Patton releases the squirrel back into the wild, closes the window, and then looks back at me. “You okay?”
The question catches me off guard. His hazel eyes—more green in the office lighting—hold what some might say looks like actual concern. But I know better.
I pout and trace a small circle on the surface of my desk. “I’m fine. That just wounded my pride.”
“Happens to everyone.” Then he disappears down the hall.
I’m left standing in the wreckage of my office, wondering what just happened.
10
WINNIE
Mindy and Thomasinstantly pop in now that the coast is clear.
“Did you see that?” Mindy whispers.
My brow wrinkles. “Yes, I witnessed the entirety of the squirrel incident—up close and personal.”
Thomas shakes his head. “The way Patton looked at you …”
I cross my arms in front of my chest. “He looked at me like I’m incompetent.”
Pauline wears a warm smile as if she’s well aware that we all know how Patton looked at me.
I huff. “You’re imagining things.”
Before anyone gets back to work, Patton returns and says, “We need to complete an incident report.”
I begrudgingly cross the hallway to his office.
As if lured by the commotion, Austin, Scotty, James, and Hayes appear.
“Heard there was a Code S.” Austin tries and fails to keep a straight face.
“Code Squirrel,” Hayes supplies with a chuckle.
“It’s not funny.”
“It’s a little funny.” Scotty pinches his fingers together. I’ve rarely seen him joke around.
James says, “Did Patton rush in like a knight in shining armor?”
“Speaking of, we’d better get those tickets to the hockey game,” Scotty says.
“Don’t each of you have something to do right now?” Patton asks pointedly.
Scotty and Austin make an about-face and shuffle down the hall as Oreo trots over to me. The Dalmatian puts his head in my lap, looking up with sweet brown eyes. I pet his head and tell him that he’s a good boy, even though he didn’t so much as lift a paw and come to my aid.
“Traitor,” Patton mutters.
“At least someone doesn’t think I’m a scaredy cat,” I say, scratching behind Oreo’s ears.
“I never said that.”
“The look on your face said everything I need to know.”
His eyes flash to mine and the room tilts, sending me slightly off balance. I quickly look away and take a seat.
