Page 10 of Sparks Flying

Sure enough, morning came much too quickly.

I groaned when the alarm went off and rolled back over.

Less than five minutes later, my phone rang. I wanted to throw it across the room.

“What?”

“Just making sure you’re up. We have a lot to do today,” Ryan said.

“I hate you.”

“Good morning to you, too. Now get your ass moving. You’re meeting with Patrick in one hour. Do not be late.”

“If you could see me now, you’d know I was flicking you my middle finger.”

“Well, fly on over here little birdie and show me.”

“I hate you,” I said again.

“Love you, too. Don’t be late.”

He hung up the phone just as I finally opened my eyes. I already had a headache, but knew there was no way I was getting out of this.

Reluctantly, I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. That at least woke me up some.

I dressed, made my way downstairs, grabbed a quick breakfast sandwich and coffee that was waiting for me in the kitchen, and left the house to drive over to the office.

By the time I arrived there, Ryan was already starting to pace, but I had seen Patrick pull up as I walked into the building.

“Relax. I beat him here.”

“Too close. You should have been here already.”

“Believe it or not, you aren’t my boss, Ry.”

“Well, I should be.”

“But you’re not.”

I grinned and even winked out, but when I walked into my office suite, I closed the door behind him, right in his face.

“Good morning, Dean.”

“Good morning, beautiful.”

She scowled and shook her head at me.

“Do you need breakfast this morning?”

“Nope. Ate on the way.”

“Coffee?”

“Not for me, but make sure we have a fresh pot ready for our guests. They just arrived. I’m sure Ryan is kissing their asses by now.”

The knock on the outer door told me they were here and wasting no time with small talk.

Bernice rushed to answer it.

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