Never Say Never

by Rachael Sommers

“Oh right. Emily. Hi. Is everything all right?”

  “Everything’s fine,” Emily assured him. “I was wondering if you’d mind picking Jaime up from Camila’s office instead of the apartment.”

  “Oh. Uh, yeah, all right.”

  “Thanks. See you later.” She hung up before he had a chance to say anything else. Then turning back to Jaime, said, “You wanna go visit your mom?”

  “Okay!”

  Emily threw a few more things into Jaime’s travel bag and double checked that his favorite teddy and blanket were in there.

  She called Camila’s driver to pick them up to save time, and they were in the CEBC elevator before the clock hit six thirty.

  “I hope your mom doesn’t hate this surprise,” Emily muttered as they stepped out of the elevator.

  Jessica intercepted them, her creased forehead relaxing. “Oh, thank God you’re here,” she said, wrapping her hand around Emily’s arm She lowered her voice. “She’s been on the warpath all day, and when she found out she wouldn’t be home early, it was…not pretty.”

  “Well, maybe we can fix that.” Emily glanced toward Camila’s office. She sat at her desk, frowning at her monitor, her glasses perched on her nose and fingers pressed to her temples. “Are we all right to go in?”

  “Please.”

  Emily tapped on the door before cracking it open.

  “I thought I was clear that I didn’t want to be disturbed.” Camila’s voice crackled with fury, her eyes never leaving the monitor. In that moment she wasn’t the woman Emily had come to know. She wasn’t even Jaime’s mother. She was Camila freaking Evans, the woman Emily had met at her interview, and it stopped her in her tracks.

  “Um…”

  Camila’s head snapped up so fast, her glasses slipped off her nose and fell onto the desk. “Emily?” Camila blinked. “What on earth are you doing here?”

  “I knew you’d wanna say goodbye to this little guy.” She let go of Jaime’s hand, and he trotted over to Camila, raising his arms to be picked up. “So I thought I’d bring him by. I called Chris to ask him to come here.”

  “You…you did? I…I don’t know what to say. Thank you. And I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

  “It’s all right.” Emily dropped Jaime’s bag beside the couch.

  She slipped out onto the balcony so Jaime could tell his mom about his day. The lights of the city were impressive at night. When Camila’s phone rang a few minutes later, Jaime came out to join her, returning inside when they heard Camila complete the call.

  Chris arrived right at seven. Camila stood up, waving him inside.

  He greeted his ex-wife, nodded at Emily, then turned to Jaime, sitting next to Emily. “Hey, big guy. You ready to go?”

  Jaime shook his head vigorously, and Emily wondered if there was a tantrum brewing.

  “It’s all right, sweetheart.” Camila scooped Jaime into a hug. “You’re going to have a nice weekend with your daddy.”

  “Want to stay with you.” He clung tightly to Camila, and Chris’s mouth twisted with displeasure.

  “I’ll see you on Sunday.” Camila kissed the top of Jaime’s head. “It’ll be here before you know it.”

  Jaime allowed Chris to take his hand.

  “Everything he needs is in here.” Camila’s voice went ice-cold as she addressed her ex-husband. “You’ll call if you have any trouble?”

  “I know how to look after my son, Camila.”

  “That’s not what I—” Camila took a deep breath. “Just call if you do, will you?”

  “All right. Shall we get going, Jaime?”

  Jaime said nothing.

  “Say goodbye to your mom.”

  “Bye,” he mumbled, and Camila leaned down to give him one last kiss.

  “Goodbye, sweetheart.”

  Emily waved as Jaime disappeared from view, then turned to face Camila, whose shoulders had dropped in defeat. She walked over to the bar in the corner, poured herself two fingers of scotch, and threw it down like it was water.

  “Drink?” she asked Emily, who shook her head. “I have water too.”

  “I’m good.”

  Camila set her glass down, her hand trembling.

  “Are you all right?”

  “I will be,” she said, and Emily wondered if that was a lie.

  “How much longer do you have to stay here?” she asked as Camila returned to her desk. Emily hovered in front, fingers resting on its surface.

  “Well, I have nothing to be home for now, so…” Camila trailed off, shrugging.

  “But it’s Friday,” Emily protested. “You can’t stay here all night.”

  “It’s not like I haven’t done it before,” Camila said.

  “That doesn’t mean you should.”

  Camila leveled a stare at her.

  “Okay, well, if you insist on working late,” Emily said in her best disciplinarian voice, as if she were talking to Jaime, “you need to eat at some point, so come on.” She held out a hand.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Making sure you look after yourself.”

  “I wasn’t aware that was in your job description.” Camila folded her arms across her chest. “You’re supposed to look after my son, not me.”

  “Part of looking after Jaime is making sure his mom is all right.”

  Camila tilted her head, considering.

  “You don’t have to eat with me, just…take a break, okay? You work too hard.”

  “Very well.” Camila pushed herself up from her chair. “Let’s go.”

  “Really?”

  “Mm-hmm, before I change my mind.”

  Emily pressed her lips between her teeth to hide her smile, then followed Camila out.

