Page 76 of Saved By Noel
I spin my ring and avoid eye contact.
“Clara Jane. Answer me.”
“Fine,Mom, I came in at 4:00 this morning.” I admit with an eye roll.
It’s not like I was sleeping. I’ve barely slept since I returned to KC to lick my wounds. Every time I close my eyes, I see the shocked expression on Clark’s face when I pulled away from kissing him. To add insult to the not-sleeping injury, my eyes are even more tired, considering my hasty retreat from Noel meant I left my glasses behind. I don’t mention that extra detail to Madison.
I spilled everything to her the day after I returned. Mads came to my apartment with exorbitant amounts of sugar and watched action movies with me all day. Usually, Heartmark movies aremy comfort watch in the midst of emotional turmoil. But they’re the furthest thing from a comfort watch right now.
“That’s it; leave this office right now,” Madison commands.
I meet her eyes with a quizzical look. “It’s the middle of a workday. I can’t just leave the office, Mads.”
“Clara, you’ve finished all the work you were supposed to do for this entire week. And you are a shell of yourself. He-who-doesn’t-deserve-a-name has ruined enough of your favorite time of year already. Go do something Christmassy, right now. I’ll cover for you here,” she concludes.
I drop my head on my desk. “I don’t feel Christmassy, Mads.”
“Then go down to Crown Center. It’s impossible to not feel Christmassy there,” she states decisively. I turn my head on my arm to make eye contact, still sulking.
“Clara, please,” Mads says, her tone of voice softening. “You need a change of scenery. Some Christmas scenery. Get out and be distracted by the holiday crowd for a few hours, okay?”
I sigh. “Fine.”
Chapter forty-two
Clark
“Use the second from the left lane to turn left.”
The GPS voice grates on my last nerve. My attempt to switch lanes at the last minute earns me a loud honk from the frustrated driver behind me.
Navigating this city traffic has me ready to give up driving forever. But I’m determined to make it to Clara’s office if it’s the last thing I do. I found the address for WritInc and drove straight here after dropping off Chase at Pops’ place this morning.
No doubt, Pops has already filled the whole town in on where I ran off to today. But if their positive vibes can help my cause with Clara, then I don’t even care who knows.
I park in the lot and step out of my truck, met with a blast of cold air. “Should have stopped to buy a coat,” I mutter under my breath as I jog to the building.
Once inside, I take the elevator to the third floor. Inhaling deeply, I open the glass door labeled WritInc and step into the lobby. There’s a woman behind a desk at the front. I’m not sureif she’s an official receptionist or not, but she appears to be the first line of defense to the office.
“Excuse me?” I say, clearing my throat. She gives a cursory glance up from her computer screen. Once she looks at me fully, she sits up straighter with a smile.
“Can I help you?” she asks, smile widening.
I rub my beard, uncomfortable with her perusal. “Um, I’m here to see Clara Sullivan.”
“I’m sorry, Clara’s not in the office right now,” she says, not sounding very sorry at all. “Is there anything thatIcould help you with?”
“Uh, no, unless you could tell me where I can find Clara.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t give out other employees’ information,” she replies. “But I could—”
“Clark?” I’m saved from the receptionist’s next statement by the disbelieving voice of Madison speaking my name.
I look up to see her glaring at me, rage spewing from eyes.Yeah, I deserve that.
“Madison, can I talk to you?” I ask. She continues glaring. “Please? It’s important.”
She gives an eye roll that involves her entire head, but gestures for me to follow her to an empty conference room.
