Page 36 of Made For You
She immediately swallowed. “Would you… uh… like some coffee? You… um… look tired.”
Again, I gave her no response, my gaze dropping to my phone resting in my palm.
Olive turned and left her area—I assumed to get me a cup of coffee. I lived on caffeine for the past three days, so I wasn’t sure the stimulant was really going to do anything.
The screen on my phone went black from lack of use, and I touched the home button to bring it back to life.
I made a mental note to investigate why Olive was arriving at the office well before her scheduled time. But right now, that was going to have to wait. I had something else I needed to do. I pulled up my contacts, added the number I found, and typed out a message.
Me: Good morning, wife.
My thumb hovered over the Send button. I ignored how it shook.
“Here you go, Mr. Beckett. One black coffee.” Olive startled me as she placed the cup on top of the coaster on my desk. In doing so, my thumb hit the button and sent my message to Aurora. Panic immediately set in, and I fumbled with my phone, dropping it on the desk twice.
My vision blurred as a growl sounded throughout the office. I glanced up once I captured my phone to find Olive scurried back to her desk like she was running from a fire. Or a dragon, going by the throaty sound that echoed in the room.
Finally pulling up the messaging app, I hurried to try to unsend the text. Fear prickled up my spine as I noticed Aurora had already read the text.
“Dammit,” I cursed, tossing my cell back onto the desk. It promptly knocked into my files, scattering a few of the papers onto the floor.
Pushing my chair back, the wheels carrying it away from the desk, I stomped over to the papers and began picking them up.
“What a fucking mess,” I mumbled just as one sheet left a paper cut.
“Are you kidding me right now?” I yelled at the stack of papers as I stood like they actively attempted to maim me.
“No, but I do have a good joke for you.” My back had been facing the door, and I peered over my shoulder to find Dean entering my office as if he owned the place. My employees thought he was in management, since he was in the office complex as much as I was.
“Do tell,” I said sarcastically, placing the pile of papers back into their respective folders.
“Ok. Why did the golfer wear two pairs of pants?”
I gawked at my friend, who wore a childish grin as he waited for my reply.
“In case he gets a hole in one,” I deadpanned, wheeling my chair back behind the desk. Except I was too antsy to sit. I was paranoid about the message and what Aurora would think. Excitement and fear filled my body as I anticipated her reply.
“Dude, how did you know?” Dean stated as his shoulders slumped in defeat.
“Sorry,” I uttered as I walked over to the wall of windows looking out toward the ocean. In the last couple of days, I caught myself staring at the water more often than not.
“You’re out of sorts today. More so than normal,” he pointed out.
I crossed my arms against my chest and leaned my shoulder against the glass, turning my body halfway toward Dean, who was now standing in the middle of my office.
“I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Like a certain blonde who now officially carries your last name?”
I may have perked up a little at that knowledge. Usually, the process took a few weeks and required a ton of legwork, which I thought was ridiculous, but somehow Dean was able tosquare everything away in seventy-two hours. The man could work miracles.
“Good. When will she receive the paperwork and updated social security card?”
“It’s headed to her house now by overnight courier.”
I replied with a single nod.
“What’s wrong, dude? You’re acting even grumpier than normal.”