  “Jessica, I’m leaving for a bit. Finish whatever you’re working on and go home. I’ve just been informed that because it’s Friday, we can’t stay here all night.”

  Chapter 13

  Camila watched Emily over the rim of her water glass.

  They were in a booth at a restaurant down the street from the CEBC building, and Camila was just as surprised as the hostess that she was there.

  Emily was just…well, persuasive, for a start, and nice to look at, and pretty great company tonight when she had been dreading the thought of returning to an empty apartment.

  It was certainly better than spending the night in front of a computer.

  She knew she was staring, but she couldn’t put her finger on it, couldn’t figure Emily out, because what she’d done—bringing Jaime to her and then making sure she ate—was probably the kindest, most considerate thing anyone had done for her in a very long time.

  And she’d done it because that was who she was: selfless and caring and wonderful.

  “Do I, um, have something on my face?” Emily squirmed under Camila’s gaze, self-conscious and absolutely adorable.

  “No.” Camila tore her eyes away and cleared her throat. “Just lost in thought. Trying to figure out a problem.”

  “Oh yeah? Anything I can help with?”

  Probably, Camila thought, given that the problem is you and what to do with the way you make me feel.

  But she couldn’t say that, so she shook her head and changed the subject.

  “While we’re here”—her gaze settled on Emily again—“I’d like to check in with you. You’ve been Jaime’s nanny for a couple of months now. Is everything still okay? Anything you’d like to bring up?”

  “I didn’t mean for this to be an employee review,” Emily said, but she was smiling. “But no, no issues. And everything’s great. If anything, I fall more and more in love with this job every day.”

  “The hours don’t bother you?”

  “I knew what I was signing up for,” Emily pointed out. “You warned me, and it’s been fine.”

/>   “Good, good. And Jaime still sings your praises, so I know he’s happy. How are the college applications going? You’ll warn me if I need to start searching for someone else?”

  She tried not to dwell on the thought of Emily no longer being in her life and the effect that would have on both her and Jaime, but it was always in the back of her mind that this wouldn’t last forever and her bubble would pop sooner rather than later.

  “Of course.” Emily looked offended. “I’ve sent off a couple, but the deadline for most colleges is a ways off yet.”

  “Where are you applying?”

  “NYU has a pretty good master’s program,” Emily answered, “so you don’t need to start looking for a replacement anytime soon.”

  “Glad to hear it.” That was an understatement. “And Jaime will be too. He’s rather fond of you.”

  “The feeling is definitely mutual.” Emily smiled, and Camila’s heart filled with warmth at how completely the other woman cared for her son.

  After their food arrived, Camila picked at her pasta and Emily inhaled her pizza.

  “Hungry?” Camila asked as Emily stuffed the last crust into her mouth and settled back in her seat.

  “Always.”

  When the bill arrived, Emily tried to pay because Camila wouldn’t be there if not for her, and after a brief argument, Camila agreed to split it.

  She agreed because she knew Emily wouldn’t back down, not because of those eyes that seemed to peer into her soul.

  They made their way outside the restaurant, Camila ready to go back to work.

  “Anything planned for the rest of the night?”

  “I didn’t until my sister messaged. She wants to know if I want to go see some band play in a dive bar downtown.”

  “God, I haven’t done that in years.” She had when she was younger, of course; she had spent most of her later teenage years and early twenties going to hear local bands.

  “Really? I can’t picture you in a place like that.”

  “Because you can only picture me as I am now,” Camila pointed out.

  “Well, you can join us, if you want. It’d be nice not to be a third wheel.”

  She knew she should say no.

  The line between employer and employee was already blurred, had almost crossed into being friends, and it would be a terrible idea to spend the rest of the evening with Emily.

  She should say no, but Emily looked at her with her head tilted to one side, and when she opened her mouth to say no…

  She said yes instead.

  * * *

  Emily hadn’t expected Camila to agree, but half an hour after Cassie’s text, she was slipping through a side door and into a packed bar with Camila by her side. Emily wanted to pinch herself.

  Camila was still in her work clothes, but somehow she fit right in as they weaved their way through the crowd toward the bar.

  “Is your sister already here?” Camila leaned in to be heard over the din of people talking and the sound check. Emily shivered at the warm breath against her ear and the feel of her body pressed up close.

  “I think so.” She scanned the room and found Cassie waving at her from the other side. She and Maia had managed to claim a table by the wall. “They’re over there.”

  “Drink?”

  “I’ll get them.” She ordered a scotch for Camila and a beer for herself, then followed Camila as she cleared a path over to Cassie and Maia.

  “Camila.” Cassie greeted them when they reached the table and sat down. Her sister better behave because when Emily had sent a text that Camila was coming too, the reply had simply been a line of exclamation points. “Good to see you again.”

  “You too.” Camila sipped her scotch and turned around to look at the stage. The dim lighting cast shadows across her face, and God, she was gorgeous.

  Once the music started, it was too loud to talk. When Cassie and Maia threaded into the crowd to dance, Emily and Camila moved to the other side of the table so they could watch the band. Emily stole glances at Camila every few minutes until Camila caught her, their eyes meeting. Emily quickly looked away, back to the band on stage.

