I turned back toward my computer, exasperated by the audacity of some people. I would never show up to a place of business, demanding to be seen without an appointment. It was hard to believe some people could be so bold.
Just when I had managed to refocus on my work, there was another knock on my door. “What?” I yelled.
Courtney reappeared, wincing. “I’m sorry, Mr. Gentry, but she’s just not taking no for an answer. I told her she needed to schedule an appointment and come back another time, but she refuses.”
“Are you kidding me?” I said, blinking, utterly dumbfounded. “Who the hell is she?”
Courtney grimaced. “She won’t even tell me her name. She’s insisting that I just let her in to see you. She claims you should know who she is when you see her.”
I swore, irritated and curious at the same time. “And I presume she won’t even bother to tell you why she’s so desperate to see me right now?”
Courtney shook her head. “No, of course not. Look, should I call security?”
I shook my head. “No. Send her back.”
Courtney’s eyebrows shot upward. “Really?”
“Does she seem dangerous?”
“Well, no…”
“Then send her crazy ass back here so I can see what the hell she wants and send her on her way.”
Courtney sighed. “All right.”
I pushed the reports to the side of my desk and leaned back in my seat, wondering who this hard-headed woman could be and what she possibly wanted with me.
A minute later, my door was pushed open yet again and Courtney appeared for the third time. “Mr. Gentry, your guest,” she announced, and extended her arm like she was a butler.
Right that instant, my whole world came to a screeching halt.
The woman walked in. Her long dark blond hair hung over her shoulders in waves, and her bright eyes honed in directly on mine. We held each other’s gazes for the longest time, neither of us uttering a word.
I couldn’t believe it. As I stared at her, I wondered if there was a chance that I was dreaming. I needed someone to pinch me, because certainly Scarlet Kale hadn’t just randomly showed up to my workplace out of the blue, demanding to see me. I’d gone four months convinced that I would never see her again.
And now, there she was, standing in my office.
“Mr. Gentry?”
I heard Courtney’s uncertain voice as if from under water. “Leave us, Courtney,” I said.
“Of course sir,” she replied, immediately leaving the room and quietly closing the door behind her.
Scarlet and I continued staring at each other. At some point, I rose from my seat without realizing it. I slowly walked towards her, my eyes never leaving hers, afraid that if I looked away, she would disappear forever.
She was the first to speak, interrupting the long silent seconds that had drifted between us. Her lips first curled into a wobbly smile, and I could see the uncertainty in her expression. Even though she had been so demanding and forceful with Courtney, she now appeared hesitant, as if she had done something wrong in insisting to see me.
“I guess I’m the last person you expected to see,” she said.
She was one-hundred percent right, but I couldn’t bring myself to let her know it. My voice didn’t seem to want to work in the first place as I continued taking slow and cautious steps toward her.
“I’m sorry to come by so unannounced like this. And I’m sorry if you didn’t want to see me again. I tried calling you before, but you didn’t answer your phone, and I was too nervous to leave you a message. So I looked up your name and found out which law firm was yours. Decided to just take a chance and see if I’d find you here today.”
I came to a momentary halt, suddenly recalling the times my phone had rung to a number that I hadn’t recognized. I received calls from wrong numbers all the time though, and therefore hadn’t thought much of it. Obviously, I’d had no way of knowing it was her because I had deleted her number from my phone.
My gaze only left hers for a moment when I headed to lock the door behind her, not wanting anyone else to come in.
Scarlet began to blink rapidly, like she was trying to blink away tears. Through her jacket, I could s