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“You should listen to her,” he said with a shrug. “She obviously knows what she’s talking about.”
“Obviously.” I glanced at the clock, wondering yet again how Kelly was doing. She hadn’t called yet, but that didn’t mean anything. She could be on her way home. Or on her way here. She could be enjoying her freedom, the way I wanted her to.
“You want to stick around?” I asked Van. “Gotta few more things I wouldn’t mind talking to someone about.”
“Sure thing, boss.” He winked, then stood. “I’ll go tell Miss Monroe it’s her turn.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
His face sobered, then he offered me a smile. “Don’t mention it.”
Joss came in, and within minutes, I already knew this woman was going to be my new admin. Not only was she timely and could guess my coffee order with only a look, but she was productive as well. In the time it took me to finish speaking with Van, she’d cleaned up the mess the guys had made in the small waiting room, organized the front desk, and even answered two phone calls I would have missed entirely because the stupid phones only rang up front.
I went through the motions, asking the questions I was supposed to ask, knowing the whole time it wouldn’t change a damn thing. She accepted my job offer immediately and was just as happy as Van to stick around and discuss the future of my company and their place in it.
It wasn’t until the sun started descending behind the nearby buildings that I suddenly realized the time. I still hadn’t heard from Kelly. I trusted that she’d call me if she ran into troubles, but I’d told her to call me when she got home, too.
She should have been home hours ago.
She should have called. Told me where she was. That she was safe. That I didn’t have to worry.
But I worried.
I grabbed my phone off the table beside me and held up a finger as I dialed Kelly’s number, standing up and stepping out of the room. It rang until the voicemail picked up. I hung up and called again.
And again.
Finally, after half a dozen tries, someone answered. “Hello?”
“Kelly?”
“No, I’m sorry. This is Dr. Sheila Thompson. Who are you looking for?”
“Kelly O’Connor.” Panic struck. My gaze darted around the hallway, as if I could find her there.
“Ah. Kelly. I’m sorry, she must have forgotten her phone. I just now found it between the cushion and the arm of the chair. She left here hours ago.”
“Hours?” It felt like someone was smothering me, clamping a hand down on my throat. “Was she… okay?”
“Who is this?”
“Lee Bridgewater. I’m—”
“Yes, Mr. Bridgewater. She mentioned you. She was doing fine when she left. We had a good session, and I look forward to seeing her next week.”
“Fuck.”
“Would you like me to leave her phone at the front desk? We’re not closing for another hour.”
“Yes. Please.” I shook my head. “I’ll be right there.”
Both Van and Joss were standing in the doorway behind me when I spun to head back into the room. Van took one look at me, and his entire being changed.
“What is it?”
“Kelly left her phone at the doctor’s office. She hasn’t called, and I—”
Van put his hand on my arm. “Go. You find her. Joss and I can close up here. Call me if you need anything at all.”
