Page 60 of Under Control
She sighed and moved in close, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I guess you’re right.”
He bowed his head, bringing his mouth close to her ear. “And you can make it up to me in the near future.”
“Make it up to you? This isn’t any easier for me than it is for you. And I really do think you have a thing for kissing on sidewalks.”
“I told you, I have a thing for you.”
I love you.It was right there, and she almost said the words. Not that she had a thing for him, but that she loved him.
But then his mouth was on hers, and she let him kiss her goodnight so thoroughly, she almost changed her mind about going upstairs alone.
He broke it off and took a step back. “Okay, you need to go in now and I’m going to walk away. But call me when you get a chance and tell me how your meeting went.”
“I will. Goodnight.”
She forced herself to walk because dragging out their goodnight would only make it harder for him to leave, and he wouldn’t go until he saw that she was through the doors. As she pulled the heavy glass door open, she looked back and wasn’t surprised he was in the same spot, watching her. He lifted his hand in a wave and then tucked his hands in his pockets and headed off in the direction of his car.
Olivia watched him until he was out of sight, wishing she’d changed her mind and called him back.
* * *
When the phone rang and Derek’s name came up on her screen, Olivia almost sent it to voicemail. She was home, but they were doing a video-chat staff meeting in ten minutes and then she’d blocked off an hour for following up with contacts she’d made at the conference. Then she had a follow-up appointment with a smaller client who shouldn’t have any problems, but it was still a tight schedule.
He knew she rarely answered phone calls during the workday. But she also knew that, other than in the evenings, he usually sent a text message, so it might be important. She answered it on the third ring.
“Hi, Derek.”
“I’m sorry to bother you like this,” he said, and she heard the stress in his voice. She could also hear sirens and a lot of noise in the background. “I hate to ask you this, but is thereanyway you could pick up Julia at school and hang with her at my place until Amber or I can get there? It would only be for a few hours. She has a key.”
Onlya few hours? She stared at the planner, which sat open on the counter next to her as always, and blinked. She didn’t have ten minutes, never mind a few hours. “I...isn’t there a babysitter or somebody?”
“Our regular sitter’s in Pennsylvania with her family this week and we’ve called everybody else. Amber and Jason are on their way to an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon and if they cancel, it could be weeks before he can get another appointment.” There was a pause. “I know it’s a big ask, Olivia. I wouldn’t ask if I had any other options. I’m on a scene. But she can wait for me in the nurse’s office until we’re cleared and I can get somebody to cover me if you can’t get away.”
“No.” Leaving the poor child at school for hours wasn’t an option. “I can work from your place. I’ll leave in five minutes and be there as soon as I can. Will they dismiss her to me?”
“Yeah. Amber will call them and take care of that.” She could hear the relief in his voice and felt guilty for having hesitated. “I’ll make it up to you somehow.”
Not unless he could manipulate time and get her some extra hours in the rest of the week. “Don’t worry about it. Be safe.”
As soon as the call ended, the panic hit. “Kelsey? Can you come in here?”
Kelsey appeared in the doorway two seconds later. “You okay?”
“I have to go.”
“Go where? When?”
“Now. And I have to go pick up Derek’s daughter at school because she’s sick and then take her to his place and stay with her until he or his ex-wife can get there.”
“Okay.” Kelsey stared at her for a few seconds, obviously trying to wrap her head around this unexpected and unusual turn of events. “We’ll still do the staff meeting and I’ll do a transcript for you. We can follow up by email or with a second meeting. And I can do the follow-up appointment.”
Olivia paused in the act of shoving her laptop into its bag. “On-site?”
“Yeah. I’m thoroughly versed in the system you implemented for them and we both know the visit’s just a courtesy because it’s in the contract. They’re all set and if he has any questions, I’ll answer them. And I’m wearing black leggings and boots. I’ll grab a jacket out of your closet and rock that millennial office-casual look. It’s no power suit, but I’ll look professional.”
“I don’t know.” Olivia shoved the power cord and mouse in the bag, zipped it and then set her planner on top.
“Your other option is to reschedule them, squeezing them into an already tight day in the future.” Kelsey put her hand on Olivia’s arm, making her stop and look at her. “You are amazing at taking a group of people, analyzing the various ways their brains are wired, and finding them the system that allows them to all work together efficiently. That’s the magic you bring. But the actual tech? And troubleshooting the system you implemented? I can do that, Olivia.”
