“Yes?” she asked.
“Follow me, please.”
Kallie frowned. Of course Ash had thought of everything. The doorman didn't even turn back to look and see if she was following. She could get in her car and drive away. Act like this never happened and go back to her desk. Back to her work. Back to her life. But work was waiting for her? She had intentionally lightened her schedule to almost nothing because of how she thought her life was going to pan out.
She wasn't in control of the situation, and Kallie was tired of using her energy to fight. She was tired of fighting for control. Fighting for her voice. Fighting for her right to make decisions. Ash had put her on a path toward him, and he had gone to great lengths to get her back out to his place. James just sent her a necklace and then dangled the receipt in front of her face. Like a doggy treat for an animal.
At least Ash didn’t treat her like an animal.
Kallie followed after the doorman and stepped behind him into the elevator. He rode up with her all the way to the penthouse floor, then he escorted her to where she needed to be. She stood in front of Ash’s door, and the man even knocked for her.
Heaven forbid she lifts her own fist do anything for herself.
The doorman nodded at her with a broad smile that swept across his cheeks. Did he know what was going on? Or was it in his job description to be that cheerful all the time? He left for the elevator, leaving her alone and listening to the footfalls of Ash’s feet, and she debated on whether or not to run again. She was tired of fighting, but was she tired of running?
Yes.
Kallie was simply ... tired.
He opened the door and smiled, and even though she was torn on what to do, the sight made her heart beat wildly in her chest. She didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed with him, but she did know one thing.
It felt good looking up into his hazel eyes.
Chapter 13
Kallie
“I’m sorry for the trickery,” Ash said. “But when you didn’t call, I figured I probably had to take matters into my own hands.”
Kallie had absolutely no idea how to feel about that. He intentionally conned her? Like James had? It seemed the two of them had more in common than she figured. She wanted to turn and leave. Wanted to walk away from the scenario and gain some semblance of control back.
But then Ash said the magic words she never could refuse from anyone.
“I was serious, though. About getting organized.”
“It wasn’t even you that called,” Kallie said. “And your apartment looks fine from where I’m standing.”
“I want to donate all those clothes from my father’s second wife,” he said. “You know, clear out some room for other things.”
Ash stepped off to the side, allowing her to make a choice. Did she go in and take the bait? Or did she turn and walk away. Kallie cocked an eyebrow as her eyes scanned the part of his apartment she could see. Everything had a place. Everything looked neat. But she was familiar with that massive closet full of clothes and she knew a bunch of local areas that could use donations such as those.
Battered women. Single mothers. Thrift stores that catered to the homeless. Social services that helped parents trying to redeem themselves by finding jobs and appropriate outfits for interviews.
She couldn’t let all of those charities go without simply because of her own personal feelings.
“Then I’m going to treat this like I would any other client,” Kallie said.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less, since I’m going to be paying you.”
“Are you sure you want to organize and declutter?” she asked. “It comes at a high emotional cost. More than most people understand. Of course, I would work with you to find an appropriate place to donate all of your items that fits your ethical and moral code. And at any time during the process, we can stop and talk about what you’re feeling. I’m here not just to help you organize, but to help you process the emotions behind it.”
“And I’m thankful for that,” he said. “It’s time I made a few changes around this place anyway. I’m going to be sticking around the city for a while, so making some room in my life seems like a good place to start.”
Kallie’s eyebrows hiked up onto her forehead. Was he serious? Ash was staying in the city? What for? Had something happened?
Was he sticking around for her?
“Come along,” Ash said. “We’ll head back to the closet.”