Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers 1)

“Stop,” I croak, my mouth suddenly dry. The term our loss is a trigger that sets me off.

He winces, looking stricken, and raises his eyes to Pierce. I take a few breaths and can’t stop what’s happening. Somehow, I loosen the death grip Pierce has on me and launch myself at Miller, who drops the flowers, catching me easily. The first cry sounds like a strangled cat, and I can’t help the outburst that follows. I hug Miller as tight as I can, a rush of emotions pouring out as I let go of the horrible things he said and finally forgive him.

Chapter 17

Pierce

“Mr. Kendrick, you wanted to see me.” Andi stands in the doorway, wringing her hands.

“Come in.”

She moves hesitantly across my office and slides into a chair, sitting ramrod straight. She keeps her eyes on the stack of folders in front of me.

“I want to thank you.”

She raises her wide eyes to me. “You aren’t going to yell at me, or fire me for what happened with Connie?”

“Tell me what happened.”

I’ve already heard Dad and Miller’s editions of what transpired, but neither of them was actually present. Andi goes into the story of how Connie stormed in with fire shooting from her eyes. After she pitched a fit only she’s able to do, she snatched Andi’s phone and called me. It was another woman in the office that called the police. “Mr. Kendrick, I wanted to force her out of the office and grab the phone back, but I was scared to get in a position where I touched her. She was unstable.”

“You did the right thing. Do not fall to her level because she would have taken it to the extreme.”

Her body deflates, and she relaxes in the chair.

“I need to know something else. How’d you know to contact me last Friday when you heard Darby’s name?”

The relaxation is short, and she stiffens again. “I’d heard her name throughout the week.” She stutters over her words.

“Don’t be nervous. Tell me what you heard.”

“Miller and Warren had an argument, and her name was mentioned loudly.”

I take notice of how she calls them by their first names, but I can’t get caught up in that right now. “And I was the source of their argument about Darby?”

She nods apprehensively.

“And you thought to call me based on that?”

“No.” She blows out a nervous breath. “It was a combination of things. Annie Graham accidentally called here one morning, looking for you about the trip to Aspen, then Mrs. Jill came to join Warren for lunch, and they talked openly that day about taking Maya and Cole while you were with Darby in Aspen.”

I rub my hand across my mouth to hide my grin. This place is a gossip cesspool.

“It may sound weird to you, but my women’s instincts kicked in when I saw the way Connie sneered at Darby in that nail spa. I took a chance to message you.”

“You did the right thing. You weren’t the only person, but you were the first, so I thank you for that, too.”

“O-o-okay.” She draws out the word.

“But I do have something to talk to you about. Darby told me the things she heard Connie saying to you about getting her my schedule. Does that happen often?”

The single lift of her shoulders is my answer.

“That stops today. Connie doesn’t get to abuse you. You have my permission to route her directly to my phone or voicemail. I’ll be addressing that with her as well.”

“I can do that.”

“And, another thing; this is for you.” I slide an envelope across the desk.

She hesitantly slips out the non-official, handwritten certificate, granting her a week off, with pay, for the following week.

“Really?!?” she squeals.

“Really. Officially, you were almost accosted by a crazy loon in my absence. Unofficially, you personally gave me a head’s up about the woman in my life facing an uncomfortable situation. You deserve this. All I ask is that you get my schedule straight today and have someone in the office available for me to call into. I know it’s short notice, but hopefully, someone will agree.”

“No problem.” She bounces.

“One more thing. I’m a dick, I’m a hothead, and I’ve been an asshole, but you do a good job, Andi.”

She rolls her lips between her teeth and meets my eyes. “Thank you.”

“Okay.” I wave my hand. “Go back to work and make sure I can live without you for the next week.”

She leaves but turns to me at the door. “Mr. Kendrick, I have a boyfriend, and he screws up a lot. But I swear, if he did what you did on Friday, I’d marry him and take his screw-ups. You were movie-star swoony.”

Movie-star swoony? What the fuck is that? More like protection and possession to the point of madness.

“I think my romantic side died a long time ago.”