That's Not a NO

Chapter 10: Is this the part where I try to run?

Chapter 10: Is this the part where I try to run?

Ash Santiago never threw parties. He hosted meetings. Ran board reviews. Delivered perfectly timed ice-breakers at team-building sessions. But this? This was different.

"It's not a party," he'd insisted to Crystal when she raised an eyebrow at the e-vite subject line: Just Because We're Not Fired Yet.

"You put 'feast' in the body text," she'd said.

"That was marketing flair."

Crystal had snorted. "You're lucky I like free food."

They gathered at his apartment just after sunset—a sleek, modern space that felt surprisingly warm for someone as surgically put together as Ash. The lights were low, the music soft, and the smell of real food—not catered, not reheated—floated from the kitchen.

Elise arrived late, which was intentional. She didn't like to be early to things where people might notice her walking in. Kelly greeted her with a loud, "YOU CAME," which defeated the whole point.

"Regretfully," Elise muttered, but her voice had no heat.

Crystal was already two glasses into something red and expensive. Josh was helping plate dishes, surprisingly domestic in rolled-up sleeves. And Ash... Ash was moving around like a host who wasn't pretending to be one.

"Navarro," he said when he saw her. "You're just in time to criticize the menu."

"What, no gold-plated soufflé?"

"I tried. But apparently truffle oil isn't a food group."

She smirked, but her shoulders stayed tense. The rest of the group flowed around the island and the living room like they'd done this a hundred times. Like they belonged there. Elise, meanwhile, sat at the edge of the couch and watched.

The jokes came easily between the others. Kelly teasing Crystal for showing up in heels like it was a gala. Crystal threatening to write everyone up on Monday. Josh tossing barbs at Ash about his playlist—"You made a dinner mix? Who are you?"

Ash grinned. "You're just mad there's no Nickelback."

"I'm mad you said that with pride."

They laughed. Elise didn't.

She smiled. She nodded. She made a few dry remarks that earned chuckles. But her fingers stayed curled around her drink like it was armor.

Then Blaze's name came up.

Crystal raised her glass. "To Ash, for hosting this gathering of misfits and survivors."

"Don't forget our fearless CEO," Kelly added with mock solemnity. "Who declined the invite."

"Imagine Blaze here," Crystal said. "He'd demand a seating chart and a five-slide KPI summary before appetizers."

"Which is why I didn't send the invite directly," Ash confessed. "I let his assistant read it and pray he didn't notice."

"The guy's a hurricane. It could practically be his surname. Blaze Hurricane," Josh agreed.

"Yup. The redundance is justified. That guy scared me senseless. He needs a girlfriend." Kelly blurts out suddenly.

Josh chokes on his drink, "what makes you say that?"

"I don't know. Maybe if he's in love, he'd be less... intense."

"Who do you have in mind?" Crystal asked, amused.

"Elise, of course," it was Ash's turn to cough.

The banter continued through the main course.