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In the end, Vale’s partner said he hated to lose her, that the clinic would provide a generous severance package, see to it all her patients were taken care of with minimal disruption, and that he understood her need to move on. He hadn’t really, though. No one in the neurology profession would.
Wakefield and Fishe was the place to work.
Faith greeted the Wakefield Tower night security guard, who smiled and had obviously been told to expect her as he waved her in, no questions asked even though he had to know she no longer worked in the building.
Vale was here. Waiting on her. Forcing her to talk to him.
What was left to say? She’d already said more than she probably should have on the day she’d lost her temper and quit.
Apparently, he hadn’t said all he’d wanted to say. To get her dog back, she’d listen to whatever he needed to get off his chest.
But, really, what was the point? He should be grateful she’d walked away rather than stick around mooning over him, because she’d had enough of him ignoring her just because she’d said no to continuing their affair.
When she stepped onto the fifty-sixth floor, her breath caught as she took in the scope of Wakefield and Fishe’s reception area. She’d loved working here, loved working with Vale.
But that was in the past, and this wasn’t a time for recriminations. She’d moved beyond that, was putting the pieces of her life back together, with Sharon’s friendship and silent financial partnership in planning for her own neurology clinic.
She didn’t need a man in her life.
The office was unusually quiet for only a little after 8:00 p.m. Had Vale sent everyone home at a decent hour for once?
Part of her wanted to go to her office, to see what had happened to the room she’d happily occupied for a year and a half of her life. The best year and a half of her life? But she wasn’t here for reminiscing either. She was here for her dog. Nothing else.
Forcing one high-heeled foot in front of the other (Sharon had insisted she deck herself out), she made a beeline for Vale’s office and didn’t bother knocking. He knew she was there. The security guard would have alerted him the moment she stepped into the elevator.
He sat at his desk, pretending to read a document. She knew he was pretending, didn’t know why he bothered.
He looked wonderful, a sight for sore eyes. Why did just seeing him undo what little progress she’d made over the past two weeks on putting him behind her?
Who was she kidding? She hadn’t made any progress on getting over Vale. Perhaps she never would.
His gaze lifted to hers, studied her with his intense blue eyes. “You came.”
Had he for one moment thought she wouldn’t?
“You have my dog. I want him back.” She used a tone of voice she hoped warned she wasn’t to be messed with.
His gaze flickered to his desk, lingered a moment on nothing in particular, before meeting hers again. “Sit down, Faith.”
Why was he torturing them this way? She’d stepped out of the picture and planned to stay out of the picture. He should be thanking his lucky stars she hadn’t made a stink about the Cape May weekend.
Yet he didn’t look as if he felt lucky.
He looked as if he was nervous. Which was insane. Vale didn’t scare easily, if at all.
Yet, he did look nervous. From the way his gaze darted around to the way he fidgeted with the papers on his desk.
What was she doing? Looking for excuses for Vale’s behavior? There were no excuses for how they’d ruined their relationship.
“This isn’t a social visit, Vale. Give me my dog.”
He stood up, towering above her and making her believe she’d imagined whatever vulnerability she’d thought she’d seen in him. He wasn’t vulnerable. He was a Wakefield. One who didn’t care who he hurt, just so long as he got what he wanted.
And for whatever reason, he’d thought he wanted to continue their affair and she’d thwarted his plans. That had to be what this was about.
“Not until you listen to me.”
Faith plopped down in the chair in front of his desk, crossing her legs and staring at him as if he were a bug under a microscope. “Fine.” She attempted to sound bored. “Get to talking because I’ve a lot of things to do. Places to go, people to see, you know the routine.”
