Page 120 of April

“You’re making the right decision. Trust it.”

“Okay. I will,” Asher replied, not thinking this woman actually knew about what she’d just told Carolyn.

“Oh, and when you ask, it’ll be okay.”

“What?”

“When you ask, it’ll be okay. Just accept the answer. It’ll all work out in the end.”

“Ask who what, exactly?”

“You’ll know when the time comes,” the woman told her. “Now, I have to go, but you have a wonderful day.”

Asher stood there on the sidewalk, letting this fortune teller woman walk past her, and wondered what the hell she was talking about.

CHAPTER 32

Linden was lying naked in Asher’s bed. She was in that bed because they’d stayed up all night making love. Linden hadn’t ever made love before. Sex, yes. She’d had that with a few boyfriends over the years and with several women recently, but she’d never made love. With her hands behind her head and her eyes aimed at the ceiling, she thought about that sure thing, which was really only a few days ago, and how the woman had been standing there naked in front of her, ready for her to do whatever she wanted, and Linden tried to compare that and her other experiences with women to what she and Asher had done last night. She couldn’t. There was no comparison. She smiled and wished Asher was still here.

Asher had been squirrely all morning, and Linden was hoping she wasn’t running away. If Asher needed space after what they’d shared, she would have understood. Hell, Asher could’ve just told her, and Linden would’ve left to give her that space in her own apartment. As it was, though, she had no idea where Asher was and what had been so important that she had to run out on her and leave her naked in bed, waiting for her to bring back a lunch they could’ve had delivered.

Linden knew she should get dressed. They wouldn’t be having sex right when Asher got back anyway. They would eat lunch and maybe talk about how to spend the rest of their dayoff. She decided to pull out her phone, which she needed to charge, and went to look up events in the city to see if there was anything fun they could do tonight for their date. She was confident that she and Asher would be going out again tonight, even though Asher had left her naked in her bed for some undisclosed errand.

“We’re fine,” she said to herself. “We’re definitely fine.”

Linden opened the browser on her phone and started searching, checking the time as well to see how long Asher had been gone already. Then, a text came through from her boss, which was strange because Carolyn seldom, if ever, messaged them on their days off. The woman respected their life away from work, and nothing had gone wrong from Linden’s wedding last night that she knew of, at least.

Carolyn Hardy: Can you meet me?

Linden was already done with Asher’s cloak-and-dagger, so she wasn’t putting up with Carolyn’s. She typed back.

Linden Washington: Today?

Carolyn Hardy: Yes, if you’re free. I know it’s your day off, but it’s important.

Linden Washington: Is everything okay?

Carolyn Hardy: I’ll tell you more when you get to the office, but it’s not bad. It’s good, actually.

Carolyn wanted her to come into the office. She’d never asked Linden to come in randomly like this unless it was a regular workday.

Linden Washington: When? Now?

Carolyn Hardy: As soon as possible would be great. I’m already here. Can you get here within the hour?

Within the hour? Linden checked the clock on her phone again. Asher should be back by then. She could ask Carolyn for more time. She had her wedding clothes from last night here and her overnight bag, but those clothes were wrinkled and onthe floor, and her overnight bag didn’t have anything work-appropriate in it.

Linden Washington: I can stop by, but I’m not exactly dressed for it. I’m out and about. Can I run home and change?

Carolyn Hardy: I don’t care what you’re wearing, Linden. I just need to talk to you.

Linden looked around Asher’s bedroom and decided she better get to the office because she could tell Carolyn’s tone from a mile away, even in a text message. Her boss was irritated about something, so despite the fact that she’d said it wasn’t bad, Linden was worried. She messaged Carolyn that she was on her way and got out of bed. A very quick shower later, she was dressed and ready to go. Grateful she’d driven and could take her own car to the office, she climbed inside and only just remembered to message Asher.

Linden Washington: Hey. Had to step out real quick if you come back before I get there. I shouldn’t be long. Don’t eat my sandwich.

The office wasn’t a long drive, but Linden was surprised that she hadn’t heard back from Asher by the time she arrived. It only made her more worried that something was up that Asher wasn’t telling her, but she’d have to worry about that later because her boss needed to talk to her about something important enough to call Linden on her day off.

“Hey, I’m here,” she said.

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