Page 88 of The Deal Breaker
Friday morning, Dash arrived to work late. He hadn’t set his alarm last night and told Janice not to wake him. He didn’t want to start of his and Iris’s weekend in Hood Hamlet tired. He approached Fallon’s desk. “Anything I need to know.”
She glanced at a notepad. “Nothing pressing. Your three o’clock meeting is now at two-thirty. Oh, and your mom and your dad both called me wondering why you weren’t returning their phone calls. I told them you were taking the morning off. I don’t think they believed me.”
He needed to tell his parents not to bug his assistant. “They don’t always believe me, either.”
“Good to know.” Fallon studied him. “You look more rested.”
“I feel human again. Sleep does wonders.”
A brow arched. “You should make it a habit.”
He laughed. “You think?”
“I’m serious, Dash. And while you’re at it, coming in late every Friday.”
“Icoulddo that.” But would he?
Wes had cut back his hours when he returned to work after his remission and recently resigned as CEO. The company’s stock was doing well. Dash should ask how Wes was handling the changes.
“You should.” Fallon’s phone rang. “Let me know if you need anything.”
A few minutes later, he sat at his desk, staring at his text messages. No morning selfie from Iris had arrived. That was weird. He typed.
Dash:I’m no longer a sleep-depraved zombie. I should be home before six. When do you want to leave for Hood Hamlet?
Iris:I’ll be at your house around six.
Dash:That works. Can’t wait to see you. Have a wonderful day.
He fired up his computer and got to work. That would make the time go faster.
A little before six, he pulled into the driveway. Iris’s Range Rover sat on the left side, not in the garage, where it normally was. No problem. They could pull it inside before they left.
He parked next to her car. Leo had texted that he turned in the title to the DVM, and the new one would arrive in three to five weeks.
Inside, Dash found Iris sitting on a chair in the great room. She wore leggings and an oversized shirt. Not exactly snow weather attire, but she would be comfortable on the drive. She could change after they arrived.
He went to her, eager to make sure he didn’t break their rule of greeting each other with a kiss. “Hey.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “We need to talk.”
Not what he expected to hear. Her jaw was tight, and she wasn’t smiling.
He stopped. Guess she wasn’t as okay about last night as he thought she would be. “I’m sorry about canceling. I said we’d do something and then I was too tired. I will make it up to you. I promise.”
“Stop.” Her voice was harsher than he’d ever heard it. “Just stop, okay?”
“I said I was sorry.” He hoped his voice conveyed his level of confusion.
“For the dinner.”
Dash wanted to kiss away the hurt he saw in her eyes. “What else was there?”
“My birthday.” Her lower lip quivered. “Yesterday was my birthday.”
Air rushed from his lungs. He’d forgotten.
Dash stumbled back until his legs hit the couch, and he plopped unto the seat cushion. “I promised I’d make up for Christmas on your birthday, and I forgot.”
