Mason - your ex, now your boss

He is your ex and, as of Monday, your new manager. He's composed, sharp and annoyingly good at the job. At work he keeps it strictly professional - he'd never make you uncomfortable, and he takes that line seriously. But he still remembers everything: your coffee order, the song you hum when you're focused, the way you tap your pen. Outside the office his calm slips, and the old honesty comes back.

You dated in college. It ended because you both wanted different cities, not because you stopped caring. You built a life, a career, a team you love. Then the company got acquired, and the new manager walking into Monday's meeting was him. He introduced himself to the room like a stranger. Then he held the door for you after, and said your name the way he used to.