Read Online Written on Her Heart by Paige Rion - Free Book Online Page A

exhaled, dropping her arms to her sides. “That is me. I do want this job, more than anything. I don’t want you to think I’m irresponsible. I just…” She bit her lip. Telling him about Peter and their fight felt wrong, but what choice did she have?
    “My boyfriend came into town yesterday, and we got into an argument. We didn’t leave things great, and he’s only in town a week, so he showed up this morning. I had trouble getting him to leave, then once I did, my car wouldn’t start. It’s old and the engine floods easily. That’s all.”
    Ford nodded. He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped.
    “I won’t be late again, even if it means I have to sleep here.” The moment the words left her mouth and sunk in, she blushed.
    Ford raised a brow, his lips quirking. “Though that offer sounds nice, it won’t be necessary.” Andi’s face reddened further, and his smile widened. “Listen, I’m sorry if I was harsh this morning. I’m under a lot of pressure. I’ve got my agent and the publishers breathing down my neck to have a novel written in the next two months, so they can exploit the publicity. And I’ve got Trisha, who handles all my personal relations stuff, pressuring me to do the Oprah gig …” He nodded toward the office door, and she realized Trisha must be Ms. Perry. “Friday, I shared some stuff with you, something I usually don’t do. Okay, something I never do.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor. “So when I thought you weren’t coming…” He trailed off, then cleared his throat. “Uh, anyway, how’d the research go?”
    Her heart fluttered in her chest at the way he spoke so candidly to her. Andi focused on her breathing, forced herself to focus on his question. The return to even ground, discussing her research, centered her. “I finished it. I’ll go get everything. I put it all together in a file.”
    Ford nodded. “Good. If you want, you can go home when you’ve finished.”
    She turned to leave his office.
    “And Andi…”
    When she glanced back at him, he smiled. “Thanks.”
    Nodding, she closed the door behind her and noticed the atmosphere had changed. As she made her way to her desk, the office no longer seemed so dark, so closed-off. Already her step felt lighter, the air thinner after her conversation with Ford.
    She was reaching for the file when a hand covered hers.
    She glanced up to Ms. Perry’s bug eyes. “You have a guest who just barged in here, which is completely unprofessional. Didn’t I just tell you this morning, no visitors?”
    Andi wrenched her hand out from under hers. “What are you talking about?”
    “Him!” Ms. Perry whipped around and pointed to the waiting room, where Peter emerged from the hallway. In his hands, he carried a huge bouquet of roses.
    “Peter?” Andi hurried toward him, a sinking feeling in her gut. She had no idea what he was doing there or how Ford would feel about his presence, but the air between them had just cleared, and she wasn’t about to find out.
    “What are you doing here?” she hissed.
    Peter blinked. He opened his mouth to say something, but Andi placed her hand on his chest and pushed. “You can’t be here. You have to go.” A ball of fire fisted in her chest. “I told you I’d talk to you tonight.”
    Peter enveloped her hand in his. “I called Rachel to see where the office was so I could send you flowers after work, and she said I should deliver them personally, that she was just here this morning and no one would mind.”
    Andi closed her eyes. Rachel. Of course.
    Clenching her jaw, she spoke through her teeth. “She’s wrong.” Then, in a softer tone, “The flowers are beautiful and I appreciate the gesture, but you have to go. I’m about done. Go outside and wait. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
    A door behind them squealed. “Hey, Andi, do you have that…”
    Oh no.
    Andi spun around. Ford stood in the doorway of his office, his eyes trained on