Page 26 of Never and Always
Then I’d lie in my bed, staring at the dark ceiling, and think of Everett.
He hadn’t hesitated to take on my attacker. Who’d been a big guy with a knife. No, Everett had charged in, then he’d taken care of me.
And I’d been shaken, defensive, and rude.
Right, and embarrassed. I hadn’t wanted to admit it was my brother who’d been the reason that man attacked me.
I stepped into the elevator and rubbed my forehead. Okay, I’d been shaken, so I knew I shouldn’t beat myself up.
But still, I was going to have to apologize and thank him again for his help.
In the lobby, I breezed past reception, calling out good mornings to the reception staff. I noted Coral, an older employee who’d apparently been here since the dawn of time, glaring at me. The gray-haired woman only seemed to have one mode—grumpy. I glared back. It was shocking we didn’t have any customer complaints about her.
Thankfully, no one noticed my grazed hands. I was wearing dark stockings today, which covered my knees. They weren’t as bad as my hands, but still a little skinned.
“Morning, Piper,” Kate said from her tiny office.
“Morning.” In the conference room, I felt my nerves settle a little. Work was exactly what I needed. My phone pinged and I yanked it out.Please be Chance.
It was a message from one of the renovation contractors. My shoulders slumped.
“Come on, Chance.” If that asshole would attack me, what would he do to Chance?
How much money did my brother owe the guy’s mysterious boss?
My stomach did a sickening turn, and I sat in my chair. I fired up my laptop, but unsurprisingly, my concentration was shot.
“Good morning.”
I jolted and turned my head. Tessa and Allie wandered in.
Allie raised a dark brow. “Someone’s a little jumpy.”
“Sorry, slept badly.” I kept my hands in my lap. These two could be extremely nosy.
“Ro’s working you too hard,” Tessa said.
I snorted. “Hardly. Working hard is my forte, plus he’s promised me a giant bonus when the renovations are done.”
Allie perched on the edge of the conference table. “And then you’ll leave Windward behind so fast, we’ll only see your vapor trail.”
I tossed my head back. “That’s right.”
“Is that a Band-Aid on your neck?” Tessa asked.
“Oh.” I resisted the urge to touch it.Stay cool. “I scratched myself.”
Allie made a sound. “That’s why I don’t get claws like yours. I’d tear myself to ribbons with manicured nails.”
I gasped. “Excuse me, my excellent manicure cannot be called claws.”
“Whatever.” Allie waved a hand.
“Heathen.”
“Superficial city slicker,” she returned.
I rolled my eyes. “Mountain hick.”
