She rattles on before I have a chance to stop her.
“Your transport departs next Monday at 0800 hours. Bring desert gear, and the rest will be provided.”
My body freezes. “Transport…” My voice comes out in a whisper, and the woman on the phone doesn’t hear because she keeps talking.
“The paperwork will follow in a secure email.”
Cold spreads from my fingertips, turning my body to ice. Viking is leaving.
“He’s not here right now,” I manage to get out. My words are clipped. “I’ll pass on the message.”
“We’re thrilled to have him with us,” she gushes.
I end the call and throw the phone down on the desk in front of me. I take a step back as if it might burn me.
Viking’s leaving again. Just like I knew he would.
I’ve been so stupid to believe he meant to stay this time. I should have listened to my head not my heart.
I glance up at the screens, and Viking isn’t at the loading dock. I pick him up walking through the brewery floor. He’s on his way back up here, and I really don’t want to see the duplicitous asshole.
I grab the box off his desk, not caring as it tips sideways and there’s the sound of two cupcakes sliding together.
I grab the mug of coffee and my purse and stride back to the staff entrance.
I pull open the door and jog down the steps. There’s a line of trash cans by the entrance, and I lift he lid off the first one I see and dump the box of cupcakes inside.
Then I get in my car, and with shaky hands drive out of the parking lot and away from the man who still has the power to break my heart.
12
VIKING
“That’s the last of the pale ales,” Rio shouts over the beeping of the forklift as it reverses away from the truck.
He waves a clipboard at Barrels, who scrutinizes his work before slapping him on the back and giving him a curt nod, which is the highest form of praise anyone’s going to get from the ex-sergeant.
Without being told, Marcus grabs the wooden broom from the corner and sweeps the area where dust has built up where the kegs were aging.
I smile at the boys. They were here before nine this morning to help with the loading of the delivery. They’ve more than paid back the stolen kegs, and I’ll speak to Barrels about a bonus. Enough to get them the shoes they need.
With the boys under Barrels watch, I head up to the office.
I’m thinking about Sydney and wondering what she’ll be wearing today. I hope it’s her leather skirt. And of course it will be the knee-high boots she lives in.
I hum to myself as I stride across the metal walkway to the office. But when I look in, Sydney’s desk is empty. Not onlyempty, but her computer is also off and her purse isn’t by her desk.
That’s unusual.
Isla is the only other person in the office today. We haven’t announced to the club yet that we’re dating, but you’d have to be blind not to realize something’s going on between us.
Isla looks up from her desk. “She called in sick.”
I frown at her words and reach for my phone, but it’s not in my pocket. I must have left it on my desk this morning.
I find it in my office and send a quick text to Sydney.
Not like you to call in sick. U ok?
