila did, but she’d never admit it. Jenny was one of the few people that she did miss about LA from her internship days. She had never made quite the same connection with anyone in New York, had never found anyone here who had her back in this male-dominated industry. “I miss you like a hole in the head,” she said.
“Just thought I’d check in to see how you’re doing.” Without a doubt, Jenny was sitting in her own office at home, just as much of a workaholic as Camila.
“After the divorce,” was unspoken, and Camila appreciated the concern. “I’m okay. Just trying to keep myself busy.”
“That misconduct case doing the trick?”
“Don’t remind me,” Camila said, groaning. “The media’s been on my case since the news broke this morning. You don’t know any decent actors available for a main role on very short notice, do you?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be letting you poach them.”
Camila grinned. “It was worth a shot.”
“Yeah, yeah. And how’s that gorgeous godson of mine?”
“He’s as wonderful as always. I think I found his new nanny today.”
“You fired another one?”
“She rather forced my hand when I came home to find her and her boyfriend in flagrante delicto.”
“Oh, my God, I would’ve paid to see your reaction to that.” Jenny cackled loudly. “Well, I hope the next one doesn’t disappoint.”
“Me too.”

Chapter 4
“This is the most ironclad contract I have ever seen,” Cassie said the next morning as she flipped through the pages of Emily’s contract. “I think you’re good to go, though. It’s mostly to do with privacy. There’s a non-disclosure agreement…”
Emily nodded. She had expected no less. “So I’m not selling my soul?”
“Only signing your life away.” Cassie grinned, dropping the contract onto the coffee table and reclining on the couch, setting her feet on Emily’s lap. “To Camila Evans. Although considering your giant crush, that’s not much of an issue.”
“Shut up.” Emily swatted at Cassie with a cushion.
“So how long are you gonna wait till you ask her out?” Cassie asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
“I am not going to ask her out!” Emily said. “She’s my boss.”
“I was joking. Although plenty of people date their bosses. It’s not like you work with her directly. You’re not her assistant or someone else that would cause a scandal.”
“Pretty sure the headline ‘Well-Known Celebrity Businesswoman Sleeps with Her Younger Female Nanny’ would be a scandal,” Emily said.
“Well, you might have a point there. Just gonna torture yourself by working in close quarters, then?”
“That’s the plan.”
Cassie patted her leg sympathetically.
They watched a movie until Cassie left for work. Emily spent the rest of her morning unpacking the few boxes that still littered her apartment. She was so focused that she lost track of time and practically had to sprint from the subway station to the CEBC building.
The long elevator ride gave her a chance to catch her breath, and by the time she reached the thirtieth floor, her heart rate had returned to normal.
She approached Camila’s office hesitantly, wondering if there would ever be a time when she felt completely at ease around the other woman. She hovered in the doorway until Camila glanced up and waved her in. She had left two buttons undone on her white blouse, and Emily struggled not to stare at the exposed pale skin.
“Good afternoon, Emily. I’m glad to see you haven’t changed your mind.” Camila graced her with the barest hint of a smile, and Emily wondered if it had already been a long day.
“Not at all, Ms. Evans.” It felt wrong to call her Camila in her office. “Here’s the contract.” She reached to hand it over, but Jaime sat on the floor in front of Camila’s desk playing with a redheaded woman whom Emily hadn’t seen yesterday. He sprung to his feet when he spotted her in the doorway.
“Emily!” He collided with her legs, wrapping his arms around them in a hug. Emily laughed and ruffled his hair, setting the contract down on the couch for the time being.
“Hey, buddy.”
The redheaded woman’s jaw hung open in amazement.
“You having a good day?”
“Yeah!” He stared up at her, his eyes bright.
“He’s been talking about you all day,” Camila said, looking fondly at her son. “You made quite the impression last night.”
“I’ll say,” the other woman added, and Emily recognized her voice. It was the woman she had spoken to on the phone to set up the interview. “I think I’ve been replaced as his second favorite person.”
“Emily, this is my assistant, Jessica. Emily is the