Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Hot tears come pouring down my cheeks and I’m not a seventeen-year-old kid.
I can’t believe I did this.
Any of it!
If something happens to him, she’ll hate me forever.
And she should.
I let my selfishness take over. I let them talk me into thinking it would all just be peachy.
Oh, I can tell myself I left Maisy home for the weekend because I had to work. But that’s a cop-out.
If I’d just been honest with Brock, he would have let me stay in Seattle.
He’s not the dragon everyone thinks he is. And if I hadn’t come here, maybe I would have thought a lot harder before we upset our working relationship forever.
...I don’t even know how to process that in the middle of this crisis.
I’m still trying when he comes out of his room in khakis and a pale-green shirt that offsets his sapphire eyes.
“Green looks good on you,” I say numbly, as if he could choose the wrong color.
He walks up to me and wipes my tears away with his hand.
“Did something else happen while I was out of the room?” he asks.
“No, I’m sorry. I’m just—yeah.”
He sits down beside me and wraps an arm around me. “You don’t have to apologize. You’re right to be worried.”
“I shouldn’t be here,” I say miserably.
“You mean in my room?”
“In Chicago.”
He levels a sympathetic look on me. “I’m sorry. If I’d known about your problem—”
“I know! You gave me all the chances and I blew it. I’m so stupid!” I hiss.
“Stop it,” he growls, grabbing my face gently with both hands. “You would have heard her calling sooner if I hadn’t dropped my jacket in the damn hallway. This clusterfuck is nobody’s fault.”
“Okay,” I say weakly.
He taps his phone and presses it to his ear. “I need my jet ready ASAP. Change of plans. How soon can we leave?” He’s quiet for a minute. “And that’s the earliest there’s a runway?” He pauses. “Whatever, I’ll take it. Personal emergency. Yes, I’ll make plans for the rest of the team. I’ll be returning alone plus one person. Just be sure you have the plane restocked with coffee and a couple of those giant cinnamon rolls from the Sweeter Grind in town.”
A colossal cinnamon roll can’t fix this, but I’m smiling inside, even if it doesn’t show on my face.
He looks at me.
“We’ll leave in two hours. Is that fast enough?”
Before I can thank him, there’s a knock at the door, and he’s calling someone else.
I walk to the door and open it.
Two uniformed employees stomp in. One carries my duffel bag, and the other has a Winthrope-branded suitcase.
“Everything in your room has been packed, ma’am. We checked under the bed, and all the closets and drawers for good measure.” Thing Two hands me a black folder. “We just need you to sign acknowledging receipt.”
I do and watch them walk out immediately.
I should be happy as I stare at the luggage and the man pacing the room, making frantic conversation with someone—probably Keenan.
He’s surprised me again, charging to my rescue when I didn’t ask him to.
If there was ever any question about him earning my trust, it’s been answered with a shout.
But now that he has it, after all this is over, what will that mean?
16
Emergency Exit (Brock)
“What’s up, boss?” Keenan answers on the first ring.
“There’s been an emergency. I’m escorting an employee back to Seattle in the next two hours. I don’t think everyone else will be ready and packed, so I need you to find another charter flight for them.”
“Is Piper okay?” he says flatly.
Fuck.
Am I that obvious?
I glance over at her. Tears stream down her face in harsh red lines and she’s on the floor, holding her duffel bag.
“She’ll live,” I say coldly.
“I’m serious, bossman. Is she hurt?”
I go into the other room and shut the door. “Her father had a medical event. You don’t need to know more than that,” I snap off.
“Jeez, fine! I’ll find a charter.”
“Got it.” I toss the phone on the bed and peek out the narrow slit in the door.
She’s still on the floor with her luggage, looking so lost it hammers me in the chest.
“Sunshine?” She looks up at me as I step out, her green eyes glistening. “Do you want to change clothes? That robe isn’t ideal for the trip home and the dress from last night won’t be comfortable.”
“Right, yeah...” She nods. “Oh, the dress... How do I pack it to make sure it’s safe?”
“I’ll get you the garment bag.” I try to think of how to bring her back to reality without triggering a breakdown. “What hospital is your dad in?”
“Seattle Memorial.”
My next call is to Fyodor. He misses the first call, and I have to try again.
“Boss. You’re not back early, are you?” he asks over some Russian rock music blaring in the background.