Page 33 of Convincing Carrie
Thatcher
“Will I always be the love of your life?” she asked.
I paused. I had thought so. But what if I was wrong?
The silence had stretched on too long, and I could practically feel her anger burning behind me.
“That’s… complicated.”
“What do you mean?” She sounded deeply offended.
I couldn’t do this anymore. At least not tonight. I had to get away from her and think. “Listen, I’m going to need you to get ready and go, Mads.”
Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “Oh. Are we not spending the night…”
“No.” I cut her off, already reaching for more clothes to put on. “I’m going home.”
“Oh. Well, I can let myself out.”
I turned to look at her. Was she fucking serious? “Madison. I’m not leaving you inside the executive suites of a multi-billion-dollar company to just… what? Hang out? There is no reason whatsoever for you to want to be up here alone.”
This combined with her not wanting me to wear a condom were major red flags. What the hell was she up to?
She tried to pout. It had worked many times before on me. But tonight it was just pissing me off. “I’m just tired. I thought I could just sleep in here and then…”
“No. That’s not going to happen.”
“I can’t believe you’re making me leave after our beautiful night together.”
“Madison. I’m tired and ready to go home. I’ll have to see you tomorrow.”
“I don’t think I’ll be back for a couple of days, actually,” she huffed, clearly trying to make me back down.
“Then I’ll see you when you get back.”
I walked her to my office door. She walked off with her head held high.
I waited a few moments before calling down to the front desk in the lobby to make sure she left.
“Hello. Did Ms. Welles leave the building?”
“Yes, sir, she did.”
“I need to know that you saw her walk out the doors.” I knew the doors would lock behind her at this time of night. She wouldn’t be able to get back in unless someone let her in.
“I saw her leave through the front lobby doors.”
“Great. Please be sure no one lets her back in for any reason, and could you call me if she tries?” The way she’d tried to stay without me being there had all my alarm bells ringing.
“No problem, Mr. Caldwell. And just to let you know, Mrs. Caldwell left, too.”
I stopped pacing the floor and stood stock still in the middle of my office. “What?”
“Mrs. Caldwell, sir.” For one horrible moment, I thought he’d been talking about Carrie. But she had never come to my office so late. She hardly ever came at all anymore. I was sure he must be talking about Mom.
“Okay, thank you.” I wondered what my mother had been doing here so late. She had been here much more often during the new ad campaign, but I’d never thought she was here past normal business hours.
I’d have to ask her about it the next time I saw her.
