“Problem?” Derian asked as she walked up.
Aud dropped the phone into her bag and stared
at Derian, clearly weighing her options. She let out a long breath. “I’m going
to have to go. I’m so sorry.”
Derian grimaced, a chill rippling through
her. “Let me guess. Martin has summoned you to the office. Did you tell him
where you were?”
“Yes, of course.”
“With me?”
“Dere,” Aud said, an unusual pleading note in
her voice. “He’s my client and Henrietta’s family. I had—”
“Never mind. You should go. You don’t want to
keep him waiting. He might have a company to buy or something equally
important.”
Aud glanced from Emily to Derian, her cheeks
flushing. “Really, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“You’ll call me?” Aud pushed the down button
on the elevator bank.
“Sure,” Derian said wearily.
“I wouldn’t go if I didn’t have to, Dere. You
know that.”
Derian squeezed the bridge of her nose and
nodded. “I know. It’s okay.”
Emily spoke into the sudden silence as the
elevator doors closed. “I was going to stay, if you don’t mind the company.”
“I wouldn’t mind at all.” Derian smiled
ruefully. “Sorry about the family drama. Martin knows how to push all my
buttons.”
“No need to explain,” Emily said softly.
“I’m glad you’re here. I hate waiting.”
“I’d say you get used to it, but that’s not
true.” Emily remembered well the barely tolerable panic when everything in the
world spun out of control and one crisis piled on top of another. Time became a
blur of adrenaline-fueled anxiety and stretches of soul-sapping waiting. She
rested her hand lightly in the center of Derian’s back. “Come on. Do you want
some coffee?”
Derian grimaced and dropped into a dull
orange fabric sofa against the wall. Two matching chairs flanked it, along with
a faux-leather sofa on the opposite wall. The carpet was industrial-grade dark
brown fabric. “No. I’ve had more than enough.”
Emily sat next to Derian. “Have you had
anything to eat?”
“Breakfast. I’m good.”
Emily remembered. Breakfast with Audrey.
She’d conveniently forgotten that. And she conveniently wasn’t going to think
about how they came to be together first thing in the morning, or what might’ve
happened before breakfast, or last night, more accurately. She had, after all,
turned down Derian’s fairly subtle but unmistakable invitation to stay the
evening before. An invitation that could only have meant time in bed. Of course
she’d said no, and why wouldn’t Derian look for other company? Especially with
someone like Aud, an incredibly attractive woman with whom she shared a history
and obvious deep affection. They were probably part-time lovers.