Page 12 of Keeping Astrid

“This is it,” she muttered and pulled the doors open.

The reception area was crisp, with the dove gray carpet on the floor and the shiny wooden desk where a lovely woman sat.

“Good morning. Welcome to Alliez Security. I’m Yolanda. How can I help you?”

Astrid walked up, her legs a little shaky as a wave of nerves hit her. “Um, hi. I’ve got an appointment. My name is Astrid Conway.”

Yolanda checked her computer screen before looking up at her again. “If you take a seat, I’ll let Kyle and Callum know you’re here. May I get you a drink? Coffee? Tea? Water? Soda? Or juice.”

Wow, this place was definitely professional and not some second-rate place. Why was she so surprised? There was no way Penni would send her to a place that wasn’t anything but top-notch.

“I’ll take some water, thanks.”

“I’ll be right back.” Yolanda got up but paused before going to get her drink. “Can I just say, Ms. Conway, that I love your show and your recipes are so easy? My husband loves your Cottage Pie.”

Astrid smiled and relaxed a little. She loved hearing that people tried her recipes and liked them. When she’d started her videos, she’d been determined to make simple food that everyone could make. Yes, she put her unique twists on traditional recipes to give them a little kick, but everything was easy. “I’m glad. It’s one of my favorite comfort foods when I’ve had a busy or stressful day.”

“I like your no-fuss chocolate cake. Although I try not to eat too much of it.” She patted her slightly rounded belly and disappeared through the door behind her desk.

Astrid sat on the buttery soft leather couch. The atmosphere of the reception area was professional, yet calming at the same time, as if they were determined to give their clients a sense of safety—a good thing for a security company seeing as most people who visited the office were looking for someone to keep them safe.

Just thinking about the reason for why she was here ratcheted up her anxiety a few clicks. Before all of this happened, she’d been relaxed. The only nerves she suffered from were the ones facing a roomful of people in person. And the seconds before the camera clicked on and the recording of her show started. Over the years, she’d perfected tools to help with that type of nervousness. This anxiety she was experiencing now was different. It clawed at her like it wanted to rip her open and expose her vulnerabilities to the world.

Sleep had been difficult over the past few days. She’d fall into bed exhausted, and for a couple of hours, she’d sleep deeply—and then fragments of the argument. The sound of the gunshot. The pounding of feet would invade her sleep, and she’d toss and turn and then wake up, her heart pounding, her sheets wrapped around her legs as if she was trying to wring them out.

“Ms. Conway?”

Astrid startled and jumped from the couch, bumping into Yolanda, spilling the glass of water she held all over the gray carpet. “Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry.”

She dug into her purse and pulled out the travel pack of tissues she always carried around, attempting to blot up the mess on the carpet.

“It’s fine, Ms. Conway. It’s not the first time we’ve had a spill. Please sit. I’ll fix this up in no time. And get you a fresh glass of water.”

Mortified at her reaction, Astrid clutched the sopping tissues in her hand, the action causing water to trickle over her fingers. “I’m sorry again. I didn’t hear you.”

Yolanda touched her arm, her green eyes filled with sympathy. “Truly, it’s okay.”

“Everything all right here, Yolanda?”

A deep voice sounded behind Yolanda, and Astrid wanted the floor to swallow her up when she looked up and her gaze connected with the cliched tall, dark, and handsome man. His brown hair was short at the sides but a little longer on top. He wore a navy-blue suit jacket with a blue shirt beneath. His warm brown eyes were taking in the scene around him.

“Oh, Callum, yes, everything is fine. I stumbled a little and spilled the glass of water for Ms. Conway. I was just cleaning it up and was going to get her a fresh one.”

Callum’s eyebrow lifted and the corner of his mouth quirked up as if he didn’t quite believe their competent receptionist would spill a glass of water. “Right. Are you okay, Ms. Conway?”

His voice pitched a little lower, almost like a growl, and a shiver of…appreciation trickled down her spine. This was the guy that Penni said was going to be watching over her. Once again, her assumption, or more like hope, that she’d have a gentle giant look after her was blown to smithereens. There was nothing gentle about the man standing in front of her.

He may be wearing a nice suit, but there was an edge about him. As if he could disarm a perpetrator one-handed while he drank a coffee with the other.

“Umm, yes, I’m fine,” she stammered after the silence stretched between him asking and her answering.

Callum studied her for a few seconds as if he was deciding if he believed her not. “Well, if you’d like to follow me, we’ll get this meeting started.”

Astrid admired the snug fit of his trousers. The way the material hugged his thighs and ass as he walked. She never knew pants could look so good.

No, she wasn’t going to fall for her bodyguard—how gauche would that be? Very.

She would treat Callum with the same politeness that she treated the security guards that let her on the studio lot. Yes, she’d follow his instructions, but she would not—one hundred percent—not fall for the guy.

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