Page 28

The pain that had found permanent residence beneath Bethany’s breastbone kicked her hard.“No, I imagine not.Aunt Mel is expected to make a full recovery.”Keeping her fingers crossed behind her back that karma would be kind to her, she held her breath until Sheena retreated to her glass-walled office.
At lunchtime, Bethany grabbed a sandwich from the deli on the first floor and returned to her desk to pick at it.Her phone beeped intermittently with messages from Zach, but she ignored them.She needed all her concentration to get through the pile of work on her desk.
By four, she’d planned a Michelin culinary crawl for the corporate heads of a Wall Street investment giant, chased down the last RSVP for an art gallery opening, and sent out the itinerary for a Napa wine tasting stag event she was organizing for an internet mogul.
Her feet ached, her back ached and her heart ached from tripping over itself every time she heard the faint beep of another incoming message.
At six, she finally gave herself permission to read Zach’s messages.They contained more of the same relentless pleas.
Persistent.She had to give him points for his tenacity.
She was reading through the last message and fighting not to blush at the blatant description of what he intended to do to her once their hiatus was over when the phone blared to life, causing her to nearly drop it.
“Have you finished for the day?”His deep, sexy voice attacked her senses without mercy.
She swallowed hard before she could speak.“Just about.And hello to you too, Zach.”
“Hey, Peaches.Come downstairs.I’ll give you a ride home.”
She jumped up and nearly toppled sideways when she tripped over her discarded shoes.“You’re here?Why?”she blurted.
“I was in the neighborhood,” he answered vaguely.“I’m double-parked, so you need to be quick.”
She floundered.The nearest window that overlooked the street, twenty floors below, was in Sheena’s office, and no way was she going in there to find out if Zach was really double-parked or whether, as she suspected, he was bluffing.
She also wanted to tell him she didn’t need a ride home, but the words stuck in her throat.
As if sensing her battle, he sighed.“Come down or I’ll have to come upstairs and get you.I don’t think you’ll want that.”
“Blackmail, Zach?”
“Friendly suggestion.Now tell me you’re on your way.”
Her belly flipped over.“I’m on my way.”
“Good girl.”
She stepped into her shoes and gathered up her stuff.Gary Wright, the other partner of Neon, walked past as she turned off her computer.
Normally, he was aloof and avoided eye contact with the staff, leaving Sheena to do all the hiring, firing and general ball breaking.
This evening, he stopped and slanted her an almost smile.
“Good to have you back, Bethany.”
She glanced at him in surprise.“Umm… thanks.”
He nodded, and she could swear she saw his gaze assessing her briefly before he looked towards Sheena’s office.
As if she was on some silent bat signal, Sheena burst out of her office at that moment.The large plant at the side of Bethany’s desk precluded Sheena from seeing her until she was almost at her cubicle.“Gary, we have an appointment at ten tomor—” she said excitedly, only to stop when she saw Bethany.“I didn’t know you were still here, Bethany.”She exchanged glances with Gary.
“I was just leaving.”
Sheena nodded.“Well, have a great evening.And see you tomorrow.”
Bethany was still mulling over the strange scene when she walked through the revolving doors and into the warm July evening.
The black limo was indeed double-parked on the busy street.In the driver’s seat, Philip kept the engine running.