She stopped.
She hadn’t made a note. She was supposed to. She’d grabbed a Post-it to jot it down, but she hadn’t because she had been preoccupied with that email from the grocery chain.
Ashanti covered her face with her hands and began to sob.
“Oh, shit,” she heard Evie say.
Thad came into the already crowded room and quickly wrapped her up in a hug, cradling her head against his chest and running his hand up and down her arm.
“How is Duchess?” he asked.
The complete silence following his question caused Ashanti to look up.
Evie, Colleen, and now Leslie, who’d walked in behind Thad, all stared at them.
“Uh,hello,” Colleen said.
“Duchess?” Thad asked again. “How is she?”
“She’s going to be fine,” Evie said. “A few stitches, but that’s likely the extent of it.”
Thad looked down at Ashanti and drew his finger along her cheek. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
Ashanti heard Leslie’s swift intake of breath. She started to step away from Thad, but it felt too good nestled here in his arms. There was no walking this back at this point, so why should she even bother.
“I’ll get Duchess to the clinic,” Evie said, lifting the crate. “And then we are talking. Oh, bitch, we aretalking, do you hear me? I’ll tell Rid to join us.”
“Can I join too?” Leslie asked. “I’ll bring wine.”
“Me too,” Colleen said. “I’ve got snacks. I make a mean roasted beet hummus.”
“You get Mark to urgent care,” Evie said. She looked at Thad and Ashanti. “You get her to her office. Who has an extra Xanax she can take?”
“I do,” Leslie and Colleen said at the same time.
“Me,” Mark called from just outside the door to the exam room.
“I’m fine. I don’t need Xanax,” Ashanti said. “I just need a few minutes to calm down. And I needyouto get my dog to the clinic,” she said to Evie.
Evie held up her free hand. “We’re going.”
They all filed out of the exam room. Ashanti ignored Evie’s protest as she followed her out to her van. Then she stood in the middle of the sidewalk and watched, heart in her throat, as they drove away.
“She’s going to be okay,” Thad said, cupping her elbow in his palm.
“I know Evie will take care of her. She’s one of the best.” Ashanti bit her trembling lip. “But I hate this. She could have been killed.”
“But she wasn’t,” Thad said. He gently tugged her arm. “Come on. Let’s go to your office.”
She wordlessly followed him back inside. Mark and Colleen were getting ready to head to urgent care.
“Oh, Mark,” Ashanti said when she noticed the six-inch gash on his forearm. Guilt had her unable to look him in the eye. “Should I come with you?”
“That’s okay,” Mark said.
“I’ve got him,” Colleen said at the same time.
“Boss Lady, you need to get to your office and settle down for a minute,” Deja said. “If you don’t want a Xanax, at least have yourself a drink.”
