I still cared for Daniel, that was the thing. And that was why I was so nervous. Because as soon as I was back in a room with him again, I was going to have to confront those feelings. Tell myself to get a grip, to stop thinking about him like that. I couldn’t just turn off those feelings for him, but the longer I went without seeing him, the easier it was to tell myself that maybe, just maybe, they weren’t such a problem.
“Hey, call me when you get done tomorrow,” Leanne said suddenly. “We can go out for coffee or something. I’ll want to hear all about how it goes.”
“I’ll see how I feel.” I sighed, then tried another weak grin. “It’s been kind of nice being on vacation for the past couple weeks; I’m sure I’ll be exhausted tomorrow. Plus, Daniel will probably want to make up for the whole two weeks in one night. Who knows what time I’ll get out of there.”
I saw Matt’s lips tighten into a disapproving line. Here we go, I thought, knowing I had just given him something else to be unhappy with Daniel about.
I shook my head and stood up, putting my wineglass on the table and hoping to head off any further arguments. “Actually, I have to be up pretty early tomorrow morning. I should probably head home so I can get to bed!”
I expected Matt to argue, or at least to have his final say, but a look from Leanne stopped him in his tracks. My best friend got to her feet, wrapping her arms around me. “I’ve got my fingers crossed for you,” she told me. “I hope everything works out.”
“So do I,” Matt said grudgingly, hugging me as well. “But I swear, if he does anything else even remotely unboss-like, I’m going to be the one to kick his ass and end up in the papers next time.”
I snorted. “What kind of example would that set for your impressionable young minds upstairs?” I asked teasingly.
But Matt shook his head. “I’m serious, Abby. You let us know if you need us to intervene at all. I know you really want this job, but I’m never going to approve of this guy.”
I frowned, but there was nothing I could really say about that. It wasn’t like I could tell him how much it hurt me to know that he would never approve of Daniel.
It didn’t matter, after all, if Matt never approved of Daniel. It wasn’t like I could ever date the man again, start a relationship with him or have a future with him. In fact, Matt’s disapproval of him was probably a good thing. Yet another reason I could use to keep Daniel at arm’s length. Things just could never work out between us. Regardless of what I might want.
The more arguments against us I could amass, the better.
Chapter 3
Daniel
I GOT TO THE OFFICE early on Monday. Earlier than usual, even. In fact, I was the first one there. I couldn’t remember the last time that had happened. My assistant, Erin, was at least always there before me. But the rest of the office was usually humming by the time I arrived as well. I, and my father before me, had cultivated a culture of go-getters in the people that we worked with.
But this morning, I was particularly early, so I was the one to unlock the doors and turn on all the lights. For a moment, I took a deep breath of that stale air, looking around the place. Then, I walked purposefully toward my office.
I hadn’t slept well the previous night, with Abby floating in and out of my dreams, alternately turning me on and berating me again for that stupid fight with Gerrard. I still remembered what she had said, about how violence was nothing she ever wanted to see from me.
I hadn’t exactly wanted her to see that side of me, either. But I hadn’t been able to hold back, and it had cost me everything.
Well, not everything. I still had my job, my company. But all of that seemed somehow dull without Abby in my life.
I shook my head and booted up my computer, drumming my fingers against the edge of my desk and trying not to feel so nervous about the return of my advisor. I answered some emails and shuffled around some of the papers I had left on my desk Friday evening. I had a full schedule for the day, and I knew I needed to concentrate on that, rather than on my feelings for Abby.
Erin came into my office when she arrived. “Hey, boss,” she said, grinning at me. “How was your weekend?”
“It was fine.” I sighed, hoping she didn’t hear how not-so-fine it had really been. I needed to come up with some hobbies or something. Wo
rking myself into an early grave, while it had once seemed admirable, was starting to wear on me. I just wanted something more now.
I couldn’t exactly blame Abby for making me want something else. But things had definitely been simpler when I’d been focused on work, and partying with random chicks, to the exclusion of all else.
“You ready to see Abby again today?” Erin asked bluntly.
I felt myself tense, and I tried to force myself to relax. I didn’t know what to say in response. I should assure Erin that of course I was ready to have my advisor back. I should have thought of some canned response for that question. But I hadn’t really expected anyone to have the balls to actually ask me about it. I should have known I wouldn’t be that lucky, though.
I didn’t know what to say to Erin, but as the silence dragged on, I realized that was answer enough in itself. The truth was, I wasn’t really ready, but I wasn’t about to admit that out loud. I could see from the sympathy in Erin’s eyes that she understood, though. And I hated that more than anything.
Another of my dreams from the previous night came back to me. In it, Abby had been cool and professional, as though she didn’t even know me, as though we had never been anything more to each other. And I knew that was how things had to be between the two of us. But I hated the very idea of it.
“Your schedule is all set for the day, but let me know if you need to make any adjustments to it while you’re bringing Abby back up to speed,” Erin said.
“Yeah, I will,” I told her, glancing past her as I saw Abby coming into the office.