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question for you, though.”
“Yes?”
“How do you feel about cats?”
Chapter 10
Pepper was dreaming about cats and kittens and the sound of purring when the buzz of her cell phone came clawing its way through the haze. Without opening her eyes, she ran her hands along the bed until her fingers found the cool metal sides of the iPhone. She had to crack one eye open so she could find the slide button, but as soon as she answered the call, she closed it again.
“Hello?”
“Pepper?”
Who is that ? She frowned, trying to recognize the familiar male voice. “Yeah?”
“It’s Aiden.”
Her ass could have been on fire and she wouldn’t have moved any faster than she did. “What’s wrong?” Aiden almost never called her directly. Pepper’s stomach clenched and her heart started beating like she had just finished a marathon.
“Nothing, I think. Gabe didn’t want me to call you, but–”
“What the hell is going on?” she yelled, not caring if she hurt his feelings or pissed him off.
“Gabe was in the hospital.”
“ What ?”
“He passed out today.”
“ What the fuck , Aiden !” Pepper jumped out of bed and started pacing around the bedroom. Maybe she was dreaming. Maybe this was all some screwy nightmare brought on by too much cat-induced mania or something. “Is he all right? Can I talk to him?”
“He’s not here–”
“What time is it there?”
“I don’t know, maybe around seven–”
“Get me a flight!” she screamed, making a bee-line for the closet. She needed a suitcase. And her passport.
“Pepper, calm down,” Aiden pleaded.
“How fast can I get there?”
“You don’t have to–”
“ GET ME A FLIGHT !”
She was in the mammoth walk-in closet, tugging at the handle of one of the suitcases on the top shelf when it came loose and crashed down on her head, along with a box containing a pair of Chanel boots. “God dammit!” she yelped, rubbing her forehead.
“Pepper? Are you there?”
Aiden’s voice seemed far away. She’d dropped the phone and it lay on the floor. Crumpling to her knees, she fumbled for it, pulling it back up to her ear. “I’m here.”
“Please just listen,” Aiden said firmly. “I think it was just jet lag and exhaustion. I took him to the ER, but he wouldn’t let them run any tests or anything. He signed himself out against medical advice and then jumped into a cab back to the hotel. I’m following him now. As soon as I get a chance to talk to him, I’ll have him call you. Just sit tight.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” she snarled, running her free hand through the hair falling around her face.
“No, it’s not,” he snapped back. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m tired and frustrated and just as worried as you are.”
Pepper couldn’t believe she was smiling, but that made her feel a little better. Aiden had been Gabe’s assistant for more than a decade and was practically family. She knew he would make sure everything was all right. “Okay, okay. I get it. I’m sorry I freaked out.”
“No worries,” he said quietly. “I knew you would. But try not to. I’m sure he’ll be calling you very soon. After he’s fired me, of course.”
Pepper took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m right here. I’m not leaving the house. I’m not going to do anything until I hear from you or Gabe.”
“Okay.”
Pepper ended the call and burst into tears.
Impulsivity had ruled the day and she’d adopted three damn kittens as a surprise for Gabe. So consumed had she been with getting the cat gear set up and playing with them, she hadn’t even worried when she missed her Skype session with him. All her attention had been on those fucking kittens she just had to have, and to what end? If she had seen Gabe that morning or even last night, she might have known something was wrong. She might have told him to stay in bed or take the day off. Or come home . Now she was stuck waiting for
“Yes?”
“How do you feel about cats?”
Chapter 10
Pepper was dreaming about cats and kittens and the sound of purring when the buzz of her cell phone came clawing its way through the haze. Without opening her eyes, she ran her hands along the bed until her fingers found the cool metal sides of the iPhone. She had to crack one eye open so she could find the slide button, but as soon as she answered the call, she closed it again.
“Hello?”
“Pepper?”
Who is that ? She frowned, trying to recognize the familiar male voice. “Yeah?”
“It’s Aiden.”
Her ass could have been on fire and she wouldn’t have moved any faster than she did. “What’s wrong?” Aiden almost never called her directly. Pepper’s stomach clenched and her heart started beating like she had just finished a marathon.
“Nothing, I think. Gabe didn’t want me to call you, but–”
“What the hell is going on?” she yelled, not caring if she hurt his feelings or pissed him off.
“Gabe was in the hospital.”
“ What ?”
“He passed out today.”
“ What the fuck , Aiden !” Pepper jumped out of bed and started pacing around the bedroom. Maybe she was dreaming. Maybe this was all some screwy nightmare brought on by too much cat-induced mania or something. “Is he all right? Can I talk to him?”
“He’s not here–”
“What time is it there?”
“I don’t know, maybe around seven–”
“Get me a flight!” she screamed, making a bee-line for the closet. She needed a suitcase. And her passport.
“Pepper, calm down,” Aiden pleaded.
“How fast can I get there?”
“You don’t have to–”
“ GET ME A FLIGHT !”
She was in the mammoth walk-in closet, tugging at the handle of one of the suitcases on the top shelf when it came loose and crashed down on her head, along with a box containing a pair of Chanel boots. “God dammit!” she yelped, rubbing her forehead.
“Pepper? Are you there?”
Aiden’s voice seemed far away. She’d dropped the phone and it lay on the floor. Crumpling to her knees, she fumbled for it, pulling it back up to her ear. “I’m here.”
“Please just listen,” Aiden said firmly. “I think it was just jet lag and exhaustion. I took him to the ER, but he wouldn’t let them run any tests or anything. He signed himself out against medical advice and then jumped into a cab back to the hotel. I’m following him now. As soon as I get a chance to talk to him, I’ll have him call you. Just sit tight.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” she snarled, running her free hand through the hair falling around her face.
“No, it’s not,” he snapped back. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m tired and frustrated and just as worried as you are.”
Pepper couldn’t believe she was smiling, but that made her feel a little better. Aiden had been Gabe’s assistant for more than a decade and was practically family. She knew he would make sure everything was all right. “Okay, okay. I get it. I’m sorry I freaked out.”
“No worries,” he said quietly. “I knew you would. But try not to. I’m sure he’ll be calling you very soon. After he’s fired me, of course.”
Pepper took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m right here. I’m not leaving the house. I’m not going to do anything until I hear from you or Gabe.”
“Okay.”
Pepper ended the call and burst into tears.
Impulsivity had ruled the day and she’d adopted three damn kittens as a surprise for Gabe. So consumed had she been with getting the cat gear set up and playing with them, she hadn’t even worried when she missed her Skype session with him. All her attention had been on those fucking kittens she just had to have, and to what end? If she had seen Gabe that morning or even last night, she might have known something was wrong. She might have told him to stay in bed or take the day off. Or come home . Now she was stuck waiting for
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