“Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of Nate,” she says. Nate sighs and goes back to his place by the wall.
“Okay, fine.” I’m unable to hide my exasperation anymore. “I came to tell you that you will not be paid for today. You have not yet earned any sick days, and seeing as you’re faking anyway, and clearly not working from home as you told Skylar, I can’t sign off on it.”
Allie’s fury doubles as she stomps over so she’s standing right in front of me. “I was taking a fucking break from work to exercise. I never said I was sick. I said I was under the weather, which if you must know, is because I’m having a really painful period. Exercise helps. Not that it’s any of your goddamn business. But you traipsing around town, looking for me, trying to ‘catch’ me in a lie is completely unprofessional. I wonder whatHR would think of you stalking one of your employees. Not to mention breaking and enter?—”
“I didn’t break anything,” I say louder than necessary. “I entered. The door was unlocked. I wasn’ttraipsing?—”
“Oh, yeah? How did you find me then? I can’t believe Emory told you.”
“She didn’t,” I say. The last thing I want is Em getting in trouble for this whole mess. “Luke accidentally let it slip.” I rub the tip of my nose between my fingers. This girl is going to be the death of me. “If you hadn’t ignored my calls and texts all morning, I wouldn’t have had to hunt you down.”
“Sorry if answering you wasn’t my top priority when I was doubled over in pain!” She throws her hands up again and sits on the weight bench. I look over to Nate for help, but he holds his hands up as if he’s just an innocent bystander. Did she really take off work because she’s in pain? Or is she bullshitting me again? I never know with her. Either way, there’s a part—a small part—of me that feels bad if she really was exercising to feel better.
“I didn’t know,” I sigh. I have no idea what the hell else to say. “If you took off work because of pain, and if you promise to work from home for the rest of the day, I’ll see what I can do about HR.”
“Was that—” she narrows her eyes and crosses her arms. “Was that your weird, roundabout way of apologizing to me?”
“I don’t think so.” I look at my wrist as if there’s a watch on it. “Anyway, I’d love to stay and chat, but I have actual work to do.”
Allie’s eyes flash with anger and something else I can’t put my finger on. There are small beads of sweat above her brow and just underneath her hairline. Her cheeks are still flushed, her lips slightly swollen, and despite the fact that she was just working out, she smells sweet with the faintest bit of earth mixed in. Her bright blue eyes scan me with such intensity it feels likeshe can see into my soul. She’s not wearing her glasses. She must have put on contacts.
God, she’s breathtaking. I have to force myself to look away.
“Anyway, hope you’re feeling better by Monday. I’d hate for this to become a pattern.” I emphasize the last word, getting my point across.
She goes to open her mouth, but I don’t give her the chance.
“Nate,” I tip my chin up to him. “Good to see you, as always.”
He gives me a curt nod back and I’m gone before I can even spare Allie Montgomery another glance.
7
ALLIE
“Don’t.”I hold a finger up to Nate’s mouth as he opens it to speak. “I’m not in the mood.”
For once in his life, he actually listens and snaps his mouth shut, but he clearly has something he wants to say. I can see it in the depths of those swirling gray eyes.
“Okay, what?” I relent.
“I was just going to say that I need to get back to work. I don’t think my dad will appreciate it if he finds out I left to be your personal trainer all morning.” He finishes racking the weights and grabs a fresh towel to wipe his forehead.
“Thanks, Nate. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime.” He flashes a rare smile. “I’m gonna shower and take off. You’re welcome to use the shower in your—in the guest room.”
“I will, thanks.”
Nate throws his towel in a wicker basket by the weights and goes to leave, but he stops and taps his fingers on the side of the wall. “Oh, one more thing.”
“Yeah?” I look up at him. He’s so damn tall. I wouldn’tconsider myself short, but I feel like a child whenever I stand next to him.
“What the hell was that?”
There it is. I knew he wouldn’t let me get off that easy.
“Ughh,” I groan. “I thought you were going to let it go!”
