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He glanced at his watch, noting the time. She was usually in by now. Had something happened to her? Had she been in an accident on the way to work? Had someone broken into her place the previous evening? He knew she had a security system, as he’d helped Wilt install it.

He strode to his office and dumped his backpack before heading to the break room. Perhaps she was there getting a coffee.

Damon had no idea why he was panicking. He’d never acted this way in the past when she hadn’t been at her desk when he arrived at the office. It was irrational, yet he couldn’t stop himself or his worry. If that didn’t show him that he needed to acknowledge that he wanted her and wanted to spend time with her, he didn’t know what did.

Voices were coming from the room as he approached, but he didn’t pick up on any feminine tones that would indicate Margot was there as well.

He strode in and found Steve and Andy talking. Andy had a flaky pastry, and Steve had a muffin. Tabitha had baked treats for them. Normally he’d be diving in, but his stomach was churning.

“Anyone seen Margot yet?” His words came out brusquer and shorter than he planned, and Steve’s eyebrow rose.

“Any reason why you’re asking?” Steve enquired.

“She’s not at her desk, and it’s past the time she normally gets here.” Now he was really exposing himself to how much he paid attention to Margot’s comings and goings. He didn’t care though. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

“She called in sick. She’s got a migraine.” Steve studied him closely, and Damon called on all his training not to crack under his boss, and friend’s, stare.

He didn’t even let his shoulders relax when that was all his body wanted to do. Margot was fine. Well not fine, fine, but there was a reason for her not being in the office.

“Right. Okay.” Although, as he thought about it, it was strange. As far as he was aware, Margot didn’t suffer from migraines. He’d dated a woman for a couple of months, and in that time, she’d suffered from three, and she blamed it on the weather.

Was Margot really sick, or was she avoiding him?

Needing to show Andy and Steve that everything was okay with him, he wandered over to the coffee machine and pressed the buttons to make himself one. He also checked out the baked goods next to the machine.

Like always, they all looked fabulous, and he picked up a croissant and bit into it, the pastry flaking over his hand.

The coffee machine beeped, indicating his drink was ready, and when he lifted it to his lips, he noticed that it was just him and Steve in the breakroom.

“Something you want to tell me?” his boss asked.

“Not sure what you’re talking about, but Bayden called me last night, he’s coming in at ten.” He took another bite of the croissant.

“That’s not what I’m talking about. I know about the meeting. Bayden messaged me too.”

“Well, that’s everything then.” Was Steve talking about his meeting with Marian? Had one of the other guys told him about it this morning before Damon had gotten in?

He didn’t mind if his boss knew. He would’ve told him, eventually.

“No, that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about your panic about Margot not being in yet. Care to explain why you looked like you were about to tear out of here and rip through the city looking for her?”

Fuck, he should’ve known nothing got passed Steve. Andy was probably now telling the others about how he’d freaked out.

“I was worried, that’s all. As I said she’s usu⁠—”

“Cut the bullshit, Damon, it’s me you’re talking to. What’s going on?”

Damon glanced over his shoulder to see if any of the others were lurking about, but they weren’t. “I don’t know.” Steve quirked an eyebrow again. “Okay, ever since she was kidnapped and hurt, I’ve been seeing, and thinking about her in a different way.”

“Or you’ve finally got your head out of your ass.”

Surprise hit him at Steve’s comment. “What?”

His boss and friend looked over his own coffee cup at him. “I’ve known you a long time, Damon. You may be able to hoodwink the others, although I don’t think you do as good a job as you think you do, but I see you. I’ve seen the way you’ve watched her. Not to mention the way you do everything possible to attempt to keep your distance from her, but you’re the first one to help her should she need it.”

Well, fuck, how many others had seen him, and if they had, why hadn’t they said anything to him?

Was there any point in denying what his boss was saying?