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Mrs. Bolton’s number went straight to voicemail.
With a sigh, I hung up and shoved the phone back into my pocket. I glanced around at the rows of two-story Victorian houses on either side of me, overlooking manicured green lawns, and considered my options. Since there was no one else to pick Ron up and keep an eye on him while I went out to lunch, I had no other choice.
A small part of me was disappointed that I wasn’t going to see him again.
But I needed to snap out of it.
No good was going to come of this.
“Hey,” Bernard greeted me when I called him. “I’m leaving the office right now.”
“I’m glad I caught you.” I shifted from one foot to the other and cleared my throat. “Look, I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to cancel.”
Bernard didn’t say anything.
“I know how important it is for us to sit down and talk,” I continued in a hurry. “But something important came up, so I’m not going to be able to make it.”
“You can’t postpone it or find someone else to take care of it?”
I exhaled. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too,” Bernard replied evenly. “We’ll set something else up.”
“I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” I straightened my back and stared straight ahead. “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to work. I’m sure you have a lot to do.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“Bye.”
Before he could respond, I hung up and threw my phone into my purse. I set off at an even pace in the direction of the bus stop. With few people aboard, I selected a seat near the front, next to the glass window. I pressed my face to the glass and watched the world outside, a blur of shapes and colors.
Outside Ron’s school, I stopped and waited.
When he came out, searched the crowd, and saw me, he broke into a sprint. I pushed myself off the wall, spread my arms out, and crouched. He barreled into me, and we both fell backward onto the hard pavement. Little pinpricks of pain danced up and down my arms as I sucked in a breath and held him to me. Eventually, he drew away and pulled me to my feet. I held hishand the entire bus ride home and didn’t stop until we were at Taylor’s again.
Ron spent the entire time telling me stories about his class.
But I was only half listening.
The other half kept taking my phone out to stare at the screen.
Half of me wanted Bernard to call me back and reschedule, giving me a chance to spend some time in his company. The other half knew it was better if he left me to my own devices and pretended like our night together never happened.
I couldn’t decide which option I wanted more.
Chapter 9: Time
Bernard
“Has Ms. Booth called?”
Mary stood in the doorway to my office, a furrow appearing between her brows. “No, sir. Would you like me to call her for you?”
I shook my head and sat down behind my desk. “No, thank you, Mary. If she calls, make sure you let me know.”
Mary shifted from one foot to the other and hesitated. “Is everything alright, sir?”
I pushed my chair closer to the desk and raised an eyebrow. “Yes, why wouldn’t it be?”
