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Since I didn’t have anywhere to go until our date, I went to Halfway Café in downtown Emerson and sat with my laptop by a window. I’d been so busy, I hadn’t gotten a chance to check in with my virtual assistant, so I dialed her number.
“Hey, girl, hey,” Rebecca said with a smile in her voice. “What’s the 4-1-1?”
I loved working with her. She was so bubbly and fun. “So. Stinking. Much. Charlotte’s been sending you updated statements, right?”
“Yes! They’ve changed like three times over the weekend.”
I laughed, because she was right. “It’s been a wild few days.”
“And Jonas?” she asked. “PLEASE tell me it’s real. I mean, the statement says it is, but....”
“It looks fake,” I said.
“Actually, it looked convincing on the news.”
“That’s good.” I chewed the inside of my cheek for a moment. “TBD.”
She squealed.
“I wanted to check in and see if you’ve gotten any strange emails or want to go over anything before I get logged in?” I asked. I could chat for hours with Rebecca, but I really needed to get some words in.
“There was an email from Duncan Schwarz. Is that...”
“My dad,” I finished. I couldn’t deal with this right now. Not that I had a choice. “Was it threatening?”
“Um, no, I don’t think so.”
“Then file it,” I said. “I don’t want to deal with it.” Even if my curiosity would eventually get the best of me.
“Absolutely. Anything else?” she asked.
“Nope. Just keep replying to emails and stay on top of social. I want some good focus on Liza and Reid.”
“Swoon. Talk soon, Mar.”
“Talk soon,” I replied.
I set my phone down and took a few deep breaths. My dad had found my website. Was using my assistant’s time for whatever he wanted. She said it wasn’t threatening, and I didn’t have the headspace to deal with it.
So I did what I did best. I opened my computer, and I got to work.
I loved writing with a big creamy latte and a few people passing by outside. All the voices in the coffee shop turned into a dull hum while I got lost in the story, in the characters, in the fabric of their lives. Sometimes it felt like I was pulling and weaving threads, and other times I could watch it unfold. It was the closest thing to magic I knew.
Hours had passed without me knowing when my phone began ringing. I had expected to see Birdie or Hen’s name on the screen. Instead, I saw Jonas.
“Hello?” I said, already packing up my computer. It was only half an hour until six.
“Hey, I was on my way home from work and I saw your car outside Halfway Café. At least I think it’s your car. And if you were there, I thought maybe we could ride to the restaurant together?”
I laughed, looking out the window for Jonas. His car was parked just in view from where I sat. “Stalker much?”
“My mom calls me ‘observant.’”
“Uh huh.” I lifted my laptop bag and put it over my shoulder. “I don’t mind riding with you.” I actually liked not having to be behind the wheel. But I didn’t tell him that.
Instead, I walked outside to find him leaning against the hood of his car waiting for me. With his sleeves rolled up and his tie hanging loosely around his neck, he didn’t just look good. He lookedhot.
My watering mouth had nothing to do with the food we were about to consume.