Cole’s POV

The day drags, but not in the usual way. Numbers, contracts, meetings, normally they hold me steady, keep me sharp. Today, they’re just noise. Every few minutes, I find myself remembering the way Elena sat across from me yesterday, the tension between us. I tell myself I’m imagining it, that I’m letting her under my skin, but I know I’m not. By the time I clear my schedule and head toward her office, I’ve already convinced myself it’s business. Just a routine check-in. ...