Page 56 of Heartsong
She wasn’t sure.
Because what if he regrets it? What if, after he’s stuck with me as a mate, he gets buyer’s remorse?
That she couldn’t accept, and so all the rest went with it.
It didn’t help that her traitorous heart (and lady bits) gave a discontented sigh of frustration. Her brain was rapidly becoming the only holdout against Frey’s mate bond, and the rest of her (and probably Frey, too) was getting exasperated at the back and forth and hurry up and wait.
“Looking faraway today.”
Anna jumped an inch off her seat, realizing she’d been lost to her thoughts again. She stared up dazedly at a familiar face smiling benignly at her from across the desk.
Andrew Glendower.
Nerves snapping like overstretched rubber bands, her attention focused on the suave professor. Today’s coat and scarf ensemble was dove gray and robin’s egg blue, respectively, and his hair was again perfectly parted and coiffed. She hadn’t noticed before, but a signet ring on his pinky finger glittered in the fluorescent light. She only caught a glimpse but thought the face had been tooled to look like the Tree of Life.
“Hello again, professor.”
He smiled at her recognition. “Good afternoon, Miss Anna. Long day at the office?”
“Absolutely humdrum,” she agreed, plastering on her customer service smile with some effort.
Glendower made a noise of sympathy. “That’s why I like to escape here.” His sandy brows rose, and he wasn’t quite able to hide the curiosity in his gaze when he asked, “Anything new I should stop and see?”
“Not this time, no.”
“Hmm, shame. Well then, off I go to see the old friends.” And with a polite nod, he headed off into the museum proper.
Anna chewed her cheek, watching him go from the corner of her eye.
When he’d disappeared, she pulled out her trusty notebook and flipped to the paragraph she’d written about the professor. She’d made notes on all the regulars, wondering if it was possibly not just her who’d been attracted to the museum.
Tree of Life signet ring, she added to the notes.
Finished, she looked up to find her coworker Suzie walking across the lobby. Calling her over, she had Suzie take over the front desk to free her to head for the Gwyneths’ office. Carrie would want to know Glendower was back.
Anna walked with purpose but not too fast, not wanting to catch Glendower up. She didn’t spot him anywhere, though, as she followed the hallways deeper into the museum. She’d almost made it to the main gallery before the threshold to a small branch hallway appeared in the wall. You could easily miss it if you weren’t looking for it, tucked behind one of the gargoyle statues.
Her steps were quiet as she went down the hall toward the office, but her own feet were the only thing she heard as she neared the open office door. She slowed, wondering if neither Gwyneth was in.
Stopping just before the door, Anna peeked around the doorframe.
She blinked, not quite understanding what she was seeing.
Both Gavin and Carrie were in there, obviously deep in conversation. Gavin sat in one of the overstuffed leather office chairs, Carrie to his left, hip leaning against the expansive executive desk. She gestured with a hand, emphasizing her point, and Gavin nodded along, eventually saying something.
At least, Anna thought he said something. His mouth moved.
But no noise met her ears.
She was close enough to hear if they were whispering; maybe not every word, but at least the murmuration of speech.
Anna tugged at her ear, wondering if they needed to pop.
She watched Carrie drum those perfectly pointed nails on the table. Nothing. No sound.
Anna’s mouth fell open, a little gasp escaping her. This wasn’tnormal.
The sound was barely anything, and although she couldn’t hear them, the Gwyneths apparently could hear her.
