AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was interesting the first few days after we’d been at the club, but Rafe had called it. He knew the persona I put out there at the club was an act and we have been spending a lot of time together outside of the office. I’ve yet to meet his daughter but I don’t know if I want to anyway. I like kids and I’m falling for Rafe so hard that I know meeting and falling for his daughter will only make me like him more.
Rafe and I are supposed to be flying back to St. Louis in the morning but I’m dreading it. The reason is twofold…one, I know I’m about to slip and sleep with him and two, my family is demanding I come see them. I know if I go, and they see me,they’ll know there’s someone in my life and I don’t want to get into the whole dating my boss discussion.
I reach the lobby for the office when the receptionist, Gail, called out to me.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“No one’s seen Mr. Gordon…can’t get him on the phone either,” she answers shooting me a questioning look.
“I haven’t spoken to him today,” I admit as Stan heads towards us.
“Amelia…please, tell me you know where Rafe is,” he states.
“Sorry, I don’t. He’s not answering his phone?”
“We’ve tried about a million times, and we’ve got to have an answer on the next step,” Stan tells me.
“Which step?” I ask trying to figure out if it’s something that we’ve discussed or not.
“The sectors regarding the new timeline.”
“They’re a go ahead,” I answer knowing what he meant from his cryptic reply.
“You’re positive?” he asks hesitantly.
“Completely. Look we’re supposed to have a meeting with a supplier for Lemans in a couple hours. I’m going to run by his place and see if he’s there so if he does stop in let him know to stay put,” I say with a smile. “Don’t worry Stan…if he’s changed his mind since last night it’ll be me that he kills, not you.”
“For some reason I don’t see that happening Amelia,” Stan says with a laugh as he turned to head back upstairs. “You’ve certainly made a hell of a difference around here in just a month.”
“I try,” I stated before heading back out the lobby door. I grabbed a taxi and head to his place. I haven’t been there, but I know the address and when I arrive, the place looks fine.
I ring the doorbell and wait, a few minutes later ringing it again. As I was reaching to ring it a third time, the door opened,and I found myself staring down at a little girl who looked exactly like Rafe but a miniature female version. “Hi there, you must be Maggie. Is your dad here?”
She didn’t reply as she stared at me, and I glanced around praying that Rafe would appear. When I looked back down at her, she was moving her hands and I felt like I’d been sucker punched. It only took me a second to realize her hand movements were sign language.
I gave her another smile then repeated what I’d said in the same language, and her frantic expression changed into one of relief. She grabbed my hand, pulled me into the house, and up the stairs. It took me a moment to realize where we were once she pushed open a door but then I saw Rafe laying on the bed and I panicked.
‘He’s sick,’ Maggie signs to me. ‘Daddy and Lorie, my nanny, are sick…’
A sound from the hallway drew my gaze and I saw the woman standing there.
‘Maggie,’ she signed heading towards us.
‘That’s Lorie,’ Maggie informed me, and I felt a tiny bit better. The woman was probably in her late fifties and twice my size.
‘Who is this?’ Lorie inquired towards Maggie while glancing my way.
“Amelia Thorpe, I work with Rafe. We were supposed to have a meeting in a couple hours, but he wasn’t answering the phone,” I told her with voice and sign language not fully sure if she could hear.
“Amelia…of course,” Lorie replied with her voice on top of continuing to sign. “Rafe mentioned you were working together, but not that you signed.”
“He doesn’t know…it doesn’t matter. Let’s get you back to bed,” I stated ignoring her protests. “I won’t let anything happento Maggie I swear. The best thing for her is for you and Rafe to both get better.”
The older woman nodded and reluctantly allowed me to help her back to her room. I went back to Rafe and Maggie after that and was shocked to see him so pale. His normally tanned skin looked sallow, and I quickly found the number for his doctor in the kitchen. He said it was most likely just the flu and to keep them both in bed and hydrated.
I knew it was going to be a long day and once I’d managed to postpone the meetings and the trip back to St. Louis, I threw myself into the new role of babysitter and nursemaid. Lorie was a decent patient, but it appeared that Rafe wasn’t and as the day went on, he got harder to keep still. That’s how I found myself in his bed at four a.m. praying that he’d pull through this quickly so I could get out of there with a tiny piece of myself still intact.
“Ame…” he sighed pulling me back into his arms. I resisted and instead he moved closer to me as his arms wrapped around my waist. It was torture having him hold me like this and I wondered what would happen if he weren’t sick.
