Chapter 30 Jordan
Jordan
Now
It’s Dr. Burgess. I should feel relieved, but I don’t. Something about the man makes me wary of being alone in a room with him, which is weird, given his profession. He should be a comforting presence, not a frightening one.
“I’m so sorry,” he says, stepping out of the doorway and coming closer. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m not in the habit of making young women scream.”
“It’s fine,” I reply. My heart is still thudding so loud I’m sure he can hear it. “I didn’t know you were there, that’s all.”
Burgess nods. “I was passing through the lobby and saw you in here. Thought I would poke my head in and say hello.” He glances around the room. “Getting a feel for the place, huh?”
“Something like that.” I push my phone into my pocket but keep a hand on it.
“Hard to believe that sometime in the not-too-distant future, this will be a coffee shop bustling with people, isn’t it?
” The doctor moves closer still. He observes me with brown eyes that should be soft and gentle but lack warmth, almost as if his friendliness is just for show.
“It looks so empty and forlorn right now.”
“That’s why you hired me,” I say, edging past him toward the door. “To make it warm and inviting.”
“Indeed.”
“Speaking of which, I should really go. I have a lot of work to do.” It’s an excuse. In reality, I have hardly any work to do, since the coffee shop is pretty much my only open project, and there’s only so much I can accomplish until I show the board my ideas and they approve them.
If Burgess senses that I’m trying to escape his company, he doesn’t show it. He just smiles and moves aside. “Better not keep you any longer, then.”
That’s my cue. I bid him farewell and make for the door, glancing back at the last moment.
I expect him to be watching me, but he isn’t.
He’s standing facing in the other direction, toward the large window that will soon entice thirsty Bostonians to come inside for a mug of joe, and gazing off into space, clearly lost in thought.
I just hope those thoughts are not focused on me.