AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As soon as I got back, I started taking orders and working the register and the first chance I had to take a breath, I realized it was getting late and no one had been by to pick up Dominic’s sandwich order.
For a couple of days, he’d been ordering a tray for his office staff, and I had prepared it that morning before I left for the studio and had it waiting in the refrigerated case. It was still there.
Hailey had returned by then, so I asked her if she’d call his office and see if they needed it to be delivered. I saw her turn toward me while she was on the phone with them and shrug. When she finally ended the call, she said, “Dominic’s secretary said he never came in this morning and left her no orders about sandwiches. She can’t authorize it on her own.”
“I see. Did she say if he was sick or something?”
“She didn’t say. Should I call and ask?”
“No, it’s fine,” I said, turning away so she wouldn’t see my face. Why was he doing this? Was he punishing me? Could he really be that petty? If so, then two could play that game. Hailey and Damon would be prepping for morning, so I told Hailey I was taking the afternoon off, turned off my phone and left for the day. I didn’t say a word about where I was going.
There was, rather conspicuously, no Josh and no big black car outside. I called for a Loxi and went to the shopping mall to buy some new sheets and towels. I’d been needing some and had been putting it off. While I was there, I puttered around, looking at running shoes and then stopped by an Old Navy store to pick up some new underwear. My old stuff was okay, but not for wearing it around the likes of Dominic Bousset. Assuming I’d be doing that again.
Finally, I decided to grab something to eat in the food court, because I didn’t feel like cooking when I got home. When I was done with all that, I called to arrange a ride home and got there around six o’clock. I turned on my phone when I got inside, and my heart sank when I didn’t see even one missed call from Dominic. I was sitting on my sofa wondering what I should do, if anything. Maybe I should just forget him if he couldn’t understand my needs. A knock came on my door in the middle of my feeling sorry for myself, and I got up to answer it.
Mr. Ashworth, impeccably dressed as always in a crisp white shirt and sleek, black trousers, was standing on my tiny front porch, looking uncomfortably out of place.
He bowed slightly as I widened my eyes in surprise. “Good evening, Mr. Jordan. May I come in?”
“Of course,” I said, taking a step backward.
He swept past me and as I closed the door behind me, I noticed Josh in the driveway waiting behind the wheel. He gave me a little wave.
I turned to face Ashworth, feeling bewildered. “Please sit down. Can I do something for you, sir?”
“I’ve actually come on Mr. Bousset’s behalf. He feels as if the two of you need some time to talk. Privately.”
“Oh really? He didn’t do much talking today. All day today. I couldn’t help but notice.”
“Yes. Well, he wants to ask if you’ll spend some time with him at his private retreat in the mountains. Just a couple of days. If you agree, Josh is prepared to take you there this evening.”
I blew out a long breath. “Just how does he think I’ll be able to do that? Some of us have a business to run.”
“He thought you might say that, so he prepared for that contingency. He wonders if my services will be adequate.”
“Your services?”
“In running the shop for a couple of days. I assure you that whatever I don’t know how to do, I can hire others to do for me. I won’t let your business suffer in the least.”
I just stood there with my mouth open for a moment and he stared at me, shifting his feet uncomfortably. It surprised me to see even this small amount of nervousness in him.
“Unless you don’t feel I can’t run your establishment adequately in your absence?”
“Mr. Ashworth,” I said, giving him a huge smile. “I think you could run NASA for a few days if you wanted to. I have every confidence you can handle my little business.”
He gave me a slight smile—just the barest lifting of the corners of his mouth—and nodded. “Then perhaps you’d like to go pack a small bag? Josh is waiting to take you to Mr. Bousset.”
“I…uh…I don’t know. He could have called for me himself.”
“Indeed, he could. You may have noticed, however, that Mr. Bousset is not at his best in social situations concerning his personal life. I believe him to be a work in progress, however. And I might add that I’ve known him since he was a young teenager. I believe he’s worth the effort.”
“I see,” I said, pretending to think it over. Of course, I was going. I wanted nothing better, and I stood there half in pleased shock, I think, at the idea of a few days off with Mr. Ashworth in charge, knowing I could relax and not worry about anything. I hadn’t had such a treat in … well, ever.
Finally, Mr. Ashworth cleared his throat. “Mr. Jordan?”
“Oh. Yeah, I-I guess I… Of course, I’d like to go. Thank you.” I left the room to pack, though I had no idea what to pack. I grabbed my toothbrush, some of my new underwear, a couple of shirts and jeans, stuffed them all down in a backpack and went back to the living room.
“I guess I’m ready. You said it was a retreat, so probably I won’t need any fancy clothes.”
