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Judge Anderson? The one who was in the news all the time?
When Rafe didn’t respond, Celeste continued. “You could offer to take his place at the next in-person.”
“Isn’t that this week?”
“Saturday. I can’t tell you how the others will react,” Celeste warned. “You might be asked to leave. But I’ll speak on your behalf.”
“If I can’t ensure that Dad will attend, I’ll be there.” With a promise to be in touch and a brief goodbye, he ended the call. “I apologize for the interruption.” He depressed a button on the steering wheel to disconnect the line. In the ambient streetlight, Hope saw tension grooved next to his eyes. “If I can’t talk some sense into my dad, I’ll go see him this morning.”
“Okay.” She mentally began a mad scramble. “I’ll need to reschedule the mixer.”
“I’ll be back in plenty of time.”
“How can you do that on such short notice?”
“The company has a plane. The executives fly commercial when possible, but sometimes urgency prevails.”
Of course he had a plane.
“You could go with me.”
“What?” She turned to look at him. “No. I can’t. I have a job. People to talk to.” Including women who might want to be his wife. But the invitation excited her. To jet off to the coast on a whim? Traveling on a private charter? How divine would that be?
“Another time, then.”
There wouldn’t be another time. “Since you have personal business to take care of, there’s no need to see me to the office.” The sooner she extracted herself from this situation, the better.
He didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure that meant he agreed or that he’d set his course and refused to deviate.
When he pulled up in front of her high-rise apartment building in Midtown, she found out. He came around to open her door, assisted her from the passenger compartment, then followed her up the path.
With her hand on the metal plate to push through the glass door, she paused. “Rafe—”
“Was there anything I’ve said that suggested I was open for negotiation?”
There wasn’t.
“Unless you’d like to have an argument right here in public—which I’m happy to indulge—and make us both late for work, I suggest you save the energy.” With that, he placed his palm about six inches higher than hers and shoved the door open. “After you.”
She couldn’t win this battle so she sighed her frustration and entered the building.
“I need to make sure we don’t let the Colonel out,” she said when they stood in front of the door of her tenth-floor apartment. She turned the knob and bent to extend her hand across the entryway.
Foiled, the Colonel screeched, shredding Hope’s remaining nerves. She scooted the feline back several feet, and Rafe followed her inside. Without needing to be told, he closed and locked the door behind him.
The Colonel turned toward Rafe and hissed.
“Sorry.” To avoid a catastrophe, Hope scooped up her pet. “I warned you about her. She doesn’t like anyone.”
“We’ll be fine.”
“You’re brave. She also bites and scratches.”
“All that?” He turned his gaze toward the animal. “She doesn’t sound all that different from her owner.”
Hope winced. “Am I that bad?”
“All I’m saying is I’m not intimidated. She can do her worst.”
“We’ll see.” All normal human beings were at least wary of the Colonel. Some were scared. All had good reason.
He reached to pet the cat. The Colonel pulled her paw back and struck. “She is feisty.”
Hope stroked the cat’s head to calm her down. “I tried to warn you.”
“I’m enchanted already.”
“You’re giving me reason to question your sanity.” She put down the Colonel, who dashed to the far corner of the room to climb to the top of her enormous carpeted jungle gym. Somalis were known to be curious and energetic, so Hope was on a constant quest to keep the animal entertained and physically worn out. The Colonel glared at them from the top perch. She dug her claws into the edge, and she appeared ready to pounce and attack. “At least we know where she is. You sure you want to wait for me?”
