Page 22 of Love From the Ashes

“Thank you.” I took several steps backward, preferring to wait by the reception window. I’d been there several minutes when a sandy-haired woman approached the counter. She was thin, and her complexion so pasty, she looked borderline sickly. She was younger than me, but I couldn’t tell her age. So this was the infamous Alice. The one who wanted my job. I stepped up to the counter. “You must be Alice.”

“I am. I understand you need to update your contact information. Is it a change in your address or a phone number?” Alice eyed the suit jacket draped over my arm as she spoke. “Nice jacket.”

“Thanks. It’s way too big on me but nice and warm.” I smiled at the puzzled look on her face. It was best to keep her confused, especially since she was Krista’s rat. “It’s a phone number. I didn’t have one on file, so I need to add one. I wrote it down.” I pulled the sticky note I’d written my information on from my pants pocket and slipped it across the counter to Alice. “Do you need anything else?”

“No, that’s it. We’ll update your personnel file.”

“Thank you.” I spun around and headed toward the door, sensing Alice watching me as I opened it and left the department. I paused in the hallway and looked for the administration office, discovering it was at the end of the corridor. Reaching the office, I tugged at the hem of my blouse to straighten it and opened one of the double doors. A man in a business suit sat behind a large reception counter, the private and intimate-looking lobby filled with several couches, potted plants, and chairs.

“May I help you?” the man said, carefully studying me.

“Umm, yes. I was hoping to see Mr. Morgan. I’m Sofie Fletcher from the marketing department. I need to return his jacket.”

“One moment, please.” The man picked up a phone and dialed a number. “Ms. Prescott, I have Sofie Fletcher from marketing here asking to see Mr. Morgan. She says she needs to return his jacket. Certainly, I’ll go ahead and do that.” He hung up the phone, his furrowed brow indicating either surprise or confusion at the instructions given to him by Ms. Prescott. “This way, please,” he said, stepping away from his desk and opening the door to my left. He motioned for me to go in.

I entered a large office with two good-sized cubicles directly in front of me. Their front walls were waist-high and topped with a small counter, while the single back wall contained several filing cabinets and more counter space. A salt-and-pepper-haired woman sat at the desk in the cubicle on my left. The nameplate on the counter listed her as Mavin Prescott, her title executive secretary. Ms. Morgan was standing next to her.

“May I help you, Ms. Fletcher?” the woman said from her seat at the desk. She looked at me over the rim of her eyeglasses.

“Mavin, Sofie is the new hire from the women’s shelter I mentioned. Sofie, is there something I can do for you?” Ms. Morgan raised an eyebrow, her gray-blue eyes scrutinizing me.

I looked down at my feet, suddenly embarrassed and feeling like I didn’t belong there.

“Sofie?”

“I wanted to return Mr. Morgan’s jacket. I had an accident at lunch, and he let me borrow it. I’ll leave it with you and get back to work if that’s okay.” My words had come out in a rush, and I hoped they made sense. I stepped forward and draped Reid’s jacket across the counter.

Reid suddenly came around the corner of the cubicle and stopped when he saw me. “Hey, I was on my way to get my jacket from you. It looks like you’ve saved me the effort.” He stood there in his tailored light-blue-and-white pinstriped shirt and navy tie. His shirt fit him nicely, the muscles in his upper arms emphasized by the snug-fitting fabric.

I hadn’t noticed that earlier and couldn’t understand how I’d missed it. Realizing I was staring at Reid’s arms, I looked up, catching his amused grin. I straightened my back and jutted my chin out, giving him a defiant look while silently daring him to laugh at me. It didn’t work.

Reid chuckled as he stepped forward and grabbed his jacket. He slipped it on and reached for my arm. “Come on. I’ll have Lawrence drive you home. I have an appointment, and your apartment is on the way.”

I pulled my arm back, surprised by his suggestion. “I can’t go. I’m not off work for another fifty minutes and don’t want to get in trouble.”

Reid burst out laughing. “You’re standing here with the two owners of the company, one of which offered to drive you home, and you’re worried you’ll get in trouble. May I ask by whom?”

“By my supervisor. Besides, it isn’t appropriate to cheat my employer out of almost an hour’s pay.”

“Okay, okay. You win,” Reid said. “I’ll walk you out. Mother, Mavin, I’ll see you in the morning.” Reid motioned toward the door and tipped his head at me.

I turned to Ms. Morgan and Ms. Prescott to say goodbye. Ms. Morgan was studying Reid, her eyes searching his face. She looked at Ms. Prescott and arched a brow, and Ms. Prescott nodded. It was clear there was some secret between them. I only wished I knew what it was.

“Well, are you coming?” Reid said, holding the door open, the corner of his mouth turning up into a faint smile. “I thought you needed to get back to work?”

“I do. Thank you.” I uttered a quick goodbye over my shoulder and marched toward the door, frowning at Reid as I passed by him.

We stood side by side in the elevator lobby, neither of us talking. Then Reid chuckled.

“What is so funny?” I demanded, my lips tight as I faced him.

“Oh, nothing, except I’d swear you enjoy driving me crazy.”

“I do not!”

“Uh-huh.”

The elevator suddenly dinged, and the doors opened. The car was going up. I hurried into the elevator and turned around, my eyes on Reid as I pushed the button for my floor.

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