tomorrow. He told her the name of the restaurant. “Oh, one of my favorites!”
“Would you like me to pick you up?”
“No need. I have to run some errands, so I’ll kill two birds with one stone.”
“Bring your laptop, and we can do some research after we eat.”
* * *
Pamela was first to arrive at the restaurant the next day, having finished her shopping early. Once again, she’d rushed through her morning and was fueled only by two cups of coffee. But shopping had been a breeze. Finding everything was so much easier here than in Afghanistan. She’d never take American conveniences for granted again.
While waiting in her car, she leaned against the headrest. Even making those few stops had worn her out. She hadn’t returned home from the academy until nearly one and was so wound up it had taken more than an hour to drift off. After a fitful night’s sleep, she’d awakened early enough to make sure she could squeeze everything in before lunch. She might try to take an afternoon nap before class, but right now, she’d just close her eyes for a minute.
Knock, knock.
The sound of someone rapping on the glass of her window startled her, and she jumped. Turning, she saw Kristoffer with a worried expression on his face that quickly became one of relief.
How long had she slept?
Blinking the grittiness from her eyes, she reached for the door handle and exited the car, only to find herself lightheaded. She swayed.
“Whoa!” Kristoffer wrapped his arm around to steady her, holding on to her back and forearm.
Her stomach somersaulted. If she’d had anything to eat, she might have lost it. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know I nodded off!” How embarrassing!
“You had me worried when I found you like that. And now you almost passed out.”
“No. I just stood up too quickly.” She glanced at her watch, extricating herself from his arms. As nice as it felt to be held, she didn’t like showing any sign of weakness. She’d napped for almost forty-five minutes. Why didn’t she feel the least bit refreshed?
He made a noncommittal grunt. “Why don’t we skip work and just eat?”
“No, I’m fine. Really!” The thought of postponing this project made her feel even sicker. She reached inside the back seat for her briefcase, bracing herself on the seat when another dizzy spell overcame her. She took several deep breaths, trying to clear her head, and grabbed the case.
He didn’t seem pleased with her decision to focus immediately on business, but Pamela wouldn’t let anything delay the delivery of the items they were ordering. She noticed his hands were empty. “Did you bring the papers from yesterday?”
He stared at her a moment before returning to his car for his legal pad and a folder. Cupping her by the elbow, he led her toward the entrance as though he thought she might collapse. Once seated inside, she leaned toward him. “I really am fine.”
“You’re overdoing it. Stress is a killer. Why don’t you listen to your body?”
She didn’t need a medical lesson, for goodness’ sake. “I did listen! When it told me I needed a nap, I took one.” She grinned at him, but he didn’t even crack a smile. Her stomach dropped as her pulse accelerated. He had the Dom stare down pat.
“Why don’t you skip the academy tonight?”
She lifted her eyebrows. “It’s only a six-week course. If I miss a night, who knows how far behind I’d fall?”
“Your health is more important.”
Clearly, he wasn’t going to let this go, so she picked up her menu to peruse the wide variety of Mediterranean dishes. Definitely nothing with starch. She should choose a protein to give her more energy. When the server returned with a pitcher of ice water, Pamela ordered rainbow trout with sides of tzatziki and grilled vegetables along with a spinach salad to provide more iron. That should do the trick. She really was starving.
After he placed his order of moussaka with a Greek salad, he met her
“Would you like me to pick you up?”
“No need. I have to run some errands, so I’ll kill two birds with one stone.”
“Bring your laptop, and we can do some research after we eat.”
* * *
Pamela was first to arrive at the restaurant the next day, having finished her shopping early. Once again, she’d rushed through her morning and was fueled only by two cups of coffee. But shopping had been a breeze. Finding everything was so much easier here than in Afghanistan. She’d never take American conveniences for granted again.
While waiting in her car, she leaned against the headrest. Even making those few stops had worn her out. She hadn’t returned home from the academy until nearly one and was so wound up it had taken more than an hour to drift off. After a fitful night’s sleep, she’d awakened early enough to make sure she could squeeze everything in before lunch. She might try to take an afternoon nap before class, but right now, she’d just close her eyes for a minute.
Knock, knock.
The sound of someone rapping on the glass of her window startled her, and she jumped. Turning, she saw Kristoffer with a worried expression on his face that quickly became one of relief.
How long had she slept?
Blinking the grittiness from her eyes, she reached for the door handle and exited the car, only to find herself lightheaded. She swayed.
“Whoa!” Kristoffer wrapped his arm around to steady her, holding on to her back and forearm.
Her stomach somersaulted. If she’d had anything to eat, she might have lost it. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know I nodded off!” How embarrassing!
“You had me worried when I found you like that. And now you almost passed out.”
“No. I just stood up too quickly.” She glanced at her watch, extricating herself from his arms. As nice as it felt to be held, she didn’t like showing any sign of weakness. She’d napped for almost forty-five minutes. Why didn’t she feel the least bit refreshed?
He made a noncommittal grunt. “Why don’t we skip work and just eat?”
“No, I’m fine. Really!” The thought of postponing this project made her feel even sicker. She reached inside the back seat for her briefcase, bracing herself on the seat when another dizzy spell overcame her. She took several deep breaths, trying to clear her head, and grabbed the case.
He didn’t seem pleased with her decision to focus immediately on business, but Pamela wouldn’t let anything delay the delivery of the items they were ordering. She noticed his hands were empty. “Did you bring the papers from yesterday?”
He stared at her a moment before returning to his car for his legal pad and a folder. Cupping her by the elbow, he led her toward the entrance as though he thought she might collapse. Once seated inside, she leaned toward him. “I really am fine.”
“You’re overdoing it. Stress is a killer. Why don’t you listen to your body?”
She didn’t need a medical lesson, for goodness’ sake. “I did listen! When it told me I needed a nap, I took one.” She grinned at him, but he didn’t even crack a smile. Her stomach dropped as her pulse accelerated. He had the Dom stare down pat.
“Why don’t you skip the academy tonight?”
She lifted her eyebrows. “It’s only a six-week course. If I miss a night, who knows how far behind I’d fall?”
“Your health is more important.”
Clearly, he wasn’t going to let this go, so she picked up her menu to peruse the wide variety of Mediterranean dishes. Definitely nothing with starch. She should choose a protein to give her more energy. When the server returned with a pitcher of ice water, Pamela ordered rainbow trout with sides of tzatziki and grilled vegetables along with a spinach salad to provide more iron. That should do the trick. She really was starving.
After he placed his order of moussaka with a Greek salad, he met her
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