Page 27 of Found By Him

Knowing I can’t delay much longer, my fist connects lightly with the door.

When Craig calls out, I push the door open and step inside, clicking it closed behind me.

Perching on the edge of the chair in front of his desk, I grip the notepad and pen on my lap tightly.

Craig doesn’t speak or look in my direction for a few moments as he finishes typing something, causing my anxiety to spike.

Finally, he faces me with a blank expression. Picking up a piece of paper, he sets it before me. “I wanted to talk to you about this budget report you submitted last week. I think some of your figures are off.”

Confusion overtakes the anxiety. Not that I think I couldn’t have made a mistake, but this report is relatively straightforward, and I triple-checked every number before submitting it.

I lean forward to find what he’s pointing at.

My heart rate skyrockets. Not wanting to alert Craig tomy mounting distress, it takes everything in me to try to keep my breath regulated.

There’s no way this is a mistake. He did this on purpose.

But why?

Spread out on his desk under the report are many of the documents I have been pulling in the last two weeks.

I sit back in the chair, forcing my body to relax enough to seem as unaffected as possible.

The smile I force is brittle.

“I’ll take the next couple of days and recheck the report. I’ll have it resubmitted to you by Friday morning, at the latest.”

Craig’s stare is blistering. The intensity does nothing to help me calm down.

On unsteady legs, I push to stand. “Is there anything else?”

Silence.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

That replays in my mind as I wait for him to reply.

After a few more breaths, he shakes his head curtly.

How I manage to walk out of his office at least moderately normal, I don’t know.

Tyler: I’m outside whenever you are ready, but no rush.

No rush.That’s funny. I want nothing more than to run from this building after the day I’ve had. I quickly save the files I’m working on and shut down my computer. After packing my laptop and a few other items in my bag, I stepinto the hallway and pull my door shut behind me. Avoiding looking in the direction of Craig’s office for fear of another run-in, I rush through the office and into the parking lot.

Once I spy Tyler’s vehicle, I speedwalk over to it and climb in the passenger seat.

“Hi!” His perkiness is comforting to my frayed nerves.

“Hey, Tyler. Did you have a good day?”

“Yeah, nothing too exciting. Mostly paperwork in the office. Jack wanted me available if you needed anything, so I got removed from an event I was supposed to work.”

I frown. It hadn’t occurred to me that helping me would impact events they have to work. Guilt nags at my conscience. “I’m sorry you got taken off an event and just had to work in the office because of me.”

Tyler shrugs as he pulls out onto the street. “It’s not a big deal. Being with you is a job, too. So it’s kind of like an event.” He gives me a reassuring smile. “Just an event for one.”

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