Merriweather reminded him that he was still waiting for an answer.
“Sure, let’s do that. Why don’t I leave you to work out the details? You know my sentiments. Gentlemen, you know what to do,” he excused himself.
Daniel hurried out of the room, eager to catch Holly. The thought that she’d been with another man was as if a wire hanger was slowly being pushed through his guts. Excruciatingly slowly. Damn, if he’d let some other man touch her!
His search for her was fruitless. The door he’d seen her leave through went straight to the stairs, and by the time he’d reached the bottom and gotten outside, she was nowhere to be seen. She obviously knew how to make a quick escape, not that she’d seen him, but she probably knew how to get away unseen in case the office staff had noticed anything going on.
His hands balled into fists as he recalled the face of the man who’d come out of the room after her. The thought of that pig’s hands on her made him want to kick somebody, preferably that pig. He had to draw on all his self control not to go back up to the office and pummel that bastard’s face with his fists until his face was bloody mush.
Daniel pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
“Good morning,” a friendly female voice chirped.
“Miss Snyder, please. Daniel Sinclair.”
He was connected instantly. “Mr. Sinclair, how may I help you?”
“I’d like to book Holly.”
“Certainly. What time slot?”
“Exclusively starting from today through the entire next week. She’s not to have any other clients,” he barked into the phone.
“Mr. Sinclair. This is highly unusual. I believe it would be better if we discussed this in my office.”
“Fine.”
“I can see you at 2 p.m. My assistant will give you instructions on how to get here.”
She transferred him back to the girl, who’d answered the phone. After she gave him the address, he cut her off.
“I know where it is.”
Daniel didn’t care that he sounded rude. He was in no mood to be polite. He knew exactly what the feeling in his gut was, but he wasn’t ready to acknowledge it. It was better not to think of it.
He headed for a dive and ordered a stiff drink at the bar. He had over two hours to kill, and while he was sure Tim would have loved to have lunch with him, he wasn’t sure he could face his all too perceptive friend right now. He’d see right through him and call him on it. And then what? He’d have to admit to himself what had happened. No, he wasn’t quite ready for that.
It was easier to kick back a couple of drinks at a bar and pretend to watch sports on the TV that hung over it. Right now, he was all for doing the easy thing. It would get much harder later.
The bartender gave him a look as if he knew what was going on inside his head. “You want nuts with that?”
“Sure.” He hadn’t had any lunch, and he wasn’t hungry, so nuts were as good a choice as any.
As the bartender shoved the bowl of nuts in front of him, Daniel only nodded.
“Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” the bartender suddenly said.
“Do I look like I want to listen to some clichés?” he snorted.
“Not really, but at least it got you talking.”
“Who says I want to talk?”
“Midday, alone in a bar, hard liquor. Yeah, you’re here for a talk. Seen the type.”
“What is it with you guys? Do you all have degrees in psychology?” Irritated, Daniel sniffed.
“Personally I don’t, but I can’t speak for the rest of my colleagues. So, what’s she done?” he asked casually while taking out a tray of wet glasses from the dishwasher.
“Who we’re talking about?”
“The woman who’s driving you into a bar at midday.”
God, that bartender was one pain in the ass. Maybe he should just finish his drink and leave. There had to be another bar somewhere nearby with a less irritating bartender.
“Why does there have to be a woman if a man wants to have a drink?” He wasn’t going to cave in that
“Sure, let’s do that. Why don’t I leave you to work out the details? You know my sentiments. Gentlemen, you know what to do,” he excused himself.
Daniel hurried out of the room, eager to catch Holly. The thought that she’d been with another man was as if a wire hanger was slowly being pushed through his guts. Excruciatingly slowly. Damn, if he’d let some other man touch her!
His search for her was fruitless. The door he’d seen her leave through went straight to the stairs, and by the time he’d reached the bottom and gotten outside, she was nowhere to be seen. She obviously knew how to make a quick escape, not that she’d seen him, but she probably knew how to get away unseen in case the office staff had noticed anything going on.
His hands balled into fists as he recalled the face of the man who’d come out of the room after her. The thought of that pig’s hands on her made him want to kick somebody, preferably that pig. He had to draw on all his self control not to go back up to the office and pummel that bastard’s face with his fists until his face was bloody mush.
Daniel pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
“Good morning,” a friendly female voice chirped.
“Miss Snyder, please. Daniel Sinclair.”
He was connected instantly. “Mr. Sinclair, how may I help you?”
“I’d like to book Holly.”
“Certainly. What time slot?”
“Exclusively starting from today through the entire next week. She’s not to have any other clients,” he barked into the phone.
“Mr. Sinclair. This is highly unusual. I believe it would be better if we discussed this in my office.”
“Fine.”
“I can see you at 2 p.m. My assistant will give you instructions on how to get here.”
She transferred him back to the girl, who’d answered the phone. After she gave him the address, he cut her off.
“I know where it is.”
Daniel didn’t care that he sounded rude. He was in no mood to be polite. He knew exactly what the feeling in his gut was, but he wasn’t ready to acknowledge it. It was better not to think of it.
He headed for a dive and ordered a stiff drink at the bar. He had over two hours to kill, and while he was sure Tim would have loved to have lunch with him, he wasn’t sure he could face his all too perceptive friend right now. He’d see right through him and call him on it. And then what? He’d have to admit to himself what had happened. No, he wasn’t quite ready for that.
It was easier to kick back a couple of drinks at a bar and pretend to watch sports on the TV that hung over it. Right now, he was all for doing the easy thing. It would get much harder later.
The bartender gave him a look as if he knew what was going on inside his head. “You want nuts with that?”
“Sure.” He hadn’t had any lunch, and he wasn’t hungry, so nuts were as good a choice as any.
As the bartender shoved the bowl of nuts in front of him, Daniel only nodded.
“Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” the bartender suddenly said.
“Do I look like I want to listen to some clichés?” he snorted.
“Not really, but at least it got you talking.”
“Who says I want to talk?”
“Midday, alone in a bar, hard liquor. Yeah, you’re here for a talk. Seen the type.”
“What is it with you guys? Do you all have degrees in psychology?” Irritated, Daniel sniffed.
“Personally I don’t, but I can’t speak for the rest of my colleagues. So, what’s she done?” he asked casually while taking out a tray of wet glasses from the dishwasher.
“Who we’re talking about?”
“The woman who’s driving you into a bar at midday.”
God, that bartender was one pain in the ass. Maybe he should just finish his drink and leave. There had to be another bar somewhere nearby with a less irritating bartender.
“Why does there have to be a woman if a man wants to have a drink?” He wasn’t going to cave in that
Similar Books