  They weren’t great, but they weren’t terrible either, and it wasn’t the worst Friday night she’d ever had, especially with Camila by her side.

  When the people at the next table got up, they jostled Emily, and Camila steadied her with a hand on her waist. Her fingers slipped under Emily’s jacket, brushing against bare skin, the music drowning out her gasp.

  “Are you okay?” Camila tilted her head back so she could look Emily in the eye. Her fingertips still burned against Emily’s side.

  “I… Yeah.” It was a miracle she could form words at all with Camila touching her, and Emily didn’t know whether to curse at the guy or thank him when he knocked into her again, pressing her even closer to Camila until she was practically pinned to the wall, surrounded by the Camila’s perfume. “I…I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Camila spoke softly as her eyes dipped to Emily’s lips. Her pulse hammered at the side of her neck when she swallowed.

  The whole night felt like a date, and if it were, this would be the moment when, with Camila’s lips so achingly close to hers, Emily would lean over to kiss her. She struggled to remember why that was a terrible idea.

  The sudden applause as the band finished a song made Emily jump. She had lost herself completely in Camila’s eyes. Camila removed her hand from Emily’s waist to clap.

  “I…I’m going to go get us another drink.” Camila cleared her throat and walked away, leaving Emily alone at the table, too dazed to respond.

  She was still processing what had happened, wondering whether the look in Camila’s eyes had been longing or if that was just what she wished it was, when a woman with dark hair and brown eyes approached.

  “Pretty good set, right?” she asked, raising her voice to be heard over the next song.

  “Yeah, they’re all right.”

  “They’re a lot better than some of the bands they’ve had in here. This your first time? I think I’d remember if I’d seen you here before.” She leaned in closer. She was pretty, but she was nothing compared to Camila.

  “Uh, yeah, this is more my sister’s scene than mine. I’m just tagging along.”

  “Can I buy you a drink?”

  People coming on to her made her feel awkward, it always had, and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

  “I actually have one on the way.” She gestured vaguely toward where Camila had melted into the crowd.

  “Oh, sorry. Is the blonde your girlfriend?”

  “Uh no, definitely not.” Only in her dreams. “But I’m not really looking for one right now.”

  “Who said anything about a girlfriend?” the woman said with a suggestive smile, and Emily flushed.

  “I, um…” She trailed off as she caught a glimpse of Camila over the woman’s head—she stood frozen, a drink in each hand, her face dark, but as her eyes met Emily’s, her expression shifted. She downed her drink in one gulp, then set Emily’s on the table.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” she said to the brunette, though she didn’t sound sorry at all. “Emily, I think I’m going to go home. I still have work to do, after all.”

  “Camila, wait—” But Camila slipped away, and Emily took off after her without even offering the brunette an apology. She caught up with her outside, where she stood with her phone in hand, foot tapping impatiently, no doubt waiting for her driver. “Camila, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” She didn’t look up from her phone, her face impassive. It was like staring at a brick wall. “I have work to do, and you should be talking to attractive women who want to sleep with you.”

  “But I…I don’t want to do that.” Emily reached for Camila, brushing her fingers against her bare forearm. Emily
’s touch made Camila look up, but her expression was unreadable. Even under the horrible neon lights flashing the name of the bar, she was beautiful. “I wanted to spend the evening with you.” She spoke the heavy words softly, probably revealing too much, but it was too late to bite them back. “I…I thought we were having fun.”

  “Emily…” Camila’s voice sounded pained, but Emily kept her hand on her arm. Camila ran her tongue along her bottom lip. “You should really go back inside.”

  “I don’t want to,” Emily said, shaking her head, emboldened by the alcohol running through her veins and the fact that Camila had not yet moved away. She wanted Camila to understand that she didn’t want to be with anyone that wasn’t her.

  “What do you want, Emily?”

  Oh, that was a dangerous question, and Emily suspected from the glint in her eye and the way she tilted up her jaw that Camila knew it too.

  If it was a dangerous question, the answer was even more dangerous, and before she could talk herself out of it, Emily leaned down and brushed Camila’s lips with hers. It was brief, chaste, and she felt Camila kiss her back for one quick second before she remembered what she was doing. She stiffened, and Emily stepped away.

  “Shit, I’m sorry.” Emily put her face in her hands, absolutely mortified. “I—”

  “It’s quite all right, Emily.” Camila cut her off as she smoothed down her blouse. “Let’s just blame the alcohol, shall we?”

  Emily opened her mouth to reply, but Camila held the floor.

  “I think… I think there’s been some confusion in our relationship. And I’ll admit we’re both at fault. But you’re my employee, nothing more.”

  Emily winced as if she’d been struck.

  “In the future it might be better if things remained more…professional between us.”

  “Oh. I… Okay.” Emily swallowed hard around the lump nestled in her throat. At least Camila wasn’t going to fire her outright. “If that’s what you want.”

  “I think that would be best.” Camila’s car pulled to a stop in front of them. “It’s best not to muddy the waters. For Jaime’s sake.”

  “R…right.”

  “I’ll see you on Monday.” Camila slipped into the waiting car.