“You know, if you stare at that door much longer, it might burst into flames.”

Blinking several times in an attempt to pull myself out of the trance I’d settled into, I turned to see Lauren seated on the edge of my desk.

How long had she been there, watching me slumped over my desk, like an obedient lapdog waiting for my master to return home?

“Sorry,” I responded quickly, straightening, as I faced her. “Must have been daydreaming.”

“Hmm… well, I wanted to stop by and offer my apology.”

Staring down at my desk, I picked up a paper clip and began to untwist it with my fingers. “An apology?” I clarified.

“Yes, you see, I think you and I got off on the wrong foot yesterday. I’ve been told that I can come off a bit too strong, and I feel like that might have happened yesterday when you surprised me with your completely genuine response.”

Glancing up at her, I refrained from nervously biting my lip. “I won’t change my mind, if that’s what you’re after,” I said, referring to her not-so-subtle attempt to siphon gossip from me, regarding our boss.

“I understand that. And, in the name of honesty, I wanted to tell you, I find the integrity you possess quite refreshing… and I hope you never lose it.”

That surprised me, so much so that I didn’t know how to respond. Yesterday, I had regarded this woman as an enemy, but today, she was kind of shocking me with her humility.

Was it genuine?

I wasn’t sure, but I guessed I owed her the benefit of the doubt.

“Thank you,” I finally responded with a brief nod.

“You’re welcome. Now that we’re back on good terms, can I interest you in that lunch date again?” she asked, arching her brow. “Just lunch and good old-fashioned girl talk. Promise!” Her hands went up in a gesture of concession.

A smile crept across my face. “Well, I could use a little girl talk,” I confessed.

“I knew it. You have the look. Let me grab my purse, and I’ll meet you downstairs in ten.”

“Sounds great,” I said, feeling a flutter of excitement already.

Besides nights out with Tyler and his many clients, I hadn’t had a single moment of fun since I arrived. The idea of sitting around a table and laughing over a basket of bread and a few cups of coffee sounded like heaven.

Giving one last look toward the door and the man who had locked himself inside, I decided a note wasn’t necessary.

He’d crawled back into his hole.

There was no telling when he’d come back out.

If ever.

Chapter Nine

Two weeks.

That was how long it’d been since Bethany left.

It’d been fourteen days since she took over and my brain officially stopped working.