Page 98 of Mine to Love

“Thank you.” I take the cup from her. “Did she say why?”

“No, she didn’t.” The phone at her desk rings and she excuses herself to go answer.

Maybe Reese is having painful cramps again. It’s only been two weeks since her last period, but her doctor had said they could be irregular for a while. I take out my cell from my coat pocket as I cross the hall to my office.

I have her name pulled up on my screen when I noticed the letter on my desk. “What the hell?” I drop my phone and pick it up, scanning the short, typed note on the official LP Financial letterhead.

“She didn’t.” I pick up my cell and finish dialing. When she doesn’t pick up, I wait for her voicemail message. “Reese! Where are you? I won’t accept your resignation without you telling me what the hell is going on. Call me. Now.”

Chances are she won’t even listen to my message. I grip the back of my neck and stare up at the ceiling. What the hell set her off bad enough to make her quit? Last weekend had been perfect. While we didn’t come right out and declare our feelings, there was an unspoken commitment between us.

You’re mine.

By the end of the night on Sunday, she’d withdrawn. I didn’t get the impression my family was too much for her. Yet, all week she’s been blowing me off.

I curse and slam my door behind me.

“Mr. Pierce, is everything okay?”

“Cancel my appointments for the day.”

I ignore the rest of her questions as I storm out of the office. When I reach the parking lot, I remember I don’t have a car. Of all the times not to rent one. I don’t like to ask for favors, not even from my family, but today I need one. Desperately.

“Holden,” I shout into my phone. “I need you. Now. Come pick me up at the office.” I hang up not giving my brother the option of turning me down.

Ten minutes later, Holden roars into the parking lot in his classic Ford pick-up.

“Dude. Is it Reese? I called Emerson on the way over here and she’s being tight-lipped. Is Reese okay?”

“Don’t know. Can you bring me to her place?” I slam the car door and buckle up.

“You don’t have a car?”

“I had a service drop me off. Figured I could hitch a ride with Reese after work, but she resigned.”

“As in quit?”

“Yeah. Looks that way.”

Holden peels out of the parking lot. “I’m bringing you back to the shop. You can take the Jeep.”

“Thanks.” I loosen my tie and tuck it into my pocket.

“Want to talk about it?”

“Nothing to talk about. She blindsided me.”

“I thought something was up.”

I stare at my brother. “What do you mean? What did Reese say?”

Holden rubs his chin and casts me a quick glance before returning his attention to the road. “I haven’t seen Reese since Sunday. Emerson had dinner with her last night. She didn’t get home until late. I was already asleep. This morning I asked how their dinner was and she wouldn’t look at me.”

“Emerson’s blowing you off too? What did we do to these women?”

“Oh, no.” Holden chuckles. “She didn’t blow me off. She distracted me by blow—”

“Yeah. Not helping.”

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