There was a pause, and Kelsey held her breath. Had she overestimated Adrien’s kindness?
“Thanks,” Robbie said. “Yeah… uh, we’re sort of in the family bathroom on the second floor. Just take the elevator by the north parking lot and you’ll end up right by it.” Robbie’s face winced, and Kelsey could hear that Adrien’s voice was raised. “No, nothing in particular is wrong. We just can’t… leave the bathroom.”
Kelsey watched Robbie pull the phone away from her ear, grimacing at what must have been Adrien ranting. Then she said good-bye and hung up the phone.
“Phew, he was pretty pissed, but he’s coming,” Robbie said. “Should be here in about five minutes.”
Kelsey nodded. “Pissed?” She hoped she hadn’t interrupted something. He’d already done enough for her; she didn’t want to cause more issues.
They spent a tense five minutes in the bathroom, Robbie bantering to try and lighten the mood, and then her phone buzzed with a message.
She looked down and nodded. “He’s here.” She stepped toward the locked door. “Adrien, you out there?”
“Yes,” a muffled, annoyed voice retorted. “So come out and tell me why you’re locked in the bathroom. It’s ridiculous.”
“Is anyone else out there?”
A pause and then, “No. Why?”
His tone was terse, and Kelsey winced. Was he mad that they’d dragged him down here? Was he working? She sort of didn’t want to go out and face him, but she didn’t want to stay in a bathroom either.
“Okay, we’re coming out,” Robbie said, stepping in front of Kelsey just in case and cracking the door open.
Looking over Robbie’s shoulder, Kelsey could see Adrien’s nonplussed face. His arms were folded, showing off buff muscles in a light-blue dress shirt. He was wearing a tie and dress slacks as well.
“Sorry,” Kelsey said, walking out behind Robbie. “Did we interrupt a meeting?”
“Just a staff meeting,” Adrien said, sending Robbie an annoyed glare. “I had to make something up to leave so Citrine wasn’t suspicious. I hate secrets.”
Robbie flinched. “I’m sorry. But—”
“I know, I know,” he said grumpily. “But I’m not happy you put the two of you in danger, and I think I deserve to know a bit more about the situation.” He looked Kelsey over as she came up to walk alongside him toward the elevator. “Are you both okay? What happened?”
“It’s not mine to tell,” Kelsey said shyly, holding her bags.
He looked over at them and then reached out a hand impatiently.
He wanted them? She stared at him in confusion.
“Let me carry those for you,” he said. He also gestured to Robbie. “I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t.”
Kelsey reluctantly handed him the bags, but Robbie shook her head.
“I’m fine, thanks,” she said. “I can carry my own bags.” Her spine was a little too straight as they took the elevator down to the parking garage.
Adrien was quiet, but she could almost feel him stewing. The only thing she knew for sure was she was glad he’d come for them.
It was nice to have someone to depend on, and now that she was seeing him as simply another employee, there was less distance between them.
Kissing had helped with that as well.
“Robbie, you go ahead and get in the car,” Adrien said. “I need to ask Kelsey something.”
Robbie gave Kelsey a curious look but then got in, taking the bags from Adrien to situate them in the trunk.
Of course Adrien would drive a Mercedes.
Maybe they weren’t so even after all.
He looked at her awkwardly, dark hair lifting in the wind blowing through the garage, silver eyes grayer than usual due to the lighting. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me tonight,” he said awkwardly.
She stared at the handsome man in front of her in shock. “What?”
“I’d like to take you out to dinner. And whatever else you’d like.”
“Why?”
He shifted his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. “Because I want to court you in earnest,” he blurted out, looking frustrated, more with himself than with her.
“Oh,” she said blankly. She’d never been asked out like this. It would be fancy. She’d thought even if something did happen between them, it would happen at the club. Just hanging out casually.
Was he really saying someone like him wanted to pursue something serious with someone like her?
“But… we’re from totally different backgrounds, and you don’t know anything about me.”