Alex stood. “Don’t worry. Any funny business, I’ll let you know.”
Chapter Eight
Alex was just about to call it a day on Friday when his assistant buzzed him on his office phone. It had been a long day. After his visit to the police station, he’d been on edge. Everywhere he looked, he expected to see Gordon Dean materialize.
What did Gordon want from him? An apology? An admission of guilt?
As for apologies, Alex had tried. Right from the start, he’d tried. Neither Gordon nor his parents wanted to hear a word from him. He’d tried to explain what happened the night Shannon died, at least as much as he understood himself. They’d made it clear they weren’t open to hearing his interpretation. In their eyes, he’d taken away their baby girl and they would never forgive him.
As for admissions of guilt, if that’s what Gordon wanted, he’d be waiting a long time. Shannon’s death had been ruled accidental. It was a tragedy but nothing about it had been premeditated on either of their parts. The police had made it clear Alex was never even a suspect, even though the rag magazines liked to imply he was one.
Maybe if he’d made more of an effort to get to know Shannon’s family, this wouldn’t be happening now. However, because Alex’s relationship with Shannon had been tempestuous at the best of times, visits with the family had never been on the menu.
It had been hard enough keeping their life on an even keel.
He’d gone so far as to offer to pay for grief counseling for the Deans. They’d thrown his offer back in his face, as if it was an insult. He didn’t like the idea they were still suffering but he couldn’t make them accept his help.
And now Gordon was stalking him.
He felt for the man, he really did. It sounded as if he’d had a shitty year. If Alex had lost his livelihood, he probably would have lost his mind with it. His work was the only thing that had kept him going in those horrible months after Shannon’s death.
Maybe, if he ran into Gordon, he could talk some sense into him. Maybe he was now in a position to accept his help.
The memory of Gordon’s smile in the security footage unnerved Alex. It wasn’t the smile of a man who was crying out for assistance.
It was the smile of a man who had nothing left to lose.
Alex hoped he was wrong, because all the sympathy in the world wouldn’t stop him from protecting what was his.
It wasn’t until his assistant buzzed a second time that Alex remembered he hadn’t responded. “Yes, Trevor?”
“Alex, I have a Ms. Hamill hoping to meet with you. She doesn’t have an appointment.”
“That’s okay. Send her up.”
As Alex walked toward the office elevator, his body tensed. Dana wanted to see him and he knew this meeting had to be some sort of reckoning. He was tired of dancing around her. He’d admitted he wanted her. If she was coming to see him, she would either tell him to take a hike or that she wanted him as well.
He’d thought about her today, hoping she hadn’t suffered too much of a hangover. Did she have any regrets?
Did she miss him like he missed her?
Christ. He’d never been so on edge about a woman before. She had definitely done something to him.
Maybe this stalker situation was heightening his emotions. All he knew for sure was that he wanted to draw Dana close and never let her go.
He didn’t have time to ponder his emotions. The elevator door opened and she took a tentative step into the room. “Oh, hi.”
“Hi.” Everything in the room lit up. It might be night time but she’d managed to bring the sun with her.
“You’re right there. I was expecting some sort of office.”
“This is my office but I also live here. It’s an odd floorplan, I know. My predecessor’s idea. I don’t mind it, though. No one can get up here unless they get escorted by security or buzzed in by Trevor.” He looked her up and down. She looked fresh and sexy in a white blouse, grey dress pants, and low heels, even though regret had placed some shadows under her eyes. “How are you today?”
“I’m all right.”
“Really?”
“Okay. I’ve been better.”
