My meeting with the architect came and went and Parker didn’t say a word. I haven’t seen him or heard from him for three days. I had no idea what he did with the dog while he worked, because he never actually sought me out for help. But I noticed that every night he roamed the gardens like a madman. I had seen him do that before, but a few nights in a row? Never. Was it because of the changes in the gardens? And what was his problem with those gardens? There had to be something I didn’t know.
So on day four of his game of ignoring me and the garden project, I decided to pay him a visit in his office.
His assistant Katie stood up when she saw me approaching.
I spared her the back and forth of niceties and marched forward. “Is he alone?”
“Yes,” she rounded her desk. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“No need,” I waved her off.
I didn’t want to give Parker a chance to hide behind his office door.
“But that’s my job,” Katie stuttered.
“It’s fine, Katie,” I grabbed the door handle. “Parker and I are besties now.”
That was an overstatement, but since he felt comfortable to come to my villa at night without asking, I could certainly invade his office without an appointment, right?
I knocked.
“Come in,” I heard him say from the other side of the door.
I found him with his head between his hands, hair disheveled.
“What is it, Katie?” He asked without looking up from his desk.
Closing the door behind me, I teased. “Calling your girlfriend the wrong name, Wilson?”
He dropped his hands down and glared at me. His eyes were dark and sunken, with heavy bags underneath. His face was pale and drawn, showing signs of exhaustion. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. It was clear that he was mentally and physically drained from whatever was weighing on him.
“Are you sick?” I asked and the concern knotting my belly surprised me. “You look awful.”
“You know how to make a man feel good about himself, don’t you?”
“Someone’s extra grumpy today.”
“Someone’s extra tired today.”
I approached his desk and sat down, even though I didn’t receive an invitation. “What’s happening?”
“That little furry shit keeps me up every night,” he pointed at the corner behind him. The dog slept peacefully in his round bed.
“Why haven’t you dropped him off with me?”
Parker opened his mouth but then closed it. When he opened it again and started talking, I knew that wasn’t what he started saying. “I’m used to functioning without a lot of sleep.”
“Do you have insomnia?” I asked without thinking. “I’d seen you walking around at night and…”
“Do you need anything, Madison? I’m sorry to spoil your fun, but I really don’t have the energy to deal with you today.”
His voice lacked his usual bite. Was he depressed or something? I had never before seen him like that. Like he didn’t even want to fight with me.
Could he be mad at me about something? I was unusually nice to him lately. I hadn’t bit his head off for the way he kissed me at my sister’s bakery. The first kiss was necessary and he kept it as brief and as friendly as it could be. But the second one? That was a real kiss. I had every right to forbid him from ever touching me that way again and yet I didn’t.
“I need your confirmation about the project I’m in charge of.”
I didn’t quite dare to say it directly. He looked so miserable, I didn’t want to push him.