Which worked out fine. Better off nobody glimpsed the tears in Lucky’s eyes either.
***
Nobody seemed to notice the world’s impending doom. They went about their typing, gossiping, coffee-sipping, like always, in the SNB cube farm.
But if Lisa wrung her hands and said, “Good morning, Mr. Harrison,” one more time… Then again, maybe Lucky should quit passing by her desk while stalking the boardroom, waiting for Bo to appear.
What kind of meeting lasted—he checked the clock on the wall—two hours? Oh. Only two hours? Jeez, seemed like ten.
Johnson caught him mid-pace. “Bo’s meeting went over. I’m taking you to lunch.”
No asking, just telling. “And if I say no?”
The woman Lucky probablywouldn’tsay no to shrugged. “Then I sling you over my shoulder, slap you on the ass, and drag you kicking and screaming to Bucky’s.”
The glint in her eyes said she’d do it too. One more glance toward the closed conference room door didn’t make Bo suddenly appear.
Lucky’s stomach rumbled.
Johnson grinned. Winning didn’t mean she had to gloat.
Lucky marched toward the elevator. “Fine. But wipe the smile off your face, or we take my car.” Watching her try to fold herself into his tiny Camaro ought to be good for a few laughs. Amazing she’d managed to squeeze in the night they went clubbing, especially in her high heels and painted-on dress.
She stopped smiling when they reached her Jeep. “If you need anything—” Her attention on opening the door meant Lucky wasted a perfectly good eye roll.
“Why do people keep telling me that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because wefucking care.” She never raised her voice and didn’t have to. What an impressive amount of sarcasm she’d manage to put into those two words. She climbed into the Jeep and drummed her fingernails on the steering wheel while Lucky got in and buckled his seat belt. “My cat is kind of territorial, but you got a place for the cat and dog? I can come over and feed ‘em if you need me to.”
“Walter’s taking Moose, Mrs. Griggs is taking the cat.”
“Good. How long you reckon you’ll be gone?” Johnson fired up the vehicle and drove out of the underground parking garage, straight into Peachtree Street traffic.
A few weeks? Forever. Lucky shuddered. Nope. Not going there. “I dunno. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She dropped her voice to a murmur. “You need me, I’ll be here.”
No tears. No way, no how. “Keep the rookies in line while I’m gone, would ya? Don’t let ‘em burn the place down.”
“Sure thing, boss. And you keep an eye out for hot doctors or orderlies.”
“Does Bo know you talk like this to me?”
“I’m not asking you to look for you, I’m asking you to look for me.”
“What about Philip?” Had she finally seen the light? She deserved so much better than the loser she dated.
“I’m dating, not dead. And watching hot doctors will keep you occupied and your head out of your ass.”
Rett shouldn’t get so mushy on him at work.
But yeah, he’d miss her too.
***
Lucky turned a blind eye to the front lawn in need of, well, more lawn and less bare spots. His sister hadn’t commented on the tons of work the house needed, or the crack in the driveway determined to snag her boot heels as she traipsed from the front door out to her car. Lucky trailed behind her, lugging her suitcase, while Bo kept both hands on Moose’s leash.
Excited mutt wanted to go for a ride.
