Page 6 of Lost Times

Just how obvious was I?

Shaking that off, I bit my lip and considered my options. I hated asking for help at work, especially with my late start. I needed to prove I was capable and that meant doing all my work without having to have my hand held through it.

But I’d have to make an exception this time.

Offering the paper, I sighed. “Something about the numbers isn't adding up. No matter how many times I rework them, the end result isn’t the one listed, but I can’t see where it went wrong.”

She took it, looking it over as her frown deepened. “I can’t see a thing wrong here, are you sure it isn’t right?”

I could all but feel the judging eyes of the room on me, and heat crawled over my cheeks. This was why I hadn’t wanted to bring it to someone’s attention. I must have just done the math wrong, and now I looked like a jerk.

Resolutely keeping my eyes on the desk, I shrugged. “Maybe it is, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” Kelly hummed her sympathy, giving me back the paper, and I resisted the urge to bury my head into my arms and nap on the desk.

One of the kids at Jasmine’s school had the flu and while she’d thankfully dodged catching it, I hadn’t. Or maybe it was just a cold or sinus infection. All I knew was my head felt stuffed with cotton and the longer I sat here, the more a headache pounded at my skull. I should have stayed home, but that nagging doubt wouldn’t stop.

I needed to prove myself and I couldn’t do that by calling in.

Kelly straightened, pulling my attention back to her and away from how miserable I felt. “Let me know if you need help shoving through that mountain of paperwork. There’s no shame in asking for help.”

I nodded despite knowing I’d be doing nothing of the sort and once she was back at her desk, I threw myself into the papers again. Iwouldget this done without any help.

Hours slid by at a painful pace, the headache steadily hammering away behind my eyes only getting worse with each new paper that passed in front of me. The writing was tiny and the longer I stared, the harder it was to make out what was typed.

By the time I finally put the last paper in the correct spot my head was splitting and the sky outside was changing color. Thankfully Jasmine had an after school practice today so I had time before I needed to pick her up. I didn’t realize I’d started drifting off until a deep rumble snapped me awake again.

“Ms. Thomas, work isn’t the place to sleep.”

I jerked upright, nearly toppling out of my chair as I took in Ludwig. He stood not a yard away, a frown curling his lips–as was normal–and his arms crossed over his chest. The shirt he’d chosen fit him well and I spared the briefest second to enjoy the sight of his arms before I forced my attention back up to his face.

Ignoring the heat scalding my cheeks, I nodded. “It isn’t, which is why I’ll be headed home now that I’ve finished the last of my work.”

Standing, I went to push out my chair only for the world to spin into a sickening blur of color. I braced a hand on my desk, thankful that most everyone had already gone home.

The world righted itself in a minute and Ludwig’s expression took on the tiniest flare of concern, one of his hands raised as if to catch me. “Ms. Thomas, did you come into work sick?” There was a note of steel under his tone, and I grimaced.

“Yes, but it’s just a little cold, and I managed to work through it.” I braced for whatever he had to say. One thing I’d learned while working here? It was rare he dolled out praise, which meant if he was talking to you, you were about to get chewed on.

To be fair, from what I’d seen everything he pointed out was accurate and he was never cruel about it, but still…would it kill him to smile or compliment someone who did a good job?

Biting that back, I focused on him again as he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter if youcanwork through it. There’s a policy in place specifically to prevent this when it happens. You read the policy on your first day…right?”

One of his brows raised and it ground against my nerves like glass. Did everything he sayneedto be negative? Forcing all the irritation back with years of experience, I nodded.

“I did, but I also had work that needed to be done. I don’t need to give you another reason to glower at me.” The last bit slipped out against my will and he blinked, tipping his head just a little bit.

“I glower?”

He was kidding, right?

A soft snort dragged from my lungs and I shook my head. “Sir, is there anything else? I have something I need to get done soon and I should probably go home and take some medicine, so I can work tomorrow.”

A flash of something I couldn’t name cleaved through his features, then they shut down again and he shook his head. “You read the policy, so you know that isn’t going to be happening. If I’d known you were sick, I would have sent you home immediately this morning. Come back when you’re well again.”

Frustration burned low in my veins at his insistence on this, and this time it was my turn to scowl. “I don’t have sick time saved up yet and the cold isn’t that bad.” Even if it was, I didn’t want to use that sick time unless absolutely necessary.

His lips pressed into a thin line and he shook his head. “I won’t put tomorrow as a strike against you, and youwon’tbe coming in. In a building as large as this, it’s easy to spread common colds and then they last for weeks longer than needed. Go home and stay there until you’re healthy again.”

I gripped the edge of the desk, the irritation only spiking higher as I growled. “Why are you so insistent about this? Most companies would be delighted with mynotcalling in.”

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