Page 63 of The Potter

Okay, what in the serious heck is going on here? “Warn him about what?”

Astor shakes his head, not elaborating, and starts walking. And being the great employee I am, I follow. “He said he was checking us in.”

Astor’s eyes widen. “You’re both staying?”

What’s going on here? I hurry to catch up with Astor’s long strides. “What’s wrong? Is this place haunted?”

Astor pulls to a stop, and I run into him like a linebacker. “Oh, fuck.”

I peer around Astor, just long enough to see Vance at the front desk, his body tense and rigid as if he’s seen a ghost.

“Who is she?” I whisper to Astor, pointing at the woman who stands in front of him, tears streaming down her face as she trembles. “Astor.” I shake the good doctor in my way. “Who is she?”

And why is she looking at Vance like she’d love nothing more than to spit in his face?

“She’s…”

In the same breath, the woman rears back and slaps Vance across the face before walking off. “No, she fucking didn’t.”

I try charging past Astor to get to the bitch who can’t seem to keep her hands to herself when Vance turns and spots us, one side of his face already reddening from her hand. “Your room key,” is all he says as he tips his chin to Astor and taps the desk where a card sits.

“Vance, wait,” I call out as he walks off, but Astor grabs my hand.

“I think we should give him some time,” he suggests.

I nod, watching as he disappears down the hall. “Does that mean we can go after the cunt who hit him then?”

Astor turns around, grabbing me by the shoulders. “Do all Georgia girls have a mouth like yours?”

I force a smile. Who is this woman, and what makes her think she can hit Vance? I mean, most days, he probably deserves it, but not today. Not when he was being kind and… real. “No.” I sigh. “Just the really special ones.”

It’s been three hours, and I can’t find Vance anywhere.

“He won’t answer his cell.”

Unlocking my phone, I stare at it for the billionth time as if Vance will suddenly break pattern and call me back this time.

“I’m sure he’s found a nice bottle of bourbon to occupy himself.” Astor pats me on the shoulder, but with a quick look, I notice his gaze is scanning the conference room, too.

“I’ve never seen him look so…”

“Destroyed,” Astor adds without elaborating.

“Who is that woman to Vance?” Obviously, they knew each other.

Astor sighs, giving me one last pat before stepping away, his eyes full of apologies. “I’ll go look for Vance. Why don’t you enjoy the wine tasting?”

It’s the same thing Vance suggested earlier and the last thing I want to do right now. Something happened between Vance and that woman, and even though I’d like to know what all transpired, I’ll take just knowing he’s okay.

Vance Potter might be a jerk on most days, but deep down, he cares about people. And this woman ruined all the progress I’ve made with the moody surgeon.

“Call me if you find him, okay?” I don’t bother agreeing to the wine tasting. I’ll be searching for his brother on my own. It’s my fault he’s at this conference in the first place. If I didn’t freak out over the flight, then he wouldn’t have needed to come with me.

But he did.

Because he cares.

And I refuse to let him suffer alone. If Vance can drop what he’s doing to help me, then I can do the same for him. Because that’s what employees and employers do. Okay, so that’s not necessarily true, but it sounds like an excuse Vance would use, and that’s enough justification for me.

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