it there and move on.” Or try as best we can.
“Things aren’t always that simple, Kate.”
“Well, if you’re not going to tell me, I don’t have anything to fear. Unless he’s some serial killer, I’m going out with him. Lord knows I need a few nights out.” A petal falls off the rose and I realize I’ve been massaging it between my fingers. Isn’t Ned his friend? Why does he even care who I go out with anyway?
His eyes lock on the petals it hits the ground. “Fair enough. Be careful, though, Kate.”
“Is he dangerous?” And if he is, I question why this group of people hang out with him.
“Only for your heart.”
Chapter
Fifteen
I stroll into the office fresh off a bowling win and my ego slightly boosted by a second date with Ned in my future. Sure, we’re not a perfect match in the way of shared interests, but, perhaps in this case, opposites will eventually attract. One evening together isn’t enough to base my attraction to him. These things take time, which I have plenty of. The next date will be better, at least, I hope. I’ll admit the way he asked me out intrigued me. Sure, he stole the gesture from a reality TV show, but I’m touched he made the effort.
"Hey Linda," I greet my boss as I walk past her office toward the common break area. I need to warm up my tea first thing this morning.
"Kate!" She races behind me and meets my stride. "Didn't you check your messages?” She’s panicked and frantically pawing at her phone.
"No." I pull my iPhone out of my purse. She's never this anxious. I’m nervous as to what’s so important. "My cell hasn't rung all morning." I power on the screen and I lift my eyebrows in disbelief. Three calls and seven texts missed. How did that happen? I never heard a notification.
"It must be on silent."
I check and sure enough, it is. I never silence my phone. I must have inadvertently done so when I reached into my bag.
"What's going on?" There's no reason to listen to my voicemail since she's right next to me and this appears so urgent.
We reach the break room and I fill my mug with water and shove it into the microwave. Linda begins talking as I press the button to cook for two minutes. "Janice Foley called here five times up in arms. Her property was burglarized.”
What? How is that possible? “What would someone want in that dump?”
She glares at me and I dip my chin to my chest. “Sorry.” I can’t help if the house is ridiculously disgusting. “Did they steal anything?” Linda didn’t keep many things theft-worthy.
“Scrap metal, anything they can sell. You need to go. Now. She’s furious and is blaming the firm.” She doesn’t look up from her screen, but she means business.
Taking immediate direction from my boss, I agree and jet out the door, leaving my hot water. I hop into my car and peel out of the parking lot toward Janice’s dad’s house.
When I arrive, a squad car is pulling away. That’s squared away, so less for me to deal with and add to my day. I’m sure nothing will come from this. No one lives here and nothing valuable was taken, at least I assume. The police may come by every so often to make sure the thieves don’t return, but I don’t anticipate them spending a lot of time on this.
The front door is torn off the hinges, though that’s not much different than any other day. I step over the threshold into the living room, which is in shambles. I didn’t think it was possible for the house to look any more a disaster than it already did. Holes cover the walls and the carpeting is ripped through. If I thought selling this fixer-upper was going to be hard before, now it will be even worse.
“Kate — thanks for showing up.” Janice plows through the kitchen into the living room where I’m standing among the mess. “Maybe next time you care to answer your phone for your client.”
“So you’re still my client?” She makes snap decisions and I fully expect to be fired. The break-in
“Things aren’t always that simple, Kate.”
“Well, if you’re not going to tell me, I don’t have anything to fear. Unless he’s some serial killer, I’m going out with him. Lord knows I need a few nights out.” A petal falls off the rose and I realize I’ve been massaging it between my fingers. Isn’t Ned his friend? Why does he even care who I go out with anyway?
His eyes lock on the petals it hits the ground. “Fair enough. Be careful, though, Kate.”
“Is he dangerous?” And if he is, I question why this group of people hang out with him.
“Only for your heart.”
Chapter
Fifteen
I stroll into the office fresh off a bowling win and my ego slightly boosted by a second date with Ned in my future. Sure, we’re not a perfect match in the way of shared interests, but, perhaps in this case, opposites will eventually attract. One evening together isn’t enough to base my attraction to him. These things take time, which I have plenty of. The next date will be better, at least, I hope. I’ll admit the way he asked me out intrigued me. Sure, he stole the gesture from a reality TV show, but I’m touched he made the effort.
"Hey Linda," I greet my boss as I walk past her office toward the common break area. I need to warm up my tea first thing this morning.
"Kate!" She races behind me and meets my stride. "Didn't you check your messages?” She’s panicked and frantically pawing at her phone.
"No." I pull my iPhone out of my purse. She's never this anxious. I’m nervous as to what’s so important. "My cell hasn't rung all morning." I power on the screen and I lift my eyebrows in disbelief. Three calls and seven texts missed. How did that happen? I never heard a notification.
"It must be on silent."
I check and sure enough, it is. I never silence my phone. I must have inadvertently done so when I reached into my bag.
"What's going on?" There's no reason to listen to my voicemail since she's right next to me and this appears so urgent.
We reach the break room and I fill my mug with water and shove it into the microwave. Linda begins talking as I press the button to cook for two minutes. "Janice Foley called here five times up in arms. Her property was burglarized.”
What? How is that possible? “What would someone want in that dump?”
She glares at me and I dip my chin to my chest. “Sorry.” I can’t help if the house is ridiculously disgusting. “Did they steal anything?” Linda didn’t keep many things theft-worthy.
“Scrap metal, anything they can sell. You need to go. Now. She’s furious and is blaming the firm.” She doesn’t look up from her screen, but she means business.
Taking immediate direction from my boss, I agree and jet out the door, leaving my hot water. I hop into my car and peel out of the parking lot toward Janice’s dad’s house.
When I arrive, a squad car is pulling away. That’s squared away, so less for me to deal with and add to my day. I’m sure nothing will come from this. No one lives here and nothing valuable was taken, at least I assume. The police may come by every so often to make sure the thieves don’t return, but I don’t anticipate them spending a lot of time on this.
The front door is torn off the hinges, though that’s not much different than any other day. I step over the threshold into the living room, which is in shambles. I didn’t think it was possible for the house to look any more a disaster than it already did. Holes cover the walls and the carpeting is ripped through. If I thought selling this fixer-upper was going to be hard before, now it will be even worse.
“Kate — thanks for showing up.” Janice plows through the kitchen into the living room where I’m standing among the mess. “Maybe next time you care to answer your phone for your client.”
“So you’re still my client?” She makes snap decisions and I fully expect to be fired. The break-in
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