and he ignored it, trying to get this bit done. They went to take a break and he pulled out his phone in the cafeteria while Sally got her own food since he couldn’t leave the room without her.
It was a missed call from Ashia. But no message. He quickly dialled her number and waited for her to answer.
“Hello?”
“Hey,” he said, a smile lifting his lips. “I missed you this morning. Where’d you go? And how are you?”
A short moment’s pause filled with tension hung between them and he lost his smile. What was going on between them?
“I tried calling you earlier.”
He glanced around the room but it didn’t seem anyone was paying him any attention. “I know. I’m sorry I missed it, I was in the middle of work.”
“Is that what you’re calling it?”
He frowned. “Excuse me?”
She sighed and said, “Never mind. I just wanted to tell you I have a late night so if you were back for dinner I won’t be. I should be home about nine. I’ll swing by in the afternoon and check on the dogs. Have to go.”
Reid stared at his cell. She’d hung up on him. This was getting really weird. What the hell was going on? She was pissed about something, but he wasn’t sure he understood what about. It couldn’t be the fact he’d missed her call, she had a business and knew sometimes you just couldn’t take the call. Sally stopped before him and he sighed in mounting frustration. She looked at him askance, he shook his head and led the way. Something to take care of when he got home.
He thought about that as he walked with Sally. He’d come to think of Ashia’s house as his home. Liv loved it there and to be honest so did he.
“Everything okay?” Sally paused in the elevator and glanced at him as he entered behind her.
He pursed his lips. “I’m really not sure. Nothing I can deal with right now though.”
She gave him a sympathetic smile and thankfully didn’t pry further. While he finished up for the day, he ran things around in his mind trying to figure out what had happened to make Ashia upset.
At the end of the day, Sally escorted him down to the first floor. At the door leading to the parking lot, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. He looked into her light blue eyes.
“My boss wanted to give you this as well for getting the work done so well and ahead of schedule.” She handed him an envelope.
He took it and put in the pocket of his messenger bag.
“Thank you, Reid Jacobs. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you these past few days.”
“Likewise, Sally Mason.”
They shook hands and she gave him a sparkling smile before she walked away. An odd feeling came over him and he swore he felt like he was being watched. Not by the multiple cameras this business had in it but by someone else. Shaking off the feeling, he took a deep breath and froze when the evocative scent he equated to Ashia tantalised his senses.
“Ashia?” he whispered, casting his gaze around. It wasn’t surprising that he didn’t see her. Get a grip, Reid. Why would she be here? She’s at work. Blowing out his breath, he hastened down to his vehicle.
He headed to the vet clinic. After parking next to Ashia’s Avalanche, he got out and went up to the door. Locked. He knocked, calling her name. Nothing.
Damn. He checked his watch. She wouldn’t be done for about another hour. But what was she doing in there alone? No other staff cars were in the lot. Hand up to the glass, he peered in then withdrew his cell and called her.
No answer but he did hear a click . With a frown, he tried the door again. This time it opened so he pushed his way inside. Stopping in the lobby, he searched for signs of where she might be.
From the back of the clinic he noticed a soft golden glow. He made his way down there. A few of the overnight residents were barking and it covered his movement. The staff break room door sat open allowing him to stare into the room as he neared.
He stumbled to a stop like he’d run into a brick
It was a missed call from Ashia. But no message. He quickly dialled her number and waited for her to answer.
“Hello?”
“Hey,” he said, a smile lifting his lips. “I missed you this morning. Where’d you go? And how are you?”
A short moment’s pause filled with tension hung between them and he lost his smile. What was going on between them?
“I tried calling you earlier.”
He glanced around the room but it didn’t seem anyone was paying him any attention. “I know. I’m sorry I missed it, I was in the middle of work.”
“Is that what you’re calling it?”
He frowned. “Excuse me?”
She sighed and said, “Never mind. I just wanted to tell you I have a late night so if you were back for dinner I won’t be. I should be home about nine. I’ll swing by in the afternoon and check on the dogs. Have to go.”
Reid stared at his cell. She’d hung up on him. This was getting really weird. What the hell was going on? She was pissed about something, but he wasn’t sure he understood what about. It couldn’t be the fact he’d missed her call, she had a business and knew sometimes you just couldn’t take the call. Sally stopped before him and he sighed in mounting frustration. She looked at him askance, he shook his head and led the way. Something to take care of when he got home.
He thought about that as he walked with Sally. He’d come to think of Ashia’s house as his home. Liv loved it there and to be honest so did he.
“Everything okay?” Sally paused in the elevator and glanced at him as he entered behind her.
He pursed his lips. “I’m really not sure. Nothing I can deal with right now though.”
She gave him a sympathetic smile and thankfully didn’t pry further. While he finished up for the day, he ran things around in his mind trying to figure out what had happened to make Ashia upset.
At the end of the day, Sally escorted him down to the first floor. At the door leading to the parking lot, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. He looked into her light blue eyes.
“My boss wanted to give you this as well for getting the work done so well and ahead of schedule.” She handed him an envelope.
He took it and put in the pocket of his messenger bag.
“Thank you, Reid Jacobs. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you these past few days.”
“Likewise, Sally Mason.”
They shook hands and she gave him a sparkling smile before she walked away. An odd feeling came over him and he swore he felt like he was being watched. Not by the multiple cameras this business had in it but by someone else. Shaking off the feeling, he took a deep breath and froze when the evocative scent he equated to Ashia tantalised his senses.
“Ashia?” he whispered, casting his gaze around. It wasn’t surprising that he didn’t see her. Get a grip, Reid. Why would she be here? She’s at work. Blowing out his breath, he hastened down to his vehicle.
He headed to the vet clinic. After parking next to Ashia’s Avalanche, he got out and went up to the door. Locked. He knocked, calling her name. Nothing.
Damn. He checked his watch. She wouldn’t be done for about another hour. But what was she doing in there alone? No other staff cars were in the lot. Hand up to the glass, he peered in then withdrew his cell and called her.
No answer but he did hear a click . With a frown, he tried the door again. This time it opened so he pushed his way inside. Stopping in the lobby, he searched for signs of where she might be.
From the back of the clinic he noticed a soft golden glow. He made his way down there. A few of the overnight residents were barking and it covered his movement. The staff break room door sat open allowing him to stare into the room as he neared.
He stumbled to a stop like he’d run into a brick
Similar Books
