Page 67 of Need

“Sure. Is something wrong, Anna?”

“No. I just... give me a minute?”

“I’ll be here.”

Before I could think about it any farther, I grabbed my cell phone, ran to my bedroom, and dialed Stephan’s number.

He answered on the second ring. “Hello, Brianna.”

“Hi.”

“Is everything all right? You sound nervous about something?”

“Cal called.”

“I see.”

“He’s on the main phone, and he wants to come see me. He said something about going for coffee, but I promised you I wouldn’t be alone with him, and I don’t know what to do.” I knew my words were rushed, but I couldn’t help it.

“Do you want to see him?” he asked.

“Yes. I think so.”

“I still don’t want you to be alone with him, but if you’d like to meet with him, there is a coffee shop a block from the building. I’ll call Tom downstairs and have him escort you. He can get one of the security guards to watch the desk while he’s gone. Go into my bedroom, and in the drawer beside my bed is some money. Take whatever’s there. You can put back what you don’t use later. And when you’re ready to leave, call me. I’ll come pick you up and bring you home. I don’t want him walking you, do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir. I understand.”

“Please be safe. And if at any time you feel uncomfortable, or need me, you call.”

“I will. I promise.”

Holding the cell phone firmly against my chest, I walked back into the main room and picked up the phone.

“Cal?”

“I thought you’d gotten lost. I was about to send out a search party.”

That made me smile, but feel a little bad at the same time. Had I really been gone that long? “No,” I said. “I’m here. There’s a coffee shop about a block from here. I can meet you there.”

“You don’t need to do that, Anna. I can come get you.”

“No,” I said a little too sharply. “No. I’ll... I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay,” he said. “Fifteen minutes?”

“Okay.”

When I stepped off the elevator into the lobby, Tom was waiting for me. “Good afternoon, Miss Reeves. Mr. Coleman said you needed an escort.”

I blushed. “Yes, please.”

The walk was quiet. Other than the polite interaction of him opening doors for me, Tom just walked silently beside me to the coffee shop appropriately named Cup of Joe.

Tom came inside with me. I wasn’t expecting that. When I turned around to ask him, I spotted Cal already sitting at a booth in the back. Tom must have noticed him, too, because he turned to me and said, “Have a good day, Miss Reeves. I’ll let Mr. Coleman know you arrived safely.”

“Thanks,” I swallowed nervously. This was the first time I had really been out on my own, and I reached into my pocket to reassure myself that my cell phone was still there. I could do this.

Cal stood as I got closer to where he sat. “You came,” he smiled. I just smiled back and sat down. “What do you want to drink? My treat.”

---