“Yes.”
“But you’ll be home on the weekend?”
“No.”
Her face fell.
It probably made me a dick that I was a little happy in her disappointment because it mirrored mine.. “Jaxson has a hockey game in Atlanta Friday night, and Jensen plays in Atlanta Sunday night. The whole family is flying down for both games. So I won’t be back until Monday night.”
“That sucks.”
“I’ll call you when I can this week, okay?”
“Okay. But it won’t be the same.”
“No. It won’t.”
Chapter Seventeen
Lennox
‡
One week later . . .
Brady hadn’t even been in the office all week and I was dealing with questions and comments about us.
“So you and Brady Lund, the big bad CFO.”
“Did he ask you out when he learned firsthand how good you give . . . dictation?”
“I heard you two were doing it in the office supplies closet on the seventh floor.”
I was wrong about the level of interest my relationship with the Lund CFO would garner—it seemed everyone who worked for LI felt the need to weigh in or ask whatever question popped into their heads, even a week after we’d been outed and it should have been old news. I wanted to bust heads, but I knew what Lola had been getting at: My every action was under way more scrutiny than it had been before.
But I still had a screaming headache by noon.
Sydney and I were eating lunch in the employee break room. She’d been the least surprised by the fact Brady and I were together.
“I knew that he had it bad for you from the moment he started stopping by our floor wanting to argue with you about everything.”
I was picking through the salad I’d gotten on my way to work this morning. My head was throbbing so much my vision seemed fuzzy and my stomach was upset.
All the chatter in the area died and I knew Brady had walked in.
I hadn’t seen him in a week. I should’ve tackled him and kissed his lips off. But I didn’t move.
He didn’t give any pretense that he’d come in here for any reason other than that he was looking for me. I felt his hand on my shoulder, but he addressed my coworker first. “Good afternoon, Sydney.”
“Same to you, Mr. Lund.”
“Lennox?”
I looked up at him. The man was so gorgeous he hurt my eyes.
Or maybe that was just the headache. I couldn’t muster a smile. “Hey.”
“After I’ve been gone a week, I get a ‘Hey’?” His eyes searched mine. “You okay?”
“No, she’s not okay,” Sydney answered.
“I’m fine.”
“She’s got a really bad headache,” Sydney said to Brady. “Lennox never complains, and god forbid she’d ever go home sick, but you can see she’s in pain.”
“Yes, I can see that.” Brady crouched down. “Look at me.”
I lifted my head and winced.
“Do you get migraines?”
“I never have before.”
He curled his hand around the side of my face. “Christ, Lennox, your skin is clammy.”
“I’m sure it’ll pass.”
“Have you taken anything for it?”
“No.”
“I have some stuff that’ll help.” He stood. “Sydney, would you please dispose of Lennox’s lunch for me?”
“Absolutely, sir.”
“Come on. Let’s get you fixed up.” Brady pulled my chair back and helped me to my feet.
I was aware of every pair of eyes on us as he placed his hand at the small of my back and guided me out of the break room. I tried to keep my professional distance.
As soon as we were in the elevator, he said, “Come here,” and wrapped me in his arms.
His hold on me tightened. I sighed and he kissed the top of my head.
I was vaguely aware of us entering his office suite. I felt so dizzy and nauseous that I stepped back, afraid I’d throw up on his expensive suit.
But I swayed and my vision went black the way it would right before passing out.
“Goddammit, Lennox,” Brady barked and swept me into his arms. “You’d rather face-plant into the wall than let me help you?”
“You have more important things to do, Mr. CFO, than tend to me.”
“Wrong.”
We started to move, but I couldn’t open my eyes to see where we were going.
“Jenna, see that we’re not disturbed.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Call Lennox’s supervisor and let her know she’ll be out the rest of the day. Have someone bring her things up here.”
“Of course. Is there anything else I can do?”
“No. I’ll take care of her.”
“Brady, you can’t—” I tried to protest.