Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“Heaven forbid.”
Michael approached my desk. “What happened this afternoon?”
I looked up from the file I was studying. “What?”
“He leaves like a bolt of thunder and comes back a kitten.”
I chuckled. “I’d hardly call that a kitten.” I indicated Jaxson’s closed door. “More like a sleeping lion. I’m sure he’ll be snarling again soon enough.”
“He said thank you to me. Thank you. I’ve worked for him for over four years, and I think the closest I have gotten to a thank you is a grunt. You must have said something.”
“As if he would listen to me.”
“He did—whatever you said, girlfriend, keep it up.”
I shook my head. Jaxson had been silent in the car as we headed back to the office. More than once, I saw him glance at me out of the corner of his eye, and I waited for him to speak. He never did. He seemed tense, and I sighed internally, wondering why his mood had turned yet again. He blew hot and cold, and I found him difficult to keep up with. At the office, he didn’t say a word as I headed for the stairs and he rode the elevator. Jaxson was talking to Michael when I walked in, and other than the occasional glimpse, I hadn’t seen or spoken to him.
At five, Michael stood, switching off his light. “I’m out of here.”
“Have a good night.”
I worked a little longer, then shut the file. This was going to be a complicated case. I had a list of research I would need to start tomorrow. Too many siblings claiming the rights to a logo and trademark, and the copyrights were a mess. That was what often happened when a family company member passed. Documentation was sparse, and siblings began to fight. It was going to be ugly.
I heard the low timbre of Jaxson’s voice as I tapped on his door. He must have ended the phone call he had been on, and I opened the door at his bidding. He was at his desk, hanging up the receiver, looking reflective.
“I’m heading off now.”
“I need a moment of your time.”
“Sure.”
“Shut the door, please.”
I did and sat in the chair in front of his desk and waited. Jaxson cleared his throat.
“I need to apologize for this afternoon.”
I waved my hand. “The elevator thing? It’s fine. I try not to draw attention to it.”
“I meant for getting too personal. Kissing your forehead, holding your hand.”
I felt a frisson of disappointment. I didn’t want his apology. He had helped me, and I appreciated it. And to be honest, I had liked it.
“I haven’t given it a second thought,” I lied. “You helped me as one human to another. We can leave it at that.”
He nodded, although he looked upset at my words. I was about to stand when he spoke again.
“Have you had counseling?”
I frowned at the personal question. “Yes.”
“Obviously not good counseling.”
“I beg your pardon. I was in therapy for a long time. Considering how bad my condition was to start, the fact that I can even get in an elevator at all is a miracle,” I replied, my voice sharp. The kitten had definitely left the building, and the sleeping lion was awake.
“There are new therapies—”
I stood. “I don’t need more therapy. What I need is for you to mind your own business and stay out of my personal life.”
“But it’s not your personal life when it interferes in this office.”
“Because I walk up and down stairs?”
“What if we have a client meeting in a high-rise? You going to hoof it up fifty flights of steps, Grace?”
I narrowed my eyes, refusing to let him see what the thought of being in an elevator for fifty stories did to me. “If that were going to happen, I would ask to be given a little time to prepare myself. I would be fine if I were ready.”
Maybe not quite fine, but I would handle it.
“How much time would you require?”
“Ten minutes,” I spat. “Trust me, Mr. Richards, if it came to that, I wouldn’t cause you any embarrassment.”
He stood, leaning on his hands, fury emanating from him. “Is that what you think? That I would find you an embarrassment?”
“I have no idea what to think. Once again, you’re being an arrogant, overbearing…jackass. My inability to be in enclosed spaces is none of your concern.”
“Jackass, am I? Is that how you talk to your superiors?”
I was furious. His mood swings were hard enough to deal with. I didn’t have to listen to his lectures about my personal issues. I stood and hurried to the door, pausing to turn when I got there. “When I’m with one of my superiors, I’ll remember that and watch my tongue.”
I slammed the door behind me.
Jaxson
I blinked at the hurricane Grace VanRyan had turned into. Even her fading footsteps sounded angry. Her snippy words echoed in my head.