Page 116

Taking off, leaving the towel and her wrap on the lounger, she had run all the way to her room. Locking her bedroom door, she had then huddled in her private bathroom until she heard Julia entering the bedroom next door. Dressing, she had run to her and told her what had happened.

Julia had sat and held her while calling George to her bedroom. Her aunt had wanted Gabriel to leave, and an argument had developed about how she had misunderstood the whole incident. Haley had watched her aunt go from furious to wavering as George took up for his friend. Her aunt backed down from asking for Gabriel’s immediate departure at George’s opposition.

While she did reconsider letting Gabriel stay, Julia had kept her close to her side. Haley had begged to go home, but Julia had pleaded for her to stay, saying she made her feel better just by being there. Torn, she had quit asking to go home, not wanting her frail aunt unhappy.

The turning point had come when Julia had walked into the kitchen and saw Gabriel in the kitchen with her. The next day, Julia had her bags packed and told her she was going to boarding school. Not wanting to go, she had cried to her aunt that she didn’t want to go. It was then that Julia had confessed to her that her parents didn’t want her to go home.

Her parents had chosen Gilbert over her. They had known his attacks toward her were only going to become worse and, while he was the darling of their Internet show, they weren’t going to mess up their success.

After that, Haley had faced the stark reality that she was parentless and homeless. Unlike her family, she was a naturally withdrawn person, and she sank further into it once she had entered boarding school. There were times she never left her room other than to attend classes or take meals.

If not for Nadia making repeated attempts to talk to her, she wouldn’t have gradually loosened up enough to form the unbreakable friendship they still shared.

A knock on her office door had her breaking free of the memories that had dragged her back into the dark hole of her childhood.

“Come in.”

Lucas poked his head in the door. “I’m finished for the day. The security guard is asking how much longer you are planning on staying.”

“I’m done.” Haley gathered up her purse and briefcase after removing the searches she had done on the computer. “Can I ask you a question, Lucas?”

Instead of leaving, Lucas stepped further into the room to hold the door for her. “Depends. I’ll answer as best as I can.”

Haley gave him a reserved smile. “Afraid I’ll ask you something about Desmond?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“I bet.”

She walked out the door with him, and they made their way toward the elevator. Haley reached out to press the service button. “Don’t worry; it’s not about Desmond. I was just curious about why you don’t like me. Have I done something to offend you?” Haley met his eyes as she asked the straightforward question.

“I don’t like or dislike you, Haley. I prefer to make my work environment impersonal. When I leave here, I can go home and not give it another thought unless Desmond needs me for work.”

The arriving elevator had them stepping inside.

“Don’t you find it hard to remain so detached?”

“No. Do you?”

Her reserved smile changed to a full-fledged one. “Yes, hence the coffee and donuts,” she confessed unashamedly.

“How’s that working out for you?”

“It isn’t. I’ve always sucked at trying to make friends.”

“Maybe you should try talking to people instead of letting coffee and donuts do the talking for you,” he suggested with the beginning of a small smile.

Theatrically, Haley put her hand over her chest. “I actually have to talk to people?”

They were still laughing when they got off the elevator. Outside the entrance, Lucas stopped as she took out her phone to request an Uber driver.

“Don’t let me hold you up,” Haley told him when he remained unmoving.

“I’ll wait. Queens City can be unsafe at night.”

Haley used her chin to gesture to the lone motorcycle rider a few feet away, strategically parked behind the building sign. “I’m sure whomever Desmond hired to watch me will step up to rescue me if the need arises.”

Watching his reaction, Haley noticed Lucas didn’t look toward the biker.

“You noticed?”

“Kind of hard not to, even though it took me a couple of weeks.”

“Desmond won’t be happy.”

Lucas didn’t seem happy, either. She was in that particular club herself. Refraining from telling him that small fact, she saw the car she had ordered pull up to the curb.

“See you tomorrow, Lucas.”

Leaving Desmond’s assistant staring after her, she gave a jaunty nod toward the biker before climbing inside the car. She didn’t look back to see if the motorcycle followed as the driver pulled away.