Page 81 of Negotiating Tactics

It was late, and soon the office would be completely empty. But I still had work to do, which meant another desk dinner tonight, and sadly, no time to spend with Noah.

“I’m surprised you didn’t text me,” he responded.

I’d considered doing just that but thought he deserved a phone call.

I didn’t want him to think I was hiding from him. Plus, I just wanted to hear his voice.

Hearing his voice would comfort me, even as my dream slipped through my fingers. These last weeks had been stressful with me working as hard as I could to outrun the deadline.

Deep inside, I knew I wouldn’t make it.

My stomach lurched, the feeling not all novel over these last few weeks.

The stress was getting to me, and I knew I couldn’t keep this up, but one way or another, it would be over soon.

“I just wanted to hear your voice,” I said, deciding to be honest.

“Well, thanks. And you can cancel. I’ll have your dinner sent over,” he said.

“No need. I have something here,” I responded.

I waited for him to argue, but he didn’t, which wasn’t like him at all.

Still, I tried to push away the uncertainty that had reared its head. Besides, I was the one who turned him down. I shouldn’t expect Noah to argue with me.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“It’s fine. Don’t work so hard. And call me when you get home,” he said.

“Okay,” I responded.

“Good-bye, Alex,” Noah said.

“Bye, Noah,” I responded.

He hung up the phone, and I did too, trying to push the concern at the back of my head out of my mind and stop the thoughts from spinning up trouble where there was none.

Noah had been as wonderful as always, but he had also been tense.

Which was strange.

Or at least I thought it was.

It wasn’t like I could call myself an expert on Noah.

But still, I’d always gotten the sense that I understood him, and this…weirdness didn’t seem like him.

Then again, from what Birdie had told me, he had never been in one place for this long.

Maybe sitting still was getting old.

Or maybe I was getting old.

I pushed that thought aside before it could take root.

I trusted Noah, trusted him enough to know that if he had a problem with me—or anything else for that matter—he’d say so.

It would do no good to try to read his thoughts.

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