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“No.”

“It’s not like you to leave work early.”

“I had somewhere I needed to be.”

“Where?”

“Like I said, none of your business. You may be my best friend and my second in charge, but I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

I grind my jaw in frustration, but more at myself than at him. I’m acting like an arsehole all because Rose has overtaken every rational thought in my damn head.

“Fair enough. Want to meet up for a drink later?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose as I close my eyes for a second. “Sure.” I look through the windscreen in time to see Rose exit the building. “I’ve got to go.”

“Okay. What time will you be done with your secret business?”

“I’ll meet you at O’Malley’s in half an hour.”

I end the call and drop my phone back into the console, my eyes following Rose as she walks down the street. She’s wearing a black pantsuit today, with a green button-down shirt underneath, and I find myself wishing I could see her up close. The colour would bring out her pretty emerald eyes.

My heart pangs in my chest as I watch her. She looks sad today, and I wonder if it’s because of me or her handsy boss. Her arms are wrapped protectively around her torso as she strolls down the street, her face trained straight ahead. I hate that she’s not even looking around for me, just in case I ignored her wishes and showed up anyway, which, of course, I did.

I feel terrible. She’s living in a strange city and thanks to me, she doesn’t have a single friend anymore. All she’s got to go home to is a psychotic bird who’s probably going to abuse her and make her feel worse.

My eyes follow her until she turns the corner and disappears from sight. I already know I’m not going to follow. I’ve pushed the limits enough for one day. The best thing for me to do is leave her alone, but I already know that’s not going to happen. Whether it’s up close or in the background, I’m going to right this wrong.

I grab my phone, reach for the door handle, and step out of the car before jogging across the street. When I enter the building where Rose works, I cross the foyer to the large brass directory mounted beside the elevators. The names of the businesses and their floor numbers are neatly etched into the polished metal, so I quickly snap a picture.

She’s already told me what her boss does, so I just need to investigate each company and narrow it down. I’m not sure what I’ll do with the information once I have it, but I’m going to find a way back into Rose’s life. One way or another.

Callum’s seated at a table with a drink in front of him and one waiting for me when I arrive. I nod as I reach him, remove my suit jacket, sling it over the back of my chair, and sit down. He doesn’t say a word, but I can feel his eyes following my every move.

I pick up my bourbon and take a gulp before setting the glass down. When I look up and meet his frown, I say, “What?”

“I’m just assessing,” he replies, lifting his drink and swirling the ice inside the glass. “Trying to figure out what’s going on.”

“Nothing is going on,” I lie.

“Bullshit. We’ve been friends since we were five; I know you better than you think.” I lift one shoulder. I can’t argue with that. It works both ways. “So, are you going to talk to me, or do I need to feed you more alcohol first?”

“There’s not much to tell,” I admit. I pick up my drink, down the rest of it, and hold up my empty glass to catch the waitress’s attention so I can order another.

My best friend glances at me and lifts one brow. “The way you downed that drink tells me there is.”

I lean back in my chair and run a hand through my dark hair. Do I really want to go there with him? He’ll think it’s hilarious if he finds out I’m obsessing over a woman I barely know. A woman who accidentally dated me last night and is now pissed because I went along with her mistake instead of telling her the truth.

“I know Janet gets on your nerves at times, but it’s more than that. She’s been your assistant for years, and you’ve never made her cry before.”

“I wish my HR officer would stop gossiping behind my back. It’s highly unprofessional.”

Callum rolls his eyes. “Vi’s your sister. She was hardly gossiping. She’s worried about you, so she asked me if I knew what was wrong.”

I exhale a long breath. “I’m about to tell you something, and I want it kept between us.”

“As in, I’m not allowed to relay any of this to your sister?”

“Exactly. Do you think you can manage that?”