Page 23 of Heart of Stone
I came to a stop outside the door, let out a long breath, and lifted my hand to it. After knocking, I forced a smile onto my face. But then I thought better of it. No doubt Reid would see right through that.
Guilt ate at me, and I needed to apologize for what I’d done.
“Come in.”
Stepping into the room, my eyes were immediately on Reid. No matter that he’d been here nearly two weeks now, and I’d had daily interactions with him, I couldn’t read anything in his expression.
He always looked the same. Of course, it wasn’t like his mood ever really shifted from one of complete misery.
“What do you need?” he clipped.
Right.
So, there was all the explanation I needed.
“I came to apologize.”
My voice came out strangled, and whether it was my tone or the words I said, I didn’t know, but Reid became impossibly still. Nothing moved, except for his mouth. “You came to apologize? For what?”
Rubbing at the dull ache I felt at the center of my chest, I murmured, “I’m the kind of woman who takes charge, who jumps in whenever I think I can be of use and help someone. I took liberties yesterday at the farewell dinner, and I’m sorry.”
Reid’s expression remained impassive, and he said nothing.
Then again, I barely gave him the opportunity to speak before my own lips parted again. “Barrett always speaks at the dinners, and I don’t think Danielle gave it a second thought when she urged you up there. I saw how shocked you were, and I deemed you to be uncomfortable with the request. I mean, I’ve been in your presence every day since you started here, and you don’t say much. I assumed you wouldn’t be interested in speaking, and since I have no issues with talking to anybody, I didn’t think twice about stepping in. I came up with what I did on the spot, knowing Barrett would have said something similar. I hope you didn’t take offense to anything, but if you did, I’m truly sorry.”
Long, agonizing moments passed without a word from Reid. I wasn’t quite sure what else I could say, so I stayed where I was, fidgeting with my hands, as he considered me. “What you did and said was fine.”
I blinked in surprise. “But… Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He offered no additional explanation. I should have left it alone at that, but I guess that just wasn’t who I was.
“But I didn’t see you.”
“What?”
I inhaled deeply, taking a steadying breath. “After I gave that speech, I saw you walk out of the lodge. And you never returned. Not even for dinner. If what I said and did wasn’t a problem, why did you leave?”
His elbow had been resting on his desk, his hand balled into a loose fist in front of his mouth as he studied me. “My reasons for leaving have nothing to do with you. I didn’t want to be there in the first place.”
Well, that was that.
I wondered if Barrett knew the depths of Reid’s disdain for so many wonderful parts of this business. Granted, I could understand him not wanting to make a big speech in front of a group of people he didn’t know or hadn’t even met, but Reid never made the effort to do much outside of the confines of this office.
“Okay. So, you’re not mad at me?”
He shook his head.
I wasn’t quite sure I believed him based on the way he looked at me, but I wasn’t going to argue with him. Only a fool would question him in this scenario.
I stood there awkwardly, unsure what to say.
“Is there something else you needed?”
“No. No, just that. Well, and I guess to promise you that I’ll give you a heads-up before the next farewell dinner, so you can come prepared. If you want, I’d be happy to prepare a speech for you.”
Reid narrowed his eyes on me.
