Page 14 of Hard Focus
Chapter Four
“No, I’m done.” Connie lifted the coffee carafe and topped up Patty’s mug. “It’s just not working anymore.”
She hadn’t told anyone about Jonas’ visit to her apartment, not even Taylor. Much as she loved him, Taylor would see it as a bigger deal than it was, and Connie wanted to avoid any drama if she could.
“If it’s over, it’s over.” Patty agreed as she lifted her mug and sipped gingerly at the hot liquid. “Are you going to the firm’s party this weekend?”
“Probably.” Connie smiled. “Depends on a couple of things. My baby sister is supposed tocomevisit me soon, butshe’s beingcagey about when.” She laughed. “Knowing her, I could either have a visitortonightor sometime in the next two weeks.”
“Are you close?” Patty nudged an empty mug closer to the carafe. “Do me a favor and pour one for Mr. Matthews?”
“We were once.” Connie handed the full mug to Patty. “I’m kind of hoping this can be the start of a better relationship.” She finished her coffee and rinsed the mug, turning it upside down in the strainer. “I’m the good girl. She’s the wild child.”
“Every family has one.” Patty gave her another smile. “Hope to see you at the party.”
Connie lost herself in work for the rest of the day, looking up with surprise when someone leaned across the desk and blocked her view of the computer monitor. “What?” She blinked as she focused in on the man’s face next to her. “Mr. Matthews.”
“Time to go home, Connie.” He backed up slightly and usurped her hold on the computer’s mouse. With a few clicks, he saved and closed the document she’d been working on, then initiated the computer’s shutdown. “Past time.”
The clock on the wall said it was after eight. “I guess it is.”
He moved back as she stood, then waited, making polite small talk as Connie collected her purse. Phone in hand, she exited the building just in front of him, arguing about accepting a ride home.
“I won’t take no for an answer.” Mr. Matthews laughed as Connie shook her head. “It’s not out of my way, and this time of night, you’ll be waiting forever for a car. Cancel the request. I can have you home in less than fifteen minutes.”
“It’s really not necessary, Mr. Matthews.”
He studied her for a moment, then pulled out his phone. Balancing it in the fingers of one hand, without saying anything, he video-called a contact. A woman answered with a broad smile on her face, asking, “Dalton, are you headed home?”
“Soon, honey. I’ve got an overzealous employee I need to escort to her apartment first.” Connie pulled in a deep breath. She hadn’t even been aware of how tense the offer had made her, and his immediate action to put her at ease was more than comforting; it made her feel even more like the firm was like family. “Samantha, meet Connie.”
“Hi,” Connie said, waving at the phone self-consciously.
“Hello, Connie. I’ve heard good things about you from Patty and Dalton. Let me guess, you lost track of time,andnow Dalton wants to give you a ride?” Connie nodded and smiled. “That man.” Matthews’ wife smiled fondly. “Let him. Then, I hope you’ll come to the party, so we can be properly introduced.” Samantha Matthews laughed as she returned the wave. “But first, let Dalton run you home. I’ll worry otherwise,andthen I won’t leave him alone about it.”
“Thank you both. You’re too kind.”
True to his word, Mr. Matthews dropped her off in front of her apartment building less than fifteen minutes later. He waited for her to make her way inside, then waved as he pulled back into traffic. On her way to the row of mailboxes, Connie felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it out and answered without looking at the display, focused instead on getting the small key into the lock to get her mail.
Before she could offer a greeting, she heard Jonas’ voice asking brusquely, “Where are you?” The sound was weirdly doubled, so she looked around the lobby but didn’t see him.
Still poised on the edge of the emotional blade from their last encounter, his voice reminded her of the fear she’d experienced, somehow muted throughout the days apart. She had talked about it to Patty in an almost analytical fashion, unwilling to admit even to herself how unsafe she might have been. Jonas brought all that back in a rush with a single, barked question.
Then he spoke from directly behind her. “Connie.” The phone’s speakers didn’t echo her name, which meant he’d disconnected when he’d seen her. Her heartbeats soared, adrenaline flooding her system. “Where have you been?”
Panic struck her,andwith her breaths coming in short pants, she whirled, mail in hand, shoving the phone and keys into her purse, wanting her hands free. “Jonas, you scared me. I worked lateandmy boss gave me a ride home.” She took a breath, trying to calm herself. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to apologize.” He spread his hands to the side and shrugged. “Flowers didn’t seem like enough this time, and I wasn’t sure what kind of gift said ‘I’m an asshole and I’m sorry’ so I thought I’d see if you were still speaking to me.” He smiled crookedly and took a step forwards. “Are you still speaking to me?” He tried to grip her wristandshe yanked away, the hard pull making her skin sting.
Wrist aching, Connie stared into his eyes and prayed what she saw was only chagrin and sincerity.It’s time for hard truths. “Maybe not.” He blinked and opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “You embarrassed me, belittled me, and then frightened me. If this were happening to my sister, I’d tell her to dump the guy becauseclearlyit wasn’t a healthy relationship.” Tears threatened, and she curled her nails into her palms as she took a sharp breath. Using the pain to help her focus, she told him, “Why don’t we call a break, Jonas? That’s probably the best thing we could do.”
“What?” His head shook slightly as he straightened, fingers curling into fists as they propped on his hips. “No. We’re not calling a break.”
Movement behind him caught her eye,andshe glimpsed Taylor headed into the building from the rec area.Crap. The last thing she wanted was to have a public fight with Jonas. Shoving aside her lingering fears, she turned and walked to the elevators. “Come on, let’s talk upstairs.” The doors opened immediately when she pushed the button, and he crowded in behind her and touched the button for her floor. Connie stepped to the side as far as she could and massaged her wrist, glancing down to see a raised ridge of reddened flesh where his fingers had held her.Christ.
They were silent on the way into her apartment. Once inside, Connie immediately went to the kitchen, painfully aware it was a sloppy recreation of the previous scene between them. Placing her purse on the counter, she positioned herself on one side of the island, watching as he leaned against it opposite her.
“I don’t want a break.” He picked up the conversation from where she’d left it in the lobby. “I want to tell you I’msorryand have us go back to where we were.”
